Part one of "Piece of Cake", a Science Fiction tale

As I promised a Sci fI tale and as the header says this os part one of two. This is also the shortest as in 2,225 words.
Could have revised more but I did this l late afternoon, and I am tried. The rest of it will hopefully be in a couple of days. 

This is another old story of mine-over six years old-and one my favorites. I realized it's a little hard to revise these older stories with all I have learned about writing since I first wrote them. But it's more readable and enjoyable than the original version.



Piece Of Cake By L. E. Doggett


The tiny, one man ship slid through the clear section of space quietly. Nothing orbited even close to him, that included other ships. The tightness of his piloting space didn’t bother him, nor did the heavier than normal clothing of his flight suit.
Carlos Manqué had been told that that his ship would blend in with the surrounding space if anyone glanced its way. That would be equally true if they used their physical eyes or electronic eyes. He almost believed them. The lights on his control panel would not reach outside the ship even if he opened his blacked out cockpit cover. The comm band he used, for extreme emergencies only, didn’t squrk or hiss with back ground radiation. No way could it be picked up. His AI could talk to him, but only through the device in his skull.
The pilot glanced through his cockpit window at the surrounding space. He shivered but he knew that any cold he felt was his mind only. No way could he feel any cold with his flight suit on and inside the temperture controlled fighter. Even the air in this improved fighter tasted clear and very close to planet normal.
He could, however really see the hundreds of pinpoints of light with yellow dots and nickel size disks mixed in that bordered the system he was flying through. Those stars provided significant light for this region.
Carlos was proud he was able to fly this new ship. It was a streamlined, state of the art craft. A craft so new this was its first mission. Its paint actually was a special light absorbing material so black it was difficult to make it out even with the number of suns shining around it. He had seen it disappear in a darken hanger. He had known it sat in front of him but no shadow or dark blob gave it away. They had demonstrated how it even absorbed lidar blips and other sensor radiations.
He flew not only with radio silence but dark, all of his running were lights off. The cockpit was located on top right along the center beam, one quarter of the way back from the blunt nose.
Carlos sat in the cockpit encased in a thicker then normal flight suit. It was more of an armored extra vehicle suit then a flight suit, but that is what they called it. His suit’s helmet had a light amplifying feature, so he could make out everything around him-it even had very short range lidar and three separate lights.
At the moment his drives were on stand by, as were most of his controls, including full sensors and the few weapons he had. He was cruising with only passive sensors to cut his chance of detection. If the need arouse he could have full operation mode in a two seconds after the touch of three touch points. The new gravitiaonal thrusters steered his craft with little escaped radiation or gravity anomilies.
So far everything was going as planned. He glanced at the diagram of the ship set in the control panel; streamlined yet stocky looking. The ship was small, three feet shorter then the jet fighters from the Twenty-first century, he had studied in flight school. It was however twice as wider and twice as thick as the fuselage of the same air craft. He studied the outline again. It was a nice looking ship. The new fighter’s wings were stubby running most the length of each side. He had to step on one to exit the fighter. The section of the wing that connected the ship’s hull was half as thick as the craft. As they swept backwards their thickness narrowed to half its original.
He sat there calm, without a trace of sweat or nervous butterflies. Back when he received the assignment he had predicted to his friends-without even hinting at what he would fly or do with it, that it would be a piece of cake. He recalled the moment he had announced his special assignment. As usual his friends had been sitting at a table in the academy’s canteen. He and his friends were still considered cadets even though they had graduated from the space force academy a few weeks earlier. That meant, among other things, that they could not be in the officers canteen, or lounge and they did not belong in the enlisted men’s canteen. They were in a sort of no man’s land, not officially belonging to any group. So like most of those previous to them they stayed around the academy, while waiting for assignments where they could advance to the next level, full fledged officers.
Carlos had come rushing over to their table, barely able to contain himself. He had felt like jumping up and down, as well shouting. That would have caused a scene, as well as being non officer like, so he restrained himself. They were expected to act like full officers. After arriving at the table he just stood there, until someone asked him what was happening. He had answered by saying that nothing much was happening, he had just been to the bases’ commander's office.
That had taken a few seconds to sink in. Finally three of the six heads spun his way. Jacqueline had asked if that was what it sounded like, or had he gotten into trouble. He had broken into a large grin and Tony had said that by that smile it was what they thought. Everyone had started to talk at once, some congratulating him with others asking him what the assignment was and others asking if the outfit he had been assigned to needed any one else. When they had quieted down he looked around to make sure no one else was close, bent down over the table and spoke in a low voice explaining that he had been given a special assignment piloting a new experimental craft.
Brittany said that those assignments were always the toughest. He replied that he was the best pilot in their
graduating class and therefore it would be a piece of cake for him. They had gone to a real restaurant that night to celebrate. Three days later he had been called back to the commander's office and the full assignment had been explained to him. It was top secret so he had to keep his mouth shut tighter than a locked up flight computer. All he told his friends was that he had leave to be trained for his new assignment but that for him, it would be a piece of cake.
Two days later he left and was taken to another base for training in this new craft. He had been surprised how small it was. It wasn’t the first one man fighter he had flown but it was definitely the smallest. Years of research had gone into condensing various components. They had even changed the shape of some so that they would fit into the space left for them. That was one thing he didn’t like about the ship. Every bit of space was crammed full of electronics and such. If part of one system blew up, it could take two or three other components with it. He had been assured that certain parts had been modified to make sure they would not explode and that others had an armored covering which should protect them if something next to them fragmented or blew up. He didn’t like the words “should” and “make sure they would not explode”. Devices and humans had a bad habit of doing things they should not.
The ship did not have much in the way of weapons just two double lasers and a larger maser just a little bigger then the lasers. The maser was on a turret located on the belly. The lasers were stationary and located at the front portion of each wing. It did have strong shielding though and dozens of anti-missile rockets and electronic defenses. He would have the shields turned off for the mission however. The little ship’s main ordinance was located on its belly. Usually it would carry four ship killer missiles, or eight of the smaller ones, but this time it had something special.
The design and building of this prototype had finished significantly ahead of schedule for a change, so High Admiral Jackson had decided to use it for this. It would show what the new fighter could do. How it could be used. That was why after just the basics of training, mostly simulators and actually piloting the ship three times, he now piloted it in stealth mode.
Even with passive sensors he could see his target sitting in a parking orbit. There were a lot of smaller craft flitting around it. Some were patrol ships guarding the new ship, while others probably were cargo shuttles. There were also civilian craft and other patrol ships on guard paths further out. With just the passive sensors it was hard to be sure which ships were which at this range though. This was true with his eyes also since even with the magnification mode on his helmet, the ships were just moving pinpoints of light at this distance. He would be able to tell with full sensors of course but they would be able to detect it if he “painted” the target with them. With so many other ships, including quite a few civilian ships, it might be a little hard to detect just another set of sensors but with the heighten security around the target bit would not be worth the chance. Also his would be military grade sensors which would attract even more attention. Some alert sensor officer could follow the beams back to their source, him. That would not do at all.
His mission was deceptively simple, get in launch his special ordinance at this new ship about to begin its maiden cruise and get out all without being detected. A piece of cake, as he had told everyone. That was why he had started this mission a large distance from the planet and after building up his speed he had turned off the drives. They could not be detected if they were on stand by. Now he was coasting using his inertia and the planet’s gravity to get him in on time. Not only did he have to get in without being detected or seen but he had to be at the launch point at a certain time. This was so his ordinance would hit its target at a certain time. He had allowed himself just a few seconds leeway since, as he had kept saying, this was a piece of cake.
A few minutes later he adjusted his course slightly. It just got harder; he couldn’t approach too close to the target since there was the heighten security and since there were a number of other ships around it. Some were stationed in one location while others were moving along certain courses. A few of the ships further out were zipping this way and that as if their pilots could not make up their minds where they wanted to be.
After another minute one of the small ships zipping about suddenly cut him off. It just came out of no where, zipped right in front of him, slowed down quickly then stopped. One second his front window looked clear and then it was full of ship. He had to make a sudden turn to his right to avoid running into it. He used the thrusters located on his wing tips to make the turn. He gently fed power to the thrusters at the same time he banked. As his small craft curved to starboard, he got a close look, though his view screen, of the paint job on the civilian vessel. It looked kind of neat actually with reds, greens and a
certain round red and yellow logo painted here and there. It, however, was a closer look then he wanted.
When his ship came out of the curve and straighten out his course he thought about the close call there. Not what he had expected. Two-seconds later he jerked as the realization hit that he hadn’t turned off the thrusters and that his ship still moved in the wrong direction. Or had he? He thought he remembered doing it. Whatever, he reached for the control, ran his fingers down the virtual power control too fast and his finger went past the end, almost hitting another control. That would not have been good.
He spent a second hoping the longer thruster run did not attract anyone’s attention. The energy produced by thrusters that small should not be easily seen unless someone with powerful sensors happened to be looking straight at him. With the security as tight as it was around here that could have happened. Than again with so many thrusters and drives in action his could go undetected.
Nothing he could do about it through, so he decided to ignore the possibility until and if it was proven true. He had to get back to his course. He pivoted the ship until its nose pointed toward the planet. He let the gravity do the work for his drives.

end segment

Second half of "What?" A fantasy in two parts

Part Two of “You want Me To Do What?”

Before I get to t he story:

A Happy Fourth of July to all those who read this and who live in America, or celebrate her anyway. Obviously not a perfect country but still over all one that learns from her mistakes and her people are willing to share, with a great economy, and the freedom to be a totally a Christian and any other religion.
Again too late I thought of doing a story for the holiday. I have a serious of stories for different holidays but not this one. So it would have had to be a new one, but I could have done it if I thought of it in time.


But here be dragons at least one. And a brave, unsure of herself female hero who learns something about herself. 2,692 words here today.

Here is a bit from part one to help you catch up.


When she saw her mentor in the door of her house, she knew he wasn’t there for a social visit. He had come sometimes for a social call but not this time. By the look on his face she knew it was something she wasn’t going to like. Donna hadn’t expected him to suggest that she come here though.
He had said, “I need you to do something. You’re not going to like it, but you’re the only one that can pull it off.”


She looked at him, a bad feeling growing in her stomach because of his words and tone of his voice. Donna had done many things she didn’t want to do to save her small nation. Gone undercover, spied with a partner, took part in a couple of magic duels, dealt with giant mice and that horde of bugs last week. That mission still sent shivers down her back. But now it was almost time for her to marry. She needed a break and rest.
Samuel said, “Most of your features show that some of your ancestors probably were Easterners. Along with that your knowledge of dragons and the Eastern Magic Code, your ability, and experience you could pass for an Easterner wizard. Your red hair could be a problem but there are ways to hide that.”
Even before Samuel finished Donna had stared at him; she couldn’t believe what he wanted her to do. He knew her background. A corner of her mind said that it was logical. There were dragons on the same mountain, as the school. The students had to learn how to communicate with them as part of their practice. The dragons of the mountain and the Teachers had made a pact, generations ago, that bound the dragons to deal with the students as their boss.
“Tell me what I need to do,” She had finally said.
After Samuel left she had sat on her bed trembling with the thought of pretending to be one them. She had some bad memories of being treated as dog, by Easterners. For some reason they thought she was a half breed and therefore deserved to be treated as a dog. She had had to spend almost a year with them. They fed her scraps and made her sleep on the floor, as well as beat her and forcing her to work for them. Finally her mother and father had found her, rescuing her.
In one way it was good that she had been a child. If she had been a few years older they would done other things to her and used her in ways that made her shudder to think of. Of course she might have been old enough to fight back and maybe even use her magic, but that would have gotten her killed, probably. She still didn’t know why they had kidnapped her and treated her like that, when she came up to them to ask if they were related. After her rescue she ran or hid from anyone who looked Eastern and had nightmares for years. One reason she had set out to learn the Eastern Magic Code was to see if she could figure out why they had done that to her, and to be able to defend herself if any one of them tried it again. She had studied dragons because she was fascinated by them.
Her memories stopped when she reached the school. She made sure she looked haughty and went in. She was half way across the common area when her worst fears came true. One of the officers in the Eastern army came up to her. She thought he was suspicious and wanted to see some proof of her identity but his smile showed her what he wanted.
“There you are, lovely one. I thought we could go up to my room and practice---your exercises.”
She tried to brush pass him, as she said, “Later I got...”
That was all she got out as he grabbed her, putting one arm around her.
 He said, “You can finish what you’re doing after we practice together.”
The way he said together made her feel dirty. She froze for half a heartbeat, wanted to flee, but that would not fit with who she was pretending to be. Her breath came hard, sweat formed on her forehead, her heart beat too fast.
He started to slip a hand inside her robe. Donna could smell his sweat with something extra that would be produced by his arousal. She swallowed the excess siliva that formed. Instead of slapping him and running which was her instinctive response she said, “I said later.” with all the haughtiness and anger she could muster. The anger wasn’t faked.
He smiled and said “I know how you students want it.”
Donna knew she couldn’t fight him and without her bracelet she didn’t have her usual weapons to stop him. He tried to kiss her, expecting her to react like any usual Easterner magic student would, by kissing back.
Instead she slipped her hand through the opening of her robe, beating his hand away as she did. She moved her hand faster than she thought she was able to and found one of the small charms she had made just for this occasion.
Donna slipped it off and threw it on the floor right under his feet. She started speaking Words.
The round piece of bark broke open on the floor releasing a lightly colored smoke. It spiraled upward caressing his legs and going up under the bottom of his uniform.
A second later, as he pressed his lips against hers and slipping his hand through the opening of her robe, he froze. Than he stepped backwards looking like he was puzzled. He yelped and started reaching for his legs to scratch the intense itch he had all of a sudden.
That gave her the opening she needed, finishing her recitation she moved her right hand around, as if she was wrapping something around him. He jerked up, looking at her with a panicked expression. She pulled on the invisible something in her hand and he slipped to the floor, falling on one side, with his hands tightly bound to his sides. She pulled again and he grunted as a long, coiling dent appeared in his chest armor, as if something heavy was squeezing him. He grunted out a curse and maybe a short scream.
She snarled, not all faked, “I said later! I got something to finish first before pleasure.”
Donna let go of what was in her hand and walked off.
“Damn officers, they don’t know their place,” she mumbled loud enough for those who had witnessed the confrontation to hear.
She finished with a particularly nasty Eastern insult. Some of those around her smiled and by the expression on the faces of other students, they thought he got what he deserved.
Some probably were thinking she should have squeezed even harder, she thought. I didn’t wanted to hurt him, not badly, that Power Word will keep him until it wears off in a few minutes. I used a weaker Power phrase on purpose.
As she walked out of the room, she saw he was squirming trying to find relief from the itching. That would stop before the Word let go of him.
Donna made it back to her room without further difficulty.
Once in the room she made sure the door was secure. Not so much because she was afraid that someone would want to finish what the officer started, but so no one could walk in while she opened her special small chest. It was locked with more than a physical lock. She had placed a black dress over it but she depended on a Power Word on it that wouldn’t let anyone, except her, see it. There was a second one that would keep it shut even if the lock was broken.
She picked it up with one hand and slowly opened it. Inside, along with pieces of jewelry, was her two must precious items. Her bracelet and her engagement ring. She picked that up first luxuriating in its feel. Rather had spent time designing it and making it just right and she could feel his love flowing from it. It was beautiful, with two doves touching a diamond between their beaks. The doves sliver in color and there were white and gold streaks throughout the band. The diamond shone with a brilliance that still surprised her.
She didn’t know how he got white and yellow gold to bend together with the Power metal like that but she was happy with the result. She treasured it more than the necklace he had given her the first time he had come by to introduce himself. He had made that too. She had known he was a special person to be able to make something like that, and because he had known what to give her. She adored opals. Both the opals, and the amethyst, set in Power metal made it just right for someone with her abilities. For the Power metal enhanced a Power welders abilities.
Placing the ring on her finger Donna looked at her bracelet. She shook her head, it, the necklace and other rings would have to wait. Easterners had engagement rings so no one who might see it would think it funny she was wearing it. The other jewelry would have to wait. Besides from her reaction when that officer tried to grab her she realized she had become too dependent on the bracelet.
She pulled off the robe and untied the belt as fast as her hands would move. Once it was off she held the belt with one hand deciding what to do with it. Keeping it would be best in case she had need of it again. Donna hurriedly packed it and the robe in the pack with her dirty clothes in it. She next dressed in traveling clothes; undergarments, brown pants and a light yellow loose fitting tunic. Lastly a hooded jacket whose hood would hide her hair.
She looked at her self in the mirror and nodded. This outfit was a design that anyone might wear.
After that was done she finished packing and stepped to the door. Oops, she forgot one thing. Hurriedly unpacking she found the black, gray and brown headband, that was as wide as her little finger was long. It was the headband that signified that she was a student of Eastern Powercasting. Making sure the Powercasting symbol was on the front she put it around her forehead.
Once that was done she stepped out of the room and collapsed all the Power wards she had placed around the room, she left. Donna walked confidently through the halls and down the stairs. Once in the common area again she said to the person behind a counter that she was done with her room. He nodded and she turned heading through the main door. As she did, she tried to look like she was all Powerful and she could do whatever she wanted.
Donna mused that Rather would be surprised, if he was to see her now with that expression on her face, along with her walk. He thought she needed more of an aura of confidence, than she usually displayed.
She found the stables and got her horse. It had been well taken care of and all she had to do was saddle it. The stable
hands could do that, but she didn’t want to wait. She could do it faster and be out of there sooner.
Once on the road she kept up her haughty stance, until she was halfway down the mountain. Once she thought she was beyond where anyone might be watching her, she relaxed. Stopping she took her chest out of the saddlebag. Opening it she placed the necklace around her neck and the bracelet on her right wrist. She added her other rings and than made a clicking noise with her mouth to urge the horse to start moving again. The horse was soon traveling at a half gallop.
On the way she thought about how she had been right for this trip after all. Even though she took a chance using the bark bead as a talisman she knew that it was unlikely that anyone would look for the bead. If anyone happened to find the tiny pieces of what was left of it, and checked it over, they would find traces of Hedge witch Power, not Northern Power. She didn’t worry about the other Power she used either. If anyone tested the residue of the Power, she had used on the officer, they would find what they expected: Eastern Magic as the bases. The same went with the demonstration of her Power she used to get in. Donna had used Eastern Power Words for both.
She was one of the few of her colleagues, who studied more than one type of Power. Now though she had to get going if she was going to make the rendezvous with the dragon and a day after that with her fiancé.
It would be good to have the dragon bones with the magic they contained. They would help her side, but they were not the reason she had taken the chance of coming here. It was the second thing, she had mentioned in an off handed way, that had brought her to this place. The humans she had mentioned, who would be coming over the pass, were coming to attack her people. There were no armies or mages, nor any other Power wielders, who were in the right position to stop them. Not that it mattered even if the army was in the right place. Her people were too few to have an army large enough to stop the one headed their way. With a few good mages, if they were able to hit the invaders in the right place, at the right moment, they might be able to do them significant damage thereby stopping them. But that would leave her nation open to an attack by the Easterners. The army however wasn’t in the right place. They were marching at full speed for the invaders because they weren’t going to give up without a fight. They would get there, however, after the invaders had come through the pass, and after they had a chance to rest up.
Her mentor had come up with the plan to use a dragon to decimate the invaders, while they were coming through the pass. He told her about the bones in the small cave just under the level of the lava in the Crag volcano. He had known about them for years but hadn’t had the ability to get to them. Now the level of the lava had gone down and if it continued going down, the cave would become accessible. But a dragon could get them. The bones were to be the excuse to get the dragon at the right place and time. Her partner would make sure the invaders attacked the dragon. He was good at making people do what he wanted without using any traceable Power words to convince them.
As she rode on she smiled happy to have beaten her fears and disgust, while at the same time she had been able to do something that would save her people. Not a bad three day trip.

The End

Third tale for the Halloween Trilogy

This, as I promised last week, will be a continuation of my trilogy. I posted the first two stories of a Halloween trilogy on the last Saturday of Oct. Or the post below this one. Now for the third tale.

The first two were inspired by pictures but this one wasn't. And again I say this is darker than usual for me, some may even be surprised by it. I am planning to do two more stories set earlier then this one, and place them all in an Indie story set-after another revision. One of those new tales will have ghosts in it-this is a Halloween themed project after all. I don't think I will be using vampires but something else to do with Halloween Maybe eery clowns. :)

I made one mistake when I wrote it. The first two are in First Person but this is in Third. And I include the hero's name this time. I couldn't find anyplace in the first two where I actually named him.
Anyway this story is kinda of long at 7,180 words. Urban Fantasy since it takes place in our time.


Enjoy:

Still Beautiful But She Went Too Far

Jason jumped up from his cheap, plastic seat, ran to the door of the fast food restaurant, looked out. He chewed fast to finished the bite he had just taken. He didn’t taste it, only swallowed as quick as possible. He had been eating by himself, thinking of a halloween three years ago, when something had caught his attention. Other customers; some dressed in monster outfits, a Captain America, two obviously fake zombies, just sat there. They wouldn’t have felt anything. He had though so knew that something big had just happened.
As a mage, one of the few who could manipulate an energy created by nature, he knew when someone used that energy in a big way. Someone just did and not far from him.
This time it didn’t take long to see what this Trick was. Figures came out of the dark gloom that happened on foggy nights even in early evening. They came around the various cars parked in the mall’s lot. They wore ragged clothes and shuffled along. He thought he could hear moans on the wind that blew through the door when it opened. It had more than a bit of cold for this time of year. Jason also caught a whiff of something that could be decay. So slight that the scent of mass produced not so authentic Mexican food, almost covered it. Of course that odor might come from the full trash bins to the side of the eating establishment he stood in.
A transparent faded white figure drifted by in the wind. A movement made him glance back at the human like figures. One of them had to stop at the tail end of a newer sedan. It reached out and shoved it to one side, out of its way.The car collided with a bronze SUV. The crunch sound of metal against metal sounded-the SUV’s alarm went off.
The few people outside around turned to look. One young woman screamed when one of the figures reached for her. She wasn’t that close to it but she evidently felt like it didn’t matter. Others ran. Jason concentrated and sent a mage blast at one. It didn’t harm the zombie-like creature. He frowned sent out a larger blast, it too did no harm. Jason tilted his head to one side, his eyes narrowed. He tried to think of why it wouldn’t. Sweat popped on his forehead .
He sent out a tentacle of his power to see who these guys were. They seemed unaware of his attempts to stop them. A moment later his power came back to him. Something didn’t look right so he sent a more powerful sensor spell. It came back fast. His eyes widened, his mouth narrowed and his eyes became hard. They were illusions, very strong ones with scents and sounds-more importantly though, he recognized the imprint of the mage who had created them.
What did she want? This was Halloween so almost anything. A picture came to mind of a report he had seen early afternoon, of a group of people scared badly this morning by something unknown. Two had died of heart attacks. Another one killed by a stampede of people running in blind panic for some reason and another two died by unknown reasons, perhaps drug overdoses. That could be what she wanted here.
He looked out at the illusion, fear grew in him. No, around him. More people screamed while others turned and ran. One man tried to climb the wall just outside of where Jason stood. So a spell to multiple fear, to induce panic. People would probably be killed. He shook his head and frowned.
Jason waved his hand in front of his face, recited a poem he had made many years ago. Before he had met Durasa. He concentrated his will and pulled up his arms so that his palms were facing the window, energy burst forth from each hand. It spread out and enveloped the zombies and ghosts. A second later the fear vanished. The illusion still existed, but the desire to extreme panic left.
Durasa had to be near to make sure the illusion went as planned and that events, like the car being shoved into the SUV could be done. The man who had tried to go up the side of the store, settled down, looked around, straightened his clothes then hurried away. One man helped another up. The zombies began to fade. Another ghost slid by but it had become even more transparent. Soon it would be gone. Since the illusion would no longer serve its purpose she would do away with it and save the energy. She probably knew he had undone it even though there were others here in the city that could have undone it.
His lips narrowed, he breathed in slowly, let it out in a rush. She would do this again tonight. Which meant that she had killed innocents now, and would again.
“Damn”
Jason felt his eyes harden, his mouth twist, his heart stalled, even his breath stopped for a long moment when he thought about what he needed to do. He had put off even thinking about it. He would sacrifice almost anything, even his own life, to keep from having to do this. The tacos he had eaten made his stomach hurt, but he knew it wasn’t them. Bile came up. Tonight of all nights would be it—but she would keep working at scaring people to death.
Without a backward glance at the food still on his table he rushed out the door, barely felt when he brushed against the man who had tried to climb the wall who must have come back for something, hurried to his car and drove home. He went faster than the police would like, but none noticed him. Once at his place he got out, hurried to the front door-the front yard smelled of pine with a bit of pollution and pollen, from the three pine trees. In other words everything appeared normal. He liked the brown with pastel red trim, now though he ignored it. The three bedroom, two bath house had been built only ten years old, with a modern design, that included a smaller pouch. When he ran up the steps he tripped on a planter that stood near the edge of the steps that led up to the pouch, recovered-mostly. Took a moment to stop, took a deep breath than even though he knew the house he took his time to make sure no one had set up a trap for him. She might do that depending on what she wanted. Nothing he could see yet. Once inside he rushed to the room in the back. Once he found the special closet-hidden along a wall, he pulled out a chest and undid three locks, the wards connected with the locks and the lid knew him, so stayed quiet. He carefully took special objects out. When he had them secured in various pockets in his outfit he made sure the chest was locked again and shoved it back into the hidden closet. He set off the special wards that would activate if he didn’t come back, to make sure nothing in here could be discovered by the police, someone else normal, or a grave hunter who knew what he was. He double checked his wards, added one with the help of an enchanted lock. Once in his car he headed for a spot he thought she would be at. Most probably she would go back there with the energy she had gathered from those who had died or just terrified. Again Jason drove faster than the speed limit.
On the way he thought she may or may know he knew where she worked, but she would have set up protections. They would be deadly and mean.
Two miles away from that spot in a secluded woods not far out of town, he felt her presence. Any mage would register on his “sensors” but he knew her “call letters” as it were. That place had a bad rep already so it would make sense, in more than one way, for her to choose it. He hoped he wasn’t as predictable as she seemed to have become.
Fog appeared with a suddenness that didn’t surprise him. He parked off the road, near a couple of very large trees; as far away as he dared from her and the road, made sure everything still lay in his pockets, got out. He set subtle wards around the car for other dark mages could feel the usual wards but not these unless they tried hard to find them. Jason hurried through the trees. The dark and fog made it hard to see some of them, but he quickly stepped around those that appeared right in front of him. Even though he tried to be silent, he didn’t believe she would be thinking about listening for invaders. She probably knew he was there anyway. He tried to hide the extent of his power but that may or may not work. If it did she may think he was a lesser mage and underestimate him, until she saw him. As arrogant as she was he might be fool her even when she knew it was him.
Tree limps brushed against his face and pulled on his clothes. At one point he realized that for the tenth time he found that his hand went to his pockets to check on their contents. Ozone filled the air along with the usual scents of pine and the ground mulch. Blood too he thought. It’s possible that she killed some forest visitor: hunter, park ranger or a family out for a picnic. He wouldn’t worry if it was a drug dealer growing pot or selling heavier stuff out here. He hoped it hadn’t been a family or a husband and father out looking for firewood.
The cold grew as if he had crossed a line, which he might have. He saw what looked like an area of fog on the other side of some trees. Jason’s skin started to crawl, almost as if it knew instinctively to go in the other direction. The forest scents died down but didn’t quite disappeared. The blood, ozone and something he wasn’t sure of, grew. The blood still wasn’t too strong. Eery sounds: wind blowing over a graveyard, very faint growls, thumps in the distance but getting closer, bats flying too close and other noises grew in the night. The darkness became darker with gloom, and a feeling of doom.
Good, maybe this would chase away anyone up here. Not everyone, unless that blood smell was part of eery feeling spell. He continued on. Maybe five minutes later a light appeared. He made a beeline for it. It moved, he curved over to it.
It moved, so he made a slight adjustment. Jumped when something next to him chirped. For a second it had sounded like a moan from a person. After his head swung that way, faster than he could think, he saw nothing. He licked his upper lip, tasted salt. So he was sweating, no surprise there. He hadn’t noticed, probably because of the cold, but under these circumstances anyone would.
Half a minute later he came to a clearing. He saw a tree with deeper shadows and slipped over to it.
Not dressed for sneaking around in a dark forest, but he suspected that she knew he was there anyway.
As silent as possible Jason hurried to a large tree near a clearing. He pressed up against the large round pine tree-something seemed off about its scent. The bark wasn’t right either a part of his mind warned him, but it was a tree. The air was course with ozone and magic-it filled his sinuses and coated his tongue. The first meant she had been doing magic for a while. She must have come straight here from that parking lot. But by the looks of things here she had spent the day here preparing this area. Why here?
She stood to the right of Jason, on the other side of the clearing. She had her arms raised and was nude. He rolled his eyes, that was so stereotypical of this type of magic, surprised she did it. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, her body was distracting too.
A motion to one side, within the edge of the clearing, made him turn his eyes that way, while he still faced her. A man stood there. A longer look showed he wore dirty clothes and just seemed out of it, but as if he was on drugs. Or as if he was asleep-or dead? With a sudden thought he looked over the clearing better. There were five more of these. They could be fresh zombies but didn’t have to be dead. Whatever the case he knew they were under her control.
His eyes widened as he stared at one to the left of her about six feet. His head jerked slightly when he recognized the man. Mr. Stumblefield, an older man and a lesser mage. A very nice guy who didn’t deserve to be forced into servitude whether he was dead or not. Jason wondered if he had come here to investigate why he had felt power here or to look for someone. Whatever the case Jason could do something to help him out now. He concentrated, pictured what he wanted, sent his will out very quickly and found the key to her control over his body. Since he and her had been very close he knew the key to her spells and the matrix of her energy signature. So he used that to trace over the energy lines within her matrix. Once there he sent a charge through that newest line and it exploded like a charge of plastic.
He heard her cry out when her spell was broken. Mr. Stumblefield crumbled to the ground. Jason didn’t know if he was dead or alive, but she no longer had control over him. She screeched, glared all over the clearing, probably knew it was him by now, if she hadn’t felt him come up.
A moment later something of hers found him. He should have realized what was beside him that looked like a tree. As soon a tentacle touched him, he knew what had smelled funny. The tree had been an illusion to cover up this thing. Durasa had to tried to get the scent right, but hadn’t succeed.
Before he could take a breath to react the tentacle was around him and squeezing. His breath rushed out, and pain took over his ribs. He tried to suck in air but it held him too tight. He thrashed, kicked against the ground to push himself away but it held tight. He tried to suck in air but not much made it to his lungs. It lifted him off the ground. He wasn’t sure if it would take him to her or throw him across the clearing, crush him until is insides dripped on the ground, to fertilize its roots or even eat him, but either option was bad.
He told himself to stop panicking and to use his power. He concentrated, sent a spike of energy at it then created a coating of fire around his body. The creature jerked, before it let out a noise that sounded like a scream and let go of him as the tentacle whipped backwards away from him. The whole thing shifted away from him even as he landed with a thump. What air he had just sucked in on the way down, rushed out. Ohhh-he would have a bruise after that landing. To go along with all of the other bruises that thing had given him.
The mulch under him started to smolder and a knee high seedling caught fire. Of course, the fire had been one way so he wouldn’t get burnt so he had forgotten it. He drew the energy back into himself and tried to stand, fell back down. A small fire and smoke drifted into his face and he coughed as he breathed in ashes and heat. A wave of his hand sent all of the burning grass, mulch and leaves toward the creature. It made more sounds and backup even more.
A noise and a presence made him look up. She stood five feet away. He looked down at the dirt. If she thought about the fact that she was nude at all she may think it would be a distraction. He had to admit that it might be. He had seen her in shorts and bikinis so knew she had a good figure, this confirmed it. Her beasts had a good shape and looked healthy, the same with her legs. It was too dark to see much else but he didn’t have to. His arousal built in his mind and desire grew.
This wasn’t like him. He still had a desire for her but this was so far beyond that, even if you added in the love he had for her. She had changed so much and now all he wanted to do was slam her on the ground and jump her. He gritted his teeth and willed his body back a foot.
Why did he desire her this strongly?
Damn, of course. Should have thought of that.
Jason concentrated and formed a wider range blocker around him, she would know how his normal defenses worked and his signature, but this was new and he twisted it slightly. A heartbeat later he sighed, for his body and mind relaxed make to a normal state.
She looked down at him, probably not surprised by his response to her lust spell.
“So you did show up after all. I have been thinking of you and wondered if you would come to save the day. You have stopped me too often and cost me, I will enjoy sucking away your power and your life.”
He stood, glad he had a moment to rest, in one easy motion and stared at her-at her eyes.
Out loud and for her benefit he shook his head said, “No!”
A word with more than one meaning. Her threat, her trying to force him into desire for her, and whatever else she may offer him. He knew her power after all and how it changed, she didn’t know that. He took a step forward and lowered his eyes. She gave a small smile, in the middle of another step he raised a hand with a sudden movement and sent a blast her way. She ducked, probably instinctively he thought, but the energy flipped back and smacked him in the face. He found himself in the air, blood came out of his nose and splattered. He landed with a crunch and a groan. Another bruise, or two. That defense was much stronger than he had expected, that she should have been able to do after their last battle.
Before he could level himself up she was there with a foot on his chest. Did she teleport herself or did he pass out for a few seconds? No way to tell right now-not that it matter because there she was. He could easily see her bare leg. He knew that scar on her knee and how the muscles and skin were shaped. He didn’t look up at her though. A moment later he wasn’t able to for his concentration was full of pain. He had to get that foot off. Somehow it had gotten heavier, he didn’t think she was pressing down harder though. His side hurt already and his energy level was down. If she continued to make her foot weight more, his chest wall would be crushed—but he wasn’t out of it yet.
“I will pull your power and you in so you can be with me, helping me as you wanted to but it will be in a better way. A part of you will always be inside me to sustain me and so I can show you what I am capable of.”
He frowned but not because of the pain.The physical pain anyway. She had twisted herself so far. He groaned as her foot became heavier but he continued that thought for a moment, she still had something like love for him but she saw it through her deep inner desires, which warped it.
Better do something and think later, he wouldn’t be able to carry out his plan like this. He would dead or worse still aware while inside her being used for her plans.
Urg, I need to do something now, IIIwwwggg.
With a pull at his will, he ignored the pain to send an attack. It failed! He managed to follow up with three quick attacks but each one dissipated without harm to her. Where did she get that strength? His failure bite at him as bad as the physical pain, she would be free to do as she willed, because he blew it.
She smiled because she knew him and how he attacked, but…
Or so she thought.
He sent another smaller attacker, and almost smiled back, but too much pain and too big a danger of losing kept his lips pressed together. In a heartbeat her expression changed to a quizzical one, then to shock, she almost giggled but controlled it and jumped back. As her foot left his sternum he pushed himself backward on his back until his head wracked to tree, he managed to grip the tree and used its rough bark to pull himself up. That hurt! In so many places. Much easier to just lay there and let whatever happens, he had fought her well, but she knew his secrets and probably remembered parts of his journal. She may think what she got form him if she drew his strength into her, was enough and leave anymore innocent people alive tonight. There were other wizards more powerful than him that could take her down. He held his side once he was all the way up.
He couldn’t let her win, but where was she getting that strength? He recalled that star she had stood next to. Was there something in it?
He called on his reservoirs, used that and a magicked can, that he had storied healing energy in, and created healing energy. Meanwhile she had dealt with the feet tickle attack. He had remembered the bottoms of her feet were sensitive and figured that more than likely unguarded for a simple attack. He stood and moved her way to a spot under a tree with wide branches.
He looked at her as she came his way, the fact that she had to walk that far to get to him increased her anger.
Now that he was up and still had some power, this could still work with his original plan that he now stood in position to carry it out. He had been worried he wouldn’t be able to work it because of his failure to recognize that creature disguised as a tree. He hadn’t seen one like it before but he should have planned for her to have a surprise or two. He activated another weapon. This one needed time though to build.
He took in two deep breaths, he could smell the clean air and the pine scents and something else. Puzzled he took another look at her with his special senses, found a strand of magical energy, followed it. His eyebrows went up, so that was it.
She was still beautiful and evidently still felt something for him. Maybe a good talking to, or what? Banishing those thoughts and ignoring the feelings that came with them he thought, now to keep her talking. She may not notice in this shadow of the tree before it was too late.
Jason breathed in deep again, said, “You still trying to be number one?”
He tried to make it sound like a curse.
She said, “Of course, why would I stop? Even though you got lucky twice, by trickery, I am still better and stronger.”
“Stronger? Really?”
She smiled nodded once, “You’re too weak, I wonder what I liked about you once. Surprisingly I still feel something toward you, but I can use it against you, because I am strong. I can kill. We should have had sex, but you probably wouldn’t last long nor know how to be good lover.”
Ouch, he thought, hitting below the belt. Probably to get back at him or distract him. He thought it was good they hadn’t had sex. What she could do with his semen now, would be bad for him. Maybe even have gotten through his wards at his place, or turned his reproductive organs against him somehow, a number of things none good.
“You never did understand me. You assumed things because of the way you thought and Because of lazy thinking. Lazy everything.”
Just keep her talking a little bit more, it’s building quite nicely.
He said more, “You should have realized how tough I am and persistent I am. You considered something that you didn’t understand to be a weakness. That is never a good assumption. You find it too easy to take shortcuts or forcing yourself to get what you want by any means instead of the best way. That twists and harms your personality and who you are.”
She snarled and said, “I was always like this, you didn’t understand me, because you wanted me to be something I wasn’t.”
He nodded once, “Yes, there was some of that. But you acted like it was the true you.”
Jason paused as her expression changed to one of puzzlement, her eyes went above his shoulders. So she saw it. In this gloom it might look just like wings-black perhaps Raven wings but she would soon see that it wasn’t.
Her expression changed to anger, then half gloating, “You twisted yourself, to fight me.”
Jason shook his head twice, “If you had paid attention or read far enough along in my journal you would know that I have experimented with the Dark. I wanted to know how it worked and what it took from someone using it. So I knew how to do this before you came along.”
Her expression changed to-disappointment?
“I didn’t read your journal because you destroyed it.”
He nodded once in acknowledgement of that. It had been hard to relearn and to remember it all but he had and learned more besides.
“You never realized that by learning things and working Tricks out that you learn them from the inside out. That isn’t weakness, its strength.”
 She opened her mouth to say something more but it was time.
Jason waved his hand toward her and the blackness behind him rolled over his head and shoulders like a wave. She took a step back in surprise, lifted her arms for a defense but it reached her first. His would be stringer than hers. It a heartbeat the blackness had covered her. The force of the impact knocked her backwards onto the ground. She landed with a muffled thud. A sound that came from the shroud that could have been a scream, or a yell of rage.
He moved over out of her range and into the clear. A footfall behind him warned him, but he turned too late. A figure ran into him. As they went down together he got a glimpse of others. He hit the ground and rolled. Bark and torn grass rolled down the back of his shirt. He smelled the grass and mulch but no decay. That surprised a corner of his mind while the rest of it readied himself for a different fight. He spat out crashed leaves and decayed matter that had gotten into his mouth when his face smashed into the ground.
She must have set her zombies to attack anyone who got the better of her, he should have thought of that when he saw them. Jason shook his head, he should have thought of that after their last encounter. This time he didn’t know if they were true zombies-there were different types-or she just used her will to control them, but it didn’t matter at the moment.
Something heavy landed with a force, followed by another one. He gasped in pain as his injured side became pain again. It hadn’t been healed all the way.
They tried to grab him to tear him apart but the number, another one joined them, hindered that. He managed to use his magic to lift them enough to crawl out. It took them a moment to understand that. How to stop them without killing them-if they were still alive. He had stopped one already. He could use that. He concentrated and sent out a blocker. One of the zombies fell back to the ground before it got up all the way. Another blocker and another fell, but he had to run. They others closed in too quick. He could only do one at a time and that took some seconds to complete the action.
He expanded a force around him, which blew them backwards. One hit a tree with a hard thud, but soon got back up. All of the others stood too even though some took longer to untangle themselves.
What to do?
She was almost out of her cocoon as he had expected. Durasa had all of that energy inside the star to use after all.
Hey, yeah I can use that.
He gathered more energy from inside the star on the ground, formed another mass of blackness. He ran to a certain tree, then to a rock a few feet away and back into the center of the small space he had been in. By then the zombies were in one group. He commanded the mass to envelope them. It did.
He stood and panted. Narrowed his eyes. New injuries abounded. One wrist ached, a huge bruise in the middle of his back where a knee had landed. He hoped that was all it was.
Something on his nose was blood but not too much. A moment later with a yell from her, the cocoon burst, it flew everywhere. She hurriedly stood with a flash of well made legs and other parts.
That lust spell must still be working.
She glared at him, cursed snarled. “You are too stupid and worthless. I am used to the dark energies, I can control it better than you.”
She seemed upset at his supposed ineptness as his attack. He gave her another nod, not letting his pain show, or that he was physically weak. He still had his storage rod, which he now tapped. No time for healing instead he placed his arms out form his sides started a process.
“You still do not understand. Still assuming things. You know I have killed. I don’t like to, would do anything to keep from killing. You misinterpreted why;it is not a weakness.”
A hot glow formed around his hands. He raised them, the glow brighten. It hadn’t built up as much as he wanted but she was forming some type of dark shield. He didn’t think it would stop this but with what had happened already he didn’t want to take a chance. He sent a command to the power around his hands. Two streaks of sun energy shot out A moment later both cut through the shield she had half formed and impacted her. She shot backwards, fell and tumbled. She managed to get back up and looked at the very bad burn on abdomen near her right hip. The skin there already looked bright red and perhaps a large blister had started to form already, it was hard to tell. A look of pain crossed her face, then concentration. A red disk shot his way. More sun power shot from one hand. It hit and exploded the disk. She drew more power from within the star and shot out a purpled black object that spun like a memorizer. But a beam shot from his other hand. The object dropped to the ground on fire. He decided to use his soul power to make sure the next shot was final. That was something she didn’t know about, something that hadn’t been in his journal. But she may not be able to use anyway.
She screamed in rage and leapt back in time to avoid another shot. It hit the ground in a burst of flame. A fire started in the grass and low bushes. She ducked dirt and grass that shot everywhere. The fire crackled and sputtered, it heated up the air quickly. His sinuses wanted to sneeze the odor back out.
Fear crossed her face, turned to panic. She shot over half a dozen spells his away. Some missed, three hit new fireballs. The last and most powerful one slammed through it all and impacted his shoulder before he could step aside.
Awww, that hurt. It may have broken his shoulder, but his shield had held most of it away from him. She panted probably hoping that it had hurt him more than it did. He knew through she had drawn strength and energy from whatever was in the star. He had to deal with that or Durasa might still win. He sent a fresh fireball her way. It wobbled on its course and missed. She gave a half smile and prepared something even stronger. He could feel it would be her strongest attack yet. He was tired and in pain both of which played havoc with his concentration.
With a deep breath that sent pain through one side, he tasted salt-hoped it was just the sweat that covered his face and not blood from inside. That last might be why she again thought she could beat him.
Jason shook his head, raised his good hand and fired one more shot of plasma formed from the energy he could use. It sped her way faster than the previous shots-fueled by his own soul energy. It impacted a shield she must have thrown up. A powerful one for some its energy was used up when it still ripped through the shield and hit her just under one breast. It had enough power left to burn a hole the size of two fists through her body. It burst out of her back hard enough he could see parts of a shower of blood and flesh. Her scream of pain reverberated through the clearing. She staggered backwards,almost fell bit somehow managed to keep standing. A brunt skin odor made him gag-the effect on him was doubled because of where it came from and that he was the cause of it. A blood stink filled his nose.
Damn, that was suppose to have gone through her heart.
He wondered if that would have killed her.
He lifted his eyes to behind her. The fireball that missed had landed on its real target: the far side of the star she had made on the ground. The fire bubbled for a long moment then burst into a flame that soared up shoulder high. Quicker than snake attacking a lizard it spread along the lines that made up the star. It would have been pretty and something to behold if it didn’t mean death.
He had half watched her face. She looked down at the hole, looked back at him as if she couldn’t believe what he had done. Fear grew again, she now knew she could lose. As the flame spread over the occultic lines she realized she had lost already. Her expression showed that. She began a panicked healing spell, but before it could do much the shoulder high flames reached where she stood in the middle of one line. She glanced at the fire, knew what it meant and screamed. This time the sound expressed her lose and frustration as well as pain. The flames burned higher and she collapsed. The stench grew a heartbeat after one last shorter scream. To make it worse it became so strong that he thought he could taste the stink. He spat three times, and willed himself not to vomit.
At the same time Jason fought the desire-the need-to look away, he had to make sure. He fired another fireball. It landed on the bulge that showed where her body lay. In less than a minute even the new flames died down. Nothing was left, he had made sure even her bones had been consumed. He called up a wind and had it blow over the spot. He used his power to grab a mass of ashes and shoved them down very deep into the ground. Most of what was left were blown for miles over a wide area. Some were lifted up and traveled for tens of miles before the wind let them fall over an area miles long and wide.
He dropped his hand and finally turned around. Whatever was in the star was gone. He didn’t know if it had been just a mass of power and energy she had collected for some scheme therefore it had dissipated or if it was a creature that had been freed to go back home to whatever dimension she had grabbed it from, or it could something that was now free in our world and he would have to deal with it at a later time.
Tears wanted to swell up, but none would fall. A coldness enveloped him, memories flashed through his brain. He stared at nothing for a period he didn’t know. After a certain period his injuries let it be known that they still existed and needed to be taken care of. He shook his head-he was too tired for that and besides he had to heal at least some of the ground here. Deep holes pocked the ground, blacken trees and burnt out bushes lay around. The area where the thing had rested looked dark and lifeless.
He pulled much of the loose energy, added that to what he had left over from what he had grabbed from the circle. She had never expected that he could so that-he shook head twice, let his fell downward. A moment later he called on what was in his storage devices. He concentrated on good thoughts and changed the structure of the bad energy then he sent it to accomplish something good. A fog formed around trees and the sections of the ground.
A groan made him spin around
Could it be?
No, the sound had been male. And it came from a different direction, where he had last seen his friend. He ran, limped over to where a figure sat up. It shook its head and bent over like it might be sick but nothing came up. Closer Jason could make out Mr. Stumblefield's face. He looked sick but also relieved.
“What happened to her and how did you?…”
He stopped after he looked at Jason. Something in the expression on his face must have caught Bill’s attention.
“You fight her?”
Jason just nodded.
“Boy she put you through the winger. You have blood all of your face, you look dead on your feet. By your expression it was a hairy battle and close. You okay?”
Jason started to say yes, but groaned and wobbled instead.
Mr. Stumblefield stood up as quick as he could given that he was still weak himself. He stepped to Jason and put an arm around him, “We can support each other until we get back to our cars.”
Jason nodded again. They started to move off but another groan sounded. Jason looked at Mr. Stumblefield who shrugged, “That wasn’t me.”
Jason pulled him toward the noise. Jason plopped down by another body, checked the person out.
“This one is still alive but I think he needs medical help.”
Mr. Stumblefield said, “That spell she used was rough. I came here to check out some magical energy I felt, I thought it might be kids or even young adults that were playing with something they didn’t understand since this was halloween but I found something else. I wasn’t as careful as I thought I was for this tentacle creature caught me. I fought but she approached me with this smile I knew meant something bad was about to happen. It was painful and having to obey her like some robot took a great deal out of me. I think my mind fought her the whole time but it couldn’t win. I just want to go home and sleep for days, after I eat something.”
Jason nodded, it didn’t surprise him that she would use that spell. “We can call from my car. My phone is in it. But I want to check on everyone else here. Someone else might be alive.”
With difficulty he stood and they went to every body they could find. Along the way Bill made a comment about the battle Jason had fought, for even the tentacle thing was dead. Bill didn’t know what it was. Jason had to admit he didn’t know it either. They found only one other person alive. They couldn’t do much to help those two so he had Bill help down the mountain. On the way Mr. Stumblefield said. “You checked me out.”
Jason said, “I had be sure.”
“I understand. She was powerful and could have sent her mind and spirit into another body. Mine was the healthiest here.”
After they reached his car, Mr. Stumblefield said that his was down the road a bit. He could find it okay.
Jason still didn’t say much but nodded and got in. He called 911 and told them they had been a fire with people being injuried-some type of explosion he thought. They said they would send a team.
As he drove away he thought that he needed to sleep too but the nightmares would come-he knew. That scream haunted him already. But at least he was able to save three people through this. That counted for something. His heart screamed that it wasn’t a good trade-part of him felt that she had been beautiful up to the end-but his mind said it wasn’t a bad trade. She had gone too far. Her death meant three people along with those that would have been killed if she had carried out her plan, could now live. His life was changed forever, but at the same time it wasn’t was bad as it could have been. Maybe he could sleep now after all.

The end