New Justyce – Episode 4

Episode 4 – A Firefly and a Pocket Watch

Oliver Mills was having a dreadful day. His girlfriend left him. Ollie’s landlord kept nagging him about late rent. Then his car wouldn’t start, and Oliver missed the bus. That caused him to walk to his job interview, and Ollie was already running a half-hour late. He wondered what else could go wrong today when Ollie heard the screaming. Great, someone was robbing the credit union. Ollie ran across the street to hide. He peered behind a bush and saw two security guards flying backyards from the credit union front windows. Ollie knew he should run in the opposite direction, but curiosity got the better of him.

Oliver heard more screams from within the bank, and then he saw something he couldn’t believe. A lady with a scorpion tail and a lion creature walked out of the credit union’s front doors carrying large duffel bags, presumably filled with money. Ollie stepped back to hide in the bushes, and his foot slipped on a metal object. Kneeling to look at whatever he almost tripped over, Ollie dug the item out of the dirt and brushed it off. It was an old pocket watch. Ollie doubted if it would even still work. Curious, he opened the front case and cleaned the glass face. The time looked right. Ollie checked his phone, and the watch’s time was exact.

Oliver pulled the crown to check if he could still set the time. The watch looked antique. Maybe it was worth something if it still worked perfectly. Ollie was about to push the crown back in when he noticed something else odd. Everything today was weird, but this was beyond all the rest. A butterfly hung in the air right in front of him, floating there, not moving. Oliver glanced around. He could move, but nothing else moved. He peered through the bushes. Even the monsters stood frozen in place. Ollie absentmindedly clicked the crown of the pocket watch back in place, and everything roared back to life.

 

 

Ollie scowled. No. It couldn’t be. It’s not possible. No way. Ollie pulled the crown back out, and everything froze in place. He thought, “If giant scorpions and lion-minotaurs are real, why not magic pocket watches that stop time?” He looked at the watch, then back at the scene in front of the bank. Ollie spun the hands of the watch forward. Everything moved forward at the same pace that he moved the hands of the pocket watch and then stopped when he stopped moving the hands.

Ollie noticed that forward in time, the scorpion lady drove her stinger into the chest of one of the security guards. He stepped out from his hiding spot and twisted the hands in reverse. Ollie watched as the tail pulled out of the guard’s body and the wound closed. Even the clothes knitted back together. Oliver Mills realized that he was now in complete control of time.

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Two ambulances pulled into Newville General Hospital and dropped off their patients. There was a flurry of activity in the emergency room. Both William Fuller and Brett Greene were in critical condition when they arrived. William had numerous broken ribs and internal injuries. Blood was dripping out of his mouth and nose. Brett had cuts all over his face and upper body. He also had a broken left arm and crushing injuries to both legs. Both men had glowing blue rocks in the pockets of their jeans.

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Erik led Cancer around the park’s edge and then caught a whiff of ozone. “That’s weird.” Erik thought. “There’s not a cloud in the sky, much less a thunderstorm.” He shot another fireball at the crab and floated higher into the sky to look around. Erik looked toward the lake and spotted the centaur on the boathouse. She had her bow raised. Erik looked to see what she aimed at and saw his two friends. Ashton was on the ground, and Harvey stood between Ash and the centaur. Erik saw that Harvey was the source of the ozone smell. Blue electric sparks danced around Harvey as he stood defensively in front of Ash. Erik noticed that Harvey was not moving to get out of the way of the arrow, so he turned toward his friends and flew as fast as he could, shooting flames out in front of him the whole way there.

Harvey felt the heat before he saw the fire. He looked up to see a flaming arrow disintegrating on its way toward him. Then Erik landed next to Harvey, covered in bright yellow fire. The centaur cursed and reached for a new arrow, but Erik let loose another stream of fire. Sagittarius reared up to escape the flames, causing her to lose her balance. She fell to the ground but quickly got to her feet. Sagittarius reached for her bow, which was ablaze on the ground near the boathouse.

Cancer ran up, slightly out of breath, to stand beside Sagittarius. “You can’t beat us! The Zodiac Club will destroy you all!”

“Just watch me!” Erik said, his eyes glowing white. The yellow fire first turned bright white and then became tinged with blue. Erik floated even higher in the air as his flames intensified and got hotter. Cancer first covered his eyes, then gave up and jumped on Sagittarius’ back, and the two raced off into the distance.

Erik’s flames just kept getting brighter and hotter. Ash and Harvey had to back away from Erik. The intense heat drove them back, and they shielded their eyes from the bright light. Both boys yelled as loud as possible, letting Erik know the monsters were gone. He didn’t seem to hear them.

Ash looked at Harvey. “What will happen if he can’t stop heating up, Harvs?”

“I don’t know, Ash. I don’t know.”

A voice from behind them startled the boys. It was Bryson Indiana. “Harvey? Ashton? What is going on? Is… is that Erik Reilly?”

“Yeah,” Harvey said quickly. “He can’t hear us. We were under attack by monsters, but they are gone now. We’re trying to tell him that he can relax and cool down, but he won’t listen! Can you help us?”

“Let me try,” Bryson said. He knelt and closed his eyes. Bryson tried to focus on his newfound powers. He sent calming thoughts out toward Erik to connect with his friend.

Erik’s mind was awash in flames. He couldn’t find his way out. Erik frantically tried to regain control, but everything got hotter and hotter. Then, a familiar voice called out to him. It was Bryson. Erik closed his eyes and let Bryson’s voice guide him out of the flames.

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Ollie thought about the day he’d been having and decided to take fate into his own hands. Luck and fortune had spit in his face for years. It was time for that to change. Oliver left the crown pulled out and slipped it into his pocket. He first pulled the security guard out of the range of the scorpion’s tail. There, that was his good deed for the day. Now, it was time for Ollie to take care of himself. He found a pickup truck parked on the street. The driver was frozen in place just outside the truck. Ollie took the keys from the driver’s pocket and pulled the man onto the sidewalk. Then he went back to the front of the bank. Ollie took the duffel bags one at a time from the monsters, emptied them into the truck’s cab, and returned the bags full of rocks.

Ollie sat in the truck, took the watch out, and pushed the crown in. He started the truck and drove off. Oliver Mills was gone before the truck owner realized what had happened. He never looked back, or Ollie would have seen the scorpion strike the sidewalk full force with its stinger and yell in rage and pain.

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Logan slid his phone into his pocket and turned off the TV. He looked over and saw his brother grinning at his phone. “Who are you talking to, Gav? Has Harvey answered yet? Anything new from Dad?”

“Nope. I haven’t heard from either Dad or Harvey. We should go look for Harvey right now. I have plans later tonight,”

“Plans?! Who are you texting? What are you planning?”

“I’m texting Becky. I told you I have a date tonight, don’t you remember?”

Logan’s jaw dropped, and it took him a moment to answer. “Yes, I remember you planned on going on a date, but that was before the town was attacked by monsters. It was before Dad was called up to active duty. Your date was before our little brother went missing. Most importantly, it was before you turned into Ice Boy or whatever you wanna call yourself. How can you still go on a date as if nothing happened?”

“All the superheroes date, don’t they? Like Spiderman and Mary Jane? Or Lois and Clark?”

“At least you didn’t say Spiderman and Gwen Stacy. She was murdered by the Green Goblin. Most superhero significant others have short life spans.”

“Logan, I know a lot is going on, and yes, we need to find Harvs before I go, but I need this one normal thing on this crazy day. You can understand that, can’t you? Plus, Becky is the hottest girl in school. I don’t know why she said she’d go out with a dork like me, but I do not want to screw it up before our first date.”

Logan raised his eyebrows. “I’m not hitting on my big bro, but you’re a hottie, Gav. And you’re smart and interesting. I don’t understand why you don’t have all the girls and half the boys fighting over you. Especially now with those cool blue highlights you put in your hair. They totally match your eyes. Becky is the lucky one, not you.”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t dye my hair.” Gavin reached up to touch his hair as he walked to the bathroom to look in the mirror. Gavin walked back out and stood in front of Logan. “I don’t understand. It must be a side effect of the ice powers.” Gavin shrugged. “You’re right, though. It does look good. I hope it stays like that.”

“Can we go look for Harvey now? If we find him and he’s ok, I promise I won’t complain about you bailing on us and going out on a date.”

Gavin grinned. “Deal.” Gavin reached over and ruffled his younger brother’s hair. “Thank you for what you said. It means a lot. Now, let’s go find our little brother.”

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Erik was finally able to turn his flames off. He regained control of both his mind and body. The first thing he saw when he looked around was the emerald green eyes of Bryson Indiana. “I thought I heard your voice, but from inside my head. What’s happening, Bry?” Erik started to wobble, and Bryson guided him to a park bench and sat down.

“I think it’s those rocks, Erik. I don’t know how or why, and I also need to figure out why they affect different people differently. I can read minds and pick up things with just a thought. You… I don’t know… you turn into fire?” He motioned toward Harvey and Ashton. “They both have powers, and there are the people who have been transformed into evil, brutish monsters.”

“I don’t turn into fire. It’s like the fire is inside me. It’s always there waiting for me to call it forth. I’m learning to control it, but I’m not there yet.” Erik said.

“Maybe the people who turned into monsters were already evil. They were doing bad things, and it sounded like they had a master plan. I think there’s more of them.” Harvey said.

“There’s more to it than that.” Bryson looked thoughtful. “There are definitely more of them. I fought one earlier today that looked like an old Greek minotaur.”

“Wait… a bull, a crab, and a centaur. No wonder they called themselves The Zodiac Club. I sure hope there are not twelve of them!” Ashton quipped.

“That is a horrifying thought but one to keep in mind. I suggest we all keep in close contact while we’re figuring this out for our safety and to keep an eye on the monsters.”

Erik took a close look at Harvey. “You’re Gavin Kastala’s brother, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. I’m the youngest. I’m Harvey.” Harvey extended his hand and then quickly pulled it back. “Is… is it safe to touch you?”

“I could ask you the same question, electric boy,” Erik smirked.

Harvey looked thoughtful. “Good point! Also, if we’re naming ourselves, Thunderbolt makes a more ominous name than the electric boy.” Harvey huffed out a laugh.

Ashton slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead. “Oh geez, what’s next? Spandex costumes?”

“Maybe in your fantasies,” Harvey smirked.

Ash blushed. “No comment.”

“If you two are done awkwardly flirting, would you mind telling me how you ended up with powers? Did you both also find the blue meteor rocks?” Bryson asked.

Harvey and Ashton told Bryson about finding the blue rocks and Ash’s difficulties at school. “Then we met Erik in the park, and you know the rest. I’m not sure exactly what my power can even do yet. All I know is what happened during the fight.” Harvey said.

“Same goes for me. I have speed powers, I guess, but I don’t know much beyond that. Erik seemed surprised by his powers during the fight, too. You said you fought a minotaur. What’s your story, Bryson?”

Erik interjected. “If I can interrupt for a minute, I will say that I was shocked by my powers during the fight. I thought I was figuring out how to control them, but obviously, I was wrong. I’m unsure what would have happened if Bryson hadn’t shown up. Since we’re sharing stories, mine started last night during the meteor shower.”

Erik Reilly glanced away from his computer and looked out the window. A flash of light in the sky caught his attention. As he continued to stare, Erik saw what, at first, looked like a shooting star. He was puzzled. Erik knew he shouldn’t be able to see any star, shooting or not, through driving rain. Then, there was another bright flash of blue light. Specks of blue fell like rain in the meteor’s wake. Erik watched in awe as the shooting star broke through the clouds and exploded into several pieces. One large chunk fell towards the docks. However, the biggest and many little ones continued over Erik’s house and towards Newville Park.

Erik went outside to get a better view. He ran to the top of a hill right behind his house. Drenched in seconds, Erik brushed the water out of his eyes and watched as tiny meteors fell and hit the ground. Suddenly, a tree not twenty yards behind Erik exploded in flames. In his excitement, watching the small meteors hit, he lost track of the big one, but he thought it was still heading toward the park. 

“Wow!” Erik thought. The rain put the fires out quickly. Erik ran over to the remains of the tree. A small, glowing blue rock sat in the center of the blackened and burned tree. Erik waited for the rain to cool the stone, then reached to pick it up. He thought better of it at the last minute and continued staring at the rock.

The meteorite was about the size of a marble. Erik finally threw caution to the wind and picked it up. He almost dropped it as soon as he picked it up. It looked harmless. The stone wasn’t hot anymore, but it started to pulse in his hand. Erik could feel waves of energy coursing through his body with each pulse. He wasn’t sure what was happening to him, but Erik immediately felt different, more vital. He liked the feeling. Erik put the rock in the front pocket of his jeans and ran back into his house.

The following day, Erik Reilly rolled out of bed and turned on the television. He saw the news on every channel about the meteor shower and the fires. Oddly enough, there were no reports of any meteors being recovered. Erik thought that was bizarre. If he found one, others must have as well. Maybe they kept it quiet for the same reason Erik did, the strange behavior of the rocks. He had no classes today, so Erik decided to text his friend, Bryson Indiana. Bryson loved mysteries. He even had his own private investigator business. Bryson answered his phone immediately, and when he found out it was about the meteors and fires, he was interested. Erik turned off his television and practically ran out the door.

“And that’s when I texted Bryson,” Erik said, showing Harvey and Ashton the text exchange.

Erik: “Bryson, I need to come over and talk to you about something. It’s kind of important. Are you home?”

Bryson: “No. I’m on a case. Can it wait?”

Erik: “I don’t know. Something weird is going on. Did you see all the fires last night?”

Bryson: “Yes. That’s what I’m investigating. I’ll go home now. Come right over.”

Erik: “I’ll be right there. I’m leaving now.”

Bryson chimed in. “I was already investigating the strange fires, so when Erik said he had information, I went home to meet him. I had grown interested after seeing all the fire trucks the night before. It was unusual for so many fires to happen at one time, and I noticed that they formed a nearly straight line through town.”

Bryson Indiana woke up in the middle of the night to sirens. He stumbled out of bed and out onto his patio. The first fire trucks Bryson saw were racing toward the school. The fires were past the school when he looked closer, maybe at the baseball field or a nearby house. As Bryson turned toward his patio door, he noticed the other fires. There were small fires in what appeared to be a nearly straight line from the school in the south to the Newville Docks in the north. Bryson’s curiosity was piqued, but it would have to wait until morning. Right now, all he wanted was more sleep.

Bryson Indiana stepped out of the shower, still thinking about the strange fires he saw last night. Bryson felt there was an interesting story there that he had to investigate. After getting dressed, Bryson checked his appointment calendar. No clients were coming in today, but he did have a meeting with a reporter later that morning. Bryson’s private investigator business had finally started to take off last week. Three new clients! He didn’t need a new problem, but his curiosity wouldn’t let him not check out those mysterious fires. Bryson wanted to walk to Starbucks to get his morning coffee anyway. He finished tying his shoes, pulled on a hoodie, grabbed his favorite beanie, and ran out the door. Autumn had finally started to take hold in northern Virginia.

Bryson walked to the edge of Newville Park, noting scorch marks on several trees. He knelt to get a better angle to take some photos, and his trained eyes noticed a couple of odd-looking blue stones. He picked them up to look closer and nearly dropped them again. Peering at the rocks in the palm of his hand, Bryson saw that they seemed to glow and pulse with energy. He felt a surge of energy rush through his entire body. He looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then he slipped the two blue rocks into the pocket of his jeans.

Bryson stood next to one of the scorched trees and oriented himself to look straight at the part of the docks where he had seen the fire last night. Spinning around one hundred and eighty degrees, he faced the high school baseball field. Bryson still needed that coffee, but he was in investigative mode now. Starbucks was too far out of the way; he’d settle for Dunkin Donuts next to the school. He strolled down the street, scanning all the buildings he passed for signs of fire.

‘Brett’s Antique and Thrift Store’ must have been the destination of some fire trucks that passed his house last night. By the time he reached the antique shop, Bryson had four blue rocks in his pocket.

“That was when I got the text messages from Erik. While waiting for Erik, I rushed home and turned on the news to catch up on the stories about the meteors. I didn’t have to wait long. Less than ten minutes later, he was there.” Bryson said.

Erik rushed in and closed and locked the door behind him. “I see you’re watching the reports about last night. Have they said if any meteorites were recovered yet?”

“No. Maybe the meteorites were too small to find or were destroyed in the fires.”

Erik grinned. “I find that hard to believe. I found one right behind my house last night!”

“Show me! Did you see it fall from the sky? Are you sure what it is?”

Erik took the blue rock from his pocket and held it in his palm. “Before you touch it, I need to tell you something. Yes, I saw it fall from the sky. I pulled it out of the charred remains of that big maple tree in my backyard. My dad is gonna be angry. He loved that tree! But, as soon as I picked it up, it started giving off energy. The stone pulsed throughout my whole body. I feel different, Bry. I feel stronger. Hell, it even changed the color of my hair! Weird, right?”

“I noticed the hair. Bright red looks good on you.” Bryson winked.

Erik blushed. “Thanks. You don’t give up, do you?” Erik smiled shyly.

“You’re even cuter when you blush. Give up the straight life, bro. Bisexuality is the only way to go! So many possibilities!”

“Can we please get back to this?” Erik waved the meteorite in front of his friend.

Bryson smirked. “Ok.” He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his own four blue stones. “I went for a walk to investigate the fires and found these. I felt the energy pulses that you described. I haven’t experienced any physical changes like you with your hair, but you’ve had yours since last night, and I just found these an hour ago.”

“What do you think it means? What’s happening to us, Bry? I’m scared, but I’m excited at the same time.”

“I have no idea, but finding out’s my top priority. A friend of mine who is a reporter has helped with many of my cases. Grace should be able to help. I’ll call her. She has a lot of government contacts that I don’t have.”

“Reporter? Government? Can you trust her?” Erik thought for a moment. “Do you think we should turn these rocks over to the authorities?”

“To answer your first question, yes. I trust Grace as much as I trust anyone. To answer your second question, no. I can’t tell you what to do with yours, but there’s no way I’m turning mine over to anyone until I find out what they are and what they’re doing to us. If we give them to the army, the best-case scenario is we won’t find out anything. The worst-case scenario is that nobody ever sees us again. We’d be lab experiments forever once they learn about the energy pulses.”

“So, what do we do now?”

“Let me investigate and get Grace involved. You carry on with your everyday life. Go to class. Have fun. I’ll be in touch.”

“I knew you’d know what to do. That’s why I came here first. Thanks, Bry. I’ll text you if I notice any other physical changes or feel any effects.” Erik said as he left the apartment.

Bryson was on the phone with Grace Santos and headed for her apartment before Erik had been gone for five minutes.

“And that was when I ran into the Minotaur, quite literally,” Bryson said.

“Tell us! I saw something about it on the news, but it didn’t show much. What really happened?” Harvey asked.

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Ollie pulled into a car dealership and flagged down a salesman. The salesman showed him a few cars out on the lot, and then Ollie asked to see the cars in the showroom. The salesman looked skeptical but agreed. Ollie spotted what he wanted almost immediately. “What about this one?” He asked.

“We can check out your loan options and credit reports at my desk. The price of that one is $78,592.00,” The salesman said.

“No loans or credit checks necessary. How much if I pay cash right now?” Ollie asked.

“No one pays that much in cash. What did you do? Rob a bank?” The salesman laughed.

“I did not rob a bank.” Ollie smiled. “But I do have the cash right here. An extra $10k if you stop asking so many questions.”

The salesman frowned. “I can’t take a bribe. Where did the cash come from? I’m calling my manager over.” He turned to walk away. Ollie sighed and pulled the watch out of his pocket. He pulled the crown and twisted time back just a few minutes. Then he pushed the crown back in.

“No one pays that much in cash. What’d you do? Rob a bank?” The salesman laughed.

“I did not rob a bank.” Ollie smiled. “But I do have the cash right here. An extra $25k if you stop asking so many questions.”

The salesman looked around, then bent closer to Oliver. “Let’s finish this conversation in my office.

Oliver Mills drove off the car lot in his brand-new cherry red Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R with white stripes and a black leather interior less than an hour later. Ollie’s difficult day was long forgotten; he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Hey Siri, are there any luxury penthouse apartments for rent in Newville, Virginia?” He couldn’t stop smiling as he drove off into a brand-new destiny.

Coming Soon: Episode 5 – Mindwave and the Minotaur

The Love of a Mother

I love my mom, this I know.

Her love for me is greater though.

As a kid, I’d laugh and play,

Having fun all through the day.

Then one day I broke a bone,

On her face, teardrops shone.

Near my bed, in a chair,

I opened my eyes and saw her there.

She held my hand and wiped my face,

She prayed for the pain to erase.

I’m more grown now and I know,

A mother’s love is more than show.

Even though I said one day,

I told my mom that I was gay.

My mom turned and said to me,

She didn’t care what I may be.

She said that I am still her son,

And any who hurt me better run.

She’ll protect me wrong or right,

For me, a bear she would fight.

I try my best to be good, not bad.

I want my mom to be always glad.

Call her mom, protector, or friend,

A mother’s love will never end.

The Moment

One moment in time did change my life,

What once was peace, now is strife.

Am I alive or am I dead?

Why do these drums beat in my head?

My mom and bro are by my side,

Telling me about my wild ride.

I did just escape from death,

For a time, I held no breath.

A bright light did guide my way,

But my Gran said I could not stay.

There was more for me down here,

And there was nothing for me to fear.

She said I would not die,

And that I should not cry.

I would return to her someday,

But that day was far away.

For now, I must return below,

Where I could learn and grow.

I know now that it is true,

The world is bigger than me and you.

From that moment, I live each day,

Knowing it could all go away.

Live each moment like it’s your last,

Enjoy your life and have a blast.

Anger

Rage burns hot like fire,

your vexation turning to ire.

Why can’t people live in harmony,

instead of being filled with acrimony?

Everywhere you turn there’s indignation,

you really need a vacation.

Maybe to a beachfront palace,

so you can forget all the malice.

Lose the choler and the enmity,

before you return to your home city.

When all your anger has melted away,

return refreshed to your normal day.

Liquid Sunshine

Liquid sunshine is what they said,

when the deluge opened over my head.

I really don’t mind a sprinkle or two,

or walking barefoot in the morning dew.

Precipitation quenches the thirsty land,

and gentle rain showers can be grand.

But this torrent of raindrops is not fun,

I would prefer a cloudless day of sun!

The Bus Stop

The bus stop is a dreary place,

Doom and gloom on every face.

Another day, I’m off to school,

I forgot my homework like a fool.

My book bag heavy on my back,

My mind not on school but running track.

Finally, the bus comes down the street,

I move to the side, shuffling my feet.

Picking a seat halfway back,

My friends around me, like a pack.

The bus pulls away from the curb,

I rewrite my homework, every noun and verb.

I have arrived at school,

Exiting the bus, trying to act cool.

Strolling towards the door, the first bell rings,

I hurry off to class, gathering my things.

I sit at my desk, next to my friend,

Tomorrow at the bus stop, it begins again.

Rise of the Cursed Twins (Chapter 2)

Chapter 2

After weeks of hard flying and little rest, the great, green dragon Colossus crested the top of the mountains, leaving the scorching desert behind. He saw a land dotted by rivers, lakes, and forests spread out below. He flew in ever-decreasing circles, surveying the land, finally settling onto the lush, green grass of a meadow by a large lake. He had not seen a single drop of water in the last four days. He leaned down and took a long drink of the cold, crystal-clear water, even dunking his head under the water to cool down. After flying over the hot, dry desert and the tall snow-capped mountains, Colossus was bone-weary tired.

A small yet determined cry reminded him of the task at hand. He opened the claw of his left forefoot and gingerly dropped the baby on the grass. Far from Talamh Arsa, and with the Endless Desert separating the lands, this should be as good a place as any to find a home for Bahaar’s son. He could smell the stench of dark magic emanating from the baby but could sense no evil intentions from him. He could not just leave the child to fend for himself in the forest, so he decided to scout to see what manner of creatures lived in this land. He took another long drink of water, flapped his massive wings, and flew off into the distance, the baby once again clutched in his giant claw.

 

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Colossus landed just outside of a small village. The inhabitants of the town, obviously seeing his arrival, gathered at the edge of the village, weapons in hand. Colossus could smell their fear but also their courage. The weapons they held looked more adapted to farming than war. Colossus shook his head in wonder. These creatures looked remarkably like the baby he clutched in his claw. However, that should be no surprise, as Andharia helped create everything. When she cast the curse, she must have had the look of these creatures in the back of her mind.

Colossus stared at the villagers gathered before him. They were tall and broad-shouldered, covered in a thick coat of shaggy brown fur. They had large, curved horns on their heads and wide nostrils on their snouts. They stood on two legs, which ended in hooves. The only difference between them and the baby that Colossus could readily discern was that his newly emerging horns were black. The horns of all these villagers were ivory.

Colossus spoke to them in the old tongue, hoping they knew it, knowing they would not understand dragon speech. “Greetings, brave creatures. My name is Colossus, and I have come from across the Endless Desert searching for a new home for this baby. Though he is not of your kind, he more closely resembles you than any other race I have found.” He watched their faces and waited.

One among them stepped forward. “My Lord Dragon, we are honored by your presence. None of your kind has visited these lands in our lifetime. I am Aleksei. My brethren do not speak this language. I was taught to speak it by the elves when I visited their homeland.” He peered at the baby. “What manner of creature is this? And why would you travel such great distances only to give him to us?”

Colossus leaned his massive head down so he could look directly into the eyes of the minotaur. He narrowed his eyes in concentration and spoke. “I took you for a simple farming community. I am surprised that you have elf-taught knowledge. Have others in your village studied with the elves?”

“No. Only the eldest son of the Tribal Chieftain learns the old tongue from the elves. There has not been a dragon sighted in these lands in longer than my lifetime. What is it that brings you to these lands, Lord Dragon?”

“I have come to find a suitable home for this babe. He comes from a faraway land and needs a new home.”

“What manner of beast is he? His black fur and ebony horns give him a look of evil, yet a gentleness in his eyes is rarely seen in such a beast.”

Colossus sighed a heavy sigh. “I will share a part of his story with you. He is a cursed demi-god. He was born of a human mother and fathered by the king of the gods. He was cursed while still in the womb by the jealous queen. She cursed him to be evil inside and for his appearance to reflect that. I sense no evil from this child, however. I do not think that the curse fully touched him. I will stay nearby to monitor his growth, but if he grows up with others who resemble him, he may stand a better chance of living a normal life.”

“I sense the truth in your words and agree with your assessment, Lord Dragon. I, Aleksei of the Minotaurs, and my wife, Senja, will welcome the babe into our home as one of our own. I will tell no one, other than my wife, his true origins. Do you know his name, Lord Dragon?”

Colossus pondered a moment. “I do not. He was banished from the kingdom before he could be named.”

“I will call him Krycus. A good strong name for a good strong babe.” Aleksei said while reaching down and lifting Krycus into his arms.

“I thank you, Aleksei of the Minotaurs, and I will not forget your kindness. I will know and come if you or young Krycus ever need my assistance. Otherwise, I will not bother you again. Farewell, Aleksei.” With that, Colossus turned and, with a massive flap of his wings, rose high into the air and disappeared from sight.

 

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Colossus flew in wide, arcing circles across the length and breadth of Talamh Thar. He was searching for a race with which he could entrust certain secrets. Colossus knew that someday, the troubles of Talamh Arsa would spread into the new land. Talamh Thar needed guardians. The minotaurs were good, hardy creatures but were still just simple folk and relatively few in number. Colossus flew past the armored cities of the war-like dwarves, the elves’ homes hidden deep in their forests. He flew past schools of merfolk splashing with the dolphins in the sea and the giants’ simple villages in the fields and hills. Then, Colossus found the humans. Back in the old country, humans were clustered in small towns and were few in number. Here, they were spread out in dozens of towns and cities of varying sizes. Their numbers were vast. Colossus made the decision to entrust his secrets to humans. Colossus spotted a large castle atop a hill at the edge of the most significant human city. He circled one more time and then landed near the castle.

Soldiers flooded out of the castle’s front gate, and archers lined the parapets. Colossus cocked his head to the side and came as close as a dragon can to smiling. He blew out a thin stream of fire several feet in front of the line of soldiers and watched as they retreated and cowered in fear. The archers rained arrows down upon the dragon, but they bounced harmlessly off his scaly hide.

Colossus sat and stared as the soldiers scurried around, trying to decide what to do about him. The dragon noticed a man standing on the highest tower. The man was watching everything. Colossus noted that the man was not dressed as a soldier and had a golden circlet on his brow. The dragon knew immediately that this must be their king. Colossus stood and bowed his head toward the king.

King Tarquinn surveyed the scene below him. A creature of legend, a dragon, stood in his courtyard. The king’s first instinct was to protect his people and his castle. He deployed his formidable army, which resulted in an embarrassing failure. No weapon could pierce the dragon’s hide. When a strange thing happened, Tarquinn contemplated his next move; the great green dragon’s gaze fell upon him. The dragon stared, and the king stared back. Tarquinn’s hand instinctively reached for his sword when the dragon stood and moved toward him, but then the dragon bowed. Tarquinn was stunned. It wasn’t just a figment of his imagination; the dragon bowed toward the king, then lay down and rested its massive head between its front legs. The dragon seemed to be waiting for something or for someone. Tarquinn made a decision. He descended the tower and stepped outside of his castle. Flanked by his two most senior generals, Tarquinn stepped forward, stood before the mighty dragon, and bowed. “Greetings, Lord Dragon. Is there any manner in which we may communicate? I would greatly like to hear your reason for visiting my humble kingdom.”

Colossus was impressed that the human king returned his bow with one of his own. The dragon drew in a breath and blew out a thin stream of dragon smoke, which encircled the king. The two generals leaped forward, but Tarquinn yelled to stop them before they could act. “No! Stop! It’s ok. The smoke isn’t hurting me. There’s a slight itching and burning sensation on my right bicep.” Tarquinn pulled down his shirt and stared in wonder at the bright green dragon claw tattoo on his right arm. He looked wonderingly at the dragon. “Why did you do this?”

“I granted you Dragon Speech so you could understand me. I judge you as a kind and noble king, and I need your assistance.”

“You have already granted me a gift for which I can never repay you. Ask anything, and I will grant it.”

“I need you and your people to be the guardians of this land. A watchdog, so to speak. I have come from the land beyond the Sands of Eternity, the great desert to your west. I did not come alone. I brought with me a cursed demi-god. He needed a home far from where he came from, and I have chosen to leave him with the minotaurs.”

“Beyond the sands to the west, you say? Some have ventured in, but none have ever returned. We call it the Death Sands.” The king turned to one of his generals. “Send for a tent and a chair for me. Have drinks and food sent out as well.” The general yelled out orders to a soldier who stood nearby. The king turned back to Colossus. “Sorry for that interruption, Lord Dragon. Continue your tale.”

“The Death Sands, as you call them, would be near impossible for humans to cross without knowledge of the terrain and an arsenal to defend against what lives within the desert. That is a tale for another day, though. For now, you must learn of the boy and his history.”

“I am still amazed that I am speaking to a dragon, and now we will speak of a demi-god. How is this possible? I have so many questions. Why did you choose me to speak to? Why did you leave the demi-god with the minotaurs? They are such a simple and peaceful race! Why did you take the baby so far from his home?” While speaking, the soldiers constructed a tent around the king and brought him his throne. They got a table and filled it full of drinks and food for the king and the generals. Last, they also brought Colossus a cow and two sheep to satiate his hunger.

The green dragon licked his lips and thanked the king for the meal. “To answer your questions, King Tarquinn, I chose the minotaurs for two reasons. Reason one is that they are a simple and peaceful race, as you say. The second reason is that the curse caused the baby’s appearance to change, and he now resembles a minotaur. There are differences, but he resembles them more closely than any other race.”

“That makes sense, but why come to us? Why grant me Dragon Speech?”

“I flew the length and breadth of this land. I passed over the war-like dwarves. I passed over the hidden and reclusive elves. I passed over the people of the sea, the syreni. I passed over the trolls in their mountain caves. I passed over many other races. In Talamh Arsa, the land I came from, humans are simple folk. They live in small villages without centralized organization. You have come far here in Talamh Thar. Your people have flourished. If dark days envelop this land, humans will play a key role in saving the world.”

“You speak highly of both me and my race, Lord Dragon. I am honored.”

“I hope I am not misjudging you,” Colossus said, staring intently at Tarquinn. “As to why I brought the baby here, the answer is both simple and complex at the same time. The simple answer is that King Bahaar did not want it known that the cursed and grotesque child was of his blood. It was his Queen, Andharia, who cursed the babe. Bahaar mated with a human woman and impregnated her. Andharia cursed the child while he was still in the womb. Upon his birth, his mother was killed, and he was banished.”

“Political drama and jealousy amongst the gods. I am not sure if that is comforting or frightening.” Tarquinn said.

“That answers your question, but it is not the whole story I must tell you.” The dragon said. “The curse is of the old magic. Though I do not sense evil within him, he may yet draw evil to him. You need to know the history of the old magic and these beings I call gods.”

“Did you warn the minotaurs of this danger?”

“In vague terms only. I did not feel that they would have understood. That is why I am here with you now.”

“I am ready to listen, Lord Dragon.”

Colossus began his story. “Back before recorded time, there was one being before anything else. A being so powerful that words have no explanation. This being grew tired of the empty void and eternal aloneness. He decided to create a planet on which he could then create life. He gathered all of his magical energies and focused them on the creation of this planet. Even with all his power, he couldn’t stop what happened next. He expended so much energy that he splintered into twelve separate entities. As they each awoke, they began to realize what happened. They also discovered that their former self’s remaining energy now flowed like a river under the ground of their new home. The river’s magic seeped into the earth, imbuing everything with a small amount of magic.”

Colossus stopped his story and leaned closer to Tarquinn. “This is still true today, king. The river of magic flows beneath our feet, and every plant and animal holds minute traces of magic within them.”

“That is amazing, Lord Dragon. I never knew.”

“It is the source of magic powers. Whether they know the source or not, they draw magic from everywhere. Untrained mages can draw too much from one source and kill it.”

“No wonder they go through such long apprenticeships.”

“True.” Colossus settled his head back onto his mighty forelegs. “The twelve attempted to recombine into their one true form. They tried for months, maybe years. Finally, they gave up and started experimenting with what they could do as twelve separate entities. They soon discovered that the power of creation required all twelve to work together. I was the result of their first successful attempt. I was the first of dragons, the oldest living being except for the twelve themselves.”

“Wow! That’s impressive!” Tarquinn bowed his head toward Colossus.

“The twelve, who now referred to themselves as elders, set me the task of guarding the source of magic. I was confined to the underground cavern for thousands of years until fate intervened, and I could pass my task on to others. With the magic now guarded, the elders were free to roam. They took pride in creating small things independently but were forced to work together to create life. They started developing their own personalities and took on the separate names that we know them by today. They spent their days creating small things. Some made flowers and trees and other vegetation.

In contrast, when the twelve met again, others contemplated new ideas for small animals, insects, and birds. The world was filling up with all manner of life. One among them grew bored. His name was Ashael. He started experimenting with darker aspects of his powers, such as combining life forms to create new things, grotesque things. He began killing things only to bring them back to life. Some of Ashael’s creations escaped from his laboratories and began destroying Ashael’s siblings’ creations.

When the others realized the problem, it had grown so severe that it was too late to stop. The dark magic had warped and changed Ashael. He was now the first of the Shadowkin. The eternal war between the Elders and the Shadowkin had begun. The creatures that Ashael had brought back from the dead had the power to infect those that they touched. The Shadowkin gained numbers amazingly quickly. The eleven remaining Elders searched for Ashael, but he had disappeared. He has never been seen to this day. It is assumed that he still lives but has chosen to live in hiding.

For centuries, the elders chased the shadowkin across the lands. Around them, the world changed. The other races grew and spread across the globe. Towns and, eventually, cities were built. Stories about the two warring groups were told over and over. The elders became known as the Enkali. The mysterious Ashael and his Shadowkin became legends of terror to scare children of all races into obeying their parents.”

Tarquinn stood and stretched his limbs. He took a drink of water. “That is an amazing story, Lord Dragon. We have heard variations of similar stories. We never dreamed they were true!”

“I am not surprised that variations of the stories have reached this far. My story is not yet finished, King Tarquinn. What I have told you is but history. I told you all that to prepare you for how things currently are and how they may directly affect the lands in which you live.”

“In that case, I am quite interested, and you have my undivided attention, Lord Dragon,” Tarquinn said.

“As I have said, the Unending War has raged for thousands of years. The Shadowkin, soon followed by the Enkali, arrived in Talamh Arsa over a thousand years ago. The elves were drawn into the fight but soon fled the land. They entered the desert, and their descendants may now live in the forests to your south. It is unlikely, though possible, that any stayed in the desert.”

“Elves are a hardy bunch, but I agree with you. Why stay in that horrible, hellish desert?”

“Exactly my thinking. The truth is probably written in the elven histories, but they are hidden even from most elves.”

“Odd. We teach our history to all our young.”

“The elves are different and more secretive than most other races. That is one of the reasons why I did not choose them in my quest to find a guardian for this land.”

“My people and I are humbled that you chose us.”

The dragon cocked his head and smiled his dragony smile. “Back to my tale. So, the battle raged across Talamh Arsa for hundreds of years. The elves fled, and the dragons and our kin retreated to the northern mountains. This left the Enkali and Shadowkin to battle each other. Other races, like the humans, were sometimes caught in the middle, but they mostly stayed out of the way. Then, the Enkali made a breakthrough. Close to five hundred years ago, they created silver control collars. Once the collars were in place around the neck of a Shadowkin, that Shadowkin was under the complete control of the Enkali. Now, as far as anyone knows, every Shadowkin is collared. There has been a more extended period of peace in the land than has been known for a long time.

Now that you know a brief history let me tell you about my fears about our current situation and why I want the baby to be watched closely. When Andharia cursed the baby, the Enkali made the first use of dark magic since Ashael. I fear that the birth of the babe and the release of the dark magic within him may stir up the Shadowkin and draw Ashael himself out of the shadows.”

“Those are indeed some dire fears. It is a mission of grave importance that you place upon the shoulders of my people.”

“The mark that I placed upon you will be handed down to the firstborn son of each generation. Ensure your heirs know this story and contact me if any sign of the Shadowkin appears within these lands. I will hear the thoughts of any who bear that tattoo if those thoughts are directed towards me.”

“I will do as you ask, Lord Dragon. You will not regret your decision to put your trust in us.”

Colossus nodded his head. He rose and stretched his limbs, and then the dragon turned and flew off into the sky with a flap of his massive wings.

 

Life and Gardening

Life is like a backyard garden,

Tend your soul so it won’t harden.

Plant things you like best,

And weed out all the rest.

Fertilize and watch them grow,

Cause if you don’t, it will show.

Take good care of your garden plot,

Or things won’t grow, they will not.

Life is like gardening, again I say,

Both need love and work each day.