Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign

CHAPTER 36

May the Best Man Win

5 Peaks Have Passed

SAM, MICHAEL, SHALEE, AND HELGA stood on the shore of Lake Zandra. It was not long after the water had been disturbed that the mist mares appeared. They were majestic, and numbered around 140. They looked like wild spirits, and they ran across the top of the lake with a graceful deadliness.

As the sun dropped below the horizon, the true color of the glow surrounding the water mist mare’s bodies magnified. It was an angelic blueish-white, and this color and glow extended into their eyes.

The absence of the sun seemed to effect the intensity of the mares’ screams as they threatened the army.

Shalee grabbed Helga’s hand. “They don’t look like any kind of demons I learned about as a child. I think they’re gorgeous.”

“I agree, Child. But they make me nervous.”

Shalee nodded. “They’re a bit pissy. I can see why folks are afraid of them.”

Sam walked past Shalee with Michael at his side and pointed toward the water. “Their hooves never touch the surface, and they all have reflections. So much for this being easy.”

“I noticed, Sire. What would you have me do?”

“I’m not sure. Nothing for now, I suppose.” He paused. “We might as well set up camp and establish a post to monitor the mares through the night? I want to know everything we can. We may be here a while.”

“Yes, My King.”

After camp was established, Michael ordered six men to throw rocks into the lake. The disturbance angered the mares. They charged the banks and stopped just before the water touched the shore. They breathed an icy mist that took the shape of flames in the direction of the men.

Sam patted Michael on the back. “It’s a good thing you ordered them to stay back. They’d be frozen right now if they hadn’t.” The king pondered the situation. “Tell the men to stop throwing rocks, and have them observe for a while.”

Michael did as instructed. Eventually, the mares settled down. When calm, they sounded like any normal horse. But every now and then, a monstrous shriek penetrated the night from a mare who stood isolated about a hundred paces away from the others. During the next short period of moments, Sam and Michael noticed that one of the other mares left the herd. It moved across the water to take this isolated mare’s place. It was as if they had their own version of the changing of the guard, and further, Sam noticed that both these ghostly horses were stallions, not mares.

“It appears water mist mares is not an accurate description,” Sam pondered aloud.

Michael put his hand to his chin. “Agreed. But water mist stallions doesn’t have the same ring to it.”

Sam shrugged. “I suppose. But no matter what they’re called, we still have a problem.”

By the height of the next Peak, Sam believed he had a solution to the problem.

The Northern Shore of Lake Zandra

The Peak of Bailem that Same Peak

George, Kepler, and the accompanying tiger arrived on the shore opposite Sam’s army. Kepler disturbed the water and rushed away from the edge. They waited for the mist mares to appear, but nothing happened.



“This doesn’t make sense,” the jaguar announced. “They should’ve arrived by now. These creatures are swift, and their prowess dominates the lake.”

George walked down to the water and sent a rock skipping. “I don’t know where they are, but I know I can teleport us to shore if they come for us. Let’s get going and make a run for it.”

Kepler growled. “Exactly how do you intend to run across water?”

“Duh! Not literally. Just watch.”

Kepler grumbled as the mage touched the water. A raft made of ice formed. Once they were aboard, George lowered his hand into the water and conjured a powerful wind that erupted from his fingertips. The big sheet of ice glided through the water toward the island.

Back on the Southern Shore

Michael ordered the army to prepare the boats for crossing. All that remained was for Sam and Shalee to figure out the problem with the herd.



“Shalee!” Sam shouted, “Come here for a moment! Do you see the stallion that keeps itself isolated?”

“I do.”

“Good. Use your magic to hold it in place. I’ll use my bow to disturb the water beneath it. Let’s see what happens.”

Shalee tried to snare the beast with her power, but she failed. “Tarnation!”

“ What’s wrong?”

“I can’t reach it. It’s too far away. I need to get closer.”

Sam looked across the beach, lifted his hands to his mouth and then shouted. “General, have the men throw stones into the water down shore! I need them to keep the herd’s attention while the queen moves toward the waterline!”

“Yes, Sire!”

The herd took the bait, and Shalee was able to make it to the water’s edge. During this series of moments, the stallion was in range, and the sorceress’ magic was able to trap it.

The ghostly horse cried for the others. They charged.

The speed of the mares forced Shalee to teleport to avoid the herd’s deadly mist. “Goodness!” Shalee yelled once she reappeared. “That was close! I felt the chill!”

Sam shook his head. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea. I don’t want to get you killed ... or the men. Perhaps I should take us all home. I don’t want this crystal badly enough if it means losing you.”

Shalee grabbed Sam’s arm and led him away from the men who were nearby. “Look, we both know we need this piece of the crystal to save the worlds. It was just a close call, that’s all.”

“That’s all? How can you be so nonchalant about it?” Sam rebutted. “We’ve already lost the rest of our families. I can’t lose you, too.”

Shalee’s firm tone was covered with a smile. “Sam, this is our life now. You need to buck up and get the job done. We have nothing to go home to if we don’t find a way to fix this.”

“I know,” Sam admitted. “But if you get hurt—”

“I won’t,” Shalee insisted. “So stop worrying, and trust me.”

“You say stop. It’s not that simple. Look at me, Shalee. You’re the only thing keeping me sane these days. It’s one thing to sacrifice myself, but to sacrifice you and all these men, I don’t know if I can do that. No! I know I can’t do that.”

Shalee’s voice softened. She stepped forward and placed a hand on Sam’s cheek. “I understand how you feel, but you’re stronger than you realize. Bassorine saw that. I see it, too. You and I were selected to come to Grayham for a reason, so let’s be strong. Let’s do it together.”

The sorceress smiled. “Let’s show everyone why the gods chose us.”

“Do you really believe we’re that strong?” Sam queried.

“I do. But even if we aren’t, we still need to figure this mess out, or nothing else matters. We’ve got to get that crystal, Sam.” The sorceress lifted Sam’s chin with her fingertips. “I have some news that will cheer you up.”

Sam took a deep breath. “And what would that be?”

She winked. “The stallion is still bound by my magic.”

Sam smiled and then took a deep breath. “Since when did you become a leader? I’m so impressed with you right now.”

Shalee grinned. “Well, duh, I’m like the hottest queen ever. Did you expect anything less out of the bombshell that is me?” She laughed to try to relieve the tension.

Sam shook his head. “I love you. Only you could say something like that and pull it off.”

Shalee snapped her fingers. “You know it.” She looked at the lake. “Now let’s get to work.”

Sam lifted his bow and aimed at the water beneath the feet of the bound stallion. As soon as the arrow penetrated the lake’s surface, the herd shimmered. With the stallion’s reflection being disrupted, it caused the rest of the herd to lose form. The king waited for the water to settle, and as soon as the stallion’s reflection regained its shape, the rest of the herd solidified.

“Did you see that, General?” Sam shouted. “Get over here, and watch this!” Again, Sam shot his bow and again, the herd shimmered. “General, the herd is effected when the water beneath that stallion is disrupted. I want the archers to aim for that spot, but don’t hit him.”

“Yes, Sire!”

Soon, the herd of mist mares no longer had the power to maintain their form and faded into nothingness, leaving only the segregated stallion.

Sam looked at Shalee. “Okay, okay. Now that we’ve got only the one horse to deal with, how long do you think your magic can hold him there?”

Shalee sighed. “Not long enough for the army to cross, and we still have to get back.”

“That’s not going to work.” The king put his hands on top of his head and scrutinized the situation. “Okay, okay. The stallion is unable to come on land ... so, what if we bring it ashore? Maybe it’ll lose its power.”

Sam pulled Kael from his sheath and commanded the blade to protect him from ice, and then he started to walk.

Shalee grabbed his arm. “You don’t need to go out there. You don’t even know if Kael’s protection is strong enough. Let me bring him to us.”

Sam lifted the blade in front of his face. “Is your power strong enough to protect me?”

“Of course, it is!” Kael snapped, the pulsating of the blade was solid red. “But protecting you won’t fix the problem. I hate to say it, but your female is right. Bring the stallion on land.”

Hearing the blade’s response, the sorceress sneered. “I don’t like you, Kael. Why do you always have to be so rude?”

Kael’s pulse reflected his response. “Because you and this expendable army are a waste of my moments.” The blade pulled itself out of Sam’s hand and returned to its sheath. “I long for the old ways. Find yourself, Sam,” was the last comment the weapon made before the light of his pulse faded.

Shalee frowned. After a moment or two passed, she snapped, “I wish you could get rid of that sword, Sam. Why would Bassorine give you a blade that’s such an a*shole? His reasons are beyond me.”

Kael responded from within his sheath. “And why Bassorine would ever waste Sam’s moments with a useless wench is equally beyond me! Just focus your minds on the problem and stop bothering me with your senseless babbling!”

Shalee glared at Sam’s hip. She raised her hand and thought about striking the blade with her magic, but after a moment, she turned toward the lake. The stallion began to float toward them. The archers adjusted their aim to keep the water beneath the beast disturbed. Everyone cleared a large circle for Shalee to set the stallion down. The men were careful to stay far enough back to avoid the stallion’s mist.

As Shalee lowered the stallion to the ground, the creature cried out, filling the air with a horrid shriek. The scream was so loud, the men were forced to grab their ears. Shalee lost her concentration, and the beast fell to the ground.

As soon as the first hoof touched the shore, a brilliant column of light shot into the sky. Even though it was the Peak of Bailem, the beam could be seen in all directions equivalent to a three Peak ride on horseback.

The army was thrown to their backsides as a shock wave smashed into them. The rest of the herd reappeared and rushed off the lake’s surface. Their hooves tore into the dirt as they raced through the ranks of the army toward the rolling countryside. Once they were out of sight, Sam called out to the general, “Michael ... it looks like Southern Grayham has its first herd of wild, ghost horses!”

Sam redirected his attention to his men and made sure no one was hurt. Once satisfied that all was well, he turned to face the stallion that was still bound by Shalee’s magic. “Go ahead and let it go, Shalee. Let him join the others.”

“Are you sure?” Shalee queried.

“Yeah, you might as well. He’s not pissed off anymore.”

As soon as Shalee released the beast, the stallion gracefully trotted over to Sam and stopped in front of the king.

Sam’s eyes widened. He had already commanded Kael to protect him from ice, but he gripped the handle of the sword just in case.

The stallion’s eyes glowed as both king and beast lost themselves in each other’s gaze. The horse silently communicated with Sam, and the king could hear the stallion’s voice in his mind. “Thank you. Too many seasons have passed since our entrapment.”

Sam did not need to speak to respond. For whatever reason, he instinctively knew that he was able to project his thoughts to this creature, “My name is Sam Goodrich. I’m the king of these lands. Should I be worried about your herd roaming my kingdom?”

The stallion whinnied, “These lands were here long before you, young king. But you needn’t worry. We shall run free and harm no one unless we’re provoked. Now that we aren’t confined, destruction is not necessary.”

Sam nodded. “That’s a relief.” The king paused in thought. “I would be honored to have a beast as majestic as you as my mount. Could we come to an arrangement?”

The stallion was not surprised by Sam’s request. “I serve no one, young king. But we both know you’re not just any man. An arrangement can be made. Send two of your men after the herd, and I shall send two colts and two fillies as payment for our release. For you and your queen, my mare and I shall carry you from this day forth.”

Sam desperately wanted to question the stallion, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Why did he say he knows I’m not just any man? And how did I know that I could project my thoughts to the stallion? Even Kael has been making remarks that I need to figure out who I am. None of this makes sense.

Since the king felt like asking questions would affect the stallion’s belief that the horse knew who he was, Sam decided to wait until he had acquired the steed’s trust. The mount was one-of-a-kind, and the king had learned to wait for the proper moment to satisfy his curiosities. For now, he would project a simple question. “What’s your name?”

“My name is Cain,” the stallion replied.

Before Sam could respond, Kael cut in. The weapon had also heard their cerebral conversation. The weapon’s silent response was filled with excitement, “Finally! A companion worth your company, Sam!”

As the king looked down at his hip, the stallion bolted toward the countryside to rejoin the rest of his herd. The steed projected a thought as he ran. “I look forward to our seasons together, Sam!”





Deep beneath the Peaks of Angels on Ancients Sovereign, Lasidious pounded his fist against the wall above the cube-shaped fireplace inside his home. His eyes burned red hot as he stared at the vision of Sam while the king watched the stallion run away. “Damn it!” the Mischievous One cursed. “All you had to do was ask, Sam. The answer was right in front of your face.”

The Mischievous One waved his hand across the flames and the voluptuous image of the pregnant Celestria appeared in the blaze. “Please tell me you saw that, so I don’t have to explain.”

The goddess nodded. “Yes, my pet. I was in my room watching as you requested.”

Lasidious frowned. “Can you believe Sam didn’t ask the question?”

A confused look appeared on Celestria’s face. “Why would you want him to do that, my love? You know his mind is not yet ready, or have you forgotten?”

The Mischievous One would have rebutted, but he realized Celestria was right. “I just... I just want this to be over!”

The Goddess of Beasts looked into the glowing orb that was sitting in the palm of her right hand. She presented her most seductive smile as she stared at the vision of Lasidious. “Easy, my love. Your desires will be fulfilled in due season. I love you.”

Lasidious slammed his fist again on the wall above the fireplace. “I know you’re right! I just don’t want to hear it!”





Meanwhile, Michael walked across the clearing and stopped at Sam’s side. “It seems the mares no longer have the ability to destroy, Sire.” With the king still looking in the direction Cain fled, the general added, “That stallion seemed to have a moment with you.”

Sam shook his head. “No, General, they just chose not to attack. Send two men to find the herd! Six of the mares will willingly return to Brandor with them.”

Shalee tugged at Sam’s arm. “How do you know that?”

From Sam’s hip, Kael responded, his blade pulsating to match his disdain. “Sam, must two horses speak on the same Peak?”

Sam pulled Kael from his sheath and put the blade in front of his face. “I’ve heard enough! One more snide comment toward Shalee, and I swear to Mosley, I’ll throw you into a forge! God-sword or not, I won’t allow you to speak to my queen ... my wife, that way! Do you understand me?”

Kael did not respond. The glow around the blade diminished.

A moment later, Sam scoffed. “Bah!” He sheathed Kael.

Shalee shook her head. “What in tarnation is his problem?”

Sam waved the question off. “Who cares? Let’s just send a couple men to get a few of the mares, and let’s get going.”

Shalee shrugged. “Well, if you’re going to send somebody after them, I want one, too.”

Sam took an extremely long, deep breath. “Why do you think I said six? Take it easy.”

Seeing the king was vexed, Michael stepped forward and interjected. “Sire, shall I ready the army to cross the lake.”

Sam shrugged. “Just make it happen.”

Michael turned and shouted, “Make ready the boats!”

Sam took Shalee by the hand and led the queen to one of the crafts. As they walked, Shalee put her hands to her mouth and shouted down the beach. “Helga! Let’s go!”

The king’s boat was capable of holding 30 men, and it was not long before the rest of the legion was also rowing toward Scorpion Island. As they crossed, Shalee winked at Helga and gave her a thumbs up.

The elderly sorceress smiled and opened her pack to look at the mask that Shalee had acquired from Double D after the assassin had been slain in the theatre.

George, Kepler and the Tiger

Approach the Island

George waved his free hand over the group as they drew closer to the island. Each of them vanished as they prepared for their secret invasion of the Scorpion King’s kingdom. They all had seen the bright column of light to the south, but since they could only guess as to what caused it, they blew it off without much discussion.



As the raft ran onto the shore, the ice crunched as it slid across the rocks. The noise captured the attention of three giant scorpions who turned to investigate. Everyone exited the raft and moved away, observing the creatures’ movements from within George’s veil of magic.

George was awed by the arthropods’ size, but he did not feel the need to get a closer look. They were massive, and from where he stood, what he could see was enough—tails at least one to two paces long, with stingers that ended in a fine point. Two scissor-like mandibles clacked against each other over their mouths and their big, beady eyes gave him chills. He was sure they would zoom in on him at any moment.

The top of the scorpions’ backs were waist-high and the pincers at the end of their front appendages could tear a man in half. He had never seen a scorpion up close, and these three were more than he cared to see again. The mage motioned for the group to move on.

The rocky shores of the island turned to desert as they traveled inland. They tried not to attract attention, but the sand they flipped up left a cloud of dust with every footstep, leaving a clear trail of footprints to follow.

They needed a diversion. George decided to release the magic that was keeping the tiger hidden. Once the cat was visible, the beast became the scorpions’ target. The big cat gave George a look as if he had been betrayed and then took off running. The scorpions gave chase.

Once they were far enough away, George spoke. “I think the tiger is quick enough to outrun them for a while, don’t you?”

“That was mean, George,” Kepler growled. “But I love it. We should pick up the pace.”

“Yeah, let’s go.” They began to run within his spell of invisibility.

After much searching, the sand finally gave way to a rocky stretch of land that formed a gigantic mound at the center of the island. Relieved, the duo no longer had to worry about leaving tracks, but the way ahead was littered with a multitude of monstrosities.

“Holy garesh,” George whispered after he placed his mouth next to Kepler’s ear. “These damn scorpions are everywhere.”

The cat just nodded in agreement.

George began to look for a way through the masses as he watched the scorpions skitter across the top of the mound. The arthropods were not going to be their only problem. They would also need to avoid the cacti and prickly bushes that were growing out of the rock—not to mention the fairly large piles of scorpion garesh that were everywhere.

It took a while, but eventually, they reached the top of the mound, and on its back side was the entrance to the Scorpion King’s underground dwelling. The cave was shrouded with vines and the way beyond was dark.

With the path ahead being no less intimidating, they slowly began their descent into the hole. George used his magic on his eyes so that he could see.

The South Side of Scorpion Island

Sam’s Army has Landed

Sam jumped onto the bank of the island and ordered the general to form ranks. The king then grabbed the side of the boat and motioned for Helga to come close. After securing his hands around the older woman’s waist, he lifted her out and set her on the ground. Turning to assist Shalee, Sam could only smile as the queen used her magic to float over the side of the craft and lower to the ground.



Irritated by how the ranks were forming, the general shouted, “No, no, no, Branson ... I said ten, not nine!” Michael grabbed the collar of the legion leader’s breastplate. “You best get these men organized! I said I wanted 10 squads, each with 664 men. If I had wanted nine, I would have said that in the boat.”

“I’m sorry, General!”

“Don’t apologize! Tell me, if your men are 20 abreast, how many soldiers should be in each line, Branson?”

The legion leader’s response was without delay. “At 20, each line should be around 80 deep!”

Michael shook his head and tapped the flat of his blade against the legion leader’s breastplate. “Wrong! The lines would be not be around anything! They would be exactly 83 deep, Branson! Why are they not formed properly? Tell me that!”

The legion leader stood at attention. “It was just an oversight, sir!”

Michael placed the tip of his sword on top of Branson’s shoulder. “There is no such thing as just an oversight in war, Branson! You’ve been in command of this legion for over a season! Did Graywind make a mistake when he chose you?”

“No, sir! I will fix it!”

As Branson rushed off to get the men in order, Sam walked up and stopped next to the general. “You were hard on him, don’t you think?”

Michael shook his head. “Not at all. I’m not in the mood to perish on this island, are you, My King?”

Sam just grinned.

Before the ranks could be reformed, the tiger crested the hill in the distance with more than 140 scorpions in tow, and there were more on the way.

Sam shouted, “Prepare for battle!” The king grabbed Michael by the arm. “You and Branson stay close, and fight at my side!”

Sam retrieved Kael from his sheath and called out, “Val arna, coa, nug, vaura poi!” The sword burst into flames, and the blade extended an additional two and one half paces. Kael also protected the king and those around the monarch from the scorpions’ venom.

The legion’s battle cry filled the air as they rushed into formation and prepared for the massive collision.

Shalee waved her hand in a half circle and toughened the skin of every man against the scorpions’ stingers. She then lifted Precious and shouted, “Val arna, coa karon!” The air filled with meteoric balls of fire that fell across the top of the hill, killing 17 giant arthropods in the blast. Scorpion body parts were sent flying in every direction as Sam’s army cheered for their queen.

With the tiger running toward the army, Sam hollered, “Shalee, protect the cat! Use your magic to capture it, and get it out of here!”

The sorceress did as the king instructed. She used her power to lift the cat and take it to safety. The feline floated over the heads of the army as the sorceress adjusted the command in her mind. She placed the beast into a boat, and with a quick flip of her hand, she sent the tiger floating out onto the lake. But the cat was quick to abandon the vessel. He jumped out of the boat and swam away from the island toward the mainland.

The queen grinned. “Poor thing,” she said as she looked at Helga. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“Don’t worry about me, Child,” The older sorceress replied as she lifted Double D’s mask to place it on top of her head. “It looks like we’ve found ourselves a magical emergency.” Her wink was filled with mischief.

Shalee chuckled as Helga pulled the mask over her eyes and disappeared. A moment later, the older sorceress began walking around the oncoming horde of scorpions while Shalee lifted her hands to send another wave of meteors crashing into the skittish invasion of poisoners.

Body parts of another 21 scorpions were sent flying in countless directions. Again, the army cried out as the general ordered the soldiers to advance. An enormous eruption filled the air as the legion, 6,640 strong, started to march into battle.

With Sam’s grip tight on Kael’s handle, the light of the sword’s pulse was solid red as the weapon called for blood.

Moments later, Sam shouted, “Charge!” The entire legion ran with their king toward the approaching horror.

Meanwhile

Inside the Cave of the Scorpion King

The cries of Sam’s army echoed off the walls of the cave as George and Kepler descended into the cavernous underground lair of the Scorpion King. They found themselves pressed up against the wall as the skittish soldiers responded to the war cry above.



Although they were still invisible, George had to use more of his power to create a protective barrier to keep them from being trampled. More than 3,300 scorpions passed their position as they rushed up and out of the cave. Whatever was happening on the south side of the island was commanding a tremendous amount of attention, and it had left the cave empty. It also allowed George and Kepler to investigate freely.

The cave was dark, dismal and smelled of waste. It was impossible to take a step without getting scorpion garesh all over George’s boots and Kepler’s paws. Many moments passed before they found an entrance to a branch of the cave that looked man-made. The rough walls had been flattened, smoothed and polished. It looked like they were about to enter some sort of labyrinth.

After entering, the duo navigated a series of turns before they finally found two torches that sat on either side of a columned entrance. They were not normal torches. In fact, their flames were magical. “Someone or something has been here,” George whispered into Kepler’s ear. “Someone with power.”

Kepler’s response was just a nod.

Beyond the torches, no more than 100 paces away, a sole pedestal sat at the end of this branch. There were no more turns. The labyrinth just ended. “Only one way in and one way out. This feels bad,” George whispered again. “Kep, stay here while I investigate.”

The demon snarled, “We should stay together. I don’t like this.”

“Relax,” George rebutted. “How could someone as big as you be scared?”

“I’m not scared. I’m sensible. Splitting up isn’t smart.”

“Dude ... I’m only going to be right over there. I want to see if the crystal is here. Just stay put and keep an eye out. Come and get me if you see anything.”

“Okay, but hurry.”

At a steady pace, George moved to stand over the pedestal. To his surprise, the piece of crystal was on top of it. He snatched it from its resting spot—keeping his magic ready in case he needed to defend himself.

Once the mage realized there would be no consequence, he motioned for Kepler to join him and then touched the cat on his back. They closed their eyes, but when they reopened them, they were still standing beside the pedestal.

“Garesh,” George whispered.

“What’s wrong?” Kepler questioned.

“I’ve used too much power. It’ll be a while before I can get us out of here.”

Kepler’s eyes flashed. “This isn’t good, George. Those things could come back at any moment.”

“I know, I know. Let me think.”

Now it was Kepler’s turn to rebut. “What do you need to think about? You’re out of power. We’re in trouble.”

“Would you just shut up already. I need to figure out a plan.” The mage scanned the area. He still had two snare scrolls from his trip to the Cave of Sorrow. He pulled them out. “Just stay away from the areas where I use these scrolls. Their magic should stop anything that wanders in. We can hide until I can get us out of here.”

Kepler chuckled.

“What’s so damn funny?”

The cat was smug as he responded, “I can hide, but you’re screwed. They’ll be able to see you ... not me.”

George rolled his eyes. “You’re a real pal, you know that, right? Go keep an eye out.”

Helga Begins Her Descent Into

The Scorpion King’s Cave

Having discovered the entrance by following the scorpions’ trails from the southern shore, Helga also had to use her magic on her eyes to see in the dark. The older sorceress was disgusted by the smell, and she had to lift her dress to keep it from touching the garesh-covered floor. Yet, despite her revulsion, she moved at a steady pace.



The way ahead was surprisingly easy. It appeared to be clear of the poisonous creatures. A fair series of moments passed before she, too, found the corridor that led to the pedestal. This has to be it, she thought. Shalee is going to be so ecstatic. I can’t wait to see Sam’s face.

Helga tiptoed toward the entrance, and then headed for the pedestal as she continuously scanned her surroundings. It appeared she was alone.

From his hiding place in the shadows, Kepler’s ears snapped to attention as his eyes searched the area. He saw nothing, but the cat knew there was a presence. He lifted his nose and searched for a scent. Woman, he thought. She must be after the crystal. The demon did not have to wait long before his suspicion was validated.

Helga whispered curses as she found herself trapped in George’s snare. “I can’t believe this. How could I be so stupid?” The sorceress was unaware of the humongous cat that was listening.

Kepler crouched. The jaguar was trying to determine the height from where the voice was coming. He was about to step out of the shadows and strike with a calculated swipe that would pass through the estimated vicinity of Helga’s head when a much larger scorpion entered the corridor. The monstrosity’s tail alone was nearly a pace longer than the others. The jaguar lowered his paw. This must be their king, he thought.

Helga stared at the entrance and marveled at how the scorpion’s form filled the gap between the walls. She knew her whispers had attracted the beast’s attention, but she was still invisible. It must have heard me, she thought. Stay still and don’t make another noise, old girl.

As the Scorpion King scurried toward Helga, she stood as still as she could, but she knew the creature was going to run into her. She wanted to use her magic, but in order to, she would have to remove the mask. The disguise would not allow her to use offensive magic. Its power was meant for stealth. To combine the different arts would destroy the being who invoked the conflicting magic. She decided to stay silent and hope for the best.

George watched from behind the pedestal as the Scorpion King approached. He could see the creature’s size, and it was unnerving since his power had not yet replenished enough to teleport. He could not see Helga, nor had he heard her whisper when she became trapped. All he knew was that he might have to use his sword to fight the scorpion if the beast did not cross one of the snares’ locations. He readied his blade and thought, Come on, you bastard, find the spot ... find the spot.

A moment later, the mage became aware of Kepler’s presence. Given their current situation, it was obvious why the cat had moved. Kepler whispered from the shadows. “There’s a woman. She must be using a spell to hide herself. She’s stuck in your snare. The scorpion is going to run into her.”

George smiled, but he did not respond. Sure enough, the giant killer made contact with the invisible woman. The mage listened as Helga shrieked.

“Aahhh!” Helga cupped her hand over her mouth. She watched in horror as the Scorpion King took a defensive posture, and then he began to use his massive pincers to feel around. Please move on. Please move on, she thought. Just move on. There’s nothing here for you.

Helga watched as the first of three passes of the giant’s powerful pincers missed finding her, but the fourth pass found her leg. The beast squeezed. The sorceress bit her lip, but the pain was too much. She shoved the mask to the top of her head and began speaking her words of power.

“Your Majesty, na—” Helga was stopped in the middle of her command. The scorpion’s massive stinger had barreled its way through the air as she tried to speak her last word and buried itself deep in her chest. The force of the collision knocked the air out of her. Helga’s final word was lost forever as the poison from the tip of the Scorpion King’s tail filled her body. The last thing Helga would ever see would not be the love of her life, BJ, or Sam, or Shalee. Instead, she would stare into the beady eyes of the royal killer as his mandibles ripped into her face.





Now, fellow soul ... I’m sure you are as bothered by Helga’s passing as I was when I learned of this truth. I truly loved her. You see, the problem was, Helga’s staff was given a name with too many syllables. This was a name her teacher hated when she was a young sorceress-in-training. Your Majesty simply took too long to be spoken. As you witnessed, that was the Peak when Helga realized the consequence of her mistake. She had named her staff in fun, not realizing what she might face. Once pronounced, the staff’s name could not be changed. Unfortunately, as I continue the telling of this story, the fire for Helga’s passing will need to be lit. I would cry if my soulful eyes would allow it.

Back on the Southern Shore of the Island

Shalee’s body count was growing as she sent magic arrows that were covered with fire into the masses of the Scorpion King’s army. The skittish horde was falling at a rapid pace. Body parts of both beast and man were everywhere, and the ground was saturated with blood of men and the oozing green slime of the scorpions’ life’s sources. By the end of the battle, the sorceress had killed more than 430 of these giant arthropods.



Sam’s men had slain another 2,637 as the king and the general continued to plow their way through the horde. The magic Shalee had used to toughen the army’s skin helped to prevent the scorpions’ stingers from penetrating their bodies, but in many cases it had not been enough. In fact, it was Kael’s power that spared Sam and Michael’s lives. Despite Shalee’s magic, both men suffered venom-filled punctures that were ignored because of the blade’s protection.

Sam’s sword was cutting through the beasts like butter. Michael and Branson remained at the king’s side. They, too, were tearing through the enemy.

Sam enjoyed the frenzy as Kael sliced through another of the giant beasts, causing it to squeal like an 800 pound lobster being dropped into a pot of boiling water. Back and forth, Sam swung Kael’s extended blade through the air as the sword of the gods cut through their numbers. Now and again, the sword would pass without ill effect through Michael and Branson.

“This is what I call a fight!” Sam hollered as they moved toward the top of the hill.

“Agreed, Sire!” Michael shouted while he blocked one of the scorpion’s tails with his forearm and then severed it with his blade. A downward thrust to the giant’s back was all it took to end the beast. Michael enjoyed its nightmarish scream. “That’s 17, Sire.”

“That’s it?” Sam chided. “Twenty-one here.” A few moments later Sam shouted again. “Twenty-two!”

The general just shook his head and kept fighting.

A long while later, the fighting finally stopped as the last giant scorpion dropped to the ground. In total, Brandor’s army had lost 1,070 men, with another 943 lying wounded. Six hundred forty-three of these men would not live through the night as the poison injected into their bodies was too toxic for both the healers and Kael’s magic to combat. While the healers continued to do their job, the general ordered the rest of the men to stack the deceased on the boats.

The command Sam had given Kael to protect those around him from poison was working for those men who were able to make their way to their king and had suffered minor injections. Sam and Michael watched in awe as the poison oozed out of the small holes that were scattered across the soldiers’ bodies while Kael’s magic fought to flush their blood.

Meanwhile, Shalee was growing more worried as her moments continued to pass. Since Helga had not returned, Shalee navigated her way through the carnage to find Sam. “We have a problem.”

“What kind?” Sam asked as he tossed one of the giant’s stingers to the ground.

“Helga was wearing the assassin’s mask. She hasn’t returned. She went to find the—”

“What?” Sam snapped, cutting the queen off. “Why would she do something like that? Which direction did she go?”

Shalee pointed. “I’m pretty sure she went that way. I’m not completely sure because I couldn’t see her.”

“Damn it, Shalee!” Sam barked. “How could you be so...?” The king stopped his sentence, and without wasting another breath, he assembled 100 of his men and followed the scorpions’ tracks to the center of the island.

Shalee had to use her magic to keep up with the group since they were running so fast. Her fear for Helga’s safety increased as soon as they saw the mouth of the cave.

“This is where the tracks lead!” Sam announced to the group. “Make sure you’re ready for anything!”

Shalee commanded the darkness to dissipate as the king led the way into the cave. After a while, they found the corridor where Helga had been snared. The Scorpion King had severed her legs and tried to back out while dragging her body. The giant had become caught in George’s second snare, and it was fighting to free itself.

Sam tried to stop Shalee from rounding the pillar on the left side of the corridor as soon as he saw the bloody scene. “Don’t go in there. Why don’t you let me handle this? Go back to the boat.”

The queen could see the concern in Sam’s eyes, and this amplified her need to see for herself. She pushed past the king and walked through the entrance of the corridor.

The queen gasped as she lifted her hands to her mouth. “No! No! No! Helga, No!” She thrust her right hand forward. A thousand iron needles flew from her fingertips and buried into the Scorpion King’s body. The cave filled with the monster’s piercing cry as it fell to the floor with a thud. The scorpion thrashed about for a short period of moments, and then its nerves perished.

George watched from behind the pillar as Shalee ended the beast’s life. His power to teleport had returned, but he could not bear the thought of leaving now. This scene was too priceless. He just had to watch its conclusion. This was going to be an Academy Award-winning performance by his favorite blonde ditz. He leaned down and whispered into Kepler’s ear, “I wish I had a camera.” When the mage saw the confusion appear on the jaguar’s face, he rolled his eyes. “Really?”

George adjusted his gaze and focused on the queen. He could see the pain on Shalee’s face as she knelt beside what was left of her friend’s mutilated body. The only thing identifiable was a pendant necklace that he watched Shalee pull out of the pulverized mass that once served as Helga’s chest.

The queen mumbled, “I gave this to her, Sam ... only 8 Peaks ago.” Shalee dropped her head. “This is my fault. She would’ve never been here if I hadn’t agreed. I’m responsible for her passing. I should’ve stopped her from using the mask.” She buried her face in the palms of her bloodied hands and sobbed as the king gathered her into his arms.

George came out from behind the pedestal. His voice struck a nerve as he announced, “I’m sorry for your loss, Shalee.”

Shalee spun out of Sam’s arms and sent her magic flying.

George was forced to react. He quickly held up his hand and diverted the power. The needles buried into the wall of the corridor to his right. “Relax! It’s me ... George! Holy garesh!”

Sam reached out and grabbed Shalee’s arms to keep her from invoking more of her magic. “George, what are you doing here?” the king questioned. “Are you here for the—” Sam stopped himself from continuing.

George drummed his fingers on top of the pedestal. “If I was to take a guess, I’m here for the same thing you are.” He motioned to the bloody pile that was Helga. “I was present when your friend passed. I wish I could have saved her, but it wasn’t in my best interest.” The mage moved to stand next to the hidden demon.

Sam shook his head. “Why would you be after the crystal? And, why wouldn’t it be in your best interest to save someone’s life?”

“Look, man, you and I are on opposite sides now. I’m running the show in Bloodvain. It’s my house now.” The mage pointed toward the needles in the wall. “My power has been demonstrated. Shalee knows I should be mincemeat right now, but she isn’t strong enough.”

“He’s right, Sam,” Shalee confirmed. “He should be dead. Where did you learn to wield that kind of magic, George? And just so you know, I would’ve never tried to hurt you. You startled me.” The sorceress paused. “What do you mean, you’re running the show in Bloodvain?”

George frowned. “You were never the brightest apple to fall off the tree, were you? Anyway ... we fight for different sides now. Nothing else needs to be explained. From this point forward, we’re enemies. The next moment I see you two, I will drop you like a bad habit.” The mage smirked. “Sure, it sucks when you think about it, but hey, it’s all about getting my daughter back. This is the only way I know how to make it happen.”

Sam tried to reason. “George, your daughter? She’s dead. You know this.”

“No!” the mage emphatically rebutted. “I can save her! I can bring her back! I know how!”

The king held up his hands to show that he did not want a confrontation. “Okay, okay, George, I hear you. But you should think this through. Everyone died when Earth was destroyed. I know it’s hard to believe, but—”

George thrust his right hand forward. A single dart shot from the tip of his middle finger and stopped only a hand away from the king’s face. The energy driving the dart caused the object to hum as it remained suspended. “One more word, and you’re a dead man, Sam,” the mage hissed.

George lifted the piece of the Crystal Moon to present it. “This is mine. My baby can be saved, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me from getting her back. May the best man win, Sam.”

George dropped the arm that was holding the crystal to his side. “No offense. It’s just business.” With that, the mage closed his eyes and disappeared after he touched the invisible demon on his back. A moment later, the dart fell to the floor.

Shalee turned to face Sam as he picked up the dart to examine it. “For heaven’s sake, what’s going on around here? Nothing makes sense anymore. How could George be our enemy? What did we do to him? And how did he get so powerful?”

“I don’t know,” Sam replied, “but let’s get Helga’s body out of here.”

Shalee looked at Helga’s pieces as she united her friend’s half of the pendant to her own. She placed the trinket close to her heart and then surveyed the bloody scene to determine how it was best to collect the parts. A moment later, Shalee dropped to her knees. The cave spun as she vomited.





AFTER GEORGE collected the crystal from Scorpion Island, he appeared with Kepler in the Barbarian King’s throne room. The mage opened his pack to place the crystal inside. To his surprise, the object glowed as he let it go. He was unsure of what to think. He showed Kepler, but the demon didn’t know what to make of it either.





SAM took his grieving wife out of the Scorpion King’s cave and ordered his men to collect what was left of Helga’s body. They traveled to the southern shore of the island where Michael commanded Branson to take his legion back to the city of Cottle to light the pyres to celebrate their passing.

The king informed the general that Shalee would be teleporting the three of them, along with Helga’s parts, back to Brandor. They would return to Cottle within 5 Peaks to pay their respects once the army arrived.

Shalee instructed Michael to close his eyes and touch her shoulder. When the group reopened them, they were all standing in Sam and Shalee’s bedroom chamber. Shalee asked Michael to have the morticians prepare Helga’s remains and have her friend brought back in a closed casket by Early Bailem. The queen wanted to allow BJ one more restful night’s sleep before she delivered the bad news. She didn’t want the advisor to see his lost love in this condition.





LASIDIOUS has been sitting in his home far beneath the Peaks of Angels. He watched the events that unfolded on Scorpion Island in the flames of his cube-shaped fireplace. He was elated at George’s luck. He would have never guessed that the mage would end up with this first piece of the Crystal Moon. It certainly made things more interesting, but an adjustment to future plans would be necessary.

Lasidious knows the others are going to be furious when he informs them that George already has the second piece. The mage has had it since his arrival on Grayham, but even George doesn’t know it.

The Mischievous One remembers what Sam told Mosley. “George fell through the floor with the crystal,” but the wolf never questioned the Mischievous One to acquire its whereabouts. Lasidious never intended to take the crystal from George. Instead, he made sure it remained invisible to the mage until the moment was right to reveal its location to the Collective.

As the vision in the fireplace changed, he watched as George put the crystal inside his pack. He could see that the mage had questions about why it was glowing. But an explanation would have to wait. He needed to avoid making an appearance to the mage until he spoke with the gods the following Peak at Late Bailem.

Lasidious’ visit to the world of Luvelles was productive, and his conversation with the Head Master of that world was encouraging. His disguise as Amar provided the perfect deception. It was now only a matter of manipulating a few more details before the next part of his plan could be implemented.





CELESTRIA is only 20 Peaks from having the baby. She can hardly wait to hold her son. She is looking forward to seeing Lasidious after the baby is left in the care of the witches.





ATHENA’S morning sickness is rough. Mary has been rubbing her back while she talks Athena through it. Mary wishes that George was around, but she knows he won’t be around much until the baby is born. She has no idea that George has been teleporting home most nights. The couple has managed to keep their secret.





BJ is on his way to Sam’s throne room. It is now the following morning, and one of the castle servants was sent to fetch him after breakfast. For the last 2 Peaks, the advisor has been preparing a home to share with Helga. He can’t wait to see his love.

During Helga’s absence, BJ went into the city to purchase an extraordinary ring. He is looking forward to becoming Helga’s husband.

Thank you for reading this edition of the Grayham Inquirer