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# 11, February 1996
{The GOH Mag Springfest of 96}
Spring blooms eternal
WHERE IS ELLADAN?
When I entered Elladan's office to talk about the upcoming GoH Magazine issue, he was nowhere to be found! I knew the GoH Magazine still needed to be done, so off to work I went on the articles. Yet, the question of what happened to Elladan still remains a mystery, and one I shall investigate in the next few months.
But, onto less disturbing topics. Let us take a peek at some of the things in this issue:
-A myth of the Mirror Image spell is dispelled!
-Strahd takes an in depth look at the beholder.
-The trail of Aziza leads to Luskan Outpost.
-The Editor (??) speaks out!
And much more. So go ahead and dive into this issue as we "march" through the first issue of 1996!
-NW Strahd
Editor, GoH Magazine (for now? ;)
{NW Kel's Magical cafe and Mailroom}
Indepth answers to deep quetions
TODAY'S SPECIAL: Troglodyte Tarts with raisins - 3 silvers!
It was hard for me to sort through Elladan's things to find the mail that needed responding to.Yet, I did find some. While this issue is a bit short on mail, the ones I found were interesting. So, while munching on a blueberry muffin here in Kel's Cafe, this is what I discovered:
--------------------------------------------
Dear Elladan,
I have the 50 pearls I owe you, let me know when we can meet.
-Not in Debt
(Dear Not in Debt,
Elladan is not available at this time. However, if you give me those pearls, I'll make sure they're safely delivered ;>
You can trust me!
-Strahd )
--------------------------------------------
Dear Elladan,
Why is it every time I try to think of an article to submit to the GoH, I get writer's block?
-Depressed
(Dear Depressed,
I understand your feelings on this. This happens to the best of writers. A good cure is usually to pick up your writing instrument and stare it for several hours. This meditation will cause one of several things to happen:
1. You fall asleep. Don't have to think about writing.
2. You get sick of staring at it, break it, and then have nothing to write with. Don't have to worry about writing anymore.
3. You will slowly go insane. While this is not the recommended course of action, it does cure writer's block.
4.You start to write. Usually on the topic of why you spent so much time staring at your writing instrument in the first place.
Hope that helps!
-Strahd )
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Elladan,
I oftyun reed yourr magashine, and I finde it informmatife.
-a Phan
(Dear "Phan" [or is that fan?],
Umm, I'll pass that comment onto Elladan when I can.
Before I go, let me make a -small- suggestion:
Learn to spell
Thanks!
-Strahd )
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That's all the mail this time around. If you have something you wish to say to the Editor, send e-mail to NW STRAHD. Please state if you wish to remain anonymous.
-Strahd :)
{NW Strahd's Deck of many topics}
Dealing from the middle
LEARNING THE REALM
I was sitting in the Square the other day, a shift like any other shift, when a level 10/11 cleric/magic-user approached me.
"Hey, where can I find Floodblest?"
And he was serious. Now, don't get me wrong. I know this sort of thing seems common these days. And I know there are ample amounts of ways for someone to gain experience without seeing much of the lands. Yet, I do believe the current method of gaining maximum levels some folks take is depressing.
Essentially, they'll roll their character. They then ask what is the quickest way to get experience. Someone will say dracoliches. So, off they go to dracoliches to join a large draco-bashing group. Then fight, and fight, and fight. Eventually they get their maximum level, then perhaps decide to be a little adventurous for once and head for the Hills. Or perhaps a friend gives them a Sewer pass, and they spend their time PvPing between the Hills and the Sewers.
That's it. That's Neverwinter for them.
It is their right to spend their time as they wish, of course. However, they are missing out on much the lands have to offer. Not only would exploring the entire realm be fruitful, but make these NWNers more effective adventurers.
"I'm maxxed now, and have all the equipment I need. What next?"
This is another question I was asked. I replied, "have you solved the mystery of the well in Red Larch and Westbridge? Have you explored the depths of Luskan Outpost? Have you dared to track every inch of the Woods?"
"No", he said, "I guess there's more to see".
Of course there is! The lands are ripe with adventure, and it's not just in the form of PvP. There are quests to solve, areas to explore, towns to see. One should make exploring every inch of the realm a priority, not something to sit on the backburner as unimportant. Not only is it fun in its own right, but in Neverwinter, Knowledge of the realm IS power.
Think about it. Quests, whether sponsored by staff or players, are usually heavily dependent on one's ability to not only know the lands, but know how to get to certain places quickly. Contests such as Trivia are heavily dependent on knowledge of out of the way places in the lands. Even in day to day activities, knowing the lands can help: Imagine a friend is being attacked in the woods in a PvP; if you know the way, you're going to save the day that much quicker. It's pretty obvious to see, adventuring and exploring the lands have more benefits than one.
Be adventurous! Dare to go beyond simply fighting dracoliches or cloud giants until you gain your maximum level. Then when you are at your maximum level, don't just PvP! Dare to go out into the even farther reaches of the lands and explore. Take notes of important locations, get to KNOW the realm you call home. You are adventurers for a reason.
In any case, I know some of this seems pretty basic. However, after seeing several questions/comments made like the ones above, I felt I should say something about it.
{NW Snowie's Petting Zoo}
In the eye of the Beholder
MONSTER:BEHOLDER
AC:0
MOVE:3
HP:45-75
ATTACKS:1
SPECIAL ATTACKS:Magic
ALIGNMENT:Lawful Evil
One of the greatest horrors within the Sword Coast region, these "spheres of
many eyes", otherwise known as beholders, are one of the most formidable
opponents an adventurer can come across.
Also known as "eye tyrants", beholders appear as a large orb dominated by a
central eye and a large toothy maw. Beholders also have ten small eyes,
which sprout like stalks on top of the orb. Its "body" is covered with a
tough, chitinous skin which gives a naturally low armor class. Movement is
supported by a natural levitation, which allows beholders to float at will.
Beholders are a hateful race. They will aggressively attack other races,
including subspecies of their own kind. They are xenophobic, and have
absolutely no tolerance for those not like themselves: even among their own
kind, something as trivial as a change in hide color or size of the central
eye can make two groups of beholders enemies. Since every beholder believes
their form to be the true ideal of beholderhood, one can see that conflicts
between beholders do happen often.
The most distinguished feature of the beholder are its eyes. The large
central eye emits an anti-magic ray with a 140 yard range, which covers a 90
degree arc before the creature. No magic will function in this zone, not even
spells*.
Then there are the beholder's ten eye stalks, each with a different ability*:
1. charm person (as spell)
2. charm monster (as spell)
3. sleep (as spell, but only 1 target)
4. telekinesis (250 pound weight)
5. flesh to stone (as spell, 30 yard range)
6. disintegrate (20 yard range)
7. fear (as wand)
8. slow (as spell, but only 1 target)
9. cause serious wounds (50 yard range)
10. death ray (as death spell, single target, 40 yard range)
A beholder can use -all- of the above attacks in one action. This
effectively makes the beholder truly devastating.
Adventurers who are effective at dispatching the beholder are rumored to find
ways to avoid the eye attacks, since those attacks can make an encounter with
a beholder a short one. Attacking from a distance is rumored to be effective
as well.
*=In the Lands of Neverwinter, the beholders seemed to have developed an
ability to be resistant to all magic (that being the function of the central
eye); but the cost of this has been what appears to be a reduced ability of
the number of eyes which can attack.
(input beholdereye pic here)
{The Goddess Apothecary}
Jewlery for all occasions
RINGS OF THE REALMS
In the lands of Neverwinter, there are several types of rings available to
the adventurer. We'll take a look at a couple that are available in the
lands.
RING OF FIRE RESISTANCE:
The wearer of this ring is totally immune to the effects of normal fires,
whether they are torches, flaming oil, bonfires, etc. Very large and hot
fires, molten lava, hell-hound breath, or a wall of fire spell will cause 10
hit points of damage per round if the wearer is directly within the
conflagration.
Exceptionally hot fires such as red-dragon breath, pyrohydra breath,
fireballs, flame strike, etc., are saved with a +4 bonus to the die roll, and
all damaged dice are calculated at a -2 per die, but each die is never less
than 1. So, for example, a 5th level magic-user casts a fireball at you:
roll modified (-2)
---- -------------
die 1: 5 3
die 2: 2 1
die 3: 1 1
die 4: 6 4
die 5: 3 1
total: 17 10
If you happen to save versus that fireball with the additional +4 bonus , you
take only 5 damage.
Note that in the lands of Neverwinter, the rings of fire resistance will have the
+4 to save and -2 to damage rolls versus ALL fire attacks, except burning hands.
Pearl price:60
RINGS OF PROTECTION:
These come in +1, +2, and +3 kind. They protect the wearer versus all forms
of attack. So, for example, a ring +2 betters AC by 2 (say from 6 to 4) and
gives a bonus of +2 to saving throws. The magical properties of the ring are
cumulative with all other magic items, with the following exceptions:
1. The ring does not improve AC if magical armor is worn, although it does
add to saving throws.
2. Only one ring of protection will work on the wearer at any given time. In
Neverwinter, this means you may only wear one ring of protection.
+1 and +2 rings are available in the lands, +3 rings are pearl only items.
However, one can buy all three from the magic item store for the following
prices:
+1=15 pearls
+2=24 pearls
+3=80 pearls
{NW Jareth's Mystical Grimoire}
Mirror Mirror on the wall
MIRROR IMAGE
RANGE: Caster
DURATION: 2 rounds / Level
AREA OF EFFECT: Caster
Upon casting this spell, 1-4 illusionary duplicates of the mage come into
being around him/her. These images do exactly what the mage does. Since the
spell creates a slight distortion and blurring when it's cast, it is
impossible for opponents to know which are the mage, and which are the
images.
When an image is struck by an attack, melee, missile, magic, or otherwise, it
disappears, but other existing images stay intact until struck. Even if the
mage is struck during one round, he/she cannot be picked out the next due to
an apparent "shifting" of the images from round to round.
This spell is extremely effective in making one harder to hit, by making your
opponent simply attack something which isn't you. Contrary to some myths
abound, multiple castings of mirror image do not help.
{NW Aziza's Fantastic Tours}
Following the trail
In complete frustration at not being able to find Aziza, we scoured the lands north of Neverwinter. Covered with bits of crumblecakes (from her journey to Red Larch no doubt), we found yet another piece of a log entry...
LUSKAN OUTPOST
-----------------------------
This town, if it can even be called that, was originally just a simple outpost that would help warn Luskan of any attacks from the south and east. Eventually a small town formed around the original watch tower, creating what is today a place of nasty, rude, and outright grumpy folks!
And I do mean rude! Some fellow kicked me out of his home simply because I was not from Luskan. The North men here are very hostile to those of the south, such as Neverwinter, so be prepared for a cold welcome. Oh, and bring some extra blankets, Yeti hugs can squeeze all the warmth out of you.
Some sights to see:
The Princess Palace: The local inn. Cold, damp, and a rude innkeeper. On a good note, it is a safe place to rest.
Blut's arms and armor: He advertises as having good weapons and good armor, but gives no credit. Not surprising, I wouldn't give credit to a bunch of rude folks either!
I'd love to say there was more, but there isn't. This isn't a tourist attraction spot, that's for certain. However, it is a dangerous area. So if danger is what you're looking for, with rude folks too, then this is the place to be!
Rumors: There is a rumor of a "dark evil presence" that has taken residence somewhere in Luskan Outpost. I have not heard of any returning who went to investigate this "presence". This could be a story just to scare off non-North men. Then again, when dealing with anything to do with Luskan, one should take such rumors with an open mind.
{NW Baldor's Might makes Right Armory}
A Hunting we will go
There are a variety of missile weapons in Neverwinter Nights. They basically
come in 2 categories, thrown and fired. Fired weapons require ammunition
unlike the thrown weapons. When attacking with these weapons, a bonus may be
added to the attack for those with an excellent dexterity. The following
lists the weapons which fall under the fired weapon category.
Weapon Rate of Fire Range Damage Uses
------------------- ------------ ----- ------- ------
Bow, Composite Long 2 21 1-6/1-6 Arrows
Bow, Composite Short 2 18 1-6/1-6 Arrows
Bow, Fine Long+# 2 20 1-6/1-6 Arrows
Bow, Long 2 21 1-6/1-6 Arrows
Bow, Short 2 15 1-6/1-6 Arrows
Crossbow, Light 1 18 1-4/1-4 Quarrels
Sling 1 16 1-4/1-4 Stones*
Staff Sling 1 9 1-8/2-8 Stones*
And forgot this one from last time:
Weapon Attacks/Rd Range Damage S/M-L Joinable Melee
--------- ---------- ----- ------- ----- -------- ------
Axe, Hand 1 3 1-6/1-4 M N Y
Rate of Fire: Number of missile shot per round.
Range: Maximum distance at which the weapon can be used.
Damage: Amount of damage weapon does.
Uses: The ammunition a weapon uses. Arrows may be bought in the silver or
magical variety.
* Stones are considered to be available at any time so does not need to be
in one's inventory.
# Adds Strength bonus to hit and damage.
+ A fine long bow is arguably one of the deadliest weapons in the game. I know
of a ranger who uses a +3 fine long bow, who also happens to wear boots of
speed, girdle of cloud giant strength, and carries a quiver full of +3
arrows. His thac0 is around a -4 and he's capable of doing a whopping 96
points of damage per round. Yikes!
{NW Tempus Neverwinter Naratives}
Neverwinter Narratives Chapter 1,2,3
This is a new section to the GoH magazine, where everyday adventurers in NWN
will appear in this continuing story. If you are interested in having a part
in the story, please e-mail Aidynni stating your interest in becoming a
character in the narrative :)
(1)
Chapter One
The air in Daglow's inn was thick with many voices, bouncing off even into the deepest corners of the well worn white walls of the place. A faint, greasy smell of roasting pig meandered from the large, roaring fireplace and flowed throughout the establishment, as well as a strong smell of sweet, fermented liquor from the large wooden kegs, stacked like mighty round pillars in the back of the bar. The well worn, round wooden tables were crowded with laughing, happy people as they talked and slammed their mugs against the table for added emphasis to their words and deeds.
In one of the tables near the corner, away from all the lively din of the place, sat a woman by herself, half hidden in the darkness. Her eyes, golden and round, shone in the darkness like tiny blazing suns, watching the patrons with a detached, aloof look as her long, delicate ears which curved slightly at the end, flickered each time there was a loud crash, followed by drunken, uncontrolled laughter from the patrons. And each time she did so, the tiny, circular earrings on her ears glistened and twinkled like golden halos as they shook from the movement.
Her skin appeared completely black and all consumingly smooth as the night sky. Yet it appeared to be soft, gentle brown where the light touched it. Her delicate features were framed by long tresses that seemed to chase away the darkness with their pale, golden light. A long, violet streak running down the length of her hair was matched by a silky strand of a neckband of the same color.
Her bare arms were encircled by golden leaves as she raised her gloved hand to pick up her glass, and brought it to her pale, pink lips. She sipped on her drink gently, and put the glass back down on the table. As she did so, a glint of chain links were seen under the table as she shifted her leg slightly. She then pulled on the cuffs of her knee high leather boots.
A dark haired man who sat two tables away from the woman took all this in with great interest and murmured, "What a beautiful creature." He then turned his head to his short, bearded companion and asked, "Drow?"
The short man grunted and shook his head. "Nay, lad. The ears are too long. And drows dinna come with gold hair, not to mention her skin's a bit too light."
The dark haired man turned his gaze back to the woman and licked his thin, chapped lips. "Then what is she?" He asked, his voice leeringly excited.
The short man ran his hand through his beard and scratched. "If I were you, lad. I'd soon forget about the likes of her. She'll carve you up lickity split with that toothpick blade of hers before you can even utter a charmin' word."
"Then you know who she is, dwarf? Tell me!" The man said excitedly, turning in his seat to face his companion.
The dwarf looked at the woman intently and muttered, "Yea. I know of that one."
The man waited patiently, and when no more words came out of the dwarf's lips, he slammed his hand on the table and said in a frustrated voice, "Damn it, Dwyvyrn! I hate it when you get all mysterious on me! Tell me who she is!"
Dwyvyrn smiled crookedly at his companion and said, "You 'umans can't just leave it well enough alone, can ye? Very well, I'll be tellin' ye this much. She is an elf alright, but not yer ordinary, city dwellin' kind."
"Eh?" the man asked, puzzled.
Dwyvyrn reached into his vest pocket to pull out a small, wooden pipe. "Them long ears, don't they look a bit animal like to ye?"
The man snuck a quick peek at the woman and muttered, "Now that you mention it, they do seem a bit too long."
Dwyvyrn pushed the tobacco into the pipe with his gnarled finger, and searched his pockets until he found a small stick, which started to glow as soon as he touched it to the tobacco in the pipe. "That's because she is a savage elf. They're called that 'cause they're just that. Savages. The other elves don't like 'um because they remind them of what they used to be before they became civilized. They're totally unpredictable. Like animals, really. Shore enough, they're nice to look at, but they just have too much of that wildness in them."
Dwyvyrn brought the pipe to his lips and drew it in. Blue, lazy smoke started to curl out of his nostrils as he added, "Twynil Tarkas in their language. It translates into dark elves."
The man turned his head to take another quick peek and turned back to Dwyvern uncomfortably. "How do you know so much about them?" He asked, fingering his mug of foaming beer.
Dwyvyrn leaned back into his chair, making it creak uncomfortably. "It was a long time ago, lad. Best not hatch it out, that story." He said as he took another puff of his pipe.
The man got up, taking a swill from his mug. He slammed the mug down on the table and said resolutely, "Well, I'm going to go talk to her."
Dwyvyrn sighed deeply. "It's a mistake." He replied in an agitated voice. "Ye'll lose yer fool head if ye do."
The man smirked, and smoothed his unruly hair. "Watch the master at work, Dwy. There wasn't a woman who could resist Taji's charm!" He said confidently, and added, "You'll back me up if I get in trouble, right?"
Dwyvyrn snorted, and laid a hand on a large, double headed axe leaned against his chair. "I'll bet ye ten gems she'll have ye spittin teeth after ye're through." He said with a twinkle in his eye.
Taji smiled wickedly, and answered, "You're on, knave! I'll enjoy spending your money."
Taji started to walk towards the table, and noticed that the elf's eyes were now firmly planted on his own, making him extremely uncomfortable because he found her golden gaze unsettlingly sharp. Unconsciously, his hand went over to the pommel of his short sword, and his heart skipped a beat as her hand moved quickly to her own, hanging lazily draped on her hip with a thin, golden belt.
Taji felt a cold drop of sweat trickle down the side of his face as he moved closer to her. He could see that the elf's lithe body was coiled and ready to lash out like a waiting serpent, and he swallowed and forced a smile, and panicked when his smile was not returned.
Taji forcefully removed his hand away from his sword as he stood in front of her table, and asked in a shake ladened voice, "Is this seat taken?"
The elf answered quickly, her hand still on her sword, "I wish to be alone. Please leave." Her voice was light, and the ends of her words wore a hint of a lilting accent.
Taji cleared his throat, and imagined Dwyvyrn's laughing eyes on the back of his head. He grimaced inwardly at the thought of returning to his table, looking like a fool, and desperately tried to think of a way to avoid that fate. Then suddenly, a thought came to him that caused him to smile and chase away the fears.
"Twynil Tarkas." Taji said smoothly and congratulated himself when the elf's eyes widened for an instant.
"Silani Garinas Tarkas?" The elf asked. The words sounded like some lyrical song to Taji's ears.
Taji shook his head. "I know only a little of your language, my lady." He answered. She looks even better up close, he thought as he let his eyes run over her.
The elf nodded and said, "Still, you must be a very wise human. Not many of your kind knows of us."
Taji smiled again and answered, "Well, it's a hobby of mine, really. May I?" He said, and pointed to an empty chair. When she nodded, he sat himself down triumphantly as he heard a dull thud of a fist slamming on a table from Dwyvyrn's direction.
"You see, I think your reputation is really undeserved. Someone as beautiful as you can't possibly be like a wild animal. Really, you're just too pretty to be anything but that." Taji said smoothly as he leaned closer to the elf, and bowed his head low, almost hitting the table. "I bow before your magnificent beauty, my lady. Of all the women I've seen around the realms, you are the most ravishing." When Taji raised his head slowly to look at the elf's face, he thought he saw that she was blushing and smiling shyly as her ears reflected her mood change by drooping slightly. He shouted yes inwardly and ventured to take her smooth hand into his own. When he felt her skin, which felt velvet smooth under his hand, he laughed out loud in his mind and whispered, "Still got it."
Taji was crestfallen when he noticed that she was wearing gloves, of which she dusted against her chain mailed leg when she withdrew it forcefully away from his hand. "No offense, wise man." She began, looking at him with complete disdain in her eyes, as if she was looking at a bug she was about to squash. "But I don't like humans touching me. I don't like their smell."
Taji forced a weak smile that threatened to crumble on his lips as he answered dryly, "Of course. No offense taken."
The elf then started to get up, when Taji put his hand on her shoulder and asked, "Please, won't you stay awhile longer?"
The elf flinched at his touch, and Taji could feel her body tense up under his hand. "Please remove your hand." She said firmly.
"At least tell me where you are going." Taji persisted as he removed his hand, feeling quite desperate.
The elf sighed and replied, "Fine. I am going to travel to Nightsedge. Your lord Nasher is offering a reward to dispatch a certain tribe of Orcs in that area."
Taji snapped his fingers and said quickly, "Why isn't that funny, that's just where I was headed. I'm going after those Orcs myself."
The elf looked over Taji slowly with a half smile, "Really. And how were you going to get there? Wave your books in front of the monsters that will show up on the way? The battle field is no place for a wise man of books."
Taji slapped his hand on his short sword and replied proudly, "I am also a master swordsman."
The elf looked at him with an amused twinkle in her golden eyes. "Is that so? Then tell me, wise man and master swordsman, what would you do if you met someone like me on the way to Nightsedge and I said that I wanted to end your life?" She asked, her eyes locking onto Taji's own.
Taji swallowed. He felt his heart beat faster as he saw how little the elf thought of him. He clenched his fist as his pride overruled his senses as he drew his sword, saying, "I'd do this!"
He meant to scare the elf by pointing his sword at her long, graceful neck, and also show how quickly he could draw his sword. Unfortunately, he now stood against the elf with no sword in his hand, for as soon as it left the scabbard, it was knocked out of his hand by a brilliant flash. Now he stood there with a long, thin blade against his neck, with the elf looking at him with that same disdainful smile on her lips he saw earlier.
"I want to end your life." She said to him softly as she pressed the blade closer to his neck, making him feel the cold, sharp edge of the metal.
Taji swallowed hard, and closed his eyes as he thought himself finished, when a voice boomed behind him saying, "You're not going to have him today, Ajsha."
When Taji opened his eyes, he saw that Dwyvyrn was standing behind him with his axe, his gaze locked with the elf. He sighed deeply as the elf's eye twitched and smoothly put her blade back in the scabbard.
"Krili jashil palati." The elf spat out at Dwyvyrn, and angrily turned to get her things, a simple lute and a long, gracefully curved bow.
Dwyvyrn lowered his axe and came closer to the elf. "Let's not start that fight again, lass." He began, and grabbed her arm. He then gently sat her down on the chair and sat down himself opposite to her. "I was the one who helped you escape, remember?" He stated as the elf glowered at him.
"The debt has been repaid, Dwyvyrn. I owe you nothing." The elf spat out with a hint of anger. "I am no longer your responsibility."
Dwyvyrn nodded slowly and answered, "Aye, lass. That is truth. However, I still care about you. All alone in the world of man.."
The elf cut in angrily, and said, "I am fine. I need no one to watch over me."
Taji, finally getting over the shock of almost being killed, gingerly sat next to Dwyvyrn and asked, "Do you two know each other?"
Dwyvyrn looked at the elf as he said, "We've met before."
The elf got up, and said simply, "I'm going."
"Take us with you, lass." Dwyvyrn said as the elf slung her lute over her back.
"No." The elf answered back, and reached for her bow.
Dwyvyrn got up slowly and said, "Ye kinna handle them all alone, Ajsha. Ye'll need help."
Ajsha turned to Dwyvyrn with a whirl of her hair and sneered, "From a dwarf and this clown? No thank you."
As Ajsha turned quickly to go out, she ran head first into a plate armored chest, and almost fell backwards into her chair. A strong hand grabbed her wrist and prevented her from falling, however.
"I apologize, my lady." A young man said, dressed in an old, worn plate armor. He bowed gracefully before Ajsha with a swirl of his crimson cape. "Have I hurt you?" He asked, his gray eyes full of worry.
Ajsha looked at the man, and the brown haired woman standing next to him. "I am fine, now if you all will excuse me.."
The young man cleared his throat, and bowed before Ajsha again, stopping her. "If I may. I couldn't help but overhear your plans to travel to Nightsedge. Me and my companion are also headed that way and we wondered if you would be willing to join us. An elf with a bow would be a most welcome addition to our quest."
The woman standing next to the man clearly was disgusted at the sight of Ajsha, and she made no effort to hide it. She whispered furiously to her companion, "She is a dark elf! By Tyr's blood, she can't be trusted. We clerics of Tyr know of her kind, Tarin. Do not be fooled by her!"
Ajsha looked at the woman, and then back at the man, who looked at her with respect and reverence. She checked the negative reply that was on her lips and instead replied, "Yes. I will travel with you." Ajsha smiled as the woman gave her a hard, hate filled look and started to pout.
Dwyvyrn cleared his throat. "If you don't mind, 'uman. We would also like to join yer party." He said, and dragged Taji to his feet like a rag doll.
The man smiled and bowed before the dwarf. "Of course. You are welcome to join us." He said, and then motioned to Ajsha towards the door. As the party left the inn and was greeted by the cold, clear afternoon air, the woman looked dour and downcast as the man walked next to Ajsha.
"That witch will be exposed for what she is soon enough, I'll see to it." She whispered angrily to herself, and gathered her snow white robes to her as she ran after the party.
(2)
Chapter Two
The sun was setting, throwing a bloody crimson blanket of colors to the cotton clouds of distant, snow capped mountains. Ajsha noted this and took a quick look to the sky, noticing the tiny stars that now started to twinkle like sparkling gems against the darkening cloak of the evening sky. She then turned her head, almost surprising herself as she found the knight walking so close to her. She cleared her throat and stopped, and turned around as the group stopped before her.
"I've no problems with going on in darkness, but you humans cannot. So I suggest we stop here and set up camp." Ajsha announced.
The woman narrowed her eyes to mere slits and spat out, "We have torches. Don't give yourself airs, dark elf."
"Finia!" The man exclaimed, "That is no way to talk to a lady!" He then turned around to bow before the elf and said apologetically, "Accept my apologies, my lady. The road has been harsh and my companion is a bit edgy. She meant no disrespect."
Taji sneered at this and whispered to Dwyvyrn, "Looks like golden boy there's makin' a play for our little elven darlin'."
Finia's cheeks grew crimson red with anger, for she caught Taji's words. Her displeasure was all the more noticeable since her skin was smooth pale like white marble. "Tarin, why are you being so nice to her?! She's nothing more than an elven hussy!" She spat out, then whirled around furiously. She then shoved Taji and Dwyvyrn out of the way and started walking back towards Neverwinter. "Good bye! I'm going back to Neverwinter!"
"Finia!" Tarin shouted, and ran to catch up with her. "This is no way for a priestess of Tyr to behave. Please, don't be upset." He soothed as he caught Finia. Tarin looked puzzled as Finia started to cry and buried herself into his arms. "There, there. No need to cry, dear. You just had a hard day, that's all."
Dwyvyrn gritted his teeth and slapped his forehead. "This is going to be a long trip." He muttered, and then caught Ajsha's gaze towards Tarin and Finia. He thought he caught a glimpse of amusement, but he was broken out of his thought as Taji grabbed his shoulder and squeezed.
"That golden boy's got all the wenches going after him! What's he got that I haven't?!" Taji whispered angrily, and let go of Dwyvyrn's shoulder with a sheepish grin when he gave him a sharp look.
"Class for one. Manners for second." Dwyvyrn answered back, and readjusted the grip on his axe. "And unlike you, he's taken a bath."
Taji sniffed his arm at Dwyvyrn's words, and then nodded, muttering "I knew it had to be something."
Tarin led Finia back, who was clutching at his arm as if her life depended on it. "She's agreeable to setting up camp, sirs." He said, and smoothed his long mustache with his free hand.
"Right." Dwyvyrn muttered, and started to walk off the path and into the woods, followed by the group.
The group found a clearing of sorts in the woods next to a gurgling stream as the night settled into the world quickly. Dwyvyrn quickly started a fire and the group sat down around it gingerly. Tarin, sitting down with clanking from his armor, then took his pack off his shoulder and opened it. He started to rummage through his belongings and took out a hunk of dried venison. He then took a dagger from his belt and started to carve up strips, offering it to the rest of the group.
Ajsha shook her head when Tarin offered her a piece, and carefully unslung her pack, taking care not to cause damage to the lute and her bow as they slipped off her shoulder. She then got up, and started for the stream.
Tarin's head followed her, and when she was no longer seen in the darkness, he turned back to the group and asked, "Who is she?"
Before Dwyvyrn could answer, Finia spoke up. "She is a dark elf."
"A dark elf?" Tarin asked.
Finia nodded, and said nonchalantly, "Don't get too close to her, Tarin. The dark elves are a very closed society and they never venture out of their homes in the forest. The mere fact that she's out here in Neverwinter means that she did something so horrible that they handed her the worst punishment possible, banishment."
Dwyvyrn's eyes twitched at this, and he asked, "How d'you know so much about them, lass?"
Finia shrugged, and answered, "I've been to their kingdom as an emissary of Tyr. Actually, to call it a kingdom would be a farce. It's more a collection of mud huts and caves that they live out of, like filthy animals. They're also a very rude and belligerent lot. They have no respect for Tyr." Finia wrinkled her nose and ran her fingers through her ebony hair. "I couldn't stand it. I left their 'kingdom' in a week, disgusting, those people."
A sly smile appeared on Dwyvyrn's lips at her remarks, but he made no comment. Instead, he rolled out his bedsheets and lay down on the ground. He yawned, then muttered, "When Ajsha comes back, tell the lass she has first watch." He then closed his eyes.
Finia looked at Dwyvyrn incredulously. "Are you kidding, dwarf? She'll slit all our throats whilest we sleep!"
Dwyvyrn sighed and with his eyes still closed, answered back in an agitated voice, "A far better fate then listening to yer babble, lass. You hurt my ears with yer prattle."
"What did you say? How dare you!" Finia exclaimed, and bolted up from the ground. Dwyvyrn merely yawned again and rolled over, facing away from the priestess.
Taji got up slowly, and with a winning smile, bowed before Finia, and said, "If it would please you, dear beautiful lady, I will stay up to guard you in your sleep. I will stand watch with the dark elf so no harm may fall before your magnificence."
Tarin got up also, and said, "No. Watching over her is my responsibility. I will take the first watch with Ajsha."
Finia, still looking outraged, opened her mouth to speak, but instead, her eyes widened in terror as she screamed.
Dwyvyrn bolted out of his sheets like as if he was on fire, with his axe already in his hand, as the others also grabbed for their weapons.
"What is it, Finia?" Tarin whispered harshly as he drew his sword and looked about with unease and caution.
Finia pointed towards the darkness. "A wild animal..." She said with trembling voice. Indeed, a pair of eyes that glowed golden like round, full moons was coming closer to them.
Dwyvyrn squinted, and then laid down his axe, shaking his head tiredly. "That's just Ajsha." He announced, and laid back down with a groan. "'uman, put a muzzle on that high falutin' priestess of yers. She's liable to wake up the dead!" He muttered as he closed his eyes.
"What is going on here?" Ajsha asked, looking around the camp fire with curiosity. She smoothed her long hair, which looked as if it was alive with fire as it reflected the crimson dancing flames.
Taji, staring at Ajsha with his jaw agape, closed it shut. "Nothing. Nothing at all. You have first watch, by the way."
Ajsha nodded, and answered, "Fine." She then started to button her leather vest when she saw that both Taji and Tarin were looking at her with absent minded blank stares.
"Uh...Finia. Don't worry. I'll be right here..." Tarin said without looking at Finia, who was glowering at both of the men, and he walked across the campfire to where Ajsha was picking up her bow and lute.
Taji caught Finia's expression from the corner of his eyes, and he tore his attention away from Ajsha and walked over to Finia. "Don't worry about a thing, high priestess. I'll be sleeping right next to you." He said, smiling.
"I'm not a high priestess..." Finia said as her eyes followed Ajsha and Tarin walking off into the darkness, and then gritted her teeth.
(3)
Chapter Three
Ajsha positioned herself under a large, gnarled tree, and laid her bow against the twisted trunk. She then sat down, leaning her back against the tree with her lute in her hand. From her position, she could still see the clearing where everyone was sleeping through the tall reeds that swayed against the cold, evening wind, hiding her from view. She looked up as Tarin came crashing down close to her, crushing a part of her cover. When he noticed what he had done, he grimaced and said, "I do apologize, my lady. I didn't mean to smash..."
"Please drop the polite act. It's starting to get on my nerves." Ajsha cut him off with the curt reply as she regarded him coldly.
Tarin looked at her with puzzlement in his gray eyes. "If I have offended you..." He began, looking worried.
"Yes, you offend me with your presence. Besides, why are you here? I thought you were going to be guarding your priestess." Ajsha again cut him off with an edge of disdain in her voice. Having dealt with smooth talking, false hearted men before, she found Tarin's over cordial words quite offensive.
Tarin bowed his head before her, his hay colored shoulder length hair rustling against his shoulder armor as he did so. "Since you have picked such a good spot, I thought I mind as well join you here. It has such a good vantage point. Besides, my eyesight is useless in this darkness, whereas your elfsight can see all. However, if you prefer that I move..."
Ajsha regarded him with a long look, kneeling before her on his knee, not daring to look up into her face. She couldn't deny that she found it flattering, being treated this way. She thought by treating him coldly that he would show his true nature like most men she encountered, but she was mildly surprised to find that his civility was no act. She caught a faint smell of freshly crushed cloves from him that tickled her nose, and found it hard to dismiss him coldly outright, so she ended up saying, "Do what you want, human."
Tarin raised his head, and looked at Ajsha, who was now looking into the woods, and smiled. "Thank you for allowing me to be in your presence, my lady." He said earnestly, and sat down in front of her.
As the minutes passed on, Ajsha's neck started to ache, for she had been pretending to look into the woods as to not look in Tarin's direction. Every passing minute was now a torture for her, with the ache becoming mind numbing. What's worse, she dared not move a muscle in front of him either, and every part of her body was going stir crazy. She finally couldn't stand it any longer and, clearing her throat, she turned her head back toward Tarin's direction, and noticed that he had taken out his sword and was sharpening the edges. It was a beautiful weapon, she had to admit. The pommel was of a simple design, just a piece of iron, really, wrapped with leather strips that was stained black with use. The hilt was what caught her eyes. It was of a single piece of golden material, smooth and almost liquidlike in its purity. Carved along it's length, however, was a coiled serpentine dragon, almost unnoticeable.
Tarin noticed that Ajsha was looking at his weapon and said, "It is the only thing that I have that is worth anything to me, my lady."
Ajsha, no longer wanting to be rude, said, "It looks to be alright. For a human design." She leaned closer to him, and pointed to the hilt. "What is that?"
Tarin smiled, almost becoming intoxicated with her closeness. He felt as if a piece of the hot noon day sun had dropped in front of him, threatening to wither him away with its overwhelming warmth. He marbled at how her skin looked obsidian black in the darkness, with only her pale golden hair and glowing eyes lending light to her, glowing like magical things made of moonlight.
"It is the symbol of my father's kingdom, my lady." He replied when he finally managed to gather his wits together. "Or what's left of it."
When Ajsha tilted her head in question, he looked down at the etched dragon and said in a voice that seemed touched with bitterness, "This is all I was left with after my father died."
Ajsha nodded, and replied, "I see. A prince without a kingdom."
Tarin smiled wanly, looking pale in the darkness. "There wasn't anything left for me when my brothers got through taking their share." He began. "You are right, my lady. I am a prince by birth only. I have nothing to return to."
"Except to the temple of Tyr." Ajsha said simply. "It must've been quite a blow to your ego, prince one day, and a bodyguard for the priests of Tyr the next."
Tarin shook his head slowly, still wearing that smile. "What ego I had left, I left it buried at my father's kingdom." He then sheathed his weapon with a smooth motion. "What about you? Have you someone, lady?" He asked.
Ajsha shook her head. "No one that I would care to mention."
"No parents, relatives.... no loves?" Tarin persisted, and was rewarded with a blush at the last word. He snorted and said, "Well then, we're much alike, you and I."
Ajsha flinched at his words, and clutched her lute closer to her.
Dwyvyrn, who was only half asleep, caught Tarin's last words and shook his head. "Much closer than you think, lad." He muttered under his breath, and then yawned.
Tarin then pointed to the lute and asked, "That lute, it doesn't look to be an elven design."
Ajsha nodded and glanced at Dwyvyrn's sleeping form. "It isn't. A very old friend of mine made it for me, to keep me from becoming homesick." She replied softly, making Tarin strain his ears to hear her words.
"I heard from Finia that you were banished from your kingdom..." Tarin began, but stopped when Ajsha looked to him as if she was completely lost and defenseless, staring aimlessly at the lute as his words hit home. "I'm sorry." He apologized, not knowing what else to say.
Ajsha's look vanished with an effort that wasn't unnoticed by Tarin. "Don't be sorry for the truth." She said, and ran her fingers along the strings. Soft music started to flow out of the instrument, delicate and light as falling feathers. And as Tarin felt himself lost in the strings of the lute, a soft, ethereal voice joined the notes, weaving and clasping the gentle melody in a slow, unending dance.
"Inita jilani riaana ti...Milina satari riaana ti..." Ajsha breathed, and as the words left her lips, they seem to disappear into the night like ghostly shadows, making Tarin's heart feel empty and forlorn when the words vanished from his ears. When she suddenly stopped, Tarin felt as if he was slapped awaken from a dream, and said, "Please, my lady. I beg you to go..."
Aja laid a gentle finger on Tarin's lips as her ears pricked up like a frightened deer. She gently put her lute down and picked up her bow. With her eyes, she motioned for Tarin to look towards the camp. As Tarin turned his head, he felt a sharp twang ring out from the bow many times, and winced as a pained roar rang out, breaking the silence of the night.
{NW Strider's Tavern Legends and Tale's}
C'est La Vie, Little Goddess by Bard Mistress Aidynni Chapters 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12
The Cyan Chapters 1,2
(1)
C'est La Vie, Little Goddess
by Bard Mistress Aidynni
The hot, steamy air was stifling and oppressive, yet Nicky felt somehow
familiarly comfortable with her surroundings. She stretched out her legs and
breathed a contented sigh as she leaned back against the warm, soft tiles
that glowed in hues that reminded her of rainbows. She turned her head to see
that another girl was sitting next to her, smiling uneasily. Nicky thought it
strange that this other girl looked exactly like her, but she also thought it
strange that she was lying naked in what appeared to be a hot tub too. But at
this point, with the water being just so right and feeling every part of her
body relax like molasses, she didn't care too much about whys and hows, so
she returned her smile and just let the warm water soothe her and decided to
worry about these minor details later.
"Sis, was father too upset that you let the rain fall a bit too hard?" the
other girl asked in a worried voice, nudging close to Nicky.
Nicky raised her eyebrows questioningly at the girl, but instead heard
herself say, "If he doesn't like the job I do, then he can find someone else
to do it. I'm getting pretty sick of his demands! Do this, do that! Why.." It
was as if she was watching herself from afar, like a hazy movie perhaps, and
she began to wonder if she brought any popcorn.
The girl raised her hand frantically and stopped Nicky from going further.
"Shh!! Please, sis. I don't want you to get into any more trouble! You know
nothing escape his ears!" She said, looking around her nervously.
Nicky leaned back even further and closed her eyes. "Relax, willya? What else
could he do to me? He's already stuck me with weatherwork. I mean, how much
lower can he bust me down to?" She said lazily, while wondering why she was
stuck with such a boring job and noticing that her "sister's hair was pitch
black as the midnight sky.
"I don't know...But ever since you refused to marry Bonner, father's been in
an extremely irritable mood. I wouldn't press your luck with him if I were
you." the girl said, raising her hand in the air. Tiny points of light
started to appear, glowing in different colors like small fire flies.
"Bonner! If father thinks that I'm going to marry a self centered,
egotistical jerk like him, then, why, why, oh, that's pretty." Nicky heard
herself say as the tiny sparkles danced around them. She caught one in her
wet hands and held it close to her ear and smiled as it started to sing like
a tiny harp.
"But to refuse one of the gods just like that. I can't help but wonder if
there's going to be some kind of a punishment because of it." the young girl
said, looking at Nicky with worry in her eyes.
Nicky turned to her sister and sighed. "You know, you're beginning to sound a
lot like father."
"I'm just worried about you, that's all." the girl said. "Bonner always gets
what he wants, no matter what. He's not going to worry about etiquette or
propriety. He's threatened to take you by force."
Nicky yawned at this and said in a bored voice, "Oh spare me! If Bonner
thinks he can do that, he would have done it a long time ago. He doesn't have
the power to.."
"Oh do I not, fairest Llwyn?" A male voice asked gently from behind them,
causing the girls to both flinch. The tiny lights all blinked out at once
with a loud pop, and the young girl gasped and vanished along with them,
leaving Nicky feeling cold and alone.
Rather than be stunned about this sudden turn, Nicky covered herself as best
as she could and cried out angrily, "How dare you barge in here?! have you no
decency in you, you jerk?"
Bonner smiled and kneeled before her. "I do apologize for my sudden
appearance, my lady. But when I heard that your father had stripped you of
your powers for your disobedience, I thought it my chance to spirit you
away." He said, and offered his hand to her. "Methinks it is time for you to
join me, yes?" He said, smiling at her.
Nicky's face blushed crimson and she slapped his hand away, accidentally
showing more of herself than she wanted to and infuriating herself further
when she saw Bonner clear his throat uncomfortably and turn his head away.
And with her sister's speedy escape/abandonment fresh in her mind causing her
to be filled with such anger that she started seeing the color red
everywhere, she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Get out, you scum
bucket!" and noticed much to her surprise that wasn't supposed to be her
next line.
"I will not, until you say yes to me." Bonner said uneasily, trying to
recover his composure and his hearing. He straightened out the collar of his
shirt that looked as blue and wavy as the sea and said contritely, "Really,
Llwyn. How long do you plan to stay such a child? You have your duty as a
goddess to think about."
Nicky snorted at his words and replied acidly, "I don't recall getting
married to you as being one of them, you fool."
Bonner's eyes twitched, but he cleared his throat and answered evenly, "No,
but it's a step in the right direction. You need a husband to look after you.
Even your father agrees with me. You being too `impulsive' and all. Let's
face it, Llwyn. You are too generous with your powers. The way you're going,
you'll make miracles an everyday occurrence."
Just as Nicky was about to reply with an angry retort, the door to the bath
burst open and the mists were blown away by a cold whirlwind that had the
both of them shivering and ducking for cover. In the clear stood the young
girl, her ebony hair whipping away from her face like an angry flag, wearing
a white dress that fluttered in the wind as if it was made out of clouds. In
her hand, she held a glowing white ball that pulsated with power.
"You leave my sister alone, you big jerk!" the young girl exclaimed
threateningly as she held the ball threateningly at Bonner.
Bonner's face drained of all color, and he started to back away from the girl
when he realized what she was holding in her hand. "Now take it easy, Mist. I
was just merely chatting with your sister." He stammered uneasily, almost
slipping on the wet tiles. He turned to Nicky and whispered furiously, "Do
something Llwyn! She's got a charged dragon ball!"
Nicky almost laughed out loud at him, but found that she no longer had any
control of what was about to happen. Instead, she lazily watched as she heard
herself say, "Why should I? Serves you right if you get fried to a crisp, you
creep!"
"Right!" Mist chimed in after her proudly, and readjusted her grip on what
appeared to be a crystal ball the size of a tennis ball. "Now, Mr. big shot
wind god, why don't you make like one of your charges and blow on out of
here?!" She commanded, and did a little curtsey when Nicky cheered and
clapped loudly at her bravado.
Bonner held up his hand. "Now come on, you two. Quit joking around." He said
nervously and gasped when Mist, intent on closing the gap between the two of
them, slipped on the wet floor and dropped the ball.
The dragon's ball, glowing an angry, ugly red, did not shatter, but bounced
into the air. And as the three stunned pair of eyes watched, fell like a
falling star on Nicky's head, shattering into a million pieces. Nicky
screamed as the red glow from the ball enveloped her, and swallow her in to a
long, pitch black tunnel. As she started losing consciousness, she heard
Bonner's pitiful voice scream out her name over and over...
"Hey! Wake up! What's the matter with you?!" She heard a voice shout in her
ear, and Nicky reluctantly opened her eyes, blinking against the harsh yellow
light of the morning sun shining into the room.
"Finally. I thought you were being killed or something." Wendy said
sarcastically as she stopped shaking her. "Nightmare? No, don't tell me. You
were being eaten by a bear. Yet again." She asked, adjusting her glasses.
Nicky shook her head groggily, and rubbed her eyes. She sat up, propping
herself up against her pillow. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."
Nicky said wearily.
Wendy got up, and picked up her back pack. "Well believe this! You're going
to be late for your class. Again!" She said as she started to rummage through
a white desk, strewn with books and papers.
"It's in your pocket." Nicky said as she slowly got up and stretched out the
kinks in her muscles.
Wendy reached into her pocket and felt the keys. Satisfied that they were
there, she went over to the microwave and took out a burrito. "Here's
breakfast, Ms. America!" She said as she tossed the burrito to Nicky, who
caught it and bowed less than gracefully towards an imaginary audience. She
then took a bite, walking half dazedly towards the closet.
"I wish I won the lottery so I don't have to put up with these morning
classes anymore." Nicky droned in a sleep filled voice as she took out a pair
of faded jeans.
Wendy snorted and hurried over to catch Nicky from falling backwards trying
to put them on, and answered, "Don't we all?" She then looked at her watch
and sighed. "Got a midterm in 10 minutes. I gotta go, sweety."
"I hope you get an A, Wen!" Nicky shouted as Wendy quicky left the room and
slammed the door on her way out of the apartment.
Still chewing on the burrito, Nicky went over to the desk and got her
homework together, and shoved them all in her backpack. After wincing at the
clock that told her she was going to be 15 minutes late for her class, she
made her way to the bathroom and started to brush her teeth when she heard a
knock on the door.
Still brushing, she navigated the left over pizza cartons and dirty laundry
to the door and asked, "Who is it?"
"State lottery office!" A male voice answered.
"What?" Nicky asked again in a sleepy voice, slowly brushing her teeth.
"State lottery office! We'd like to talk to Miss Nicole Jones please!" the
same male voice answered, followed by excited chatter and what sounded
suspiciously like a whine of a camcorder.
When Nicky wearily opened the door, cameras started clicking and the flash
bulbs went off like firecrackers all around her. Realizing that her hair was
a mess and she had a toothbrush stuck in her mouth, she quickly reached for
the door handle, but a man in a three piece suit and a cowboy hat stopped the
door with his nice leather shoes and asked excitedly, "Are you Nicole
Jones?!"
Nicky cowered before them and squeaked, "Yes."
"Well, well! Congratulations cutie, you won 70 million dollars!" the man
exclaimed, giving her a bear hug.
Nicky's toothbrush fell out of her slack mouth, leaving a trail of toothpaste
bubbles along the man's back. "I did what? How could I? I didn't even buy..."
The man let her go and stood next to her, smiling broadly. "Yessiree, missie!
You're now a millionaire!" He said as the cameras once again started to click
and a woman fought her way through the cameras and came up to ask excitedly,
"Jimmy Bob, how much will this young woman receive in yearly payments?"
Another man came up to them with a microphone, staring into one of the TV
cameras and saying, "We're now live in location with Lottery spokesman and
mascot/personality Jimmy Bob Swanson, where a young woman just claimed this
state's biggest single jackpot in the State Lotto's history!"
"I figger she'll be receiving 5 million dollars a year for 14 years, Jenny!"
Jimmy Bob said winsomely, smiling and flashing his tobacco stained teeth.
"This lil' lady's not gonna have to worry about money ever again, I guarantee
you that! Hyuk hyuk!" He said, slapping Nicky on her back and watching in
shock as she pitched forward straight into the man holding the microphone.
(2)
C'est La Vie, Little Goddess
by Bard Mistress Aidynni
High above the city, two small bright lights that looked like stars blinked
into existence. Out of those lights, which disappeared into nothingness, came
out two figures, flying amongst the few clouds that littered the sky.
"You feel that?!" the girl said, brushing a charcoal black strand of hair out
of her eyes. "She's used her powers!"
"I sure did. Let's hope she didn't wish for anything drastic." A man answered
next to her, constantly looking over his shirt, which was looking as if it
was about to tear off him.
The girl turned to him and angrily waved a piece of a cloud off her face. "It
won't come true if it did. There's only two of us who believe in her here!"
She answered, and waved a flight of ducks out of the way, who noisily obeyed,
nodding their heads in respect.
The young man was about to wipe a tear from his eye, but the wind whisked it
away briskly. "To think that we found her after all these years! Our love
must.."
"Come off it, Bonner!" the girl interrupted angrily. "The only reason we
found her was because of my daddy! If he hadn't suggested that we send out a
dream to make her remember, we would have never found her!"
Bonner sniffed and said, "Whatever, Mist. I'm just glad she remembered me. I
still don't know what scum bucket means, but it must be a term of
endearment."
Mist laughed out loud when she saw Bonner's uneasy expression, the frigid
winds of the high altitude taking the edge out of her harsh laughter, and
looked downwards at the ground. She grimaced at the hazy smog that was
hanging over the city and said, "To think that the dragon ball had the power
to send her to this awful place. Oh, how she must hate me for it.."
"Now that's not my fault!" Bonner stated triumphantly, lying on his back as
he flew through the air next to Mist. "I told you not to mess around with
that thing, but no.."
"Oh, shut up!" Mist growled, diving down to the noisy city below like a
preying hawk.
Bonner dove after her, saw that she landed gently in an alleyway, and landed
next to her. He saw that she was studying a drunken bum sleeping next to a
dumpster and said cautiously. "Is that how they dress in this place?"
Mist held her nose and wincing, replied, "What strange perfume they use! It
is most repulsive!"
Bonner sniffed, and winced as well, gagging out, "That's not perfume, Mist.
That's the smell of mortal excrement."
"How would you know?!"
"I'm a god of wind, I hang around mortals. I know them." Bonner answered
evenly, and took Mist's hand and started to lead them out of the alley and
into the busy morning streets.
"Wow..." Mist murmured as she gazed at the cars that roared by them on the
road and the masses of people crossing the streets to a row of large
buildings. She tightened her grip on Bonner's hand and moved closer. Bonner
was busy examining the rows of people waiting impatiently in front of the ATM
machines, not paying attention to the gawking looks that he got from them in
return.
"They must be street performers." one man said as he looked the two of them
over. "What a bunch of weirdoes." Another man observed, while another woman
quipped, "You see all kinds of freaks here."
Mist's face turned crimson and she hid behind Bonner, who was trying to
engage a man who was waiting in line and trying valiantly to avoid making eye
contact with him, in a one sided conversation. She felt the hostile,
threatened stares of the people, and then looked at her own clothing, which
looked like a cross between a multicolored dress and a plaid bordered coat,
complete with a long train, and began to feel embarrassed and stupid. She
dragged Bonner, who was now starting to get mad at being completely ignored
by the man, into a shop next door and stopped next to the candy display.
"We have to change our clothes." Mist mumbled, her face still a dark shade of
red.
"The mortals here sure are rude!" Bonner observed angrily. "Why I have a mind
to turn that.. What's wrong, Mist?" He finally said when he spied Mist's face.
Mist let out an exasperated scream, causing the customers in the shop to
cringe in surprise. "What's wrong?! What's wrong?! Haven't you been reading
what they were thinking?! They think we look like freaks! We stick out like
an ugly sore thumb! We must change our clothes!" Mist exclaimed, grabbing
Bonner's arms and shaking him.
"Really, this sort of behavior is very unbecoming a goddess, Mist." Bonner
said through rattling teeth. "You are causing a scene." When Mist looked
around her, smiling at the people looking at her, and stopped shaking him,
Bonner cleared his throat and pointed past the shocked shop owner to shelves
of magazines.
"Whilst you were having an ungoddesslike fit over our plight, I have used my
powers to locate a collection of books on proper mortal attire." Bonner said
calmly. "Satisfied?"
Without answering, Mist raised her hands to her lips and breathed, "By my
powers, I commend thee, books, to give up thy knowledge to me. Give them up,
so I may take on the guise of a mortal." As the words left her lips, a
bright, blue light shot out of her hands and smashed into the magazine
counter. Sounds akin to a thousand humming birds buzzing surrounded Mist as
her clothes melted away like some glowing wax and reformed into a navy skirt,
a blouse, and a matching jacket. Her sandals were also reformed into army
boots, but with a few angry words, formed back into sandals. She then pointed
to Bonner, whose clothes melted into and was forming a navy skirt, a blouse,
and a matching jacket, but with a gasp and a few corrections on the words
from Mist, changed them into a blazer, a pair of neatly pleated pants, a polo
shirt and a pair of loafers.
"Now that that's settled," Mist began as the magazines started to smoke and
catch fire, "We need some money. Hmm.." She walked over to the cash register,
where the owner was busily talking to the 911 operator, and said innocently
with a charming smile, "Can I have some money?"
The owner, looking pale and shaking all over, opened the cash register and
scooped out all the bills, handing them over to Mist with an uneasy smile.
"Thank you, you are very kind." Mist answered, and stopping herself from
turning around, said musingly, "How rude of me. I should reward you,
shouldn't I." She then raised her hand and touched the register, whispering
out words that sounded as silky as a spider's web, "Come to me, what is
deemed most precious in this mortal's heart, and become this device." As the
words left her lips, the whole register started to glow in a blue light, and
turned into a solid piece of gold. Mist turned to the owner and asked, "I
hope you are properly compensated for your troubles?"
The owner, looking at the cash register dumbfoundedly, hung up on the 911
operator and nodded vigorously, smiling widely until his lips hurt. Mist
smiled back, and led Bonner, who was busily examining a box of condoms, past
the few brave customers who were still cowering in the store, back out into
the streets.
"Now we go get Llwyn and get out of here." Bonner said purposefully, and
started to walk off, but Mist stopped him.
"No we don't." Mist said, leading him to a street corner, taking satisfaction
in that no one in particular was paying much attention to her except for a
few men here and there, who's interests in her she found flattering. "If we
show up at her doorstep now, it could be dangerous."
Bonner scratched his head and replied, "I don't follow. Why can't we just
grab her and leave?"
"Because," Mist answered with annoyance in her voice, "She has her powers
back now because we're here. And her memory is not fully back yet. Which
means..."
Bonner snapped his fingers and answered for her, "She might use her powers
against us, viewing us as a threat!"
"She could still beat us both, even if her memory is sketchy." Mist stated,
looking worried.
Bonner sighed, and said tersely, "Your father shouldn't have reinstated her
powers, at least not until we were safely out of this place and married."
Mist winced and whispered under her breath, "That's exactly why he did, you
jerk."
Bonner looked towards the sky, and seemed to be in deep thought while Mist
heard sirens coming closer and closer towards them. "Wonderful!" Bonner
exclaimed as Mist saw several police cars converging towards where they were.
Mist stared into Bonner's sly, coveting eyes and immediately turned red with
anger. "You can't! How can you stoop that low?!" She exclaimed, while the
police cars screeched to a halt next to them.
Bonner's smiled as police officers ran past them and into the store that they
just came out of, and replied dreamily, "I have a golden opportunity here,
Mist. I can reintroduce myself back into her life and make her love me."
"You mean to trick her, and I won't allow it, Bonner!" Mist exclaimed as she
raised her hand. "Dragon ball, your goddess calls you!" Mist commanded
fiercely, and with a brilliant flash of blue light that outshone the sun and
whipped her ebony hair in a frenzy, a clear, crystal like ball the size of a
tennis ball appeared in her hand while surprised people around her scattered
and took cover.
Bonner covered his face against the light, but stood his ground. "Not this
time, Mist. You're not going to interfere. I advise you to stay out of my
way!" He shouted, and disappeared in a flash of yellow light that knocked the
stunned people off their feet and sent them tumbling into Mist as if a
tornado wind had blown them.
Mist, standing her ground amidst the flying bodies and screams, gritted her
teeth in anger and commanded, "Disappear, ill gotten wind!" The dragon ball
started to glow a dark hue of deep sea blue, and a piercing shriek emanated
from it, cutting through the harsh wind and smashing it asunder. Dazed people
fell to the ground gently and dead silence returned to the streets. Mist,
wiping her brow, fell to her knees as if tired. She then gasped when she
noticed a little boy who was moaning under a car, having been blown into the
streets and run over. Mist quickly got up and went over to him, who saw her
and was trying weakly to reach out to her with pain and fright in his eyes.
"This is my fault." Mist said miserably to herself as she took his hand in
hers gently, looking full of guilt.
Sounds started to return to the streets as stunned people picked themselves
up and noticed what had happened. Few brave souls ventured out into the
streets to where Mist was, and the cars that were in the vicinity quickly
steered clear of the accident and went off about their business.
The driver of the car, an old lady, came up to Mist and the boy in a
hysterical condition. "Oh, I didn't mean to run him over! He just appeared
out of nowhere and I had no...Is he okay?"
Mist felt the boy's hand grow colder and colder with each passing second.
Pinned under one of the tires, the boy was not breathing and turning pale.
She then saw in the corner of her eye that the shop owner was excitedly
pointing her out to the police officers. She held the boy's cold hand up to
her cheek, ignoring the old woman who was screaming for help, and fought an
unsuccessful battle to stop her eyes from brimming over with tears, for her
heart started to break for what she had done. "If I save you, little boy, I
will be caught...But I can feel you dying." She said, her voice weak and
uncertain.
Three of the police officers came up to Mist, while the other called for an
ambulance, and one of them laid a hand on Mist's shoulder. "Miss, we'd like
to ask you a few questions." He said sternly, while his partner bent down to
check the boy's pulse, looking up and shaking his head slowly afterwards,
which renewed the old woman's nonsensical babble.
Mist ignored the policeman, and raised her head towards the sky. Her green
eyes started to glow, and as if answering, the ball in her hand started to
glow a deep shade of blue. The two police officers immediately backed off,
dragging the old woman with them. One of them took out his taser gun and
aimed it at Mist as she raised the glowing ball high. The car lifted
effortlessly off the boy amidst gasps from the crowd, and his lifeless,
broken body was lifted out, and was placed gently on Mist's lap. Mist then
closed her eyes and intoned in a shaky voice, "I as a goddess bestow on you
the greatest of gifts, that of life. I defy you, death. I have snatched him
away from you, for he is mine and it was never meant for you to have him so
soon." Her grip on the ball grew tighter, and she started to wince as she and
the boy was both enveloped in a swirling light of deep blue. And as the ball
shattered with a crack and the tiny shards fell to the boy's body like a
sparkling rain, she felt tiny pinpricks on her back and a terrible shock go
through her body. She crumpled forward weak and lifelessly like a broken
flower as the boy's eyes slowly fluttered open with life.
(3)
C'est La Vie, Little Goddess
by Bard Mistress Aidynni
Nicky stared blankly into the ceiling, looking spent and tired. She finally
managed to finish signing the lottery papers and posing for pictures, and
even got to see herself on television, looking ridiculously silly, she
thought, with her mouth constantly agape and speaking in incoherent half
sentences to the questions posed by reporters. The full effect of what had
just happened to her hadn't actually hit her until the last of the reporters
left, and the euphoria of winning all that money wore off rather quickly with
it, leaving her dreadfully tired. All that remained on her buzzing mind was
just what was she going to do with all that money. She slowly reached for the
phone, but yanked her hand away, remembering that she had disconnected it
because of the unwanted calls from people who just had to have her money for
various purposes. She chewed on her nail nervously for awhile, and decided to
call her parents immediately, feeling safe since she didn't see anything
wrong with that decision. Just then, a knock came at the door.
"Who is it?" Nicky asked in a timid voice from the couch.
The door slowly opened, much to Nicky's surprise since she had bolted it
tight, and a man walked in. Dressed in clothes that seemed ripped straight
out of a magazine and smiling in a charming manner that somehow grated on
Nicky's nerves, he fixed his grey eyes on Nicky and slowly walked towards
her. "No, don't get up." He said as Nicky quickly bolted up from the couch.
"We have a lot of things to talk about, you and I." He continued, coming
closer.
"Who are you and how the hell did you get in?" Nicky said cautiously as she
slowly backed away from him, her hand balling up into a fist to smash into
the man's chin that looked as smooth and chiseled as marble.
The man came closer, his sharply defined nose making a definitely juicy
target for Nicky's fist, which was cocked and ready. "My name is Bonner, my
lady. And I came to brighten up your life. To take you away from all this
mortal duldrom." He said, and gasped as Nicky's fist connected with his nose,
sending him reeling into the television, knocking the said appliance to the
ground with a loud smash. "It's nice to see that you still haven't lost your
touch." Bonner mumbled as he held his nose, wincing in pain.
"Get out before I call the cops, you creep." Nicky said, and reached for the
phone. She gasped as it was ripped from her grasp by an unseen force and
smashed itself into a million pieces in midair.
The man slowly got up and dusted himself off. "I dislike using force on
pretty girls like you. But if you do not cooperate, you will leave me in a
very difficult spot." He said, his smile disappearing. Nicky noticed that his
nose, which should have been broken, was perfectly all right, showing no
signs of even being touched. She started to regret wasting her money on that
stupid martial arts class for self defense, and wondered why Wendy, who
taught the class from time to time, ever bothered dragging her to it so
religiously. She wished Wendy would be here to actually practice what she
preached, and noticed that a bright light was forming between the two of them
immediately after her thoughts had pointed in that direction, and exclaimed
as Wendy, still in a seated position with a pencil in her hand, was
unceremoniously dumped into the middle of the living room.
"Ouch!" Wendy exclaimed as she landed with a thump. She then looked around
her surroundings and started to grow pale. "What is going on here." She
mumbled, then saw Nicky and the man looking at her.
"Wendy!" Nicky said as she pointed to the man. "Kick his butt!"
Wendy slowly got up, her eyes still registering shock. "What?!" She
exclaimed.
"Beat him up! He's trying to kill me!" Nicky pleaded.
Wendy looked at the man over, and gritted her teeth as he shoved her aside.
"Mortals have no business in this. Move aside before I turn you into a toad."
he intoned imperiously.
Wendy needed no more goading. She tossed away her pencil, locked up his arm
and smashed a fist into his belly, barely noticing that she was encircled in
a strange, glowing light. As the man staggered backwards, she swiped his head
to the side with a kick, and smashed her foot into him again with a flying
kick.
"How did this happen.." the man panted as he lay on the ground. He then
noticed the glowing light emanating from Wendy and winced, finally
understanding. "Mist warned me about this..." he croaked, and slowly
disappeared into thin air.
Both of the girls stood with gaping jaws, staring at the spot where the man
used to be. Wendy shook her head, finally getting to her senses, and turned
to Nicky. "Would you mind telling me what's going on here?" She said in a
shaky voice.
"You won't believe me even if I told you." Nicky replied wearily.
Wendy came over to her and sat her down on the couch. "Try me." She said,
standing over her with her arms folded across her chest.
Nicky opened her mouth and closed it. Then she started to laugh hysterically.
"Nicky!" Wendy shouted, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her.
"Well, Wen.." Nicky blurted out between guffaws. "It seems anything I wish
for, it comes true!"
Wendy stopped shaking her and stared at her unbelievingly.
"Well it's true!" Nicky stated, staring back at her indignantly. "Why do you
think you're here?!"
Wendy opened her mouth to protest, but stopped herself, her eyes going blank.
"That's right...I was in the middle of my midterm." She murmured weakly.
Nicky reached over to the coffee table and got a piece of paper. "And that's
not all, Wen. I won the lottery." She said, and handed her an official
looking document.
Wendy took the paper with numb fingers and slowly sat down next to Nicky.
After glancing over the document, she whispered to herself, "This is
unbelievable."
"I don't know what to make of it myself." Nicky said weakly.
Wendy leaned back and closed her eyes. "This is all a bad dream. I'm going to
wake up from this any minute now.. Ow!" She exclaimed as Nicky pinched her
arm. "Okay, so maybe it's not a dream..But this doesn't make any sense."
Wendy said as she nursed her bruised arm.
Nicky looked away from her friend, clutching at the arm of the sofa. Then she
slammed her fist down and quickly turned to Wendy. "That's it!" She
exclaimed, while Wendy, shocked out of her thought, leaned back away from
her.
"What is?" Wendy asked cautiously, carefully looking at her friend for any
sign of mental imbalance.
"Don't you see? No, of course not! I haven't told you yet!" Nicky exclaimed,
getting excited. "That jerk you beat up. Bonner. He's from my dream!"
Wendy scratched her brow and asked, "Say what?"
Nicky quickly got up from the sofa and wheeled around to face Wendy. "That
dream I had this morning! He's the same man from my dream!" She informed,
looking hopefully at Wendy.
Wendy snorted at her words and whispered to herself, "Sort of your dream
lover, wasn't he?"
Nicky picked up a sofa cushion and bashed her across the head, saying, "Get
serious! That guy was a total loser! He got his butt whipped by you, of all
people."
"Hey hey! Watch the hair!" Wendy exclaimed, and held up a hand while
readjusting her glasses. "Alright, so that explains your new boyfriend."
Wendy quipped, smirking when Nicky's expression grew outraged. "But that
still doesn't explain the fact that I was in a middle of a test a few minutes
ago and why you're now a millionaire."
Nicky feigned sadness as she sat next to Wendy and patted her head. "Ah,
dear, naive Wendy. I knew it was just too much for your simple mind to
completely grasp the situation." Nicky said in a gentle voice.
Wendy brought an elbow into Nicky's ribs and retorted, "Yeah, I know! You
wished that you could win the lottery this morning...." Wendy growled, but
stopped herself from going further. "It can't be a mere coincidence." She
murmured finally after a few moments of thought.
"Precisely!" Nicky announced excitedly, rubbing her rib. "Ever since this
morning, everything I've wished for has come true."
Wendy raised her brow and retorted, "That's preposterous! But then again,
coming from a weirdo like you..."
Nicky ignored that last barb and persisted, grabbing a hold of Wendy's arm.
"Why not test it out? Tell me what you wish for and I'll make it come true!"
"No! Forget it! This is ridiculous!" Wendy protested, trying to free herself
from Nicky's grasp.
Nicky snapped her fingers, then smiled. "I know! You always hated those
glasses!" She then pointed her fingers to Wendy's face and said, "Fix it!"
Immediately as the words left her lips, bluish light shot out like streaks of
lightning, slamming themselves into Wendy's eyes. Wendy shouted in shock,
trying to back away so fast that she slammed the back of her head into the
wall, knocking her glasses off. She covered her eyes with her hands as the
lights flickered away like flames blowing away into the wind. "What's
happened to me.." Wendy mumbled as she cautiously removed her hands and
gasped. She slowly got up, not paying attention to the fact that she broke
her glasses into pieces by standing on them for she was just too busy looking
around at her surroundings, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Nicky..." Wendy said, her voice trembling.
"It worked, didn't it?!" Nicky asked, excited.
Wendy turned slowly to her and mumbled in a stunned voice, "My head hurts."
"Want me to fix it?" Nicky asked, pointing her finger at her.
"No, no, no!" Wendy said, shaking her hands. "Just my fault. I banged it on
the wall. I think I'll go lie down a bit. I'm hungry too. Oops, I should be
going back to school." she chattered on, backing away from Nicky. She then
slapped herself and winced. "Just let me get my senses in order 'cause I'm
about to go berserk here." Wendy finally said, looking disheveled and tired.
Wendy slowly came over to Nicky and took her hand in hers, sitting down next
to her. "Tell me why you have this power." She asked, looking gravely serious
and making Nicky feel a bit uncomfortable.
"You're not going to believe this." Nicky began, squirming. "But I think I'm
a goddess."
Wendy sighed and let her hands go. "You're right. I don't believe this."
"I can hardly believe it myself, but that's the only thing that makes sense
to me right now. That man showing up here clinched it for me." Nicky started,
leaning back into the cushion.
Wendy sighed again and said, "I think you'll have to tell me just what
exactly happened in your dream this morning."
"Alright." Nicky said, hoping that what she was about to tell her friend
would make some kind, any kind of sense to her as well as herself.
(4)
C'est La Vie, Little Goddess
by Bard Mistress Aidynni
Mist sat in a wooden chair, blinking against the harsh fluorescent light that
made her eyes water. She rubbed the circular marks on her wrists where the
handcuffs had chafed her and started to cough delicately as the rancid smoke
from the cigarettes burned her lungs.
Seated across from her were two men in dark business suits, wearing name tags
that looked important. Before them, on the metal table were strange looking
devices that blinked with weird colors that made Mist want to reach over and
smash them against the wall. Next to Mist stood one of the police officers
that arrested Mist, dressed sloppily and looking in need of a shave. He put
out his cigarette when he noticed that Mist was glaring at him and said
apologetically, "Still can't kick the habit, I'm afraid. Sorry."
One of the stern looking men cleared his throat and pointed a strange looking
probe in Mist's direction. "Let me clarify what you said. Now, you say that
you're a goddess from another planet, and you're here to reclaim your sister
that you accidentally sent here?" He asked as his partner bit his lips to
keep himself from bursting out laughing. The man with the probe noticed this
and looked daggers at his young partner, who stammered out, "Sorry."
Mist pounded her fist on the table and exclaimed in an exasperated voice,
"Are you stupid or what? How many times do I have to tell you the same story
over and over again to get it through to your idiotic mortal skull?!"
The man ignored her outburst, and readjusted a dial on his console, raising
his eyebrow as a bunch of gibberish was displayed across the screen. "Okay
then. Could you tell us how you changed that cash register into solid gold?"
He asked, totally engrossed with his equipment.
"I used my power. Such deeds are trivial to one such as I." Mist replied
haughtily, and noticed the young man looking intently at her and came to the
conclusion thatthought that he probably thought she was deranged. She felt
frustrated that she could no longer read the thoughts of others and felt like
breaking something apart to sate her anger.
The police man laid a gentle hand on Mist's shoulder when he noticed her
tense form and said soothingly, "Take it easy, honey. The man's just doing
his job. It'll be over soon."
The man with the machine looked up from the console and replied coolly, "Wrong,
sergeant. We'll be here for quite awhile longer."
The young man saw Mist's face turn ashen and cleared his throat and got up.
"Sir, may I see you outside for a moment?" He said to the man and opened the
door that led out of the interrogation room.
The man put down his probe and sighed. "Alright. Watch her carefully,
sergeant." He said to the old man as he followed the young man outside and
closed the door. He reached for a pack of cigarettes as he stared around the
crowded police station. "What is it?" He asked as he put a cigarette to his
lips and lighted it.
"Sir, I think we're wasting our time." The young man said, looking cautiously
at the older man.
The man shook his head and moved as an officer passed between them. "Agent
Bartley. What I do with my time is my business. You're only here because
these cops called the FBI before us. If I had my way, you wouldn't be here at
all."
Agent Bartley cleared his throat. "With all due respect, sir. You don't have
an alien in there. What you have is a young woman who has a healthy dose of
imagination. Maybe she's mentally disturbed."
The man chuckled. "She's got you fooled. Just because she's got a pretty
face, you think she's.."
"That's not it!" Bartley exclaimed, cutting him off. "I'm saying that what
you're doing here is illegal. She hasn't committed any crime, and from what I
heard from the arresting officers, she saved a little boy's life. We don't
have any reason to hold her here any longer."
The man angrily took the cigarette out of his mouth and stamped on it. "You
seem to conveniently forget the circumstances behind her arrest, Agent
Bartley. Did you even see the security tape from that shop she wrecked?"
Inside the interrogation room, Mist got up and stretched her sore limbs. She
then noticed the policeman looking at her and sighed. "Do you always try to
destroy something you don't understand?" She said finally, surprising the
policeman.
The policeman looked uncomfortable under Mist's gaze, but he answered, "I
don't believe in existence of gods."
Mist tilted her head in curiosity and asked, "That's not the question I
asked."
"I'm sorry." The policeman said, not looking at her. "If we hadn't arrested
you, you wouldn't be here."
Mist sat back down slowly. "What's on your mind?" She asked, desperately
missing her powers to read the minds of mortals.
The policeman pulled up a chair next to Mist and sat down gingerly, looking
nervous. "I witnessed a miracle today, that's on my mind." He began. "That
boy was dead, and you brought him back to life, just like that."
Mist twirled a strand of her raven black hair and replied, "I could do no
less. I was partly to blame for his death, after all."
The two sat in silence for awhile, watching the blinking lights of the
machine.
The policeman broke the silence with a question, his voice shaking, "Are you
really who you say you are?"
Mist looked at the man, and saw that his question was not in jest, for his
eyes looked troubled and serious. "Yes, I am." She replied, and felt shocked
to be feeling the electrical tinge of power returning to her.
"Why did you allow yourself to be arrested then?" The policeman asked
cautiously.
Mist, surprised that her power had returned at all, let alone so quickly,
smiled most charmingly. Immediately, she was surrounded by an aura of bright
blue light that made her looked to be aflame with it. Her clothes that she
got from the magazine melted away as a long, white gown with a dark, filmy
blue cape replaced it. A long scarf, transparent save for dots of glittering
jewels along its length, coiled around Mist's hair, giving the policeman the
impression that he was gazing into a summer's night sky, full of sparkling
stars.
"Be at ease." Mist said soothingly when she saw that the terror in the
policeman's eyes. "I will not harm you."
The policeman slowly nodded as he gazed into Mist's eyes. "You are real." He
murmured in a voice filled with wonder.
"Being so far away from my believers, I didn't think I could recover my
powers after saving that boy." Mist began, her eyes glittering like deep,
liquid green pools. "But I have a believer in you. Thank you." She bowed
gracefully before the policeman.
Just then, the door burst open and the two men burst in, seeing the glowing
blue light spilling out of the room.
"Holy..." Agent Bartley murmured when he saw Mist, and felt his knees buckle
and his heart beat furiously when he saw her smile his way.
Mist raised her hand aloft and closed her eyes. "Dragon ball, your goddess
calls to you." She intoned softly, and immediately a loud clap of thunder was
heard as a tiny ball appeared in her hand. The machinery on the desk started
to beep furiously as agent Bartley was shoved aside by the man who quickly
moved over to the console to read the screen. When Mist then raised her other
hand, a loud humming sound started to shake the whole building as the room
started to glow blindingly. The machinery, along with everything else,
started to rise up from the floor and started to swirl around Mist in slow,
lazy circles. Mist pointed to the policeman, and in his frantic hands
appeared an old dog, who barked and licked the policeman's face gratefully.
The policeman, who looked stunned, was slowly returned to the floor, hugging
the dog tightly against his chest.
"That's what you wanted from me, was it not?" Mist asked gently, smiling.
The policeman blinked away his tears and stammered out, "I don't know how to
thank you."
"You already have." Mist replied, then turned to the man, who was trying
desperately to reach his machine. With a stern gaze from Mist, the machine
broke apart as if it was being crushed by a trash compactor, reducing into
little broken pieces. As the man looked on with utter terror in his eyes,
Mist sent him flying out of the room and headfirst into a garbage can as
stunned police officers watched, frozen in their place. She then turned to
Bartley and cocked her head. "What should I do with you?" She wondered, with
her eyes full of mischief. "Ah yes." She finally said as Bartley floated
around her with wide, terror filled eyes, desperately holding onto a chair.
"If you know what is good for you, then I trust that you will not meddle in
my affairs." She finally said, returning him to the ground with a thud.
"Who are you?" Bartley asked, his voice filled with terror, yet feeling a
calming peace spreading in his soul as he gaped at Mist.
Mist smiled and held the dragon ball to her chest. "I'm definitely not
mentally disturbed, like you thought." She said as the light withdrew itself
from the room slowly, coalescing around Mist as she faded away. "And no. I
don't think a relationship between you and me is possible." She added with a
smile as she disappeared into thin air.
Bartley felt his face turn red with embarrassment as the stunned police
officers started to file into the room and helped him back up.
(5)
C'est La Vie, Little Goddess
by Bard Mistress Aidynni
With a loud buzz that sounded like thousands of extremely angry bees, a large
circular light appeared in the middle of the sidewalk, glowing in a swirling
blue color like a whirlpool and making people jump quickly out of the way for
their lives. Mist slowly floated out of the hole as people watched in stunned
silence, and planted her feet firmly on the pavement as the hole disappeared.
She ran her hand through her long, black hair and yawned, covering her mouth.
She then surveyed around her surroundings and saw the stunned people gaping
at her with their mouths open and gasped.
"I really have to work on my entrance." Mist observed in an embarrassed voice
and smiled at the people, who quickly dispersed away from her. She reached
out to stop one of them and asked sweetly, "Pardon me, but where am I?"
The man stammered and blabbered, holding his brightly colored bags close to
him. He finally pointed to a large sign on the side of a huge row of
buildings and quickly made his getaway while Mist looked up at it and read
out loud, "Oakmont Mall."
Mist then looked at the rows of cars in the parking lot, then turned to watch
the large bustle of people walk in and out of the buildings. She crossed her
arms to her chest uncomfortably and stood there, not knowing what to do next.
She then spied a wooden bench under a shade of a tree next to the entrance to
the mall, and decided to sit there and think up what to do next.
Mist gingerly sat down on the bench, making sure not to crinkle up her filmy
gown. As she sat there, looking lost in thought, tiny birds flew over to her
and landed on her shoulders, chattering their daily complaints into her ears.
A small squirrel scurried over to her and sat on her knee, reverently
offering a piece of chocolate that it had scrounged up from a trash can and
joining in on the chat. people passing by her looked upon this scene and some
laughed quietly, for the sight of a beautiful girl lost in thought amongst
cute little animals warmed them up and made them feel at ease, while others
sighed and thought the sight beguilingly innocent, touching something deep
and soft in their souls that they thought lost and gone forever.
Mist, not paying attention to either the animals or the people, started to
fidget with a violet colored tassel of her belt, and scooted over slightly
when a young man sat next to her, dumping his backpack wearily next to him.
"That jerk! I can't believe she skipped classes again!" He cursed, leaning
back on the bench and running a hand though his shortly cut blond hair. The
birds looked at him and started to curse at him in their language for his
impertinence at sitting so close to their goddess.
Mist noticed this and held her hand up to quiet them.
The young man suddenly raised his head as if catching something in the wind,
quickly turned to Mist, his blue eyes widened. "A goddess!" He exclaimed, his
eyes widening.
Mist gasped, and scooted away from him. "What did you say?" She asked in an
uneasy voice.
"You. You are a goddess!" The young man persisted, grabbing her arms.
Mist batted his hand away from her. "Let go!" She exclaimed.
A pair of men who were watching Mist with longing in their eyes came over to
the two and one of them asked, "Is this creep bothering you, miss?"
"He sure is!" Mist exclaimed as the young man's face drained of all color
when the two grabbed him.
"Wait! I'm a god too!" The young man yelled as the two men dragged him away.
Mist heard this and bolted up from the bench. She took one of her thin
bracelet off her and tossed it towards the men. The golden bracelet grew in
size until it became as big as a manhole cover, smacking the two of them in
the head in turn and making them drop the young man. It then bound them
together and tossed them up to the roof of the building as they shouted in
shock. Having done that, the ring came back to Mist's upraised hand and
slipped back onto her wrist. She then gasped in realization and quickly
looked around her to see if anyone had seen what she had just done, and
sighed in relief when she saw no one.
The young man ran up to her and exclaimed, "You still have your powers! How?!"
Mist tilted her head questioningly and replied, "You don't?"
"Not like that!" The young man exclaimed. "I do have snippets of power, but
not enough to do anything like that!"
Mist looked surprised at the young man and said in a suspicious voice, "Then
what kind of a god are you?"
The young man looked apologetic and rubbed the back of his head. "Actually, I
don't think we can be called gods anymore, technically."
The young man cautiously reached over to lead Mist back over to the bench and
sat themselves down. "One of my ancestors was a god a long, long time ago."
He began, looking embarrassed. "You see, people stopped believing in him and
he turned mortal."
"How dreadful!" Mist exclaimed, looking at him with pity in her green eyes.
The young man smiled apologetically. "It isn't that bad, being human."
"If you say so." Mist said, unbelieving, and motioned the little birds to
stop pecking away at the young man's head.
The young man laughed. "This world has grown too old for fantasies and
mysteries, goddess. With technology and all, we were bound to become
anachronisms and tossed away. There are many like me and we have this club at
our school...."
Mist shrugged and replied, "Why bother? I mean, you guys are now more human
then divine."
"But we do have a little immortality in our veins, even though we couldn't
even toast bread with our powers." The young man informed her in an
apologetic voice. "We have to keep our heritage from being forgotten, you
know?"
Mist thought about it for awhile and finally replied, "Yes, I guess you are
right about that."
The young man smiled. "Well, good. Now, I have a question for you."
"Okay." Mist said, returning his smile.
The young man cleared his throat, after being stunned by Mist's beguiling
smile, and asked, "How come you still have your powers?"
Mist leaned back on the bench and replied breezily, "Because I'm not from
this planet."
The young man sighed and leaned back on the bench also. "Well, that would
explain things. And here I thought we were making a comeback."
"In my world, I am a goddess to the dragons." Mist continued, desperately
trying to shut off the blue aura that threatened to leak out of her. "I'm
relatively new at having this much power." She said apologetically as she
managed to shut off the aura. "I'm only a thousand years old you know."
The young man whistled low. "Only? Geez. I'm only twenty. A thousand years is
perty old in mortal terms."
"Pardon?" Mist asked.
"Uh, nothing. nothing!" The young man hurriedly replied, and said, "I'm Mike
Swensen. You are?"
Mist still looked a bit puzzled, but she stated, "Mist."
"That's a pretty name, Mist." The young man complimented, and was awarded
with another smile from Mist, warming him from head to toe.
Mist asked, "You like it? I thought about changing it since now I'm a dragon
goddess. I used to be only a goddess of mist, you know."
Mike sighed inwardly, secretly worried that what he thought he felt for her
wasn't grounds for being fried to a crisp, and said, "It suits you just fine,
Mist."
"Thanks! And I wasn't going to kill you or anything. I'm not that kind of a
goddess." Mist said, smiling.
Mike stammered, "You can read minds?"
Mist nodded.
Mike's face turned crimson and said, "How embarrassing. Then you know that I
want to ask you out?"
Mist's smile faded as his words registered and she asked in a puzzled voice,
"What?"
"Uh, nothing! Nothing! Say, are you hungry?" Mike stammered, getting up and
grabbing his backpack, realizing that Mist's mind reading ability wasn't as
thorough as he thought it was.
Mist put a hand to her tummy. "Well, I am kind of.." She said, and looked at
the bits of potato chips and chocolate that a bunch of squirrels had busily
offered in her lap.
"Good! My pop runs a Scandinavian restaurant at the mall. Viking food. You'll
like it." Mike said, offering a hand to Mist.
Mist took his hand, sending a pleasant shock through Mike's arm, and said,
"Okay."
Inside the mall was cool and fragrant. Being a weekday, there weren't that
many people populating the mall, and the place looked empty and vast. Mike
felt the envious eyes on the two of them as they passed by the men and felt a
bit guilty and fake, for he knew that Mist and him were almost complete
strangers. He sneaked a peek at Mist's face, watching her green, liquid eyes
sparkling and full of wonder at all the different shops with their colorful
display, and walked a bit closer to her, feeling that same pleasantly
shocking feeling course through his body.
A sudden thought cringed up into his mind as he resigned himself to stare
absentmindedly into her face, and he snapped his fingers, waking himself up
in the process. "That's right! You look exactly like her!" He exclaimed,
smacking right into a planter and grabbing his knee in pain.
"Pardon?" Mist said and looked down next to her feet as she felt her arm
being tugged downward when Mike fell to his knees.
"Well, I know this girl in my Chem class. She's my lab partner. She looks
exactly like you, except that she has blond hair." Mike said through his
teeth as he winced in pain, feeling idiotic as passerby's laughed at what just
happened to him.
"What?!" Mist exclaimed and kneeled next to Mike and brought her face close
to his, her eyes eager.
Michael's head swam when he realized how close to her warm, red lips his own
was. There was a hint of a smell of spring's wild flowers about her, and he
could feel her cold, silky hair on his arm, sending tiny shivers through
them as the ebony strands moved about as if alive. He stared dumbly into her
clear, green eyes and felt his soul being drawn into them.
Mist grabbed Michael's shoulders and started to shake him back into the world
of the living, and the effect was as if he had a bucket of cold water
splashed on his face and smacked with it upside the head. He cleared his
throat uncomfortably and said apologetically, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to
compare you to a mortal. She's nothing like you. She's always late, she's
childish, has a real bad temper..."
"Are you close to this girl?" Mist asked, her voice urgent.
Mike thought for a briefest of moments that maybe Mist felt jealous that he
knew this girl, but kicked that notion out of his head when he saw that
Mist's expression was that of urgency and not of jealousy, making himself
feel idiotic. "She's just a friend." He said, for that's the answer he had
prepared by the first, and false, assumption, and felt like crawling into a
hole when he thought that Mist looked at him strangely.
"Wonderful. It's all falling into place." Mist then whispered to herself as
Mike looked on with a miserable expression. She turned to him, noticing his
expression and raised her eyebrow. "Does your knee hurt that much?" She asked
in a worried voice.
Mike looked away from her and slowly got up, while squeaking, "No. I'm
alright."
Mist got up also, and leaned close to him. "Listen, Mike." She began,
ignoring the hooting calls of some teenagers who thought they were about to
kiss each other. "I need you to arrange a little meeting between this girl
and me. Can you manage it?"
Mike leaned away from her dejectedly, and replied, "Yeah, sure. She's
going to come over to my pop's store to copy my notes today."
Mist noticed Mike's attitude and asked, "What's wrong? Is my request
inappropriate?"
Mike sighed and remained silent, feeling foolish and stupid for lusting after
Mist like some lovesick idiot.
She is a goddess, for god's sake! And I'm just a nobody. He thought
miserably, feeling Mist's worried eyes on him and angry with himself for
still caring if his hair was not too messed up for her taste.
Mike forced himself to reach over to Mist's hand and started to lead her to
his father's restaurant. "Let's go." He said gruffly, drawing angry glances
from the passerby's for the way he was treating Mist and not bothering to look
back at her as he dragged her behind him, trying to fight off the calming
effects of jingling chimes that Mist's bracelets and earrings made.
Mist looked at Mike's back with puzzlement in her eyes as she followed
obediently, feeling uneasy for she found that she could no longer read his
thoughts at all.
(6)
C'est La Vie, Little Goddess
by Bard Mistress Aidynni
"Hey look! My hair's grown!" Nicky exclaimed as she held her waist length hair
that was fine as spun gold strands. "And the texture! My god! I can't get
results like this with shampoo!"
Wendy looked depressed at Nicky. "I'm happy for you." She observed dryly. She
sighed once again and started to play with the pizza carton with her toes.
Nicky came over to Wendy and sat down next to her on the couch. "What's the
matter?" She asked in a worried voice, looking at Wendy's pensive face.
Wendy slowly turned to Nicky and opened her mouth to speak, but cleared her
throat in stead. After a long sigh, she finally spoke. "It's you. You're
changing right before my eyes. It's not just your hair, Nick. Your looks seem
'enhanced' somehow."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Nicky exclaimed, outraged. "What?! I was
ugly before or something?! You think I am using my powers to change my
looks?!"
Wendy shook her head and replied calmly, "No. That's not what I meant. I mean
that you don't look, how shall I say, human anymore. I mean, look at you!
You're glowing with a white light for god's sake."
Nicky looked at her hands and saw that a faint glow the color of lightning
enveloped her limbs and said in an awed voice, "Oh yeah..." Nicky smiled and
quipped, "Hey, we won't need the lamps anymore. You realize we can cut our
electric bills in half?"
"Oh, very funny!" Wendy exclaimed. "How are you going to go out to school
looking like that?! Matter of fact, how are you going to go anywhere looking
like you just got struck by lightning?!"
Now it was Nicky's turn to sigh. "Leave it to you to find something wrong
with all this." She said, leaning back on the couch and staring at the broken
television.
"I'm just being reasonable." Wendy replied. "And listen Nick, now that you
have all this power, I think you should get serious and consider really
acting like a goddess. I mean, you're acting like a kid with a new toy."
Both of them remained quiet for awhile, listening to the passing cars on the
street and absorbed in their own thoughts. Nicky then turned to Wendy and
gave her a hug. "Thanks for smacking some sense into me." She said, letting
her go. "I was being really foolish with this whole thing. I gotta get
serious about this."
"Just a little." Wendy observed, and smiled as Nicky shot her an angry look.
Nicky grabbed a bundle of her hair and started to twirl it with her fingers
that glowed with an eerily soft light. "I could be a super heroine, fighting
crime, putting evil doers behind bars." She wondered out loud.
Wendy rolled her eyes and advised, "You're a goddess now. You have to think
in grander terms."
"This is complicated!" Nicky exclaimed, stretching out her limbs and yawning.
She then turned to Wendy and asked, "What do you think I should do?"
Wendy thought quietly for awhile, then said, "Maybe you should start out by
curing world hunger."
Nicky thought about this for awhile, and shook her head. As she did so, a
pair of silver, circular earrings appeared on her ears, jingling pleasantly.
"No. I can't. I don't have that kind of a power. It's funny, whenever I try
to use it, I start to remember things about myself when I really was a
goddess. And I remember this rule about exactly that. Even if I did have the
power, I was forbidden to do it because it would upset the order of things."
"Who forbade you?" Wendy asked.
Nicky looked lost in thoughts as she replied, "My father. He said that if I
were to do that, then I would have to cause natural disasters to kill the
number of humans that would have died due to hunger. To avoid
overpopulation." Nicky turned to Wendy with an uneasy expression and
observed, "I was sickened to hear it. As if mortals were like cattle,
managing them like that. That's the reason why I was busted down to managing
weather."
"So that's basically the reason why you ended up here." Wendy observed. She
then sighed and shook her head. "Boy, I'm really having trouble thinking of
you as a goddess."
Nicky stared at her friend's uneasy expression and said, "Then don't. The
more I remember about my past, the more I don't want to be a goddess. I just
want to be Nicky."
Wendy gently took Nicky's hand in hers and looked her in the eyes. "Like it
or not, Nick, you are now a goddess. Let's just try to make the best of this,
huh?"
"Yeah." Nicky said weakly. "I know. Let's just think on this for a couple of
days and take it from there. I don't think a decision like this can be made
just like that."
Wendy smiled and replied, "Sounds good to me. And Nicky?"
"Uh huh?" Nicky answered.
"You think you can zap me back to my midterm?" Wendy asked with hope in her
voice.
Nicky raised her hand, but stopped herself. "I can't." She announced.
"Why not?"
Nicky looked apologetic and cowered before Wendy as she murmured, "Because
it's over."
"No..." Wendy groaned as she smacked her forehead.
(7)
C'est La Vie, Little Goddess
by Bard Mistress Aidynni
Mike's father's restaurant was in a quiet corner of the mall, away from the
loud and populated fast food court section. Maybe that explained why there
weren't that many customers at the restaurant, or it could be the fact that
Mike's father dressed up as a Viking, complete with a horned helmet and a
furred vest and leggings, and served the few remaining customers as gruffly
and rambunctiously as a Viking would. However, the smell that floated out of
the kitchen was undeniably good, and it made Mist's tummy growl with hunger.
The customers did a double take when Mist was led in, giving her looks that
Mist had gotten used to tolerating since she had to run a gauntlet of
leering, lovesick eyes just getting here. Mist smiled pleasantly at them all,
while holding onto Mike's hand tightly for comfort. Mike swallowed hard at
this and cleared his throat.
"Hey, pop." Mike said, leading Mist to the back of the small restaurant.
Mike's father raised his head from the cash register and scowled at him.
"It's about time you got here, Mike!" He growled, his long mustache
twitching, while raising the helmet out of his eyes. "You know how short on
help we are around here. Hurry up and get dressed!"
"You mean free help." Mike grumbled under his breath. "Pop, I'd like you to
meet Mist." He said, clearing his throat.
Mike's father looked Mist over as if examining her for cracks and broken
pieces, finally saying, "Fine. She's a looker. But where'd you drag her from?
A costume party?"
Mike's face turned beet red and whispered, "Pop, please! She's a goddess!"
Mike's father harumphed as Mist bowed gracefully before him. "Good for her.
You can play with your club friends after work, Mike. Dressing room, please?"
He said impatiently, motioning him towards the kitchen.
As Mike opened his mouth to protest, he held up his and added, "Nicky
called. She says she'll stop by tomorrow to pick up the notes because she's
too busy with her life. Whatever the heck that means."
"Tomorrow!" Mist exclaimed dejectedly, looking crushed.
Mike looked at her and felt his heart growing heavier as he saw her troubled
face, and blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, "If you haven't
got a place to stay, you can stay over at my place for the night."
"What?!" Mike's father yelled, making not only Mike and Mist flinch, but half
the customers as well. "Absolutely not! Out of the question! I'm not going to
have a free loader living at my house!"
Mike's eyes glittered as he fumed, "But it's for just one night, pop! Have
you no heart?! She has nowhere to go!"
"Actually, I do..but It's not.." Mist interrupted, but was drowned out by
Mike's father.
"No way! Impossible!" He yelled, as all eyes watched him fume. He raised his
burly arm and shook his finger at Mist. "I don't know where you drudged this
hussy up, but she's going back out into the streets where she belongs!"
Mist's eyes flared up with green fire when she heard this, and she clenched
her fist until her knuckles showed bone white against her smooth skin. Yet
when she began to raise her hand to do something horrible to him, she checked
herself, feeling a thread of sadness and frustration emanating from the burly
man, so instead, she regained her composure and spoke so softly that he had
to strain, therefore, shut up, to hear, "Let me help out at this restaurant
for room and board, sir. I can do anything you want."
It took a few quiet moments for the male customers in the restaurant to yell
out in unison, "Please, let her!"
"Mist..." Mike murmured as he gazed at Mist's calm, serene face, looking into
his father's eyes.
Mike's father glowered at Mist, but he felt his anger suddenly melt away like
ice on a hot sidewalk as he gazed into her delicate, gentle curves of her
features and he ended up saying, "I need a waitress. You think you can do
that?"
Mist nodded and said, "I can."
Mike's father looked away from Mist uneasily and grumbled, "You can't
possibly be worse than my clumsy son. You got yourself a deal." as the
customers cheered and clapped loudly.
As Mist walked into the tiny office to change, she noticed a framed picture
of a young woman with a baby in her arms on a messy desk littered with a
calculator, documents, and receipt papers. She slowly reached down to the
picture and picked it up.
"That's my mother and me." Mike said in an uncomfortably shy voice. "She died
when I was young."
Mist studied the woman's face and replied, "She was the one that descended
from the line of the gods, wasn't she.." Mist noticed the long, double braids
that Mike's mom had woven her hair into and thought for a moment with her
eyes closed, then she started whispering words that sounded wispy and soft
like spider webs. Immediately, her charcoal black hair started to work
themselves like living black snakes into two long braids, tied with two large
golden ribbons. "Like it?" She asked Mike, who stood there and watched her
with stunned eyes.
"I'll...get you the costume.." Mike stammered.
"Don't bother." Mist said. "I can take care of it. I take it your father
wants something like this..." She said as she began glowing with a soft, blue
light. Her white, filmy gown melted away like wax and was replaced with a
silky dress that defied color categorization, for it looked beige at one
time, and wheat golden the next, with a low neckline that showed the snow
white beginnings of her breasts, and cream soft sleeves decorated with long
stemmed beige flowers that encircled their length. Her thin waist was bound
with a purple rope like belt that ended with golden tassels, and on her ears
appeared large golden earrings, dangling with Viking long boats.
Mike took a quick look at the drab, food stained dress hanging on the wall
that his father had bought from a second hand costume store and the
accompanying braided wig and then back at Mist, who made the costume look
like ripped beggar's rags. He felt like a fool for even daring to mention the
waitress outfit to her.
Mist played around with arranging the strands of hair that hung about her
forehead and started to glow with a glowing light that seemed to outline her
features like a ghostly shadow. As she started to walk towards the door that
led back to the restaurant, Mike reached out a hand to stop her, surprised to
feel how icy cold she seemed to feel under his fingers.
"You don't plan to go out like that, do you?" Mike said, his voice uneven.
Mist looked at him with question in her eyes and asked, "Why not?"
Mike cleared his throat uncomfortably and said, "Because you're glowing."
Mist gave him a smile that seemed to melt him from head to toe and asked,
"You earth people have a saying, 'A moth to a flame', do you not?"
Mike nodded.
"Well, I'm going to bring a swarm of paying moths into your restaurant." Mist
said and kissed Mike on the forehead, and making him almost lose his thoughts
and reason, for he had not expected it from her. "Thanks for arranging this,
and for everything, Mike. I appreciate it alot." She said, and left him
standing there like a statue as she walked back into the dining area.
Long after the warm sting of Mist's kiss left Mike's forehead, he gathered
his addled wits and went out of the office and into the kitchen. He noticed
that they were cooking a larger volume of food then they ever used to and
also noticed that the board that the order was tacked up to was completely
overfilled. He exchanged hellos with the two suddenly very overworked chefs
and ventured out into the dining area. He almost gasped when he realized that
every table in the restaurant was completely filled with people, and the
waiting area was also packed with men who looked absentmindedly at Mist, who
walked amongst the tables like some beautiful, glowing faery, and was busy
smiling and making small talk with the customers as his father sat behind the
cash register, happily ringing up the profits.
"Pop.." Mike began, looking dumbfounded at his father.
"Mike, just look at that!" His father exclaimed excitedly as he pointed to
the outside of the restaurant, where groups of men were gathered before the
entrance, waiting impatiently for people to leave so they can get in. "That
girlfriend of yours is a goldmine!"
"She's not my girl." Mike whispered weakly, and then noticed a bunch of notes
next to the cash register along with wads of money. "What's that?" He asked,
pointing to them.
"She's been stacking her tips there, along with phone numbers." His father
said, scratching his cheek. "I daresay, she's got a day's profits with just
tips alone. Not to mention dates that'll keep her busy well into next month."
Mike saw Mist smiling and serving drinks to a couple, where the boyfriend was
too busy admiring her to notice that his girlfriend was angrily glowering at
them both, and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of jealousy. "A goddess
shouldn't stoop herself to serving mortals like them. I don't know why you
agreed to this, pop." He spat out, staring possessively at Mist.
Mike's father looked at his son's face, staring at Mist, and an understanding
came across his face. "Your mother wasn't too proud enough to not work at the
restaurant." He said gently.
"Yes, but she wasn't a true goddess with powers! Look at her, pop! She's the
real thing! We can't let her do this!" Mike answered hotly, not taking his
eyes off Mist and feeling like going out there and punching out every one of
those leering jerk/customers.
Mike's father looked across the restaurant to gaze on Mist, and said, "For
me, there isn't a shred of difference between your mother and her. She is so
kind with the customers. Even the way she is dressed, everything she does
reminds me of her..." He then looked at Mike squarely and said quietly, "You
better grab a hold of this girl before she gets away from you, son."
Mike gritted his teeth as he stared at his father, and said, "You too, pop?!
She must've put you under her spell!"
Mike's father then looked at him with a hint of pity and said, "Why can't
you just accept her as she is? She's a gift from heaven."
"What? Just a couple of hours ago, you were ready to kick her out of here!"
Mike retorted unbelievingly.
His father sighed and took off the horned helmet, running a hand through his
grey shot blond hair. "Perhaps you don't understand because you do have that
immortal blood in you. But mortals like us need a bit of fantasy in our
lives. Whether it's miracles or impossibly beautiful girls, it makes us
forget our troubles for just a little while. That's all any of us ask for. We
shouldn't wonder why, because that'd spoil the magic."
"Pop..." Mike stammered, speechless before his father's sudden attitude
adjustment.
"I knew what she was when you first brought her in here, son." His father
said, gazing at Mist, who was carrying a couple of plates to a table, of
which some customers actually got up and took it from her and served it for
her. "I guess I didn't want her here because of your mother. I guess I was
afraid of what she might do to me. I've been angry so long...but just
watching her, I can remember the days when your mother was here. Those
gentle, happy days..."
Mike looked on without saying anything.
"Is something wrong?" Mist asked, bringing with her a fresh air of spring,
and handfuls of tips and little notes, of which she dutifully put next to the
cash register.
Mike's father smiled at her and said, "Nothing, dear. Just teaching a thing
or two about life to my son."
Mist smiled and said, "That's a very big topic, Mr.Swensen."
"Well, I try to keep it simple." Mr.Swensen replied good naturedly.
(8)
C'est La Vie, Little Goddess
by Bard Mistress Aidynni
Bonner sighed into the night air, looking annoyed and displeased. The pain
from the blows he received from Wendy was all but a memory by now, but the
humiliation he suffered in front of his lady love colored his cheeks crimson.
"That misbegotten mortal." Bonner muttered unhappily, "She has ruined
everything!" He angrily swapped an annoying fly out of the air and crushed it
in his hand, wishing that it was Wendy's neck. He looked back towards the now
darkened apartment that he had made a hasty retreat from and thought of
summoning a whirlwind to blast it apart to ease his anger, but dismissed that
notion rather quickly because even though it seemed Nicky's memories of the
past were sketchy, he witnessed firsthand that her powers were back in full
and was rightly afraid of her probably quick and deadly reprisal. He then
thought about going back to Mist and apologizing, but decided against that
also for he had seen what had happened to her with his powers.
"She'd probably fry me to a crisp, that foul tempered, weak hearted child."
Bonner muttered to himself morosely.
As he sat there on the bench next to the bus stop, filled with anger and
frustration, he felt a slight tremor in the air behind him and turned around
quickly in alarm. A man stood there, dressed in a white sport coat and silky,
blood red shirt and trousers. His sharp, red eyes that glowed in the
evening's darkness were looking Bonner over with an amused look as a slight,
sharp breeze swirled around his long black hair.
The man, smelling faintly of brimstone and of dried up, coppery smell of
blood, came closer to Bonner, who felt annoying fingers of heat emanating
from him and washing over his face. The strange man bowed low before Bonner
and said in a cordial voice with a hint of mischief, "I bid you welcome to
our world, lord Bonner, ruler of the winds."
Bonner slowly got up from the wooden bench with his mouth agape. "How do you
know who I am?" He asked, his voice full of suspicion.
The man straightened his jacket and answered, "I am the god of this world,
lord Bonner. My name is Mephistophales."
Bonner cleared his throat. "Oh, I see. How do you do." He replied uneasily.
"I hope you are not too displeased about our trespass. I assure you that as
soon as I retrieve what rightfully belongs to me, we shall leave your world
in peace."
Mephisto smiled slightly, his thin lips curling to reveal one of his sharp,
white fang. "But it seems like you are having a bit of trouble in your quest,
my lord." He said softly, moving closer to the bench and sitting down,
motioning Bonner to sit as well. "I would like this matter resolved as
quickly as possible. After all, I am a jealous god and I will not stand by
while threats to my absolute dominance run amuck in my world, possibly
subverting my believers away from me." He said, making Bonner squirm
uncomfortably as he sat next to him.
"Oh..yes. I can see that." Bonner answered, shifting guiltily. "If there was
a quick way to see this thing through, I would be more than willing to do it,
lord Mephistophales. But as you can see, my bride is a bit strong headed
and..."
Mephisto nodded, and seemed to be in thought. "I can see your dilemma, and I
believe I have a solution to your problem." He said after a few minutes. He
then reached into his pocket and took out a golden band, handed to Bonner and
said, "Put this around the neck of either your lady or her sister."
Bonner turned the band around his hand. The metal, or so he thought, felt
pleasantly warm to the touch, and emitted a visible aura of gold. "What is
this, lord Mephistophales?" Bonner asked, well pleased with such a fine item.
Mephisto smiled and answered, "It is a neckband of domination. The person who
puts this on another person has complete control over them."
Bonner's face lighted up as he reexamined the neckband. "Really...not that I
would need this kind of help, mind you.." He said nonchalantly, his voice
betraying the excitement he was trying to hide. He then got up and said,
"I'll just go put this on Llwyn right now and..."
Mephisto cleared his throat, causing Bonner to turn around. "No?" Bonner
asked.
"Do you really think it is a wise idea to do so right this minute?" Mephisto
asked. "Your lady is probably still upset that you left so abruptly this
afternoon without saying a proper farewell and will not be as receptive."
Bonner cleared his throat but did not correct Mephisto's skewed view of
events. "Yes..I knew that...I was just..."
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