by Ramy Vance
Cire, on the other hand, did not know what he was going to do. He had stated multiple times that his vow to Terra was more than just words and he would follow her regardless of where she went. He was just uncertain if he’d be allowed to work within Middang3ard HQ. Even if Myrddin said he wouldn’t be treated like a second-class citizen, he had been given an uneasy welcome by HQ’s agents.
Terra was sitting on her bed, thinking about what her new life was going to be like. She already missed Abby. Creon, who seemed to get along very well with Nib-nib despite the language barrier, had told Terra that Abby was on an extended stay in Japan until Persephone returned to the drow world.
Terra also hadn’t been able to get hold of Anabelle for longer than a few minutes. Anabelle was technically the leader of the Dark Gate Angels, and because of that, she had a score of administrative duties to take care of. Terra wasn’t jealous of her.
But that left Terra with a lot of time during the day to fill and no one to fill it with. She wasn’t bothered by that. The experiences she’d had in the arena had to be made sense of, and that wasn’t going to happen if she was hanging out with folks as much as she could. Quiet time was a necessity.
The arena was something Terra would have never imagined she could have gotten through. Her entire life, she’d balked at challenges. The easiest route was the best route. She had constantly folded under pressure. The Terra she’d left on Earth would have died in the first round.
Where had that strength come from? She had wrestled a dragon to the ground in the arena. How did she have the power to do that? It was deeper than just having more physical strength and endurance. Multiple people had told her they could never have imagined a human going toe to toe with a dragon and coming out alive, let alone besting the creature.
Finally sick of sitting on her bed, Terra got up and headed out. She wandered the corridors of HQ, thinking through things, trying to understand when the switch in her head had happened. Could it have just been being faced with a life and death situation? Had she just never been pushed far enough?
As Terra wandered HQ’s halls, she was suddenly curious to know what the rest of humanity was up to. She hadn’t thought about Earth since she had been yanked from it. There was bound to be television she hadn’t caught up with yet.
Terra went to one of the information kiosks that had been linked to Martin’s consciousness. “Hey, Martin, where can I watch some TV?”
Martin popped up on the screen with his usual cup of coffee and sighed. “Are you kidding me?” he retorted. “You’ve been back for two days, and you’re already wanting to veg out on TV? You humans never cease to amaze me. Of all the things to do. You could be out having adventures or—”
“I’ve been on a nonstop adventure for the last week or two. Give me a break. You telling me you don’t ever watch TV to kill time?”
Martin disappeared, replacing himself with a map of HQ with highlights on the rooms with televisions. “I’ll also put in a requisition for you to receive your own idiot box,” Martin said. “Have fun killing your brain cells.”
Terra studied the map, then headed toward the closest common room.
The common room was between the Marines’ barracks and the orcs’. Only humans were in it, though. Most of them were playing pool or cards over a beer. The television was open.
As Terra walked past the Marines, she sensed their eyes on the back of her neck. She tried to ignore them and sat on the couch. They didn’t have any reason to be staring at her. It didn’t make sense to worry about it. Instead, she grabbed the remote and turned the TV on.
The first channel was CNN. They were reporting on the battle in the arena. Terra hadn’t seen any of the media coverage since she’d returned. She only vaguely remembered Abby telling her that the fights had been broadcast to Earth.
The interviewer was running a segment where he walked down the street, stopping random people and asking them how they felt about Terra’s last fight. The first person was an old man. He had tears in his eyes as he said, “What happened to that poor girl was terrible. Being abducted like that. But she showed them what humans are capable of. She showed them all.”
The next interviewee was a middle-aged woman. She replied, “Beat those assholes to a pulp! Ha-ha. Yeah, that Terra, she’s a modern hero. Should put her on the dollar bill. Humanity’s best.”
The one that grabbed Terra by the heart and pummeled her into the ground was a little girl holding a plush doll of Terra. The girl held the doll close to her heart as she said, “I want to be Terra when I grow up. I want to be that strong.”
Terra changed the channel after the last interview. She flipped through the channels until she found a cartoon she used to watch as a kid. It was about a group of adventurers traveling through a dungeon, looking for a dragon to fight for its treasure. Terra couldn’t help but laugh. “Wow, surprised I didn’t see that coming,” she said to herself.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Anabelle could hardly contain her anger. She’d been back for nearly three days, and all she’d done was sit in meetings hour after hour, listening to Myrddin or Roy or someone else prattle on about this and that. All she could think about was returning to her room, running a hot bath, and polishing off a bottle of elvish wine.
There was a bottle she’d been fantasizing about for some time. Nearly two hundred years old. A nice recollection of a dead Traveler’s last battle would play in your mind while you sipped the wine. It would make for a relaxing evening. She could end it with some meditation. Maybe go for a walk. Another bottle of wine.
“Ms. Chase, are you paying attention?”
Anabelle looked up from the pad she’d been doodling on. Myrddin was gazing at her from across the long executive table that Roy and several other old wizards Anabelle had been lucky enough not to be introduced to sat at.
The two locked eyes and it took everything for Anabelle not to slap Myrddin. But this was what she had wanted. Fieldwork involved a lot of meetings. She’d grown to accept this fact of her life. “Of course, I’m listening,” she chided. “Even if you’re making it impossible to stay awake.”
Myrddin didn’t look bothered by Anabelle’s tone. “Then what did I just say?”
“I’m not on trial here, and this isn’t a grade-school classroom. That might be how you talk to your human subordinates, but I am several hundred years older than you.”
Myrddin folded his arms crossly before sitting. “Maybe you could act like it,” he countered.
Anabelle almost let Myrddin have it, but then she chuckled and nodded. She was glad to be back alive, annoying the hell out of Myrddin while Roy tried to keep from laughing in the corner. A couple of days ago, she’d looked her life in the eye and been prepared to say goodbye to it. Even if Myrddin annoyed the hell out of her, it was better than being dead.
Myrddin started back up with the briefing, and Anabelle felt her eyes getting heavy. Or at least, she hoped it was better than death.
Once the briefing was over, everyone but Myrddin cleared out of the room. As Anabelle prepared to leave, the wizard cleared his throat and motioned for her to come closer. “How I have missed your confrontational nature.” He groaned as he stretched his back.
Anabelle tsked and said, “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, old man.”
Myrddin smiled sweetly. “That is because I am rarely sarcastic. I was being sincere. Your fiery outbursts have been the most interesting part of my job for years.”
“Oh, yeah? Not the part where you’re organizing the resistance against the Dark One?”
Myrddin smiled again before conjuring two glasses of wine. “I have been preparing for this for thousands of years. It feels more like a day job than anything else. Dealing with you, though? That’s an ongoing struggle. Keeps me young.”
Anabelle laughed as she picked up her glass. “What’s this?”
“A new batch straight from the elvish realm. The province of Heli-lerth, I believe. Something of a tribute to the last Traveler
. I do believe it is a ballad based on your last battle.”
Anabelle flushed with honor. There had been countless Travelers who had journeyed the Path before her who had been commemorated in the elvish singing wine. She’d never thought she’d be one of them. The thought hadn’t even crossed her mind. “Are you serious?”
Myrddin raised his glass and said, “Why don’t you try a taste and find out?”
The two toasted and Anabelle sipped the wine tentatively. It was sweet, almost like honey mixed with elderberry. Anabelle closed her eyes, letting the flavor coat her tongue. In the blackness, she could see the old elvish script with its beautiful and elaborate loops, etching her name in fire against the darkness. To Anabelle Chase, the Gracious Traveler.
Anabelle put her glass down and smirked. “Never thought I’d be called gracious in my life.”
Myrddin nodded as he took another sip. “Your decision to save Terra at the cost of your own life made quite the impression. As I recall, Travelers are often known for their battle prowess, not their compassion. Also, I think you might want to know, Persephone went back to the drow netherworld this morning.”
“And?”
“And what?” Myrddin said, a coy smile painting his face.
“And Abby? Terra?”
“I thought you didn’t care for humans?”
Anabelle gave Myrddin a look that would have scared the tide back into the ocean.
“Fine, fine.” Myrddin chuckled. “Abby arrived back from Japan today. Terra’s here, too. They are both available if you want to spend some time with them.”
Anabelle downed the last of her wine and smacked her lips. “Yeah, that sounds right.”
Anabelle commed both Terra and Abby and told them to meet in her room in fifteen minutes. Then she turned to Myrddin and said, “I’ll see you later. Thanks for the drink.”
Abby burst into Anabelle’s room with almost uncontainable energy. She threw her arms around Anabelle and then Terra and wouldn’t stop talking for nearly fifteen minutes. When she finally did, she sat them both down and showed them all the photos she’d taken in Tokyo. Anabelle ordered drinks to be delivered to the room, and Abby bashfully asked for one. “If I’m old enough to fight for Earth’s safety, should I be able to have a drink too?”
Anabelle nodded, “I’m not your mother, but I’m also not gonna be your babysitter, so watch yourself.”
Once the drinks arrived, they continued talking, often interrupting each other, all three eager to share what they’d experienced. Before long, they had stopped catching up and had settled on Anabelle’s couch, Abby forcing them to watch an anime she’d bought in Japan.
A knock on the door interrupted all the laughter and shouting. Anabelle rushed to the door and opened it. Sarah stood in the doorway, looking at her feet. She held up a bottle of champagne. “I know I didn’t get the official invite, but…I was wondering if I could join you.”
Anabelle grabbed the bottle of champagne and pulled Sarah into the room. “Of course you can! I’ve been trying to reach you all day. Is your comm encrypted against messages or something?”
“Oh, yeah. Guess I forgot about that.”
Anabelle shoved Sarah over to the couch and forced her to go through introductions with everyone and then made Abby reshow all the photos that had been taken. They poured themselves champagne and turned the show back on, Sarah fidgeting uncomfortably as if she weren’t used to sitting with less than five inches between herself and another person.
Toward the end of the movie, Abby yawned and sat on the floor. “So, what’s going to happen now? That mission was huge, and it was just a rescue mission.”
Anabelle paused the movie, her face turning serious. “It’s only a matter of time before the Dark One starts opening other Gates or changes tactics. Either way, we’ll be back to work soon enough. Might as well enjoy the break while we have it.”
Terra grabbed the remote and the champagne. She took a huge swig and belched before saying, “More fighting. Sounds good.” She passed the bottle to Sarah.
Sarah took a small sip and wiped her lips. “Is this the part where we all hold hands and shout ‘Go, team?’”
Abby stood, nanobots rolling over her hand, and opened a camera lens in her palm. “How about we settle for a picture?” She plopped down in the middle of the couch, and the other Dark Gate Angels scooted closer. “Say, ‘Dead Dark One!’”
The Angels shouted “Dead Dark One” as Abby snapped the photo. She waved her hand and projected a holoversion of the photo. “Yeah, I think that one’s good enough.”
Author Notes Ramy Vance
April 25, 2020
I discovered something very interesting yesterday. Michael reads my author notes. Now, now, I know I shouldn’t feel too happy about this … apparently, he reads everyone’s author notes. Amazing, eh? With everything he has on his plate, he still reads these things.
Whatta guy!
Is my ass kissing too thinly veiled for you? Well, it is for good reason.
I’m trying to fulfill a life-long ambition.
I’m trying to woo him with a new universe idea…a supreme universe with infinite story possibilities, pitting graceful warriors against demonic, blood-sucking monsters. I’m trying to convince him to produce the universe of Samurai vs. Vampire.
This mega-cool concept was something I came up with when I was 14. But despite coming up with this the year before I discovered girls, I still believe it stands the test of time. How cool would a fight between skilled swordsmen and demons be? Who would win? What would a war between them even look like?
Who wouldn’t want to see that?
Years ago, I convinced a manga artist I know, Ryuta Osada, to do a scene. Seeing them again has awaken the 14-year-old adolescent in my soul.
Regardless of whether or not Samurai vs Vampire will see the light of day, I really wanted to share this scene with the world.
And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, I will awaken the 14-year-old inside Michael, too. (Oh God, how terrifying would that be?)
Author Notes Michael Anderle
April 28, 2020
THANK YOU for reading our story!
We have a few of these planned, but we don’t know if we should continue writing and publishing without your input.
Options include leaving a review, reaching out on Facebook to let us know and smoke signals.
Frankly, smoke signals might get misconstrued as low hanging clouds so you might want to nix that idea…
The Pandemic has messed up Ramy’s Brain.
Ramy isn’t joking when he says he is trying to persuade me to do the ninja / vampire storyline. He started his effort a couple of weeks ago by leaving little (big) sticky notes in my office. I wrote right back.
‘No.’
He then started trying to persuade additional people into his hooliganism and I had to bring up that one word again.
NOW he is trying to push the masses into the effort. I’m afraid the pandemic is started seeping into his brain. Does he have Covid-V for Vampire?
Maybe Covid-Z for Zombies?
I’ve already done vampires a bunch of ways… In fact, I’ve done vampire with katana swords…
That’s close enough to samurai warriors, isn’t it?
Diary for April 26th- May 2nd 2020
So, it’s about six weeks into the stay-home phase, and there are mentions that states are going to slowly open up. A few words (well, a bunch) are slung all across the internet with opinions going both one way or the other.
Then I see a video about Anderson Cooper and the Las Vegas mayor. (Full disclosure, I live on the Strip and am not officially in the Las Vegas city limits but in Clark County. This is something I did not realize until this whole kerfluffle came about, and for some reason, I’m standing just a little bit straighter.)
Now, whether you knew this or not, I think it is interesting to note that the present mayor of Las Vegas is Carolyn Goodman (in office 2012 to 2022 (likely term limit)), the wife o
f the previous mayor Oscar Goodman (in office 1999-2011 term-limited).
Further, she has been very industrious in the Las Vegas area, working for multiple organizations and leadership roles with the tourism industry, child welfare, and education. So, regardless of the state of the discussion on opening Las Vegas back up and using the citizens in this area (me included) as a science experiment (I’m rather against this notion), I find myself shocked to find out she has a lot of qualifications.
Amazing, I know.
Everyone who knows me through these Author Notes realizes I am cynical when it comes to government. In fact, before I reviewed more about the present mayor, I figured there had to be some shenanigans going on for the mayorship to go from spouse to spouse.
However, it seems I should have been paying more attention to the life of Mayor Goodman the First. He has a book (by him as author) published by Hachette titled Being Oscar: From Mob Lawyer to Mayor of Las Vegas.
I happen to know that there is a steakhouse he owns downtown at the top of the Plaza Hotel named… Guess? Guess?.... Oscar’s!
He is a brand now.
I have to go.
I might be cynical, but steak covers a lot of cynicism.
I did a good thing…I think.
So my best friend and fellow author Craig Martelle lives in Alaska…inside the North Pole designation, and it costs him an arm and a leg to get decent internet up there in the frozen north.
I happened to ask him how come he loves it up there, and without a beat, he mentioned: “don’t have to live near any politicians.”
That’s hardcore.
So, I received a marketing email from Skyroam about little internet pucks and sent the email to him. I have used Skyroam in the past for internet connectivity while traveling, so I knew how it worked. Apparently, it was working well enough to let him drop a line and save a few hundred bucks a month.
