by S. H. Marpel
New Voices Vol. 010
by S. H. Marpel, J. R. Kruze, R. L. Saunders
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
NEW VOICES VOL. 010
First edition. December 20, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 S. H. Marpel et al..
Written by S. H. Marpel et al..
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Introduction
Empress Oracle
The Saga of Erotika Jones 02
The Saga of Erotika Jones 03
The Saga of Erotika Jones 04
The Saga of Erotika Jones 05
The Saga of Erotika Jones 06
The Saga of Erotika Jones 07
The Saga of Erotika Jones 08
The Healers Chronicles: Miracles
The Case of the Walkaway Diner Redoux
YOUR WORLD IS FILLED WITH STRANGE SECRETS
RECOMMENDED BOOKS YOU MAY LIKE
DON'T MISS OUT!
DID YOU LIKE THIS BOOK?
Further Reading: An SF/Fantasy Reader: Short Stories From New Voices
Also By S. H. Marpel
Also By J. R. Kruze
Also By R. L. Saunders
About the Publisher
To all our many devoted and loyal fans:
We write and publish these stories only for you.
(Be sure to get your bonuses at the end of the story...)
Introduction
WHILE THESE NEW AUTHORS make writing seem effortless, it's always easier to read than write. And where these ideas come from is anyone's guess.
All we can say is that we are blessed with their output.
Along with Volume 11, we're wrapping up three new author's production this year.
While we wrap up two series with the final installments of the Healers Chronicles and Walkaway Blues, we also start a new series with Corona-XI.
Most of this volume has to do with building and completing the Saga or Erotika Jones series. All great mystery, adventure, and a little time travel.
I hope you enjoy all these great stories.
Meanwhile, we'll get busy getting you that next New Voices anthology ready...
Robert C. Worstell
Empress Oracle
THE LEGEND OF CORONA-XI: Book 01
by S. H. Marpel & J. R. Kruze
AS THE FLOATING MOUNTAIN-castle appeared, so did the land-killing desert grow.
China’s deserts had joined and were now expanding toward their coasts across the rest of China, making most all the inhabitants of that once great land into nomadic refugees.
Refugees that no nation-state would accept.
After a series of plagues started here and swept the world, the borders to neighboring countries were permanently closed. Who could blame them?
By camel, it took weeks of crossing a dead desert to come to the dead, floating city that created it.
We sat there, on our camels, in our hot caftans and turbans, halted in the thin shade of the immense mountain of rock floating above us. All that was left of that people’s government was up there.
The only entrance was by invitation. No mere magic worked here.
Lucky we had someone older than Earth itself to give us that invite.
Whether the “royal couple” up there agreed or not...
I
“REMIND ME, SAL, WHY we are here again?”
Above us floated a massive mountain of rock, which was showering us at every small breeze with tiny stones and sand dust.
Taking shelter in it’s thin shade for some relief from the moderate heat of the endless Gobi desert on all sides, it made for a very uncomfortable position. Even though the desert was cool compared to the Sahara and others, sweat was still a given at this time of day. Along with the sandpaper bath.
Sal just sat there on her own camel, dressed in her light brown caftan and matching turban, smiling at me like I’d just cracked a joke at my own expense.
“John, how many times can I say you’re cute?’
“If I tell you, will it get us on top of that big piece of rock – so we can start talking to the ghosts in charge of this mess?”
She shook her head no. “Sorry, John. We’re just waiting for someone to give us an invitation.”
I shrugged. “Someone we know, I hope?”
The sand rumbled beneath our feet, and the camels got fidgety. I was used to writing books, walking pastures, tending quiet cattle on foot. Even my riding horses was a long time ago. But the past few days had gotten me used to these long-legged desert-beasts. Or so I thought. For me, a nervous camel just meant one thing: hang on for dear life.
Right at that thought, a sand devil spun up between the two of us. At that, the camels calmed – not what I expected their reaction to be.
A female figure emerged as the whirling sand died away. Long and flowing coal black hair with silver highlights framed a smiling face shining out above her timeless and young body – dressed today in a tan silk blouse tucked into British horse-cavalry pants and tall, brown leather boots. As if she’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine for desert tourists.
“Hi-ya John, Sal. Need a lift?”
Gaia. Earth goddess. One who loved a good entrance.
With a cluck and a nudge, the camels kneeled so we could join her on the sandy surface. Where she stood was more solid rock than sand.
She came forward to hug me, and then Sal. “You two are such a fine sight.”
Sal put her at arm’s length. “And take a look at you, Gaia – just as gorgeous as ever.”
Gaia chuckled. “I see that time you’ve been spending with John has left you with a nice little glow.”
Sal’s eyes twinkled when she glanced at me. “Well, having John all to myself does have its advantages.”
Gaia just shook her head and put a pout on her lower lip. “Don’t remind me about how the world’s goddesses and female spirit guides are all the poorer for your monopolizing him.” Her twinkling eyes gave the tease away.
They hugged again, smiling and chuckling.
With a breeze, I felt more rock and sand hitting my turbaned head. “Ladies, if you’re ready to continue this conversation at a higher elevation...”
Gaia pulled one arm from around Sal and extended it toward me. “Very well, John. Give me a chance to hold onto you like the old times once more – and we’ll go interrupt whatever they are doing topside.”
She felt just as warm, soft, and cuddly as ever. I kissed the top of her head, which brought the scents of natural jasmine and sandalwood to me. Again reminding me of all our visits together.
All while the sand devil reappeared between our camels and us, shutting out our view of the desert and the mountain of rock above us, the two symbols of imbalance Gaia needed our help with.
Which was to solve the mystery that was affecting the rest of the world from this middle of nowhere in China.
THE SAND DEVIL DISAPPEARED itself without leaving a single grain on the highly-polished floors of the huge antechamber.
The three of us disengaged to take stock of where we now were. Ceilings were higher than the room was wide, width extended to encompass an area big enough for several platoons of soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder. Length more than twice that.
Of course, I considered the room also in terms of how many cattle I could fit into this area, which gave me the space in terms of partial acres. Old habits, but amusing to think of grazing inside a palace. Particularly as this was the height of my calving season back home. My mind filled with little calves running around, literally
kicking up their heels, only days after being born. Made my smile turn into a grin, especially as I saw the fine antique sideboards and tapestries on the walls and floors, along with ancient weapons carefully arranged in racks to display ancient triumphs and powers. I could almost see the calves sniffing at them, their mommas scratching their heads and backs on the handles and corners of the furniture.
Gaia was first to speak. “A bit ostentatious, but then palaces usually are. Like they think they have to impress you with how little they consider you are.”
I gave her a wry grin. “Not like your simple apartment way beneath the surface, the biggest item in it being the fireplace with year-round magma heat.”
Sal chuckled. “Well, there is one piece of furniture a bit larger than that. It is called a bedroom, after all.”
“Sal, I don’t recall you mentioning visiting Gaia’s place before.”
“When I read your books, I can travel many places, experience many events. Even those that you’ve tried to keep private.”
I felt a flush at that.
Gaia’s chuckle showed her own amusement at this couple in front of her.
She cleared her throat, politely. “I’d ask if you two wanted to go some place quiet to resolve this, but this huge room we are in is probably quiet enough already – and is closer to what we are here for...”
At that, we three went silent and noticed the lack of echo to our voices. A long hall like this, with all the polished surfaces, should have reverberated with each voice.
Instead, its dead quiet was unnerving.
One of Sal’s fireballs popped into her hand with a small crackle. “Like this room isn’t what it seems to be.”
Gaia stamped the floor. “No, this is solid, but not the marble it appears to be.”
Sal floated her fireball up toward the ceiling and it stopped a few feet over our head. Then she sent it from side to side – where it showed the room to be something like 9 ft. x 12 ft.
Gaia stamped again, a bit harder this time – and the illusion disappeared. We were in a granite prison cell, with several sets of shackles bolted into the walls. Wall-holders for torches stood empty among them. Sal’s fireball was the only light for the room.
Behind us stood a heavy metal door, with a closed grate about eye level. Another closed slot at the bottom was probably for sliding trays of food in. Too small for anything but a medium-sized rat to fit through, if it could somehow get the covering opened.
Gaia frowned. “Not a nice introduction. But then, we didn’t exactly ask permission. You two wait here.” She walked over to the door and stepped through it like it wasn’t there.
I whistled softly. “That never gets old.”
Sal came over and put her arm around my waist, still looking at the door Gaia vanished through. “And I wouldn’t like to meet her for the first time with the look she was wearing just then.”
An odd thought came to mind. “Much like that old commercial – ‘It’s not nice to try to fool Mother Nature’.”
Sal looked up with a frown of incomprehension.
I gave her a little one-armed squeeze. “Oh, sorry. TV isn’t something you spirit-guides ever paid much attention to.”
She wrapped her other arm around me and put her head on my shoulder. “Well, you’ll have to explain it to me sometime – once we get this little mission completed.”
As if on cue, the massive metal door screeched opened and Gaia walked back in through that doorway. “OK, love birds. I found them. Follow me.”
We both had to step lively to keep up with her.
II
THE HALLWAYS WERE THE same dark colors of dead, fitted stone throughout. They twisted and turned so that quickly my native sense of direction was soon warped beyond recovery.
Only Gaia kept her driven pace and made the choices of turns without hesitation. Sal and I simply followed her quick-paced lead. Sal went before me with her globe light preceding. I was pressed to not trip on her heels in the dark that followed close behind me.
Gaia needed no light to see where she went. But then, a goddess of the Earth would have her own ways of seeing in and around or even through any rock construction.
Dark extended before our pattering footfalls, the light not far beyond our feet on any side. I could barely make out the side of Sal’s face on the turns we made, and only barely made out her concentrated frown.
Almost too soon, we stopped. The hallway had reached a dead-end, where the rock wall ahead was the same as each side – gray rock, precise-fitted blocks. Gaia abruptly slowed her pace, just a consideration to those who were almost running behind her.
We three were now standing in front of a blank wall.
My imagination brought me any number of reasons for this situation. None resolved into any plan of action before Gaia put her hand hard against that flat wall, and then gave that surface a little shove.
The “wall” dissipated into a wooden beam-framed doorway, with a thick wood door, enameled blood red.
A second push on this door made it open on quiet hinges to a dim, self-lit room beyond.
Gaia lead us in with her certain pace. We could only follow.
“DON’T WORRY, THIS ROOM is actual.” Gaia was frowning.
This was another sealed room, windowless. Our doorway the only apparent entrance to it.
A perfect cube, each side the same as the floor. All gray rock, fitted blocks. The floor a little smoother. I could estimate that you could fit about a dozen-dozen people into that room if you stood them 6 feet apart on a grid.
Opposite our entrance, on the far wall, were two thrones of the same size. Both had tall, straight backs, with red silk cushions on their seats.
On each side wall hung four long tapestries. We could make out the images of Chinese people, wearing garb of a much older period. All painted on yellow silk, but with different color schemes. In the flickering light of Sal’s fireball, they seemed to be looking directly at us, as if frozen in time.
We didn’t get long to wonder who they were. The heavy wooden door suddenly closed with a slam. We turned to look – but heard explosions now behind us at the other end of the room.
Two columns of smoke and fire erupted from behind those thrones and a brilliant flash lit the ceiling
When our eyes adjusted, the smoke had cleared. And we found the thrones were now occupied by two people, one male, one female. Both wore white silk, embroidered in silver and gold flourishes and patterns. Their headgear was fashioned as intricate crowns of gold and silver, as well as various precious stones. Hers was delicate, feminine – and his was stark and rigid.
“Who are you and what do you want? GUARDS – seize these intruders!”
“WHAT MY DEAR EMPRESS meant to say, perhaps, is that we are curious about your sudden arrival, since we weren’t notified about any visitors – or we would have prepared you a more cordial and official welcome.” These calmer words came from the male, who was apparently the Emperor. He extended his hand out toward the Empress with palm side opened up.
She continued to glower, but accepted his hand with hers.
No guards appeared. Sal’s fireball now burned in one of her own hands and her frown showed the threat it meant to these royals. At my other side, I could see Gaia’s own hands clenched into tight, powerful fists.
I saw that I needed to open this show in order to defuse this heated scene. “May I call you Emperor? We are pleased to accept your hospitality. Our trek across the desert to find your fine castle has been a long journey.”
I then nodded, a small bow of my head.
“I am a traveling scribe who is collecting stories of China. When I heard about your mysterious floating castle, I had to come at once to record your story.”
The emperor smiled. “We are grateful to have someone new to talk to. Our retainers have told us their own adventures so many times, that I find myself correcting their details.”
He nodded to his empress, while she simply looked off, still pouting.
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Shrugging, he returned his look to us and noticed now Sal and Gaia’s faces as they stood frowning on either side of me.
“I see you’ve brought your own feminine companions. Are these two gorgeous specimens your own courtesans or gifts for our royal use?”
Sal’s fire ball crackled and Gaia’s fists turned white.
“I’m sorry, your Majesty. I can agree that they are two of the most beautiful women on this earth. To my side is my dear friend Sal, who is my personal bodyguard, while Gaia is our guide and gained us access to your wonderful castle.”
The emperor smiled and nodded while the empress rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and continued her scowling. “We are pleased to have your company. And we still have many questions. But I am certain that you are all tired and dusty from your travels. Let us provide spaces for you each to freshen up. Then we may have a proper audience.”
The emperor clapped his hands once.
We heard the door swung open behind us with a whoosh. A small gust of cool, fresh air that enveloped us with a light scent of cherry blossoms.
The emperor stood, still holding the hand of the empress, which pulled her upright as well. She still wore a frown on her face, while standing forced her to look from him to us. Her stare bored through us.
That was our signal.
I nodded, and quietly called my two companions by name. Once I knew they had heard me, I turned and left with those two tense women following behind me.
Once we left the throne room, into a now well-lit hallway, the heavy door whooshed shut behind us.
I had to smile. Could have been much worse.
III
“GAIA, COME SIT DOWN. You’ll wear out your silk slippers and the carpeting if you keep pacing.” I smiled at my young-looking goddess.
She was now in a silk cheongsam of earth tones, embroidered with birds and flowers. Her face still frowned, even though she came toward me and smoothly knelt onto thick one of the red silk cushions to my left.
