by Phil Stern
Everyone wanted to hurt her, abandon her…even destroy Tiffany entirely. Yet with eyes once again glowing a potent green fire, she was far more powerful than these miserable ruby witches could ever be! Or, for that matter, the craven Coven Elders who couldn’t be bothered to come and find her.
Indeed, now that she was whole again, there wasn’t anything the young sorceress couldn’t face on her own! To his sorrow, Lord Gensrow had discovered just how potent Tiffany Smith’s combination of will, youth, and magic truly was. Clearly, the time had come to educate everyone else.
Right on cue, the door to the outer hallway finally banged open, the fat ruby witch nearly tumbling into the office. Two other witches immediately followed. Jumping to her feet, Tiffany scooped up an ornamental-type sword. Flimsy, but for her purposes it would do just fine. Unseen outside, the battle between Coven Stick and Claire continued, though from the sound of things, Claire’s ruby magic was now clearly ascendant.
The three witches hesitantly approached, dismayed at both the smashed office and exterior din of combat. Almost sensuously, Tiffany poured earth fire into the newfound blade, sparks actually sizzling off into the rubble. Pulsing with suppressed rage and energy, the Haven sorceress confidently oriented the sword on the three lesser beings.
The first blast of earth fire struck the fat woman right in the chest, propelling her back against the wall. Momentarily incapacitating the second ruby witch in similar fashion, Tiffany then calmly focused on the last one. This final girl had the presence of mind to erect a flimsy ruby shield, but it was no match for her power. Quickly breaking the shield down, Tiffany lashed her with a sharp strike to the head.
This was clearly enough. Almost like some old-style comedy, all three women leapt up and haphazardly fled the office at once.
By now flames were licking up from multiple ignition points across the room. Wafting, hazy smoke curled up to the still-intact portions of the ceiling, while also pouring back out into the hallway. So much the better.
Now to deal with Claire. Raising a hand to her earth stone, Tiffany was engulfed momentarily within its power. When the green energy receded, she was clothed in her tight black action suit, complete with boots and gloves, hair primly tied back in a pony tail. Once more, Tiffany’s earth stone sat snugly in a pouch on her belt.
Retaining the sword, she stalked back across the wrecked, burning room, boots crunching down on the remains of Claire’s things. Kicking aside a jagged spike of rear wall, Tiffany then passed out of the building entirely to emerge on the stony plain beyond.
The white snow cat was laying on its side, about thirty feet from the wrecked office. Claire, bloodied and breathing hard, stood about twenty feet beyond that. Gingerly holding her left elbow, the Coven Leader’s hard-fought victory had clearly just been accomplished. Even as Tiffany watched, the Coven Stick gave a final twitch, then lay still.
“It looks like I’m just in time,” Tiffany observed, keeping a wary eye on Claire. “Somehow, I didn’t think you were a cat person.”
“You bitch!” Stumbling forward, Claire’s tight, grey skirt nearly ripped. “What was that thing?”
In a flash, Tiffany raised the sword, firing a bolt of green energy at Claire. Throwing herself down on the flat rock, it sizzled over the ruby leader’s head.
But that allowed the Haven sorceress dash over to the fallen snow cat, gently touching its flank. With her newfound knowledge of Coven Sticks, she manually transformed it back into a greenish rod, placing the weapon once more on her belt. Obviously, it had been badly battered and overloaded. Later on, with more time at her disposal, she could probably fix it.
However, Claire wasn’t about to back down. Though spent, she leapt up to launch an unfocused wave of ruby magic in Tiffany’s direction. Half-catching the attack on a shield, Tiffany then used her sword to lace a tight bolt of energy into Claire’s leg. Howling in pain, the ruby witch sank down to the hard granite.
By now, the building behind them was burning fiercely. Several dozen ruby witches had wandered out from the side of the structure. Milling about in obvious confusion, they could only stare uneasily at their fallen Coven Leader.
Attracted by all the commotion, a large Confederate airship, complete with the Stars and Bars painted on the side, slowly hove into view. Obviously, the locals would soon intervene in force. Time was running out.
“Where is Hazel?” Tiffany yelled, advancing over the rocky plain towards the fallen Claire. “Give her to me and I’ll be on my way!”
With a bitter, red gaze, Claire rose once more. “She’s not here!”
“Then where is she?” Raising the sword again, Tiffany continued walking forward.
First warily eyeing Tiffany’s weapon, Claire then glanced at the fast-approaching aircraft. “Now the government’s coming! My coven here will have to scatter and regroup!”
“I don’t care!” Firing another blast into the stone by Claire’s feet, Tiffany was immensely satisfied by the shards of granite painfully pelting her legs. “Just tell me where my Coven-mate is!”
Burned by a sizzling, jagged rocks and smaller pebbles, Claire awkwardly leapt aside. Coming down hard on a high heel, she flopped gracelessly back down onto the granite.
Now a new threat tickled the edge of Tiffany’s magical perception. Whipping about, the black-clad sorceress spied Valensa moving out from the mass of confused ruby witches. Eyes burning in pure hatred, she advanced on Tiffany with her own drawn sword.
“Stop it!” Valensa shrieked, launching a bolt of ruby red at Tiffany. “Don’t hurt her!”
The older sister casually deflected the bolt with her own sword. “You idiot! Claire wants to kill you!”
“Stop lying!” In the process of aiming once more, Valensa tripped and fell on a lip of rock, the sword temporarily clattering out of reach.
“I’m not lying!” Tiffany bellowed. By now, amid the roar of flames from the building and the airship’s engines overhead, it was almost impossible to hear anything. “You’re a mongrel, and she wants you dead! Get out of here while you still can!”
“Citizens!” boomed a voice from the government vessel. “Do not move! You are all under arrest!”
Oblivious to this new danger, Valensa looked first at her half-sibling, then Claire. Though she couldn’t be certain, it seemed to Tiffany that her sister’s demeanor sudden appeared a bit less certain.
Now an old-style Gatling gun spewed bullets down from the airship, kicking up sparks. One round ricocheted into a ruby witch’s leg up by the burning building, dropping her with a cry of pain.
Stumbling back up to her feet, Claire caught Tiffany’s eye. “Everyone needs to get out of here. Now!”
“Where’s my Coven-mate?” she fired back. “I’m not leaving without her!”
Another garbled announcement from the government craft ordered everyone to lie down and surrender. Idly, Tiffany wondered just what kind of technology they had at their disposal.
“Tiffany, you have no idea what you’ve done!” Bitterly, Claire waved a hand back at her confused coven. “When the troops arrive…”
“That’s not my problem!” Tiffany snapped, walking right up to the ruby leader. “But finding Hazel is! Where is she?”
Hesitating a mere moment, the disheveled young magician came to a decision. “You want her? Fine!”
“Then take me to her, you lunatic!” Grabbing Claire by the shoulders, Tiffany nearly shook her. Overhead, she could sense the airship drifting lower.
“You’ll have to follow me!” Throwing off Tiffany’s arm, Claire stepped back. “If you can!” Spinning about, she then sprinted across the granite plateau towards the sheer drop.
Apparently feeling ignored, the government craft fired another burst, which exploded across the rocky ground just in front of Tiffany’s feet. Her options rapidly dwindling, she raced after the slim Coven Leader.
Though expecting her to pull up, a stunned Tiffany watched Claire simply run right off the cliff face, instantly dro
pping out of sight. Dashing right up to the stony edge herself, Tiffany tentatively looked down into the deep chasm.
The cliff wall was blackened and scarred from multiple blasting charges, plunging down to a cratered, mutilated rocky floor. Now Tiffany saw it was all actually a huge pit, the lip upon which she was standing circling around a massive, enclosed fissure. Anyone jumping down would be dashed to death below, or at the very least trapped within a huge hole.
Yet there was no sign of Claire. So obviously, she had gone somewhere.
Looking back, Tiffany saw the building still burning fiercely, pillars of smoke blackening the sky. By now all the ruby witches had scattered in every direction. The airship, still bellowing orders, was circling back around. In a moment they’d be over Tiffany herself. Of Valensa, there was no sign.
All in all it was a bleak image of a broken and abused populace, routinely badgered and controlled by their own government. Clearly, the Zarth Confederacy was a harsh place to live.
But Claire, Tiffany suspected, had already left this wayward dimension. Hesitating only a moment, the Haven sorceress turned and leapt from the cliff face herself, hurtling down onto the jagged rocks below.
As expected, however, the enchantress never reached them. Two-thirds of the way down Tiffany hit a direct contact point, the stunning, blinding impact once more blotting out everything else.
CHAPTER TEN
DRESSED ONLY IN a nightgown, Tiffany stumbled around sharp rocks and murky black pools. Monsters of every sort were stalking her. There were fire-breathing dragons, huge spiders, and tall, faceless men wielding powerful pikes. Sometimes the pikes spewed out ruby energy, other times green earth fire. Between the huge boulders and rotted, dead trees she even spied a Mepard prowling about, hoping for a chance to tear her throat out.
Lightning flashed in the distance, dark clouds ominously gathering. Desperately seeking a Boundary portal, Tiffany became utterly confused. Was it over there? Or maybe in that direction? Every time she oriented on a portal, it just drifted away into nothingness. Yet with magical, powerful beings lunging out at every moment, she had to keep moving. Desperately dashing about, Tiffany fervently hoped to escape from this horrible dimension.
Finally tripping over a gnarled root, Tiffany fell flat on the ground. Striking a rock, the chain on her earth stone easily snapped. The magical talisman tumbled off into the gathering storm, disappearing down an ugly, jagged hole in the ground.
Crying out in terror, Tiffany rose to her knees, the ripped and ruined nightgown barely covering her body. If she could just stick her hand down that hole, maybe the earth stone was still close by…
But a new creature, a tall, strong man dressed entirely in black, suddenly blocked her path. Fearfully looking up into his horrible, distorted face, Tiffany recognized Lord Gensrow himself. The mad wizard grinned at her, eyes blazing pure hatred.
Then Gensrow reached down, grabbing her around the throat…
Bursting from the deep, dark abyss, Tiffany Smith jolted awake. Gasping and crying, she sat up on the clean grass, desperately bringing a hand to her chest. Overwhelming relief washed over the young sorceress, first one tear dropping down onto the rich, green stone, then another. Her magical talisman was still with her, safe and sound, on a new silver chain. The flimsy nightgown was gone, replaced by her jeans, boots, and white shirt. Vaguely, Tiffany realized she must have changed from the tight, black action suit in her sleep. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Carefully separating the jumbled images of the nightmare from her real memories, Tiffany realized she must be in another world. Earth, she hoped, but right now the young sorceress didn’t care. All she knew was that she and her earth stone were reunited once more, never again to be separated.
The green-grey rod was also safely attached to Tiffany’s belt. Brushing it with a spare hand, the magical weapon almost seemed to purr. Apparently, the Coven Stick was recovering as well.
“So we’re finally awake, I see.”
Still sitting on the ground, Tiffany was stunned to see Claire standing by a tree a short distance off. They were both in a small glade, a high, blue sky above. Behind Claire a light, pleasant forest stretched out to some low hills. A small stream gurgled off to one side, with more trees to the other.
The ruby Coven Leader was again dressed in fashionable slacks and a sleek blouse. Though not fitting the setting, it was certainly in line with Claire’s preferred style.
Though it all seemed innocent enough, Tiffany quickly made to stand up. The last thing she needed…
“Relax.” Holding up a restraining hand, the ruby leader advanced a step. “I just want to talk.”
Breathing hard, Tiffany still rose, but more slowly. “Where are we?”
“Sarth, another parallel world to Earth and Zarth.”
“Where’s Hazel?” Quickly, Tiffany glanced about the idyllic scene, finding no one else. “If you’ve hurt her…”
“She’s nearby, and unharmed,” Claire assured her. “I’m giving her back to you. A peace offering, if you will.”
Only now did the Haven sorceress notice that the other woman was standing awkwardly, almost painfully. “Are you badly hurt?”
“I’ll live.” Claire’s ruby stone briefly flared. “I could have taken your earth stone again, but I didn’t.”
“I can see that.”
“Tiffany, you can still join me.” Once more strolling forward, she held up both hands. “But I want it to be of your own volition.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Together, we can do so much good.”
“You’re delusional, you know that?” Still mildly disoriented, Tiffany ran a hand back through her hair. “That is, if you really think murdering your own sister and dominating multiple dimensions counts as good!”
“All right. Obviously, we just see some things differently.” Sighing, the pretty, slim brunette studied the sky. “But if we’re not to be Coven-mates, let’s at least not claw out one another’s throats. For now, anyway.”
Raising an eyebrow, Tiffany crossed her arms. “What do you mean?”
“Both our covens have taken losses. This conflict isn’t good for anybody.”
“Agreed,” she promptly replied. “So what do you suggest?”
“Take Hazel and go find Eleanor on Earth.” Pulling another silver necklace from a pocket, Claire tossed the earth stone at Tiffany’s feet. “Tell her that I propose a six-week truce. During that time we’ll try to work out our differences, come to some kind of permanent understanding.”
Slowly bending down, Tiffany thoughtfully picked up Hazel’s earth stone. “You won’t seek to dominate Earth during that time, establish a beachhead there?”
“You mean, like the one Eleanor now has in Tennessee?” Claire smiled. “No, I won’t. But she needs to pull her troops back from Earth as well. We both return to normal levels there, at least for the time being.”
About to positively reply, Tiffany then paused. “What is normal for you on Earth?”
Rolling her eyes, Claire looked off. “Like I said, what you saw in the Zarth Confederacy is only one of my ruby covens. And my most rural, to be honest. I have larger organizations, with much more sophisticated women, across the universe.”
“And Earth?” Tiffany sweetly prompted. “What does all this sophistication translate to there?”
“We have many installations on Earth, and travel freely throughout the globe. We also have operatives-in-residence, as do you. These aren’t addicts, like the shock troops you met in the Confederacy. These are my top people.”
Somehow, this didn’t surprise Tiffany at all. “So the ruby wave isn’t going away any time soon?”
“No, it isn’t,” Claire confirmed. “Your Coven has very powerful magic, but I have the numbers. In the end, you’ll lose.”
Tiffany just smiled. “And Hazel?”
“In a cabin over there.” The ruby leader jerked her head to one side. “There’s a Boundary portal a hund
red yards farther into the woods.”
The two women just stared at one another, the idyllic sounds of nature all around them.
“Fine. A six-week truce,” Tiffany confirmed. “But will you give up on your quest to ‘rationalize,’ as you say, many other worlds?”
“That’s for Eleanor and me to discuss.”
“Indeed,” Tiffany sighed. “Is there anything else?”
“Yes.” Claire’s eyes narrowed. “The next time we meet as enemies, you won’t find me so…amenable.”
Without another word, she turned and walked off into the forest. Only when Claire was long gone did Tiffany realize she hadn’t asked about Valensa.
*****
As promised, Tiffany came across a plain cabin a short distance off, guarded by magical wards. Carefully disarming them, she found the young sorceress sleeping within. Immediately waking upon being reunited with her earth stone, Hazel cried for a long time, hugging Tiffany.
After giving Hazel an hour to recover, both Coven-mates then found the Boundary portal nearby, crossing into the inter-dimensional fissure and heading home.
*****
Stunned, Blake Stanton sat on the couch, in the apartment he shared with Tiffany, watching the news. By now he’d seen the video out of Mobile countless times. Filmed from a half-dozen different ground angles, with the final stages caught by an additional news crew from the air, it was the most fantastic thing he’d ever witnessed.
First Tiffany showed up in a business suit with that other girl, the one called Keri. Sometime later four other young women arrived, confronting Tiffany and Keri outside a southern manor house.
And that’s when it got really crazy. Tiffany fired what appeared to be a laser, followed by a huge explosion. A black pall now covered the whole area. Sharra, whom he vaguely remembered meeting at the promotion ceremony, was apparently killed in the blast.
