by James Beach
Aurelian thought as hard as he could. He had nothing. All he had right now was his life and Lyita, and he was about to lose them both.
Something about what that man Roth had said…
Aurelian looked over at Lyita, and felt how much place she had taken in her heart. If he didn’t live, at least she should. It wasn’t right that she should suffer his fate too.
In the moonlight, he saw a purple mist start to form between him and Lyita. In some way, it looked like what he felt for her.
It was all he had, and he saw nothing else to work with. Without even understanding what he was doing, he tried to will all his feeling into that mist.
It grew.
He redoubled his efforts, and in his tension almost lost his grip on the emotion. He regained his awareness of the feeling by staring deep into Lyita’s brown eyes.
The purple cloud between them grew. He could feel the caring from her as well, as she cast her own heart into whatever they were creating.
“What is this?” Magda snarled. “Who among you is helping them?”
Whatever it was that Aurelian and Lyita were manifesting. it solidified between them into planes. The planes became a wall, and moved until it stood between Magda and themselves.
The first of the two tendrils Magda sent at him hit the purple wall of mist. It faded. Magda closed her eyes and breathed in, her hands becoming fists. The second of the yellow-black bands intensified, and managed to make it through the mist. Grabbing his paralyzed arm in his right one, Aurelian batted the tendril away again. He barely felt the sting this time.
Then fear struck him, and the mist shrunk almost into nothingness. He saw Magda smile, and begin even to laugh. He tore his gaze away from her, and back into Lyita’s eyes.
He felt pure kindness coming from Lyita. He knew the goodness inside her and felt it move into the space between them.
The wall resumed its former size, and intensified. Magda ground her teeth, and pointed her left finger straight at Aurelian. Two of the remaining tendrils disappeared, leaving 3 to remain.
The tip of her pointed finger began to grow, as she drew the same pattern the luck thief had on his stomach. Aurelian began to feel that same drain from his gut. The purple wall began to fade.
If he lost much more of whatever she took from him, the wall protecting he and Lyita would disappear and both of them would die.
Desperate for a win, Aurelian tried to send the purple wall protecting them straight towards Magda’s head. It faded well short of her, and the drain he felt intensified.
Magda laughed out loud.
Aurelian and Lyita suddenly snapped into a fully synchronized will. They pushed the mist forward as one.
Magda redirected all of her floating tendrils to wrap against the wall and push it back.
Both tendrils and wall were destroyed together.
Aurelian and Lyita both blinked. If they hadn’t been frozen to the floor they might have fallen. They had not realized how deeply they had melded together, until they were separated.
Magda stared at the space where the tendrils had been broken. “It is against our law to help either side of a duel! Which of you is helping them?”
“The laws say you can’t help someone attack,” Roths pointed out. “No laws say you can’t help defend.”
“No!” Magda bellowed. “I must be the next arbiter. It’s what I born to do! Listen you all, we are running out of time!”
“We are not running out," corrected Roths. “You have run out. You have not defeated your challenger, and he has not defeated you. Therefore the moonlight shall pick again.” He closed his eyes, and let his hands open. The moonlight began to pour into the room and pool in the air above them.
For a wild second, Aurelian wondered if the moonlight was going to pick him. But it wandered past, briefly to pause near the elegant Asian woman before settling around the apparent bus driver and his cat.
The moonlight faded. The man who’d been selected nodded at everyone else, and then back towards Roths in the middle of the circle.
The attendees began to move freely. Roths walked over and shook briefly shook the new arbiter’s hand, and scratched his cat behind the ears.
With that, the ceremony was apparently complete. The gathered began to disperse, some of them chatting briefly to acquaintances and others leaving with no words at all.
Aurelian and Lyita found they were free as well. He took her hand.
“You’re my luck,” he said.
As the rest left the chamber Magda walked towards Lyita and Aurelian, her face contorted in fury.
Roths stepped between them. “As I’m sure the new arbiter will remind you, there can be no reprisals on the evening of a selection.”
“Your time will come,” she said. “All of you.” She left without a further word.
Roths man coughed, somewhat embarrassed. “It appears you have earned an enemy. If I were you, I would be in no hurry to leave the chamber.” The last of the other attendees left, and the doors closed behind them.
Roths looked down at Aurelian’s hand. “I notice you may have dealt with our security a bit roughly.
“Nah, I was lying, I didn’t touch him,” said Aurelian. “I told him someone outside had a counterfeit ticket, and when he went to check I locked him out. Then my luck left and I hurt my hand on the door.”
Roths laughed. “If you survive Magda, you will do well.”
Will we survive her? Aurelian wondered to himself. “Thanks for helping us live through tonight. ”
“I am glad you listened well enough to take the hint. When people care for each other, they can overcome whatever their luck may be. It may not be a lot, but more often than not it is enough.”
“For now at least,” said Lyita.
“You two have also shown yourselves to be pretty adaptable in the face of true strangeness. That sort of resourcefulness is not to be overlooked.” Roths stroked his chin and gave a chuckle. “How did you cross her path?”
“I was looking for work,” said Aurelian. “She and her scumbag must have known a lot of desperate people would be there, so she could take the last of what little luck they have.”
Roths laughed. “So you’re looking for work? Isn’t that just perfect. You see, I’m looking for someone to employ.” He rubbed his face. “This really is some luck. Would you happen to have any experience as a thief?”
More
This tale is the second in a series. The first is Ghost Magnet, which is available on it’s own and also in my short story collection Hyperspace Radio. Available in most dimensions where fine stories are told.
Check out the complete adventures of Aurelian and Lyita here.
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And thanks for reading!
~ j
About the Author
James Beach is a writer, photographer and recovering musician. He was born and raised in New Jersey, and was once told he was a bad Photoshop superimposition on the East Coast. He successfully escaped and now lives in San Francisco, a perfect locale for exploring his emerging super powers.
For more declassified information, visit
jimbeach.net
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