by Ramy Vance
Hulmor and Alex ran toward each other. The giant went for the attack and Alex pushed herself a little harder, felt her legs aching as she tried for extra speed. Then, there it was—that flash again. She felt flames burst out over her body for a second as she gained a massive speed boost.
Alex slid under her opponent’s legs, stretched out her scythe, and slashed as she turned in a circle. The giant let out a scream of pain as his legs separated from his feet at the ankles.
Hulmor hit the ground, screaming in pain as his stumps bled. Alex looked down at the giant, reeling from the sickening gore.
Alex forced herself to remember what she was doing. Why she was here. That she was at war. She swallowed hard, reminding herself that Hulmor would have torn her to shreds if he had gotten the chance.
The scythe was raised and it fell, putting an end to Hulmor’s pained mutters of revenge.
Alex looked down at her dragon anchor as it turned back on. Then she went over to Hulmor’s body and picked up the black rod he had used to disconnect her from the Chine. She pocketed it before reaching out to her dragon. Hey, buddy, you still okay?
Chine landed right behind Alex, causing her to jump in surprise. A simple yes would have been enough, she said as she leaped onto his back.
As the dragon took off, he said, I saw your fight. You didn’t need my assistance. Perhaps you needed me to stay out of it, he said.
The rest of the skirmish was clearing out. The mechs had made short work of the giants and mammoths. Yeah, maybe I did need that, Alex said. It’s different when you aren’t there. Kinda terrible, you know? It’s easy to forget what I’m doing when everything is moving so fast, or you’re just chomping and burning through everything. Maybe I need to remember.
Chine didn’t answer, so Alex was left to interpret his silence. Instead of dwelling on it, she commed Jollies. “How did everything turn out on your end?”
Jollies sounded relaxed when she replied, “Easy-peasy.”
“Good to hear. We’re heading to the projected crash site right now.”
Alex and the rest of the Team Boundless arrived at the landing site. The ship had descended much faster once the vrosks had been removed from its sides.
The relief was instant when Alex could see this was indeed a ship and nothing like the meteor she’d seen before. The ship could hardly be called that; if anything, it seemed like an escape pod. It was no larger than twenty feet in diameter and was a perfect sphere, only the outline of a potential door disturbing its smooth and polished surface.
Most of the mech riders were standing around, watching the ship. No one made a move. That was when Alex realized Team Boundless probably held rank in the situation. If Roy or the teachers weren’t present, Boundless had the highest-ranking riders.
Alex looked at the rest of the team. “You guys want to come with me? I don’t feel qualified to be an alien’s first and only interaction. Plus, it’ll let whoever it is know that this isn’t one of those humans-are-the-best-and-rule-the-world kinda things.”
Jollies flew over and landed on Alex’s shoulder. “That’s an odd human thing to say, but sure.”
Jim and Gill came over to Alex as well, and they approached the scorched earth where the ship had landed.
Alex stood before it for some time with the rest of Boundless, but nothing seemed to be happening. She wasn’t sure if the passenger had been hurt or if there was some kind of technical issue, but waiting seemed just as rude as ignoring it. Not knowing what else to do, Alex leaned forward and knocked twice on the door.
The ship shot steam out of several holes that appeared. The faint lines gradually became more pronounced until a door popped open.
As the steam dissipated, Alex could make out the shape and features of whatever was inside the ship. It was humanoid and had a round head slightly larger than the rest of its body, the top of its head looking like a jewel of some sort. The creature had similar jeweled pieces on its chest, elbows, and knees.
The alien was oddly muscular, as if it were a fighter and regularly indulged in intense physical training. Its long, thick tail was curled around its waist. It was lying on the deck of the ship just inside the door.
Jim whistled as he took a step back. “That is not what I was expecting,” he muttered before turning to Jollies and Gill. “You guys ever seen anything like that before?”
Gill shook his head as he watched the alien closely. “No,” he finally replied. “I do not think this is from any of the known planets of the nine realms. This being is an alien to us all.”
The alien’s eyes fluttered open slowly. It began sitting up, groaning as it held its side. “Is this Middang3ard,” the alien muttered in a faint, almost echoey voice.
Alex stepped forward and said, “Yes, this is Middang3ard. My name is Alex. This is Team Boundless. We’re here to help you.”
The alien nodded as it tried to sit up taller. “Good. Take me to whoever is in charge. I have a way to stop the Dark One once and for all.”
Alex and the rest of Team Boundless exchanged glances as the mech riders murmured amongst themselves. “Hold on a second,” she said as she took a step away and commed Myrddin.
Myrddin sounded as if he had sobered up considerably when he picked up. “Alex, how did the extraction go?”
“We found…an alien. He wants to meet with you. You’re the one who’s in charge of everything, right? Like, across the board.”
“You could say that. A unit is already on its way. It should be there shortly.”
As Myrddin hung up, the ground brightened with beams of light from an extraction vessel. The vessel floated in the sky like a hanging city block.
The alien in the escape pod covered its eyes as it stared up at the vessel. Alex came over, shielding her eyes as well. “Guess our ride is here. Welcome to Middang3ard.” She extended her hand to the alien.
The alien looked at Alex’s hand for a long time before understanding bloomed on its face. With a nod, it took the hand and, looking Alex in the eyes, said, “Thank you. I only hope I have arrived in time.”
Author Notes Ramy Vance
April 3, 2020
I've been hard at work on follow-up last year’s hit series – The Toddler.
Seems the Toddler is about to face his greatest challenge yet when a new heroes comes onto the scene.
Meet … The Sibling … Pray her nappy is dry.
Tired of the same old urban fantasy plot lines? Looking for something brand new and mind-bending?
Check out Ramy Vance’s brand new series Urban Fantasy series: The Silbling
Last year, the Toddler saved the city from a powerful magic. After battling dragons and dirty diapers, the Toddler thought he was prepared to face anything.
But now that there’s a new hero in town, the Toddler must face his greatest challenge yet. He must learn to share.
If you like the Dresden Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Seasame Street, then you’ll be helplessly addicted to The Toddler’s spin-off series: The Sibling
COMING SOON!
Praise for The Sibling:
★★★★★ “Finally a breath of … well … seriously stinky air.”
★★★★★ “Buffy meets Dora the Explorer.”
★★★★★ “Move over Paw Patrol … Adventure Bay finally has a couple of real hero in town.”
Can’t wait? Don’t worry, we got you covered. Check out Ramy Vance’s Mortality Bites series.
Katrina Darling is an ex-vampire just trying to figure out how to be human again. Too bad her past has other ideas.
Critics are calling this series:
★★★ “Not nearly as good, but at least Kat is potty trained.”
★★ “Why are you wasting our time with ex-vampires, kick-ass heroines and totally unique, magical settings. We want The Sibling!.. Bah, I guess this tripe is better than nothing.”
Check out Mortality Bites today!
Click Here: readerlinks.com/l/767060
An Alien Aff
air
Dragon Approved™ Book Nine
Chapter One
The Wasps Nest was a marvel of modern technology and magic. The design had been Myrddin’s-he was the wizard who had dedicated his life to the destruction of the Dark One—and the technology used was his attempt to bring together what he’d seen humanity excel at with what he knew magic could do.
The Nest was unrivaled in any of the nine realms. True, there were races who could boast of their magical creations and artifacts, but there was nothing like Myrddin’s project, a constantly growing, changing, and learning machine imbued with a magic that only Myrddin seemed to understand.
It hadn’t been built for housing alien species or with decontamination in mind, but luckily, due to its ingenious design, it was prepared for the extraterrestrial guest. All that had been needed was a quick word between Myrddin and Roy to give the team enough time to plan.
That was why Alex had never seen this particular hallway or section of the Nest before. It was an alabaster medical bay split into two sections with a thick glass wall.
The alien was on one side of the glass, staring down at its hands, apparently still disoriented. The extraction from the crash site had been rushed and uncomfortable. Even Alex thought Myrddin could have been more accommodating.
They were all acting like the alien was something to be afraid of, as if it didn’t come to their world specifically to offer them help against the Dark One. Everyone was acting like they’d watched too many alien movies. Alex had never seen one, but she had often listened in on her dad watching them.
Science fiction had been her father’s favorite genre, and anything to do with the subject of aliens interested him. It got to the point where he’d once claimed he wished he would be abducted. Alex and her mom had teased him for years, telling him his dreams of being kidnapped by some extraterrestrial being were insane and it was never going to happen.
Dad would freak the hell out if he saw this, Alex thought as she stared at the alien through the glass. And he’d have an answer to his age-old question: yes, everyone in the universe does speak English.
She had to tell her dad about the most recent visitor. There was no way he would believe it. Luckily, Alex didn’t have to rely on her word. She flipped up her HUD visor and started snapping pictures.
The alien looked up from his hands and stared at Alex. She suddenly realized how rude she was being and how frightening this experience must be. The alien was obviously annoyed that it was being treated like an invader.
Alex walked over to the glass and placed her hand on it, hoping it would understand.
Shouldn’t be too hard, she thought. He obviously understood my words.
As if it could read Alex’s mind, the alien stood and approached the glass, resting its hand against it as well. They looked into each other’s eyes.
Alex had seen a lot of strange things since she got her eyesight, but there was something very odd about the alien’s eyes. The irises seemed to be constantly expanding and contracting. It was impossible, but Alex couldn’t deny what she was seeing. It was not that its eyes were sunken or that they implied some kind of wisdom; rather, it was as if they were a portal into another world, one that stretched away to infinity and was filled with welcoming darkness.
Alex had to look away. Staring into the alien’s eyes gave her the distinct feeling of falling and not being able to catch herself. She’d felt something like that while looking at Gill or Jim at times, but there was no emotion behind the sensation she was getting from the alien, just the physical feeling.
As Alex pulled away, Roy and Myrddin walked into the decontamination area. They were both wearing hazmat suits that looked almost laughable on them. Neither of them seemed to be joking, though.
The two men walked up and Myrddin waved his hand, causing the barrier to slide open enough for both of them to step through. They approached the alien, and the three began speaking together. The alien seemed to respond, but Alex couldn’t be sure since she couldn’t hear through the glass.
After a couple of minutes, Roy stepped out and pulled off his mask. “You were the one who found it, right?” he asked, breathing in as much fresh air as he could.
Alex peeked over Roy’s shoulders to see what Myrddin and the alien were doing. “Yeah, with help from the rest of Team Boundless.”
“You spoke to it. And touched the ship.”
Alex thought back, trying to remember if any of the rest of the team had spoken to the alien. She wasn’t sure, but she was very certain that she had touched the ship. It had been warm, almost as if it were alive. “Yeah, I did. Why?”
Roy pointed to the door he and Myrddin had come through. “You’re quarantined. Come on, follow me.” He walked past Alex, only turning for a moment to motion for her to follow him.
Alex didn’t bother asking why she was being quarantined. She’d worked with Roy enough to know he would tell her when he thought she was ready to hear. Besides, he was her commanding officer, even if he was a mech rider, and it hadn’t been a suggestion.
Roy led Alex down a long hall to a room not much different than the one the alien was in. The glass door slid open, and Roy gestured that Alex should step inside. She did, and the door closed behind her. “Sorry about all that. Myrddin’s orders.”
Alex went over and sat down on the bench in the room. She could hear Roy perfectly, so it must have been different from the room the alien was being held in. “Kinda figured. I don’t usually get sent to my room without a reason.”
Roy rubbed off the sweat beading on his forehead and then scratched his stubbly five-o’clock shadow. “The old man’s freaking out a little bit. I’ll be back. Myrddin and I need to chat with you after this thing gets finished telling us what it’s doing here.”
“It’s not a thing,” Alex corrected, indignant at Roy and her situation.
Roy flung his arms up as he turned to leave. “Far as we know, this thing could be talking mold or an irradiated fingernail shaving. It’s a thing until it lets me know whatever the hell it is. I’ll be back, kid.”
Roy walked off, shutting the door behind him as Alex jumped to her feet, shouting, “Could you at least leave me a book or something?”
It was too late. Roy didn’t hear her, but the Nest did. The glass wall next to Alex opened up, and a leather-bound book shot out at Alex and fell to the ground. It was titled All You Need to Know About Space.
Alex groaned as she picked up the book and started flipping through it. At least the Nest is starting to get a sense of humor, she thought.
For the next two hours, Alex read through the book. It was dry, lacked any wit, and seemed to have an ever-expanding, nonsensical idea about outer space. The more Alex read, the more she was convinced that the author should not write anything on any subject.
Once Alex’s irritation peaked and solidified, she tossed the book across the room and gave a frustrated groan. Why the hell was she the one locked up? It wasn’t like she came from space. Sometimes it felt like Myrddin and Roy were punishing her for doing her job.
The glass door slid open, and both Roy and Myrddin walked into the quarantine room. Both of them were still wearing their hazmat suits. As they walked toward Alex, a faint mist that smelled of lilacs sprayed throughout the room. “What’s with the mist?”
Myrddin took a seat on the bench and pulled off his mask. “Just a precaution. We need to make sure we’re going about this the right way. Alex, when did you first see the ship?”
Not even a hello. Wow, she thought before answering Myrddin. “Around early evening. I don’t know, maybe five-thirty?”
Roy narrowed his eyes at Alex. “What were you doing in that area?”
“Why am I the one on trial right now? Isn’t it a good thing I reported a strange thing in the sky? And I’ll have you know, it was my day off, so I went on a date.”
Roy patted Alex on the back as he chuckled. “Glad to hear you were making the most of your leave time. Not everyone knows how to spend
it. Some of those nerds read on their days off. Who was the lucky—”
Roy trailed off as he turned to see Myrddin staring daggers in his back. “Uh, I meant, good thing you didn’t forget your duty to report things.”
Myrddin folded his hands together as the lines in his forehead became more pronounced. “You are not in trouble, Alex. We’re only asking because this is unexpected.”
Alex hadn’t ever heard Myrddin admit to being caught off-guard before. She let go of her anger and let her curiosity take over. “What do you mean unexpected? Is that thing a for-real alien? Like, from another planet?”
Myrddin shook his head as he kneaded his forehead wrinkles. “When there are nine realms, each with their own universe, the term ‘alien’ stops having any real meaning. Humans are alien to elves, and so on and so forth. But this creature is something else entirely. It’s not from our dimension.”
“Wait, you mean like the meteor? That thing that had the Dark One’s persona or essence in it?”
Myrddin reached out to the wall, which opened, letting a tray with a cup of iced water pass through. “Similar to it. It’s from the same dimension, but it came here in a conventional fashion. That’s why you and it are quarantined for the moment. We can’t risk there being an interdimensional virus or something that our bodies aren’t used to. It should be fine, but we need to be safe.”
Alex didn’t want to think about the meteor. But if this thing was from the same dimension as the Dark One, there was a good chance it had witnessed what he was capable of firsthand. “So, why’s it here?”
“We were only able to get a little information. The creature referred to the Dark One as the Devourer of Worlds, and it meant that quite literally. I don’t quite know what to make of that, but the creature fell asleep shortly after. We plan on speaking with it more tomorrow. We will be examining the ship as well.”
