Eight Fantasy Stories
(Twelve – Nineteen)
Written by
Tanya Ferris
Memories of Sandra Anderson
A Cosmic Explorer
Eight Fantasy Stories
(Twelve – Nineteen)
Written by Tanya Ferris
Copyright © 2022
All rights reserved
This book may not be reproduced,
in part or in full, digital or otherwise,
without prior written permission from the author.
A Cosmic Explorer
A never ending exploration through the vast worlds of fantasy as far as the most remote areas of the cosmic network; a magical journey into the abysses of the unconscious mind, a jumble of primordial symbols, subconscious desires, metaphysical quest.
Fateful choices, traversing the spiral vortex of time and space, lead the heroine and the reader beyond the insupportable earthly reality to unimaginable dreamlands or, even, nightmarelands. However, even the worse nightmare is more preferable than the world of everyday life...
Every adventure is a personal magic ritual. I cannot foresee the result of such rituals, but there must always be a result, for there are points of contact, that is synchronicities, between the material world and the astral planes.
More is yet to come...
originally handwritten
from 9th July to 14th August, 1993
Today was one of those days at school that I wish I could forget once and for all. Nevertheless, it had started under very favourable auspices, as I thought I would surprise everybody with my talent in Maths. During the past two days, I seemed to be the only one who had managed to solve a rather difficult problem in our last test in class. All my schoolmates, including my beloved George Dim, admired my cleverness.
On the third day, that is today, my solution to the problem was eventually proved to be wrong: the correct outcome was -2 instead of my +2. Eva, one of the most disagreeable pupils in class, was the one who proved that on the blackboard, finally crossing my solution out with a gigantic X. All the glory was now hers, before everybody, including George Dim...
After that unprecedented humiliation in class, I felt sad and frustrated. During the break, I stayed all alone at the balcony, leaning heavily on the railing, contemplating on my misfortune over and over again. I knew it was one of those crushing events which are meant to stamp themselves in my soul forever.
Suddenly, my frame of mind began to change, and other thoughts flowed like torrents in my mind: You know something? This is all nonsense! Why do we have to go to school and study hard, day in day out, during the happiest
years of our lives? To learn what happened two thousand years ago, or solve differential equations? Of course not!
What we do learn at school, is how to spend most of the day in a kind of prison, sitting at a specific desk, performing dull, uninteresting tasks which are actually none of our business! We learn how to become “responsible” workers, that is slaves, who are constantly dogged by the fear of failure in life! But I, the fourteen-year-old Emma Lloyd, have already failed in life – and look what I've become...
Those were my thoughts that winter morning, as I was watching a yellow leaf slowly falling from a big elm tree opposite the school. However, that leaf never seemed to be reaching the ground...
* * * * *
“You got it, pal? You are a skinny teenager, going for a walk in the woods at night, and suddenly you realize that a horrible extraterrestrial monster is following you, its mouth watering! And instead of taking to your heels, you just stay there and make believe clever!”All three youngsters laughed at their friend's jesting remark about the cinema movie they had just watched. Then, they all stood still as they saw him standing before them in that dark alley...
To cut a long story short: Goddart was a mutant from outer space, probably the only survivor of a nuclear holocaust that had changed him into something that was no longer human. He didn't look like a dreadful alien or anything like that; he looked much like a handsome young man, with a slender figure and wavy blond hair that shimmered in the moonlight. The three boys, who saw him of their way home, were the first on planet Abarth to meet him. From that moment, their lives would never be the same again...
I, Sandra Anderson, was invited to Ibala, the capital of Abarth, by an old friend of mine named Kyel. It wasn't long before I discovered the real purpose of his invitation: I was expected to track down and, if possible, extinguish “a terrible curse which seems to be taking over the planet fast”, according to Kyel's words.
Not that it was something easily discernible or understandable; I mean everybody looked perfectly normal at first sight. Yet, the alteration was taking place slowly and irreversibly deep within them, and I could sense that after coming in contact with certain persons from time to time.
Initially, I had no idea what was wrong; then, after lots of research, I got some vague information about a mutant vampire known as Goddart, who was believed to roam the galaxies absorbing energy from living beings – this is what
“gods” usually do to inhabited planets. Of course, I hadn't managed to find any real evidence he was there, on Abarth, but all the facts seemed to be leading to that conclusion.
On the days that followed, Kyle and I visited many cities on the planet. Everybody and everything looked ordinary in the beginning; however, after a little while, I could perceive a kind of general exhaustion in the air, and it was more palpable among human beings. I sensed an invisible stream of life force oozing all around, as it was gradually drained from living creatures. After close observation, not only in the material but in the astral planes as well, I figured out this stream of life force was directed to a specific destination, feeding a secret “center” hidden somewhere on the planet.
We hadn't travelled for more than a week, but when we returned to Ibala, I could already feel -and see- the same,
perturbing changes in the atmosphere. People walked up and down the clean streets, but it was getting clearer and clearer that certain persons, more and more every day, were no longer the same. I no longer had doubts about Kyel's theory: It was almost obvious that some alien entity was gradually absorbing their vital and psychic energy, without their being able to oppose anyhow.
Anybody could be mutated; there were no visible signs of the alteration, apart from some increased sensuality. All the affected were very charming indeed – they had the charm of a psychic vampire. Not all of them were active vampires: Some gave more; others received more. Yet, the stream of energy in the air was an almost palpable, and seemed to be directed to a dark centre...
None of the mutants seemed to be suspecting that something was wrong; on the contrary, they all looked more self-confident than ever, with a sinister, alien glow in their eyes. I had even overheard discussions about a divine
“Saviour” who had just come to their world in order to offer them deliverance. There was also an odd rhyme whispered by more and more people continually, even as they walked along the roads:
A ghost star is my world,
endless lands of gold;
a splendor to be spread
all over the universe...
Anyway, I had to locate the source of the plague fast, before it was too late for the whole of Abarth and other planets as well...
* * * * *
A few days later, I began to notice Kyel was changing. Icould no longer shut my eyes to this; his skin looked somewhat thinner and fairer, and he had become more than friendly to me.
We were out for a walk, crossing the bridge over the beautiful river that winds through the city of Ibala, when he suddenly bent over me, in a rather provocative manner, actually forcing me to kiss him. That wouldn't have been so bad, unless I had suddenly felt worn out; and, Goddess, he was ice cold...
I pushed him back, grabbed my weapon and fired at him at once. Of course, the laser ray wasn't strong enough to kill him, but it should have rendered him unconscious – and that didn't happen. He only looked at me in wonder and stuttered
“Sandra, why did you do that?” in simulated sorrow.
Then I was aware of all those people, who were gradually surrounding me, coming to help their kind. A hand touched my left shoulder and I moved aside startled. I had to perform some fast and accurate martial art moves in order to avoid being captured by them, and I finally escaped running like crazy through the narrow, stone alleys.
Later on, I contacted Peter of the Stars. He arrived on Abarth in almost no time and we found refuge in an isolated inn, far from any city. We spent the whole night talking about Goddart and the regime of intense psychic vampirism he had imposed on the planet. Peter looked rather thoughtful during our conversations, as if he had already known, or as if he was hiding some crucial details from me.
“Guess who else is here, on Abarth!” he said finally.
* * * * *
Next evening I found myself among countless wild youngsters, who were waiting for a music concert to begin.It was Peter who had insisted on our going there, without explaining why. One of his surprises, I reckoned. There was a certain delay of course, just to make the impatience of the crowds grow. The settings on the stage were not particularly impressive, just some thick chains hanging down and a metal network in the background.
All of a sudden, the stage lights were on and everything changed: I could hardly believe my eyes, as now the chains and the network looked like magic instruments glowing weirdly in the colourful streams of light that flashed around in fascinating combinations of purple, blue, red, white. The whole stage looked like a mystical land consisted of light, where the star singer and his musicians were already moving like fleshless shadows.
The first notes of music hypnotized the crowds, who were already raving, while I was standing there watching, numb and frozen of astonishment. I could already feel something was very wrong but I could not resist, so I experienced...
Once again,
I want to get high...
The singer's voice was low, hoarse and enigmatic, with a rather evocative effect that made me chill.
You know what I want,
So just give it to me...
I watched like magnetized the top singer in his tight, red leather outfit which made him look very sexy; his long hair was dyed black and waved in the night breeze. Every move he made gushed of sensuality; even the way he held the microphone was a simulation of sex, which brought the audience to a state of trance, and I was no exception.
Lilac, blue, green, golden cascades of light flashed all
around, as the song culminated to a crescent refrain: I need more... always more...
I need it all,
the life force you can give...
This is real magic, I reckoned in wonder. I could sense terrible quantities of energy -tangible in the air- being conveyed from the delirious audience to the musicians, mostly to the top singer. Naturally, this is what happens any time crowds of people worship somebody on a stage or somewhere else, but in this case the phenomenon was thousands of times more intense. Very soon all these people would be drained of their energy; moreover, they would be happy about it.
I need more... always more...
The singer demanded once again and I stared at him in reverie.
That man... I just wanted him madly... and I knew who he was, and I just didn't care...
I need your life force,
all the force you can give...
“Venor!” I exclaimed then.
Nobody heard me of course, apart from Peter who was standing next to me, chuckling at my astonishment.
Just let me feel you,
Get out of control...
The singer's voice echoed around sepulchral, as if it were coming from a tomb...
But why? What is Venor doing here? And why all this masquerade? I wondered. Surely Venor knows quite a few
methods of gathering and handling psychic energy -all dictators do- but this...
Once again the singer asked for “more life force”; four women dancers moved towards him and started touching him all over his body, while he was pretending unwillingness. As the song went on, the women insisted; the singer knelt down, slowly surrendering to their affection, while the audience were watching like mesmerized.
I need all your life force, he went on, in a hoarse voice.
The women finally moved away and he was standing on his feet again, holding the microphone tight in his hand, in a rather sensual manner. I could hardly take my eyes off him.
... I need more and more... for...
There was a brief pause that only made the crowd even more delirious. Then, the sepulchral voice was heard all over the place again:
A ghost star is my world,
endless lands of gold;
a splendor to be spread
all over the universe...
Everybody, me included, was overwhelmed by a sweet weakness that grew stronger and stronger with each verse.
When it was all over, we all just stood there like inanimate stone statues, without breath. I felt as if all my energy had been absorbed by the top singer, who was now standing tall among the hanging chains – no doubt the strongest psychic vampire I had met so far. However, I could perceive he wasn't the final receptor of all that vital and psychic energy; he was able to handle only a small percentage of it; the rest
was destined to be used by someone else, someone much more powerful...
After a few moments of general numbness, the crowds cheered exhilarated. Venor smiled broadly and waved at the spectators in triumph. At an unsuspected time, I swear he fixed his eyes on me and I felt a sting in my heart, although Peter and I weren't near enough to be possibly recognized from the stage.
* * * * *
When the concert was over, Peter and I sought to find Venor backstage. Having neutralized two of the technicians and taken their clothes, it wasn't so hard for us to search along the narrow corridors without being detected. It wasn't hard at all, I'd say...Twice we had to use passwords so as to open locked doors, but this has never been a problem for Peter. I'm not at all certain how he does it, but he can hack any entrance code within seconds.
We found Venor just in time, as he was getting ready to leave. He was wearing one of his casual uniforms now, a dark purple one with black boots, but he was still incredibly attractive.
“Sandra!” he chuckled. “I've been waiting for you!”
“What are you doing here, Venor?” I demanded to know immediately.
“What do you think?” he asked back.
Next moment he set fire on his right thumb, just by rubbing it against the wall.
“You see? It doesn't even hurt!” he smiled.
Of course; psychic vampires of this kind are almost
invulnerable, I pondered after the initial surprise.
“Hurt? Why do you think I want you hurt?” I said softly.
I approached and touched his right cheek gently, hoping to put him off guard.
“I don't want you hurt”, I reassured him in a low voice.
His face got softer and he bent his head slightly with frowned eyes, as if admitting his guilt. I knew he was already up to something.
“She is the one you've been telling me about, right Venor?”
rang a man's metallic voice behind me.
“That's right, Goddart!”
For a moment I froze stiff. So, the infamous Goddart is right here, I thought, having certain dealings with Venor of Yrkania! I certainly hadn't seen that coming.
I turned round slowly and faced the master of all psychic vampires; he looked more like an apparition than a human, as the substance he was made of was obviously a lot thinner than flesh and blood.
“Is he your new friend, Venor?” I asked the prince in feigned coolness.
“So, now you know; and this is the last thing you will ever know!” he replied frigidly.
I turned my head and stared at the blond, weird man again.
Chills ran down my spine, as the aura he emitted was indescribable: It was as if billions of different energies were converging towards him, making him stronger and stronger moment by moment – the life force of innumerable living beings, human or other species, being willingly offered to him, and all his victims were meant to acknowledge the soul-destroying peril only when it was too late.
“How could you ever be allied to such a thing?” I asked Venor then, but received no answer.
Next moment I pulled out my laser gun and fired at him –
again and again. He didn't even flinch.
In the meantime Peter got ready to fight Venor, as the two men took out their laser swords simultaneously. The prince forced Peter to step back; both were outside the room now, on the wide landing of the stairway, their laser blades already hissing and flashing in the semi-darkness.
Peter was an excellent fighter but Venor was considerably stronger in muscle and very unpredictable sometimes. The duel went on for some long moments; I could feel how impatient Peter had become, as he kept on striking with extraordinary vehemence against an enemy who always parried his blows quite easily.
At the same time, I was wondering about the right way to confront my opponent. He had done nothing to harm me so far, whereas I had already used my laser weapon against him. His cool, inexpressive face showed that not only had it left him intact, but it had invigorated him as well.
There was a soft thud coming from outside; I turned my head for second and glanced through the open door: Venor had just slipped off the stairs and he was hanging from the baluster. He strove to climb up but it proved to be pretty hard; Peter approached and gave him a hand, so that they could go on with a fair fight. However, Venor was insidious enough to punch Peter on the chin as soon as he was on the landing again. The young man was taken off guard and Venor had the chance he needed to get the edge, performing two fast high kicks against his opponent. Peter lost balance as well as his laser sword, and collapsed on the floor with a cry of pain.
“That was very treacherous of you, Venor! You will regret it!” threatened Peter as soon as he stood up on his feet again, hurt and unarmed.
Venor laughed complacently and attacked again with bare hands, only to be held in check by Peter's excellent martial art moves. Venor had to fight hard so as not to be cornered by his opponent; he was actually astonished at the unexpected turn the fight had taken.
Next moment, the Yrkanian prince was forced to retreat all the way back, his elbows now leaning against the metal baluster. Peter smiled satisfied and got ready to give the final blow. However, he paused for an instant, having just realized that his opponent was now watching something extraordinary with an expression of anguish on his face.
Both duelists forgot all about their fight, turned their heads and watched...
* * * * *
I had just lowered my laser gun, acknowledging it would be useless against a powerful cosmic vampire like Goddart. I was only standing there motionless, captive of the creature's outlandish charm. I didn't feel like fighting him anymore. At least I was still aware of the fact that my will had weakened dangerously, as I kept on staring at his mesmerizing, golden eyes. Then his lips moved...“A ghost star is my world... ”
After the first verse was heard, I could hardly think of anything.
“...endless lands of gold... ”
Each word drained more and more of my life force; the laser weapon slipped off my hand.
“...a splendor to be spread... ”
I was already falling into a sweet torpor I didn't want to come out from.
“...all over the universe... ”
As the last verse reverberated in the ionized air, there was a spectral vision before my wide open eyes: I could actually see those “endless lands of gold”, all those worlds Goddart had conquered – so serene, blissful, perfect... Tears rolled down my cheeks, as I now knew he was right about everything. Nevertheless, I also had the impression those eyes were not my own eyes anymore...
Right at that moment, I felt the power surging inside me little by little. Maybe not all is lost after all, I reckoned, while I suddenly knew what to do exactly.
Well, this is no something I normally do; I resort to such means only on very special occasions – and that was such an occasion.
For a few moments Goddart watched me dumbfounded, while I was tracing wide circles in the air with my hands –
two concentric circles made of luminous, white, astral fluid, very soon complete with magic ideograms. The shape resembled a protective shield, but it was more than that: It was the third seal of Isis, which eliminates all kinds of perils and enemies. Next instant I began the invocation: I adjure and order you, Goddart,
with all my force and vehemence,
with the virtue of Whom
spoke and all was created;
in the name of the Great Goddess Isis,
Mother of Gods, Mistress of the Heavens, who decrees that I shall live forever,
whilst you'll be gone once and for all...
Next instant the circles moved towards the enemy and crashed upon him. He vanished into nothingness, as he was thrown out of this reality, out of this continuum of time and space.
Several minutes lapsed in absolute serenity. I thought I had succeeded and got ready to walk away but, all of a sudden, there he was again – Goddart was standing before me again, he was inside this world again. I looked at him flabbergasted, as nobody had managed to break the seal of Isis so far. However, he did look different now: I supposed he had lost enormous amounts of energy, for he no longer looked semi-spectral; the man I was now facing was flesh and blood, just a normal, material man.
“That was a great mistake, Sandra!” he shouted at me, outraged.
I sought to collect my laser weapon but I didn't have the time to do so; he attacked immediately with a fast flying kick, which I hardly dodged. I tried to fight back but he kept on escaping my blows with considerable ease. An unexpected, lightning kick on my head made me lose the world and collapse on the floor breathless. I could barely move; I was lost in a never-ending vertigo, while a frenzied voice echoed all around: “Die, Sandra Anderson!”
He fired at me at once, having grasped my own laser weapon at an unsuspected time. I can't really tell why he missed; either he was too angry or I was very lucky: I slipped instinctively aside and the laser beam flashed right beside me. He got ready to fire again, full of wrath, while I was trying to stand on my feet; it was only a matter of seconds till he would get me...
At that moment, Peter forgot all about Venor and rushed in,
calling my name. The enemy was momentarily abstracted and that was the chance I needed to pounce on him like crazy. He lost his balance, fell back and bumped his head really bad against the sharp edge of the built-in cupboard behind him. He collapsed on the corner and stayed there motionless.
For a couple of endless moments, I stood there numb and watched his slender body lying down; there was a terrible red stain at the back of his head, a stream of thick blood gushing out on the floor. I approached hesitantly and sought to feel the pulse on his throat; I felt nothing. Goddart, the cosmic vampire, a God for many worlds, was dead.
This is how the plague ended. Sooner or later, Abarth would be the peaceful, beautiful place it once was, as the chain of psychic vampirism was broken right at its first link. The disease wouldn't be gone all at once, of course, but at least it was inert and it would die out soon.
Feeling rather perplexed and exhausted, I let my eyes wander around for a few seconds; Venor was nowhere to see but this didn't matter to me at the time...
* * * * *
It was pure intuition that led my steps along the narrow, picturesque alleys of the Old City of Ibala, as I was trying to locate Peter who had disappeared right after Goddart's defeat, looking for Venor. I followed the shallow brook that flowed along the main street of the old city, until I reached a lovely house with a tiled roof built on an arched bridge. I paused for a second and admired the mysterious beauty of the place; it looked as if it were stuck in the medieval ages.Turning round the corner, I saw the two men getting ready for a duel in the middle of a backstreet. Both were unarmed, neither of them was aware of my presence, and I preferred
“Venor! Come here and fight!” Peter shouted.
“I've had enough of you, Peter!” replied the Yrkanian prince, standing on guard.
Venor attacked first with extreme violence; Peter managed to block effectively a fast, mortal blow aimed at his throat.
Next instant he had to dodge a quick side kick. Right after, Venor made another assault, aiming his strong fist at his opponent's heart. Peter parried the blow just in time and fought back with a sharp elbow blow on Venor's solar plexus. The prince grimaced of pain and stepped back without losing his balance.
Next instant the duelists were both on guard again. Venor jumped up like a wildcat, with the edge of his right foot against Peter's chest. The young man hardly avoided the blow, stepping aside just in time, but I knew he was getting tired. Yet, he counterattacked swiftly, although Venor had no special difficulty in blocking all his blows, one by one.
“Damn you, Venor!” burst out Peter then, landing an extra strong punch on his opponent's face. This made the prince stumble back and collapse on the ancient slabs really shocked.
Of course, it would take more than a good bash to knock Venor out. Next moment he stood up wrathful, and attacked with a terrible martial cry. Peter bent aside just in time, giving a fine targeted blow with the back of his fist on Venor's chin.
However, it was obvious that Peter was almost worn out, barely managing to parry the enemy's successive blows. The prince of Yrkania was still excessively energized due to his alliance with Goddart, and there was no way Peter could
deal with that. Within seconds Venor broke Peter's defense with a powerful blow at his chest, pushing him down on the wet pavement, out of breath.
Venor was now pressing hard his right knee on his opponent's chest; Peter was striving to breathe, incapable for any other reaction. Nevertheless, he was still staring at his opponent with a strange persistence, as if refusing to admit defeat.
“I have you, at last!” cried Venor triumphant and got ready to deliver the final blow, the sharp part of his hand aiming at Peter's throat. The young man shut his eyes in despair. It was time I intervened.
“That's enough, Venor!” I shouted and revealed myself, armed with a laser weapon.
The prince raised his head and faced me startled. For a split second he loosened his grip; that was the chance Peter needed to break free, cunningly hitting a sharp blow on Venor's throat. The prince lost his senses – or even worse? I wondered, full of worry.
No; the blow wasn't too strong, so the enemy was still alive
– to Peter's disappointment: “The creep was about to kill me!” he protested, full of rancour.
* * * * *
When Venor came to himself, we were already in my spacecraft, just leaving Abarth. He stood up slowly, still feeling numb. As soon as he realized what was happening, he burst into wrathful desperation, striking his hands against the walls and swearing badly for some minutes; then he let go. He leaned against a desk and lowered his head, passively waiting for an interrogation. He still looked irresistible in his tight purple uniform, and I really felt likepouncing on him instead of making any questions...
“Why, Venor? What did you expect from Goddart?” I only asked.
“What else? Power! More power!”
“I can't understand why you insisted on taking him with us, Sandra”, interrupted Peter. “You should have blown him away instead!”
“Well, I have a much better idea!” I said smiling.
“Such as?” asked the prince hesitantly.
“You have absorbed a lot of vital energy while on Abarth”, I replied, looking at him straight into the eyes. “It's time you gave away some!”
“What do you mean?” Venor and Peter asked in unison.
“We are not very far from Gonast! It's a nice planet with beautiful nature and very friendly residents!”
“Gonast? But it is inhabited by women only! Descendants of Amazons!” exclaimed Venor.
“Don't worry! They aren't going to keep you there forever!”
said Peter sarcastically.
“I don't think I will survive that...” murmured Venor and lowered his head again.
* * * * *
The shining on a silver wheel-rim of a passing Jaguar blinded me for an instant, making me return abruptly to this absurd reality. The wheel of fortune is always turning, inexorably leading me to a sinister destiny... I, Emma, contemplated, still leaning against the railing of the balcony at school.Right at that moment, George Dim passed by without even
looking at me, and I knew he was never going to be mine.
Not in this world, anyway...
C'era una saga lontana e straniera...
Come vorrei...
The first verses of an Italian song sounded sweet and melancholic from an open window across the street. Just then, the dry leaf touched the pavement, before it was swept away and gone with the wind.
Story Thirteen: If Only You Knew...
originally handwritten
from 12th September to 5th November, 1993
You know me; I am Emma Lloyd and I dwell more in the astral planes than in this world. Moreover, I have discovered an alternative way of escaping reality lately, and I'm very happy about it.
I usually detest technology, electronic games, computers, and that sort of thing, but what I have experienced recently is a kind of magic: There is a new place in town called Virtuality.
Every now and then I visit Virtuality, which can be considered as a generator of virtual worlds and cyberspace games. Naturally, the place is full of men who snigger in disdain when they see that I, a bashful teenaged girl, dare pass the threshold of their haunt. If only you knew...
This afternoon I found out there is a new cyberspace game in Virtuality, which is called “Peter of the Stars” (!) Needless to say, I was taken aback as soon as I saw it.
Naturally, it was impossible for me to resist the temptation of playing all levels of this game right away.
I am already fully equipped, wearing the cask which isolates me from the so-called real world, as well as the special uniform which enhances my sense of touch, so that my experience is complete in every way.
The three-dimensional, virtual world now being formed
before my eyes is called Eldyla (!) The digital, vivid colors make the magical land even more fascinating than expected.
Everything there looks wonderful and I feel very excited as I am holding a sword in my hand, ready to confront all kinds of virtual enemies that may appear.
All of a sudden, I get the impression something is wrong; I can hear laser beams hissing around and a familiar voice shout: “What are you doing here again, Astrid?”
It's Peter of the Stars.
“Give up, Peter! You know you can't fight me!” the woman's voice reverberates all around, rather threatening, and I know this is no longer the game I have chosen...
Intervention begins right away: Having projected my conscience there instinctively, the whole world before me is changing fast. All other enemies disappear from sight; there is only Astrid: A charming, young woman with long blond hair, who is chasing Peter of the Stars all over the Emerald Birch Forest.
* * * * *
I, Sandra Anderson, was watching the fight scene in anguish, trying to figure out what was happening.“Give up, Peter!” Astrid ordered once again, aiming at him with a laser weapon.
He laughed at her threat, and jumped up on the air, dodging all her successive laser rays. He kept on running and hiding behind trees and rocks, while she was looking for him with fiery eyes. At a moment he rushed down like a dart, seeking to grab her weapon; yet, she moved back just in time, preventing him from doing so. Peter retreated at once disappointed, and hid behind a high rock with fast, shadowy movements; I could tell he was getting worried.
“Come here and fight, if you have the guts!” the woman cried with a cunning voice.
Next instant he stood opposite to her with arms akimbo, full of self-confidence.
“Here I am, Astrid!” he said serious. “You will be sorry for challenging me!”
“Nobody threats me!” she retorted and fired at him again.
He jumped up once more, then he came down against his enemy as fast as an arrow. She feigned turning back as if trying to escape, but she faced him again and fired at once.
This time is was a well-aimed shot, which he blocked successfully with his alvesten bracelets.
Astrid fired once again; Peter ducked instinctively, hardly dodging the mortal ray. Then he jumped on a big birch with rich foliage, and the enemy lost him for a moment. Next instant she reduced the whole tree to ashes with a laser blast, but Peter had already jumped to another birch, and then to another, until he was nowhere to see. Astrid stood there with her weapon in hand; she kept looking all around impatiently, but there was no way she could find him there.
Everything was still and quiet now, which made her -and me- feel even more anxious.
All at once, Peter jumped down a tree and landed on Astrid's shoulders, making her lose balance and collapse on the thick grass. Yet, his victory proved to be too short: She pushed him away with a lightning kick, which sent him bump hard against a thick tree trunk. He just stayed there stunned for a moment or two. Astrid got near him, pressed the correct nerve on his neck, and Peter lost his senses instantly.
Maybe I should have interrupted the fight, I thought with a
sting in my heart. Then, to my astonishment, she bent over him and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. “My sweet, my beautiful Peter”, I thought I heard her whisper. Next moment, both opponents vanished into thin air, while I was still watching flabbergasted.
Sometimes it is impossible to imagine what sinister mysteries may be hiding behind a serene, picturesque landscape – for example, green plains crowned by golden trees, lilac mountains rising in the horizon, under a shiny blue sky.
The place where Astrid met her secret lover was exactly like that. She turned Peter of the Stars over to him alive, as they had previously agreed.
“I have observed my part of the agreement; I expect you to do the same”, she said stern.
The prince Venor of Yrkania nodded with a soft smile.
* * * * *
Peter was thrown in a murky dungeon curved in the rocks of an underground cavern. In there he spent countless hours in pain: His arms were tied up in chains hanging from the ceiling; his slender, half-naked body was full of bleeding wounds and bruises.Venor seemed to never have enough of torturing his defenseless enemy with a leather whip. Peter had lost his senses three of four times so far, but he was suffering all this with admirable dignity. He was obviously getting weaker and weaker with every lash, but the torture wouldn't get any softer; on the contrary, it was getting wilder and wilder, leaving more and more injuries on Peter's lucid skin, while Venor looked irritated and satisfied.
“You won't get out of here alive, Peter of the Stars!” cried
the prince, slashing the whip with all his strength.
Peter gasped in pain once more; then he gave Venor a look of defiance. “Get over with it, Venor! I'm not afraid to die!”
he uttered with fiery eyes.
Venor smiled ironically and got ready to strike again.
However he hesitated, as right then a woman's voice rang overbearing inside his head:
“Just a moment, Venor!”
“What do you want, Astrid?” he answered mentally.
“I hope you haven't forgotten our agreement: Peter of the Stars will not die before you have completed your part!”
“I know”, murmured Venor; Peter looked at him in wonder.
“Enough is enough! I'm waiting for you in my chamber, prince Venor!” she decreed.
Venor let go the whip at once and left the dungeon with hasty steps.
* * * * *
It was a cool, starry night in the city of Sperere, on planet Alcimin. I had returned to the place that was my home during the previous month: It was an old but picturesque mansion that stood all alone in the forest that lies in the south outskirts of Sperere. It had two-storeys, lots of latticed windows and a lovely pergola; the sloping, tiled roof was decorated with a lovely attic window and two chimneys. There was also a cylindrical room -a kind of tower- with a conical roof ending at a lightning conductor.I felt rather numb sitting on the white, wadded armchair, opposite the big window of my living room, reminiscing the bliss of last month. It was all so different then: I was on a tour of music concerts, reveling in the admiration of
different audiences all over Alcimin. Away from dangerous adventures and inexorable enemies, wreathed in the bright lights of the stage, with thousands of people adoring me like a goddess, I felt a continuous surge of energy all over me – a priceless sensation that made me feel so alive. Well, I had taken a good lesson during my last adventure on planet Abath...
I remembered how carefree I felt while I was on the stage, dancing and singing all my greatest hits, dressed in a tight black velvet outfit matched with red boots and gloves. The multi-coloured bright lights, the impressive settings, the extraordinary digital effects, as well as the fine artistic music made the audiences applaud delirious. All those people were mine, and I belonged to all of them in a certain way. Can any of them realize what they actually worship in me? I often wondered.
Now all this happiness seemed to be gone forever, for I was facing an unprecedented problem: Peter of the Stars was lost and I had no idea where I could possibly find him.
Suddenly I sensed it, and my train of thought was interrupted at once: There was something in the room, a foreign presence; I stood up startled, turned round but saw nothing. Next moment I could feel a man's hands fumbling my body, cupping my breasts from behind. I grabbed him at once and pulled him violently in front of me.
“Venor!” I cried, as soon as I saw who it was.
“Is this how you welcome an old friend?” he asked jokingly.
“What are you doing here?” I asked back.
“I've missed you!” he answered in the same tone.
I just looked at him contemptuously.
“Is this so hard to believe?” he went on.
“Well, it is”, I replied pensive, while I was feeling a weird ionization in the air.
There was something else in there too, another presence, which was more intense, more suppressive, even more threatening than Venor.
The prince got nearer and laid his hands on my shoulders, just like an old friend -or lover- would do. I was surprised and worried.
“I didn't mean to frighten you, alright?” he said softly. “I just wanted to...”
He didn't finish his sentence; he only bent over and gave me a tender kiss on the lips. This time I was shocked.
“That's enough!” I exclaimed, intending to avoid any more of his intimacies.
At that moment, a kind of shadow moved fast beside us.
There was a jumble of crackling noises all around and a thick, flashing light coming from the arched door of the living room. Then, a lusty woman's voice echoed all over the place: “So, you've been cheating on me, Venor!”
The flashing light was gone and there she stood before us: Astrid was very young, maybe an adolescent; she looked quite impressive with her long blond hair, the sparkling blue eyes, the clear white skin and the pink, flimsy dress. It took me only a second to realize she was some kind of witch already launching an astral attack against the prince of Yrkania, who collapsed on the floor stunned.
“Venor!” I only had the time to shout.
“Did you think you could fool me, Venor?” she went on angrily, obviously redrafting her powers. “You will be punished for this, as you deserve!”
Too bad for her, that the power was with me right at the correct moment. This bitch certainly needs a lesson, I pondered, as she was approaching Venor with slow, cautious steps and malevolent eyes.
“Stop right there!” I shouted at her.
She paused there and looked at me in wonder, as if she hadn't noticed my presence until that moment.
“How do you dare?” she uttered in disdain, turning against me.
I parried her next astral blast with one of mine. Taking advantage of her instant bewilderment that blocked her temporarily, I jumped forth and pounced on her.
“It's time you learned some manners, Miss Petticoat!” I cried with a mocking voice, as I was trying to immobilize her down on the floor.
“We shall meet again!” she only said, and right after she was gone; she had just disappeared in my arms.
I only stayed there dumbfounded, still knelt down, without believing my eyes. There was no sign of her anymore; the atmosphere was clear again, and Venor had almost come to himself.
“You do owe me some explanations, my dear enemy”, I whispered to myself.
* * * * *
“... I don't really know where she comes from... but she always finds me, wherever I go... she wants my body, that's for sure... in the beginning I was flattered by her ardent passion for me... however, she is getting more and more demanding... I hoped she would lose me if I left Yrkania for a while...” Venor explained later in a broken voice. Hewasn't very clear, he gave me the impression of hiding certain details, but he seemed to be troubled indeed.
“Did you have a nice time during your stay on planet Gonast?” I asked him out of the blue.
At that moment he blushed, which I found really amusing.
This is something the prince of Yrkania never does, but this time he blushed, like a shy adolescent who's getting ready to talk about his first sexual experience.
“I was constantly exhausted”, he answered in obvious embarrassment. “But those were the happiest forty nights of my life!” he concluded with a brief smile.
“When did you first meet Astrid?” I asked then.
“I dreamt of her three or four times while on Gonast; sexual dreams mostly...”
“So, in all probability this is how she located you”, I deduced thoughtful. “She was probably attracted by all that lust for so many nights... and the amounts of vital energy you got and gave during those nights; and then she followed you to Yrkania...”
“She has been following me everywhere ever since; at first it was in dreams, then she began to materialize; I admit I'm scared”, Venor wound up.
I can't tell exactly why I agreed to undertake this case.
Being assigned to protect the prince of Yrkania was something I could have never imagined by that time.
Besides, I actually liked the idea of Venor being finally up against more than his match. On the other hand, I was too curious to find out more about that entity called Astrid, who had haunted Venor's dreams and life...
* * * * *
Firstly we had to discover her origin; for that reason, I suggested we should arrange a special séance. In the beginning the prince was skeptical, but soon he went along with that.“This is the ideal place for a séance!” he exclaimed spontaneously, as soon as we entered the tower. He and I sat facing each other at a round, wooden table in the middle of the room. First we joined hands; then I uttered the correct magic words, while the smoke of a specific narcotic substance was rising towards the ceiling. It wasn't long before we were both in deep trance. At first, there were two familiar voices echoing in the dark:
“What's your name?” I recognized Venor's voice coming from afar.
“Call me Astrid”, a woman answered softly.
“What do you want from me?”
“I want you, Venor or Yrkania! All I need is you!”
Then there were some blurred images; I couldn't make out much, but there was no doubt it was her and him, Astrid and Venor, making love over and over again – sexual activities that never seemed to end. Loud sighs and cries of sensual pleasure reverberated all over the room, which made me very nervous. Venor wasn't feeling any better either. There was tremendous ionization in the air; the images got even more blurred, although the voices sounded louder and louder, then fainter and fainter, until there was nothing, nothing at all, apart from that sense of extreme lust still hovering around us. We both came out of that trance feeling confused and disappointed.
At that point, I had a strong sense of another presence in the room; a malevolent, hostile presence, barely visible as a
fleeting apparition – and I had no doubt about who it was. It was materializing moment by moment, while Venor and I were watching speechless. Then, all of a sudden it was gone, and we both sighed in relief and disappointment at the same time.
When I finally managed to put my mind together again, I tried to stay calm and contemplate on what that séance had revealed about Astrid: As far as I could perceive, she was an astral entity, maybe a kind of succubus, who travels through dimensions and seduces men while in dream state.
However, this one was extremely powerful, accosting men also while awake, with the purpose of absorbing vital energy through sex. But that was not all she wanted from Venor – she wanted even more from him, and at that time I couldn't understand what or why...
“Why, Venor? What does she really want from you?” I asked frowning.
“She wants me, you heard it! And she wants me for herself only! Forever!”
“It is obvious she is very possessive”, I said thoughtful.
“Why was the séance disrupted?” wondered Venor.
“There wasn't enough psychic energy; but I think there is another way to lure her into our world!”
When I explained my plan to Venor, he expressed some doubts about its success; moreover, he considered it rather dangerous. Yet, it didn't prove to be too hard for me to convince him. In fact, he gave me the impression he wanted to be convinced...
* * * * *
A few minutes later we were in my crimson-painted bedroom. We took off our clothes with slow, maybe hesitantmovements; then we lay in bed. He started by giving me a warm smile, while his hands were caressing my abdomen, then my breasts. He looked so incredibly irresistible...
“Come on, use me!” he joked and I could no longer resist.
I rode on him, as if I were riding a horse; I had him inside me, over and over again, in an endless sequence of crazy rides -nine or eleven?- feeling wonderfully energized every time, while we sighed and sighed again, entirely engrossed in absolute lust. I kissed and bit, caressed and scratched every little part of his muscular, perfect body; he hugged and kissed me full of affection, and we both relished extreme satisfaction, breathless. I was crazy about him, I wished it would never end – but it did, after an indefinable span of time, when he was eventually exhausted, a sex toy in my hands.
I could now feel how thin the veil had become, as I had the impression of tiny, silver sparks filling the air all around.
Next instant I was on him again, caressing gently his slim waist, the flat abdomen, then his ribs, his broad chest. He looked so fragile and so manly at the same time...
I had hoped for another round but that he was in no position for something like that. Instead, he closed his blue topaz eyes and fell into deep sleep, as he could give no more. I lay my head on his chest softly, relishing the sensation of his heart pounding in my ear - and I waited...
“That was not necessary, Sandra Anderson, not necessary at all!” a woman's voice rang loud and metallic all over the room, even before materialization was complete.
Venor and I sat up stupefied and faced Astrid who was now standing right before us. Her slim figure was evocatively illuminated by the golden moonlight coming through the big, latticed window. She seemed to be even more powerful
now, full of self-confidence; her white skin was shining splendid, her long blond hair was slightly waving on her shoulders. She was wearing an azure, almost transparent gown with a wide, pink belt around her waist. She did look dazzling but not sensual. Strangely enough, at that time she gave me an impression of being asexual. And terribly jealous too...
“So, you wanted to know why I am here and what I want from Venor, Sandra? Let me tell you!” she uttered aggressively. “Venor and I have made an agreement! I have already carried out my part, but he intends to escape! Let alone, he cheats on me repeatedly!” she spoke fast; the full moon behind her made her look even more dreadful and wicked.
“What kind of agreement was that, Astrid?” I wondered.
“Of course, he hasn't told you” she went on with a bitter smile.
“She has been exploring dimensions in order to find the ideal man who would supply her with all the energy she needs to materialize in the world of matter and live a normal woman's life”, Venor was beforehand in explaining. “And she believed I could be that man!”
“I believed?” cried Astrid indignant. “You agreed and promised me I would become your one and only wife for life, on condition that I solved a very serious problem of yours!”
“What... what problem?” I stuttered, not at all sure whether I wanted to hear the answer.
“Give it a good guess, Sandra!” she said spitefully.
I just looked at her flabbergasted; after a brief pause, she continued talking in the same, hostile and ironic, tone of
voice: “Still can't imagine? Well, my part of the agreement was to capture Peter of the Stars and deliver him to Venor!”
“What?” I could hardly believe my ears.
“He hasn't mentioned anything about it, has he?” she uttered then, giving Venor a venomous look.
“Is it true, Venor?” I asked a firm voice.
“This is all lies! Don't believe a word she says!” he exclaimed and stood up, disregarding his nudity.
“Lies, ah? Do have a look, Sandra, at what Venor has done to your precious Peter of the Stars!”
Astrid raised her hands and launched a terrible cascade of energy on the opposite wall. The stream of astral fluid, coming from both her palms, was violently contorted for a few moments until it gradually formed a specific holographic scene: To my horror, I saw Peter in chains and Venor flogging him ferociously, making his slender body writhe with pain and bleed all over; and it was only Astrid's intervention that saved Peter from being flogged to death at that time.
“No, don't believe her! She is making it all up! It's all a lie!”
protested Venor once again, but I paid no heed.
So, that was it, then: Probably because he couldn't have imagined how dangerous Astrid really was, Venor had entered into a very special agreement with her: She would capture Peter of the Stars for him, and he would supply her with all the vital energy she needed to become a material woman, with the prince of Yrkania as her husband for life!
Nevertheless, the prize for Peter's life had soon proved to be too high for Venor...
“Where are you keeping him?” I asked Venor at once, trying hard to contain the wrath surging inside me.
“He is in a dungeon, deep in the caves of Salkande”, answered Astrid instead of Venor, her eyes shining vindictively.
Right after, the astral vision melted away within a second, leaving me confused for some long moments. I felt as if I had just woken up from a nightmare; when I looked around, Venor was nowhere to see...
* * * * *
I left the tower, the old mansion and everything right away and reached the caves of Salkande as soon as possible. It proved to be a rather dark and sinister place; the atmosphere was humid and full of stifling vapors. It was an underworld that reminded me of inferior astral planes. Most of its underground caverns and galleries were washed by a winding, narrow river that formed serene lakes here and there. The prevailing colors were olive green, lead gray and brown, not only on the walls but in the water as well. There were dim lights embedded in the rocks, which means somebody was using that place for certain purposes...I can't tell how much time I spent in that half-lit, underground place, looking for Peter's prison. The caves of Salkande proved to be a labyrinth and I often had the impression I was going round and round in circles.
All of a sudden, I froze stiff as I saw Venor appear round a corner, at the edge of the cliffs over the river – which meant I wasn't far from the secret dungeon. He looked quite attractive in his tight-fitting, azure uniform, which left his ribs naked; the high, crimson boots and the golden belt enhanced his masculine charm even more. I should have drawn my laser sword at once, but I didn't; I just stared at him for a couple of seconds, unable to hide my frailty.
Venor took advantage of it and pulled out his weapon first.
“This is as far as you can go, Sandra!” he said in a firm voice.
“Where is Peter? Tell me!” I demanded to know, ignoring the laser gun pointed at me.
Next instant there was tremendous ionization in the atmosphere, which distracted both of us. A cascade of white sparks filled the air all around, and before either of us could act anyhow, Astrid appeared before us, out of nowhere, like a ghost. This time she was dressed in a violet uniform and armed with a soulblade – a most powerful astral weapon, that looked like a sword but it was ethereal.
“Astrid!” Venor's voice reverberated rough in the musty air.
I was already brandishing my laser sword, on guard against Astrid, when I heard her cry: “The problem is you, Sandra Anderson! Venor and I were having a perfect love affair, until you showed up!”
Next moment she stepped forth, assaulting me full of wrath.
We exchanged some powerful strokes for a while, and the dusky, cavernous environment was illuminated with innumerable golden sparks from our weapons. I went on with the fight full of persistence and determination, although I knew my laser sword wouldn't be able to repel the soulblade for long.
Soon I was constrained to retreat, as the power of the soulblade seemed to be increasing moment by moment.
After an extremely powerful stroke of the enemy, my laser sword was doused and fell off my hand. I sought to keep my composure, while Astrid was smiling malevolently, as she was getting ready to deliver the final blow.
“You are dead, Sandra Anderson!”
Her shrill voice sounded deafening, not in my ears but in
my mind, like an inner death sentence bell.
“Not so fast, Astrid!”
Venor's commanding voice interrupted the fight, taking my opponent by surprise. The prince of Yrkania pounced on Astrid furious, dragging her down on the rocks. The soulblade slipped off her hand and melted away in the air.
Next instant, a strong punch in the face made Astrid fall down unconscious. She looked rather material now, just a simple, frail girl lying on the rocks helpless.
From that moment on, everything seemed to be happening just too quickly: First, I picked up my weapon and tested it impatiently; to my great relief, it still worked. Then I fled as fast as I could. I ran through narrow galleries and cavities, waded along shallow brooks and pools, following mainly my intuition, until I found Peter's prison at last. It was a small cell built on the rock; there was a metal door with a tiny, barred window in front. I broke the lock with my laser sword and got in. It was rather suppressive and stuffy, with dark, humid walls and a stifling atmosphere. Peter was sitting against a corner; he looked rather sad and discouraged.
“Are you all right, Peter?” I asked, fearing the answer.
As soon as he saw me, his face lit.
“Of course I'm all right!” he replied and sprang on his feet.
It was quite a shock to see that he was full of wounds and bruises. I rushed towards him, we hugged and kissed for a few moments; the sensation of his slender, hurt body in my arms was beyond words.
“What did he do to you, Peter?” I asked in a broken voice.
“Oh, not much, don't worry about it, Sandra! Besides, I was about to escape pretty soon!”
“We have to get out of here!” he said then, in a decisive voice.
Within seconds he was the Peter I've always known, full of courage, determination, self-confidence and pride...
* * * * *
A few days later I returned to my mansion in the south outskirts of Sperere. It was a warm evening, and the golden sun was setting majestic behind the lilac mountain tops in the horizon.To my great surprise, I found Venor waiting for me in the spacious veranda, armed with a laser gun. Judging from his angry face, it was far from a friendly visit.
“You tricked me, Sandra, and you are going to pay for this!”
he said bluntly, aiming at me.
“Come on, Venor, after what I've done for you?” I replied smiling, hoping to appease his anger.
“You've done nothing for me!”
“I didn't expect you to be so ungrateful!” I protested, wondering what he meant: Haven't I helped him get rid of a most dangerous astral entity?
Next moment Venor fired at me and I hardly dodged the mortal laser beam by moving aside just in time. I stepped on the wooden baluster, twisted my body fast and performed a swift somersault in air, finally landing on the enemy's chest with two lightning kicks. He collapsed breathless, and I grabbed the weapon as it was slipping off his hand. I stood up instantly and threatened him with his own gun. He sat up slowly, feeling numb and defeated.
“Tell me, Venor, what happened after I left you with Astrid
in the caves of Salkande?” I wanted to know.
“She came to herself a second later...”
“And...?”
“She was very angry... and I had to... I had to convince her about my good intentions!” he stammered.
“How did you achieve that?” I wondered.
“You don't want to know!” he replied, blushing adorably –
once again.
Right at that moment, I noticed Venor's face turn pale of fright, as he seemed to be watching something terrifying on his right. I turned my head slightly, always pointing the gun at him, and I caught a glimpse of a shadow moving fast to the big, latticed window beside us. Soon I could make out a woman's face; it was Astrid's face, outlined on one of the panes. Her long, golden hair shimmered in twilight; her blue eyes glowed like topaz stones. Then she gave us a wide, confident smile, which brought chills to both Venor and me. Her lips moved slowly, forming a specific phrase:
“I'll be back!”
I could see Venor was about to lose control, as he could no longer contain his fear. I approached, bent down and sought to calm him.
Astrid's face was still visible on the window pane, but it was turning fainter and fainter moment by moment. Just a second before vanishing, she repeated her silent message with her scarlet, luscious lips: “I'll be back!”
* * * * *
I, Emma, had just finished the game “Peter of the Stars”, having successfully completed numerous levels and experienced a unique adventure elsewhere, in anotherreality. I was feeling exceptionally satisfied, self-confident, fulfilled.
I walked to the exit of Virtuality with a smile of certainty and a shine of joy in my eyes. I'll be back! I pondered as I was getting out, to the fresh air of the evening.
The Legend of the Bone Pyramid
originally handwritten
from 6th January to 5th March, 1994
How many times has this occurred before? I have hoped and hoped again, but there is nobody and nothing here for me, the fifteen-year-old Emma Lloyd. Another school year has begun and there still seems to be no way I can get closer to my beloved George Dim. I just watch him bantering, even dallying with other girls at school, while I feel so far away from him.
Nevertheless, yesterday morning something extraordinary happened: I saw him while on the bus to school. I don't mean George Dim; I mean Peter of the Stars! I looked at him carefully, over and over again, and I could hardly believe my eyes! The young man standing by the door looked exactly like Peter: the red, voluminous, curly hair; the green, sparkling eyes; the slender, supple body... I didn't dare approach or talk to him of course. He got off three bus stops later and he was gone forever.
I sought Peter of the Stars in my dreams last night. As I was sinking in unconsciousness, Peter's figure was outlined in the black screen of my mind clearer and clearer – and there he stood before me, bold and handsome, looking at me with astonished eyes. I ran to him and embraced him tenderly; his arms felt wonderfully warm around me, but... I could also hear his heart pounding in anguish. I was very curious
to find out what kind of trouble he was in this time.
“Go away! Before it's too late!” he only said and escaped through an open window behind him.
* * * * *
The asteroid was insignificant and nameless, yet endowed with unique natural beauties; it was a secret, serene holiday resort for those could afford it.Having just landed there, I, Sandra Anderson, hid behind a thick tree trunk by the sea shore and watched Lord Kochon rushing into the anchored, luxurious yacht where Peter had taken refuge. Before I knew it, he had already cornered Peter outside the rear cabins, aiming to kill him with his laser sword. To my dismay, soon Peter was lying down, trapped and unarmed; yet, he kept on staring at the menacing enemy with enigmatic serenity.
Lord Kochon swayed his laser sword threateningly and said: “You know it's all over for you, but your pride is still bigger than your fear!”
Right then I noticed a party of four young women, all of them astoundingly beautiful, like fashion models. They all had long, blond hair and perfect, slim bodies. Having accommodated themselves by a swimming pool at the stern, they were basking in the sun, wearing impressive, provocative swimsuits. They were all watching the fight from a safe distance, in cruel amusement. What's going on here? I wondered.
I left my hiding place and approached the yacht cautiously, lest I would be seen by Kochon or his men. Before any of them knew it, I was aboard. In the meanwhile, Lord Kochon was raising his laser sword, ready to give the final blow to his fallen opponent.
“I know, Peter of the Stars, that you are not at all invincible when you are out of Eldyla and its magic! Prepare to die!”
he groaned maliciously.
“You've tried the same trick before, Kochon! It didn't work!” I chipped in.
He stood still and looked at me with a pale face.
“Sandra! Sandra Anderson!” he stammered. “It's you again!”
Peter took advantage of his opponent's momentary distraction and swept him off his feet with a fast low kick.
The space vagabond lost his balance and collapsed awkwardly on the deck. Peter pounced on him and landed him one on the face. Lord Kochon was stunned for a moment, and Peter got the chance to grab the laser sword.
Next moment he was standing tall and triumphant over the dazed enemy, while the women were giggling and cheering on their deckchairs.
“You saw that, girls?” said one of them with a frivolous laugh, as if they were watching some funny theatrical play.
She looked quite impressive with her baby face and all those precious jewels around her neck and wrists; her long hair was dyed in the colours of the rainbow. I liked it so much, that I decided to dye my hair similarly as soon as possible.
Peter's explanations regarding his relationship with those women were far from satisfactory. He told me they were
“new, good friends” of his, and they had revealed to him a certain secret about a “gate to other universes that lies beyond the known galaxies”.
He was reluctant to be more specific but, as we were leaving the asteroid in my spacecraft, admiring the fine
view of the endless tropical beach, the overcast night sky and the bright lightning now crowning the yacht, he spoke to me about the Bone Pyramid – a sacred legend for many worlds. In the beginning I was skeptical; then, I decided to go for it.
As about Lord Kochon, he was not at all interested in the Bone Pyramid or any other legend. He had just followed Peter there, away from Eldyla, hoping to defeat and get rid of him once and for all; and he had failed once again.
* * * * *
All right, I admit it. It was naive of me to pilot my spaceship anywhere near the Yrkanian Empire – though I took special care not to get too close. I had only wanted to save some time, and hoped to be unseen. However, the Yrkanian Star Guard was soon after me, compelling me to land on a deserted, small planet. Peter and I got out at once, with laser guns in hand, and hid behind some craggy rocks nearby. We were surrounded by Yrkanian military space vessels in no time. We took out our laser weapons and started firing at them at once. It was in vain, of course; they were just too many.“There's nothing to do, Peter! I'm afraid we have to give in!” I cried desperately, lowering my gun.
“I... I don't like this!” he stammered.
I didn't like it either, but it was our only hope to survive for the time being. A few minutes later, we were arrested by Venor's soldiers.
“So”, asked the prince stern, “Can you tell me why you decided to fly so close to the Yrkanian Empire?”
“This arrest is meaningless and against the law; we have done nothing wrong” I replied, as calm as possible.
“Come on, Sandra”, chuckled Venor. “You would have never flown so close to the Empire but for a very good reason!”
I stayed taciturn; Venor approached and looked at me straight into the eyes.
“I think you know very well about our destination, don't you Venor?” I said finally.
“As a matter of fact...”
He got even nearer and I considered this a good chance of escaping: I attacked him at once with a view to capturing him as a hostage, so that the soldiers would be forced to set us free. However, I was not quick enough: I was shot at once with lasers and collapsed into Venor's hands right away. His scream “Sandra!” was the last thing I heard before sinking into nothingness.
* * * * *
I woke up in metal walls, undoubtedly in some Yrkanian prison. I was still in torpor, feeling very weak, but I could hear that Peter had somehow managed to escape and Venor was still furious. As for my lethargy, it was not hard for me to suspect what was causing it and why.“You think she will confess everything, now?” a man's voice rang in my ears.
“I think she will; our truth serum has been invincible so far!” another one responded.
At that moment I realized my hands were fastened to the arms of a metal chair. Venor was sitting opposite me, while two of his guards were standing by the door on my right, armed with laser weapons. Once again, the prince wanted to know the exact destination of my latest trip, and all I wished right then was to tell him all about it.
“Peter and I had been looking for an astral gate to other universes... the Bone Pyramid...” I stuttered.
For a moment there was absolute silence in the room.
“That's nothing but a myth!” exclaimed Venor finally.
“Yet it exists! It lies beyond the Yrkanian Empire, beyond the known galaxies!”
“Do you... do you know where it is exactly?” stammered Venor, trying to contain his impatience.
“It's not as far as you may think!” I responded enigmatically.
Suddenly I was feeling awake, fully awake, and so much stronger any minute. The power was coming to me fast, and I was relishing the sensation.
“Is it possible that such a thing really exists?” wondered Venor aloud.
“I am not sure”, I replied in a low voice, “but... let's see with our own eyes!”
Next moment I got rid of my shackles and pushed away the chair. Neither Venor nor his guards had the time to be scared.
A thick ectoplasm mass came out of my solar plexus and crashed against the opposite wall, covering it almost all of it in no time. Venor stepped back, full of astonishment, watching the ectoplasm twirl and proliferate violently, taking dreadful forms, finally opening a black hole in the middle, which gaped like a mouth of darkness.
Next moment I was already in trance, reciting the truth in odd verses: “It's reproducing itself incredibly fast... it must be functioning as a dimensional conduit, absorbing energy from the astral planes, automatically transforming this
energy into ectoplasm... nevertheless, the crevice may take uncontrollable dimensions... the flow of energy may spread in two directions, absorbing life from the whole of this plane of existence...”
At that moment, the ectoplasm mass suddenly stopped growing.
“However, the dimensional conduit has been sealed and its reproductive uterus has been rendered inert...” I wound up breathless.
Next instant the black whole was not black anymore; unspeakable, terrifying forms were being materialized inside it, clearer and clearer moment by moment: it was an immense pile of sculls and bones from innumerable kinds of living beings from innumerable worlds; they were all placed in such a way that formed a grotesque bone pyramid that hovered weirdly in a starlit sky.
“How wondrous!” I uttered smiling. “I must get there...
now!”
The mass of ectoplasm never returned to my solar plexus; I was absorbed into its dreadful centre, straight to the Bone Pyramid, before everybody's astonished eyes. Right after, the mass collapsed to its centre and vanished instantly.
Venor was more excited than ever.
“I must get there too! As soon as possible!” he announced in a firm voice.
* * * * *
Somewhere beyond all known galaxies lies the Bone Pyramid – primeval, legendary, solitary, unique, wreathed in an eerie atmosphere of incredibly concentrated energy. It is all made of bones and adorned with death symbols. It is not built on solid ground; it is hovering all alone in the deathlysilence of space, a sacred place of worship for entire galaxies.
I was already there, in the yard, admiring and waiting. I had been expecting Peter of the Stars to appear soon – I can't tell for how long, but time has no real meaning in such places.
A strange, cylindrical space vessel landed nearby and somebody came out of it. It was a most charming, glowing man, who attracted the attention of everybody immediately.
It was no other than Peter of the Stars. I ran to him at once, we kissed and hugged full of passion, then we talked for a while smiling. The others -men and women- could hardly conceal their curiosity and jealousy.
“The Bone Pyramid is not as ancient as it is said to be”, I overheard someone saying. “The ancient peoples were not so advanced in sciences. It was not built in the 3rd century before Marduk, as it is believed, but in the 7th century after Marduk...”
The surrounding environment was more than bizarre; the
“yard” was actually an immense deck made of some glassy material, embedded with skeleton parts of various sizes and shapes. The Bone Pyramid hovered above us, its base not touching the glassy deck; it looked awesome as it was lit by a red sun that sent its spectral rays all over the place.
“So, that's the gate to other universes; yet, nobody has dared use it so far!” I said excited and pensive at the same time.
“Just a moment”, uttered Peter then, and signed for me to be silent. He gave me the impression he was trying to hear something – and next moment I could hear it too: it was a strange, humming noise coming from afar; I looked up and saw...
It was the Lethe, a gigantic cosmic vampire, a living energy accumulator owned by Venor, now dominating the darkness of space. Everybody stood still and watched it coming closer and closer to the Bone Pyramid, having already begun to open its horrible tentacles.
“We should have known” murmured Peter thoughtful.
“We must do something!” I exclaimed in agony. “This thing must not stay here for long!”
“. . .”
Peter tried to say something, but could not utter a word.
“Your new space vessel... Judging by its shape, it can travel in time, can't it?” I asked then hesitantly.
“Yes, but I can't see how this can help”, he replied.
In the meantime, the Lethe was opening up, gradually developing to full size, always humming ominously over our heads.
We rushed into Peter's spacecraft and he programmed take-off at once. There were thinner cylinders whirling faster and faster, one inside the other, inside the thick walls of the vessel, while odd-shaped turbines provided even more energy for the final countdown. The cylindrical vessel hovered in space fast, right over the top of the Bone Pyramid, where the energy flow was most intense.
I assumed everybody must have been watching in wonder, as Peter's spacecraft was not visible continuously; it appeared and disappeared before their eyes in time spans of seconds, until it was gone for good.
* * * * *
We were already travelling very far from the Bone Pyramid and the Lethe, but we could still spy into Venor's starshipthrough the dimensional lense in our bridge deck.
I was quite surprised to see a young woman standing by the prince of Yrkania. She was impressively beautiful, like a mannequin; she had long blond hair, and was wearing clothes of a fine but strange fashion: a black leather jacket, a silk white blouse, red trousers and dark glasses that enhanced her charm. I was astounded to realize she looked familiar; I had certainly seen her before: she was one of Peter's “good friends”, one of those who had informed him about the Bone Pyramid – and I knew those creatures could not be trusted...
Venor turned towards her and told her something; she responded with a soft smile, while the Lethe -now fully developed- could be seen clearly through the oval window behind them.
“Everything is ready!” Peter's voice broke my concentration. “We can be transferred into Venor's starship, but remember: we won't have much time! So... five... four...
three... two... one... Now!”
It was a nasty surprise for Venor, when the alarm sounded deafening everywhere inside his starship.
“What?!” he only faltered in perplexity.
Next moment he was watching the Lethe close gradually its tentacles and withdraw slowly from the Bone Pyramid.
“That's impossible!” he shouted. “You go to your room at once!” he ordered the blonde.
She fled at the double.
Peter had just hacked the main intelligence system of the Yrkanian starship and sent an order of withdrawal to the Lethe.
“Be quick, Peter!” I cried full of anguish, as I knew there was also something else to be done.
The Yrkanian computer operators were out of action, some guards were dead, but the alarm was still hissing demonically. More guards, a lot more, would arrive within seconds – and that would be the end.
“Almost... Now... Done!” announced Peter in triumph, having just caused permanent damage on the software that controlled the Lethe.
“Not so fast, Peter!” Venor's voice sounded rough behind us.
The prince of Yrkania had just found us and the room was already full of armed guards.
“We are trapped!” I stammered.
“It's a lot worse than that!” said Venor complacently.
Yet, maybe not everything was lost yet... Has the time come, or not? I wondered in agony and had a quick look at my bracelet time counter.
“What are you looking at, Sandra?” asked Venor and walked to me hastily, always threatening me with his gun.
Let's just hope it isn't too late, I pondered. Right at that moment a time and space lacuna was formed; everything around us vibrated and melted away like ghosts. Peter and I were no longer there...
* * * * *
In a split second we were back in Peter's spacecraft, which was to perform a space warp right away. Before we knew it we were elsewhere, very far away from that space sector and its extreme dangers. I can't tell where we had ended up exactly, but when we came out of the space vessel it seemedto me like a fashion show held outdoors, along a beautiful coast. There were numerous dazzling mannequins (to my amazement, some of them resembled Peter's “good friends”), all of them wearing impressive clothes and jewels, while strutting on a brightly lit catwalk, one after the other. The spectators were not many, but they looked kinda wealthy, all dressed in expensive, impressive clothes.
“One more show? I don't think I can endure one more show!” I heard someone joke.
Next moment a strong kick on my abdomen made me double up of pain.
“All this is your fault, Sandra”, a man's voice rang metallic in my ears. “I have just lost a precious chance to exploit an astral gate, and that's because of you!”
It was Venor's voice.
Then, as if in slow motion, I took a glimpse of him; he had already drawn his laser weapon on me. I barely managed to avoid the mortal laser beam by springing aside and hiding behind a bulky armchair. I pulled out my laser gun at once, but Peter had already assaulted the prince with a fast somerset on air. Venor was taken by surprise, took a couple of awkward steps back and almost slipped on the shiny cliffs; yet, he was on his feet again in no time, ready for another attack.
“Peter, watch out!” I cried.
No sooner had the enemy fired than Peter jumped up, stepped on a lofty cliff and twisted his body in an incredible somersault, with a view to landing on Venor's chest.
However, the prince moved fast enough to avoid the terrible blow, firing against me at the same time. I hardly dodged the mortal ray, by springing away from that armchair, which
was reduced to ashes. I retaliated the fire immediately, to no avail; Venor attacked once again, he missed, then I fired back, and so on for some endless minutes, until I had a good shot and Venor collapsed behind a big, scarlet sofa. I knew he wasn't dead, because my laser weapon had been adjusted to the anesthetic effect...
Peter and I ran to him at once, only to find out Venor was no longer lying on the ground. He has escaped, I thought disappointed.
Curiously enough, the fashion show wasn't interrupted by all that fighting, and none of the spectators seemed to have noticed what was going on beyond the catwalk.
“How did he do that? How did he follow us?” I asked Peter then.
“I don't know! He is incredible, indeed!” exclaimed Peter in surprise.
Well, he had come too close to me at the time of transfer, I reckoned. We both scrutinized the whole place with our eyes, our laser guns always in hand. Venor was nowhere to see.
All at once, Peter hastened towards two thick pillars that held a fine decorative pediment; he looked cautiously behind the left one, took a step and disappeared from my sight. I wondered and followed hesitantly, but before I had reached there, Peter appeared again. So did Venor.
“He sought to escape”, explained Peter stern. “But he wasn't fast enough for me!”
At that moment Venor's knees seemed to be bending, as if he was feeling too groggy to stand. He leaned on the pillar breathless, probably still weak from my shot.
“It's over, Sandra”, he said in a feeble voice. “You have
* * * * *
I, Emma, had no more energy left to complete this astral adventure. However, as soon as I woke up drowsy, I had the feeling it would soon be over, anyway.I shut my eyes for a moment, only to experience a very vivid hypnagogic hallucination: It was the well-trained figure of Sandra Anderson, dressed in a tight-fitting, white uniform with a deep V-neck and a golden belt, which made her look gorgeous. Her long, black, voluminous hair waved in a soft breeze; she raised her head and looked at me straight into the eyes, as if she were aware of my existence.
Can this be possible? I wondered and my heart leaped.
Next second I was fully awake. Sandra's face was already receding fast from my memory, while an odd stanza was echoing in my mind:
Time and life goes by,
as you're trying to ignore
that the days of hope
belong to the past...
Days of Light and Shadows
originally handwritten
from 26th March to 15th May, 1994
How come I, Emma, decided to come to this party? Haven't I always known that such experiences are not for persons like me?
Anyway, here I am now, cornered by an intoxicated, conceited bum who is continually boasting about his
“special adventures” due to a variety of drugs:
“I've made love with gorgeous female demons while hovering on air, in the middle of my bedroom! Can you possibly imagine the thrill?”
“I have done the same with an alien elf, in the middle of space, our existences spreading all over the universe”, I responded sincerely, unable to keep my mouth shut anymore.
He looked at me aghast; his astonished face was worth all the time and the patience I had lost.
“It was one of the most powerful astral experiences I've ever had!” I went on, amused.
“Astral experiences?”
“Yeah...”
“I've lived through thousands of sparkling rainbows, and I was them all!” he announced then, smiling complacently.
“I have created multiple rainbows unfolding all over the universe, and I've let them fade away into the original cosmic vortex which is continually seething and whirling, screaming and vibrating, forming worlds...” I said in a most evocative manner that left him speechless.
He stayed taciturn for a moment or two; then he glanced at his glass of whiskey and moved away leaving me alone by the big stained-glass window that reflected enchantingly the colourful, bright lights of the party.
At that moment, the front door opened and some new faces trooped in laughing and talking jovially to the hostess.
Sipping my fruit punch abstractedly, I could hardly hear what they were saying for I was already sinking into elsewhere and elsewhen...
* * * * *
A couple of weeks have passed since I, Sandra Anderson, decided to stay with a tribe of warriors in the desert Hirra for a while. I agreed to come here, in this endless desert that covers most of the homonymous planet, after Peter's request. He has always been on friendly terms with these people, but “they have been facing strange, multiple problems recently”, as he explained to me.I am already highly esteemed by the whole tribe, having proved my worth in martial arts more than once. I have even dyed my hair blond, so that I don't look much different from the others, and I wear clothes similar to theirs: a leather top with metal breast cups and a short, variegated skirt, as well as gold jewels. Peter is always with me, of course, but so is a gorgeous, red-haired woman, who seems to be giving him the glad eye continuously. And, yes, I am beginning to feel somewhat irritated, especially after the latest developments.
The blazing, red sun was rising over the golden-lilac, velvet
dunes that surround our oasis, but I could hardly relish this magnificent sight; instead, I had to try really hard to ignore the redhead who was sitting on a rock just a few metres away, gazing at Peter hungrily, once again. She was dressed in a pretty revealing, silver-coloured, warrior's outfit; it was so provocative that Peter could barely take his eyes off her.
All of a sudden she stood up and accosted my man in a most seductive manner; she ignored me completely, as if I were invisible. She stood between him and me, and started talking to him in a most sensual voice that drove me mad.
He only smiled at her and responded eagerly.
No way would I allow this to go on any longer; without thinking about it at all, I grabbed her from behind and pushed her violently down on the hot sand. She knelt on her right knee right away, trying to stand up again staring at me in surprise rather than anger.
Next moment she rose dominant and aggressive, aiming at me with an odd-shaped fire gun. Her silver-coloured uniform shone ominously in the flaming environment; her big blue eyes were riveted on me, meaning no good. Then she shot at me – but I was no longer there.
I jumped up instantly and kicked the weapon off her hands, which stunned her for a second. A fast side kick of mine took her off guard and made her collapse on the sand. I pounced on her right away and we fought barehanded for a while. In the meantime, more and more members of the tribe were gathering around us, shouting, giggling and betting on the winner. I couldn't see Peter anymore; I had no idea where he was or what he was doing...
With a sharp movement, I tore the bodice of her uniform and uncovered her small breasts. Suddenly, I was no longer in the mood for a fight. This was not what I had come here
for. I just let her be and walked away.
* * * * *
After an indefinable span of time, my steps led me to the ancient elephant cemetery; it was a sacred place to all the tribes of the desert, not very far from our settlement. I drew my laser sword -just in case- and began to walk among the sun-bleached skeletons and scattered bones. What am I doing here? I wondered while rambling among the whitened skeletons, fully alert.All of a sudden, a sharp hissing sound urged me to turn and look around for imminent danger. As if just waking up, I knew what that was: I couldn't see it yet, but I had no doubt it was him coming towards me; the feared-by-all Jasonne, the monster I had come here to kill and free all Hirran tribes of its insatiable hunger. I had found him at last...
I could hear him approaching fast, among golden dunes and broken bones, all the way towards me, and there was no way I could escape even if I wanted to.
I gasped for breath as soon as I faced him; he was dreadful of course, a gigantic hybridic creature whose body parts reminded of many different known or unknown animals; he walked on two legs, like a human, but he was incredibly bulky and muscular. I particularly noticed the three huge, pointed horns, and the very long, sharp teeth in its ugly mouth. He was a living terror for all desert tribes, assaulting their settlements every time it felt hungry.
Nevertheless, Jasonne proved to be not so hard to kill; as soon as he saw me, he just dashed towards me with an open mouth. I jumped on a big elephant's scull and up in the air, twisting my body so as to prevent him from catching me in his terrible claws, and I pierced his heart with my laser sword. The monster collapsed with a terrible death-rattle,
then it burst in a blinding red light and vanished into thin air – which means it wasn't really a material being but an inter-dimensional entity summoned by some dark wizard or witch. Who can it be? I wondered rather apprehensive, as I could not suspect anybody in the tribe.
I should have returned to the settlement in triumph, but I didn't. I can't really explain why, but I headed south right away, as if following an invisible guide. It was not long before I discovered the entrance to the so-called Black Cave
-Jasonne's hiding place. Feeling an inexplicable impulse to explore the monster's den, I walked and walked through its dark tunnels – no wonder why they called it “Black Cave”. I expected to find something there, maybe treasures, maybe skeleton parts, maybe something else; yet I found nothing at all, which felt even more creepy.
When I finally reached the exit, that is a narrow opening to a deserted seashore, I touched my neck inadvertently and realized I had lost my gold necklace, probably during the fight. I sighed of disappointment, but turning back to the elephant cemetery and looking for it was out of the question.
The seascape before me looked fantastic, but I felt too weak to stand and admire it. I just collapsed to the sand, as I was literally exhausted.
* * * * *
The torpor was gone sooner than I had expected, and I stood up with a rare feeling of lightness. I came nearer to the smashing waves and relished the wonderful view of the endless ocean that spread before me for a few seconds.As if obeying a mysterious inner voice, I walked slowly into the water; soon I was under the surface, swimming to unknown depths for an indeterminable span of time. It
proved to be one of the most fascinating experiences in my life – all those magical colors created by the sun rays reaching down, the evocative beauty of the deep waters shimmering onto rocks and corals, clusters of fine sea anemones, tall seaweed and thriving sponges, as well as schools of fish swimming all around; such a sharp contrast to the arid sand dunes of the desert...
I swam on, further and further into vertiginous depths, until I saw something incredible, which made me lean against a flat rock and admire in awe: I had just found out an underwater city built on multiple levels upon the rocks of the seabed. It consisted of hemispherical, golden edifices, wondrous and enchanting. It was just impossible for me to resist its hypnotizing effect; I had to go on.
Initially I was surprised at the fact that the golden city was entirely unguarded, open to any visitor or invader. I slowly passed by its vaulted structures – marvelous, translucent homes of who knows what kind of creatures. It was pretty strange that I could breathe underwater, but I didn't think about it at the time. Like mesmerized, I slid along tortuous paths ending in hidden squares, and ascending passageways leading to superior levels.
Admiration soon turned to anxiety, driven by an increasing sense of solitude; there was not a soul there – it all gave me the impression of a ghost city. Moreover, I suddenly realized I could no longer recall the way back, as I was eventually lost in the mysterious, innumerable alleys, swimming or walking higher and higher to superior levels, until I stopped tired, bewildered, but fully alert.
All at once, something changed; I had a very intense feeling of presences and voices that weren't there before. I looked around and inside the vaults surrounding me – and yes, there was agitation in some of them. I paused and watched
breathless; within seconds they all became inert and vacant again, apart from one that seemed to be still active, forming specific images inside it. They were blurred in the beginning, as if made of mist, then the scenes gradually got clearer and clearer, and I could do nothing but stay there and observe flabbergasted.
I was astounded to recognize our settlement in the desert, but there was no longer peace and quiet there; my heart sank as I realized the tribe had been attacked by alien warriors: it was no other than Venor, accompanied by some of his soldiers! Why indeed? I wondered. What can he possibly want from some primitive desert dwellers, who live on martial arts and meditation?
The battle was rather vehement, since the warriors of the tribe -even the women- were extremely skilled and bold.
However, the enemies were armed with laser weapons and there was no way the tribe could prevail. Some of them perished during the battle, others were forced to surrender, but Peter wouldn't give in. I saw him fighting against a great number of fiends; finally, he pulled out his two magnetic boomerangs and threatened Venor with them, leaving everybody dumbfounded.
“Very impressive”, chuckled the prince of Yrkania. “But haven't you noticed how many weapons are being aimed at you?”
Peter froze for a fraction of a second and had a quick look around. Venor was right.
“The tribe has lost the battle and you will soon be dead, unless you surrender”, the prince went on stern.
Next moment Peter launched the boomerangs. Venor ducked in time and avoided being struck. However, his men weren't so swift; most of them were seriously injured and
Right then, a sharp pain pierced Peter's ribs, and he collapsed on the sand with a weak cry. The red-haired woman ran and knelt by him, full of tears.
“Take them all!” Venor's rough voice echoed all around.
Some of the soldiers hurried to execute the order. Peter came to himself slowly, only to be handcuffed and added to the prisoners.
In the meantime, two Yrkanian warriors approached the prince, and they looked rather preoccupied.
“We couldn't find her anywhere, Your Highness! She isn't here!” announced one of them.
“What do you mean she isn't here? Where can she be?”
cried Venor, obviously losing his patience.
“The last time I saw her, she was walking to the ancient elephant cemetery”, declared the redhead then, to everybody's surprise.
“We've sent a squad there as well!” said the other Yrkanian warrior. “But they haven't returned yet!”
“We aren't leaving without her! Am I clear enough?”
announced Venor in an overbearing voice.
His men looked at each other in wonder and worry, but none of them dared utter a word.
“There! They are coming!” another soldier cried and pointed at the returning squad.
Everybody turned their heads and looked that way, full of curiosity.
“We were at the elephant cemetery”, said one of the three, as soon as they approached. “We searched everywhere, but
all we found is this!” he explained, handing a fine gold necklace to the prince.
“That belonged to Sandra”, uttered Peter sadly.
“Where did you find this exactly?” asked Venor.
“At the southern end of the cemetery, by the entrance of the Black Cave...”
“The cave of the monster! Jasonne's den!” exclaimed one of the prisoners.
There was absolute silence for a couple of seconds.
“Did you... did you notice anything else there?” asked Venor weakly.
“No, I don't think so, we didn't...”
“I mean remnants... human remnants!” stammered Venor.
“A monster like Jasonne leaves no remnants!” said the redhead enigmatically.
* * * * *
I woke up from that extremely vivid dream, only to find myself in the dark. It took me several seconds to realize I was not lying on the beach anymore. To my surprise and dismay, I found out I was under hatches in a sailing-vessel.My laser sword was gone, of course...
I wasn't difficult for me to entice the guard standing outside my door from his duty: I pretended to be sick and cried in pain for some seconds; in the beginning he was skeptical, then he got in my cell to see what was wrong. I knocked him out at once, took his sword and got out to the fresh sea air. I walked along the deck cautiously, taking special care not to be seen by any of the other pirates of the ship. Soon I had got rid of all eight of them, the captain included.
I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I stood all alone in the middle of the deck, contemplating on the impossible situation. For a moment I imagined I were a pirate too, dressed in an appropriate but sexy outfit, armed with a shiny Simisen sword, my hair dyed pink, shimmering in the sunlight. Right then the power began surging inside me, interrupting my fantasy; I felt wonderfully energized, ready to confront anything – for I could sense there was still something very dangerous on that ship.
I wandered about the wooden deck for a while with cautious steps, taking quick looks at the numerous cabins.
Through scuttles and portholes I glimpsed at various scenes of weird decadence: A wild sexual orgy was taking place in a spacious cabin decorated with red curtains and alabaster statues. Queer men were discussing something very suspicious in low voices, in a chamber full of antiques.
Inside another room there were lots of old books arrayed on wooden shelves, as well as mysterious articles and artifacts, probably tools of abominable, dark magic.
Through another porthole I saw a human skeleton sitting inside a metal cage, glaring at me with its hollow eyes; numerous human and animal sculls were placed in glass show-cases all around the room. What is this ship? I wondered, bearing all kinds of terrible suspicions.
Finally reaching the highest deck, I came outside a strange, octagonal cabin and had a careful look inside through a small, round scuttle. I was astounded to see a tall, slim, black-haired woman standing in the middle of two concentric circles that covered almost the whole floor. She was dressed in a long, black, velvet gown; a kind of veil concealed her face, and she had just finished performing a kind of magic ritual, using all six of her arms!
Then I heard her address herself to the other dwellers of the
ship through a kind of screen embedded on the opposite wall: “It is our sacred goal to expand the reign of chaos all over the planet of Hirra”, she announced in a commanding voice. “This can be achieved by summoning more and more inter-dimensional entities here, who are intended to cause disorder and insanity to human minds... And remember: we don't do it for personal gain; we do it just for the sake of it!”
I stayed there numb for some moments, unable to believe what I was hearing.
“As you all know, Jasonne, the last summoned entity meant to rule the minds of the desert tribes, is dead – slaughtered by that horrible woman in the cell! Yet, she is going to be the first victim of the entity that will replace Jasonne, which will be a lot more powerful than its predecessor! Watch it, as it is being materialized right now!” she wound up in an evocative voice that made everybody listen in devoutness.
There was absolute silence for a few moments; a sort of dark vapour was emerging on a magic seal drawn between the two circles, while the six-arm witch was watching in full concentration. Soon the vapour began to take specific shapes: first, there were bones hovering in the air; within seconds, they started to form a dreadful skeleton. Then there were loathsome inner organs and muscles being formed faster and faster. Full materialization would be a matter of seconds – and, yes, the creature that was about to come to life would be a lot more horrible than Jasonne...
I smashed the wooden door open with a violent front kick and struck the semi-materialized demon with a terrible astral blast. The creature burst into a scarlet light and vanished into the ionized air, while the witch was looking at me flabbergasted. I attacked her right after, with another blast of psychic energy, leaving her no time to defend herself.
Next instant the whole ship was exploding, as if my attack had caused an unforeseeable effect of chain reactions. I barely made it to the lower deck, persecuted by successive fire blasts, as well as rushing steps of frantic people screaming of agony and terror. I jumped into the sea just in time and swam all the way back to the deserted beach, without looking back, not even once.
* * * * *
When I returned to the settlement, I was shocked to find out the tribe had indeed been attacked by Yrkanian soldiers.Besides, I couldn't believe Venor had found me once again.
He had also arrested Peter, together with the best warriors of the tribe.
“Sandra! I'm so glad to see you at last!” exclaimed Venor, as soon as he saw me approaching.
For a moment I had the impression he meant it.
“I've sent for you, again and again; my men searched all over the elephant cemetery, into Jasonne's den, as far as the seashore, but they found no trace of you or the monster.
What happened, Sandra? Where have you been?” he asked, and the expression on his face showed genuine interest.
“What are you doing here, Venor?” I asked back, trying to keep my composure.
“We have located vortexes of extreme psychic energy developing on this planet, especially near the elephant cemetery; I needed to find out what they were... Moreover, wherever you go, Sandra, there is always something odd going on!”
“You will not find anything here; not anymore”, I said equivocally.
He gave no reply, barely concealing his disappointment. No
doubt Venor had known about Jasonne and such entities, and had intended to use them for his own purposes.
“I challenge you, Venor!” I announced then in a firm voice.
“What did you say?”
“I challenge you to a duel! Bare hands! If I win, you set Peter and the others free. If you win, I'm yours too!”
He hesitated for a moment only. Under the circumstances, it was impossible for him to refuse.
“All right, Sandra”, he agreed. “Let's fight!”
Next moment we both jumped into the air simultaneously, performing flying kicks against each other. We twisted our bodies in the air, I was hurt on my left shoulder, he at his lower ribs, and we both shouted of pain. We exchanged fiery looks as soon as we landed on our feet again.
“Arrogant and aggressive, as always! You need a good lesson!” he threatened grimly.
“You think you can teach me, Venor?” I chuckled and got ready for another attack.
Within a split second I sprang on a lofty rock on my right and performed a full somersault on air, aiming to hit the opponent with both my feet. He ducked and rolled aside just in time; I had only hit him slightly on his right shoulder, which made him cry of surprise rather than pain.
Next moment he pounced on me outraged; before I could react anyhow, I felt his strong fist punching my face. I collapsed on the sand stunned, wondering whether he had broken my jaw or not.
I heard him groan in satisfaction, and I hardly anticipated his next assault with a quick side kick at his right temple; that stunned him only for a second. Right after, I sprang on
my feet again, determined to end this duel as soon as possible. The enemy was well-trained and quite muscular, and I knew I couldn't take another blow like that...
I tried really hard to finish the fight with fast, successive blows which he parried accurately; it was not long before I was captured in his strong arms.
“Just like the old times! Once again you will be mine, Sandra!” he uttered, pressing me so hard that I could barely breathe.
I didn't quite expect it to succeed, but I managed to block his legs with my right foot; that made him falter, so I had the chance to throw him over my back with the proper arm lock. Only then did I realize how exhausted I was.
I sought to knock him out with a sharp blow at his head with my elbow, while he was still lying on the sand; instead I got another violent punch on my face, which sent me stumble back against a cluster of rocks, my head spinning.
“You aren't in good shape today, are you?” Venor's ironic voice echoed like a gong in my head, as he was coming nearer and nearer, haughty and menacing.
All right, let's be clever; just stay put and don't make a move, I told myself mentally; my heart was pounding like a drum, as Venor was already standing over me.
“This is where you end, Sandra!” I heard him utter between his teeth, while he was getting ready to deliver the final blow.
He didn't have the time to do so; I rose at once and struck fast with a terrible side kick aimed at the enemy's heart.
“Not yet, Venor, not yet!” I announced in a firm voice.
That took him by surprise; he tried to avoid the blow by
ducking awkwardly, which resulted in his getting a sharp blow at the throat. He knelt down breathless; then he collapsed on the sand almost unconscious.
I bent over him, grasped his hair and whispered in his ear:
“It is over, Venor; I've beaten you once again...”
* * * * *
Just two seconds later I, Emma, took my eyes off my glass of fruit punch and glanced around again. I was very pleasantly surprised to see one of the newcomers was a lot different than the others: he looked older, maybe thirty, but he was really gorgeous – in fact, he resembled Venor, a lot!His decisive face with the long, blond hair and the big, blue eyes, his well-trained body and his air of supremacy, attracted everybody's attention for some moments.
Then, a miracle: He paused and stared at me for a fraction of a second that seemed to last centuries. Our eyes met in a kind of mutual acknowledgment; we smiled at each other slightly, then he passed by me and got mixed with the other guests in the party. He seemed to have forgotten about me all at once, but for some strange reason I didn't mind at all.
Better so, I thought, feeling so wonderfully excited...
Story Sixteen: Undercover of the Past
originally handwritten
from 22nd May to 30th July, 1994
Here we go again... Did it really have to end up this way? I mean, a simple music lesson at school has turned into a kind of party, where each pupil plays an instrument, or sings a song, or dances, or all three...
I, Emma, am the only one who's sitting at a desk all alone, watching the others having a whale of a time, ignoring me ostentatiously, as if I were invisible; the same as usual. I would like so much to walk out of the class, but I just can't do that. If I did, I would be considered a coward besides a misfit, let alone I would be marked as absent.
Nevertheless, I have to react somehow; I take a deep breath, stand up and walk to the unused organ in the corner. I am not so sure if this is the right thing to do, but maybe it is about time they found out how well I have become in playing this instrument.
Some of my schoolmates, George Dim included, come near and watch me -not without a certain astonishment- plugging in the organ and taking the lid off. I start playing a simple but joyful piece which attracts general attention. And, yes, I feel better already...
Concentrating fully on the organ and the music, I finally change tune and play perfectly a rather difficult instrumental piece that leaves everybody speechless. They certainly didn't consider me capable of pulling through
“Night on Bald Mountain”, but I have just done so.
As soon as I finish, they all burst into spontaneous cheers and applause. George Dim pats my shoulder in a most friendly manner, telling me “Well done, bravo” more than once. I've never felt happier in my whole life.
I cannot understand this, but within minutes they have all moved away and stopped talking about it, as if it has never happened. So here I am, all alone again, entirely isolated, bleak thoughts rushing through my mind: The most obvious omen about the life that awaits you, is your popularity. If you have lots of friends and admirers in your youth, then all doors will be opening before you for the rest of your life. If you are not popular while still young, be prepared for a very hard and joyless life.
For the time being, all I can do is watch George Dim walk away from me; as he takes his guitar in hand and gets ready to strum another song, my mind is already flying away...
* * * * *
Just another dire strait for me, Sandra Anderson... I was already out of breath but I had to keep on running frantically among the trees of that hazy forest, or Venor's men would catch me pretty soon. I barely dared take quick looks behind, as their rushing steps echoed louder and louder in the still of the moonlit night. I had to face it; the chase would soon be over unless a miracle happened...This time things had not turned out to be positive for me; not only had I failed in discovering the nest of the Lethe, a dreadful space monster often used by Venor as an energy accumulator, but I had been observed and set up as well. I had hardly managed to escape from an ambush, however they were still after me, and I was exhausted and unarmed.
“She is not getting away, now!” I heard a man's voice behind me, as I reached the edge of the forest.
“Sandra, stop!” Venor shouted at me.
I paused for a second and saw...
Indeed, it was a breathtaking view: A gigantic skeleton spreading further than the eye could see, its naked ribs rising to the lowest strata of the planetary atmosphere. I knew what it was: once it used to be an animate, conscious being which was enslaved and lobotomized by an ancient yet technologically advanced race, so as to serve them as a living starship. After centuries of loyal service, it died here and parts of its corpse were used for purposes I had better not think about. The nature of this world sought to assimilate it, like every other corpse, however it had proved to be too big to disintegrate completely; it would take eternity to reduce it to dust. I kept on running towards it, in a hopeless attempt to escape from my pursuers.
Suddenly, I felt my face light up, as I realized I had found the Lethe at last! I watched it developing itself slowly in the distance, probably because it had just perceived living beings approaching. First there were two, then three dark gray, membranous tentacles opening up to the night sky, clinging to the bones of the titanic skeleton – the ideal nest for a creature like the Lethe, shining sinisterly in the silver light of the full moon.
“Sandra, give up!” Venor's voice echoed behind me once again.
I hardly avoided a number of laser rays that hissed by me and I kept running, always closer to the monster . Just a few more minutes... and my new, self-assigned mission will be accomplished, I thought, feeling quite optimistic.
Right then, a laser beam struck my body. There was a brief but strong pain; then I collapsed to the ground and sank into unconsciousness.
* * * * *
When I came to myself, I was a prisoner in one of Venor's space vessels. The journey to the seat of the Yrkanian Empire in the constellation of Boӧtes wouldn't take long.I felt rather startled when Venor entered my cell but I managed to regain my composure almost at once. He was armed with a laser weapon; my only chance to escape, I reckoned.
Unfortunately, my attempt to grasp it from his belt was abortive; I knew this as soon as I recovered from a strong blow on the head. Venor was still by me, glaring at me with his shiny blue eyes, while I was handcuffed in bed.
“That was not clever, Sandra, not clever at all!” he announced stern.
“That... that was just a game, Venor... I only wanted to make our game more interesting” I stuttered, trying to excuse myself in a low, maybe sensual voice.
The trick didn't wash.
“Why, Sandra? Why were you looking for the Lethe? What did you expect to achieve?” he only asked.
“I wanted to examine it”, I confessed with half sincerity.
Venor said nothing; he only looked at me in disappointment. Then he got up and walked to the door with heavy steps.
“You and I shall have this conversation again very soon”, he warned me before getting out.
As soon as he was gone, I sighed of relief. I mean, so far he
had not suspected there was a way the Lethe could be deactivated and its power lessened considerably by use of a very rare gem and a certain magic spell. I still remembered the spell, but I had lost the gem, probably while running across that forest or somewhere near the Lethe's nest. At least, as far as I could see, Venor hadn't found it either –
probably because it looked like an ordinary piece of glass.
The moment I heard the Yrkanian starship was about to land on that small, hitherto unknown planet for exploration purposes, my heart leaped with hope.
“I want to come too”, I dared say to Venor when he came to my cell again.
“Forget it! You won't leave this cell before we reach the capital of Yrkania!” he replied in a firm voice.
“You are afraid I could get away? Come on, Venor, how could I escape with all those armed guards around me?
Besides, you have defeated me; you are my master now”, I went on in a most sensual tone, gently touching his broad chest.
Next moment he grabbed my breasts, and squeezed them hard under the tight bodice with the net-like pattern; he irritated my teats, and I sighed of lust. Then he was on and inside me, again and again, innumerable times; I just surrendered to him and my passion, I don't know for how many wonderful hours. When it was over, I was completely exhausted and out of breath, but I was certain I had just ensured my way out of there...
* * * * *
It was an unexpected, weird, yet welcome sense of awareness I experienced as soon as we stepped out of the spacecraft. I had the strange certainty that something waswaiting for me there; I suddenly had a strong feeling there was a hidden reason for my arrest and our landing on this specific planet...
Venor and I, as well as four of his soldiers who kept their eyes on me continuously, walked along endless, rocky paths in the wilderness, until we entered a sparsely inhabited, green valley by the edge of a thick forest. Not a sound was heard, but I could feel vigilant eyes watching every step of ours.
Their attack was fast and overwhelming, although their weapons -arrows, daggers, swords- were primitive. In spite of being taken by surprise, Venor and his men reacted quite swiftly, seeking cover behind bushes and rocks. They tried to hold the enemies in check with their laser guns for a while, until a loud cry of pain echoed all around. Next moment Venor fell on the ground, seriously injured on the chest by an arrow.
For an instant I stood frozen over his wounded body which was carefully supported by one of his men, after we had all taken refuge behind a clump of bushes. The rest of the soldiers kept on firing against the enemies.
Anyway, there was no time for hesitations; if I wanted to escape, that was my chance. I knocked down two of the Yrkanian warriors with sidekicks, and dodged several mortal laser beams with almost flying manoeuvres. I hardly had the time to hide in the nearby forest, and I achieved that probably because Venor's soldiers were also busy trying to ward off the local warriors. I just kept on running as fast as I could among the thick tree trunks.
The sun was setting when I finally reached the other edge of the forest. I was surprised to see an old castle built upon a rocky hill that rose in the distance. It was not very well