Title- In the Hall of the Mountain King
Author- PML
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine. It is owned by Jason Katims, Melinda Metz, and Fox. This is for entertainment only and no infringement is intended.
Category- CC- ALL
Rating- Mature - Occasional bouts of violence and adult situations, mostly teen probably.
Summary- Good question. This is a NANO story and so will be quick paced, but honestly I am making it up as I go along. I hope you folks enjoy. It is a future fic with fantastic elements, naturally. It starts several years after the episode Graduation, but the changes start during that episode as you will see in the Prologue.
In the Hall of the Mountain King Prologue
Maria peeked around the hallway. Most of the students were still trapped in the auditorium. Michael had grabbed Max off the stage and somehow they had lost Liz. Max had gone after her.
Maria and Michael had shared one long look before Michael hurried after Max. Maria nodded, most likely Max would need the help to get Liz back from the Feds. Assuming they hadn’t just killed her.
No time to think like that. Maria had to get Isabel out of here.
Maria pulled the shocked and blood stained Isabel along with her. “Come on, Amidala! Things are bad enough without me having to drag your sorry ass everywhere.”
Isabel’s voice was wistful and strange, “He died in my arms. Jesse, my husband. I loved him and yet I felt nothing at his passing. Not like with Alex. And yet I feel… liberated somehow. Why can’t I cry?”
Maria muttered, “Why do I always deal with the psych case aliens.” She tugged at Isabel, “Come on we need to go before the Feds kill us.”
Isabel shook her head. “I am done running, Maria. If they wish to face me they will die.”
“Just come on.” Maria pulled her out one of the exits to the school. They are only a few feet away from the buildings when a rifle shot hits the ground near her.
Isabel pulled away and gestureg, the man with the rifle went flying.
Maria turned and found herself disturbed by the look of exultation she saw on Isabel face. Not as if she were concerned, but if a part of her was enjoying the mayhem she was causing. A couple more gestures from Isabel and more of the armed men were down.
Maria tried to pull Isabel and looked vainly for some place to hide. And it was beginning to rain. Not normal summer rain, but cold fat rain drops.
Isabel’s voice was suddenly rapturous, “He is coming! He is coming for me!”
“Well that is great, can we wait behind cover or something?”
Something small and metallic went skittering in front of her and exploded, and Maria knew no more.
--
Bryce McCain witnessed the whole event. He had left shocked when Max had given him the odd note. A large part had wanted to stay of course. Here he was missing an opportunity to witness something truly odd and possibly very revealing as to the true nature of things.
A larger part of him, one that had gotten him out of straits before told him to get out of dodge, fast. A feeling he was grateful for when he witnessed the room being secured by military personnel.
He hoped that kid found a way out.
Bryce closed his eyes and tried to think what he would say about this whole event. He would have to say something. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his half empty pack of cigarettes. Horrible habit. Normally he was down to eight a day. He sighed and looked at the lonely six cigarettes remaining. He was simply going to have to try harder next week.
He went to light his cigarette when the first rain drop fell. The skies had been clear when he had gone into the building earlier.
He watched as a girl tugged a larger one out of the building. Shots were fired, but instead of going to cover. The larger stood up straight and gestured.
His cigarette tumbled out of his open mouth as he watched the battle.
And when the skies opened and riders came from the sky….
He had simply too much and hid.
That is what saved him. Several others who might have been witnesses did not survive, having somehow frozen to death in June in Roswell, New Mexico.
But survive he did. He did not expect to be believed. And he wasn’t.
Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Epilogue- 02/23/12
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Forum Moderators
Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Epilogue- 02/23/12
Last edited by PML on Thu Feb 23, 2012 12:14 am, edited 35 times in total.
Re: Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Pro - 11/01/11
Slowly falling behind. But still some progress. Wish me luck guys.
Keepsmiling7- Thanks.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 1
Kyle
Kyle Valenti was a haunted man. He didn’t even pretend to be surprised as the lights of his house flicked on to greet him. The TV channel changed from some sappy movie to a sports channel.
No, Kyle wasn’t surprised. He simply said, “Thanks.”
It was a relic of the days he had truly existed in a strange world. When he had been classmates and assisted the elusive Max Evans. A reluctant ally perhaps, unlike his father who had thrown it all behind the alien teen.
And they had paid.
Kyle pulled a beer out of the fridge and wondered what he should have for dinner tonight. One of the TV dinners would be easier, but his eternal guest would not be happy and would have little ways to show it all night.
Not something he wanted to put up with all night. Tonight it would be something relatively healthy.
It had taken him years to get used to being haunted. Years to understand the subtle clues. Why all of his relationships had failed so badly.
Tess. It all came back to Tess. Somehow part of her lingered and latched firmly to Kyle.
At first Kyle had been excited, wondering if he was developing powers of his own. Those had been a couple of strange years as he had been in Afghanistan by that point. The Army had been his last hope to leave Roswell. Isabel and Maria had disappeared, and Michael, Max, and Liz had been in hiding.
So he had joined the Army and strange things kept happening to him. His friends started to call him Jinx, because of all the odd things that happened around him. But he never got hurt.
His friends weren’t always so lucky.
How he had wished he could have talked to his friends then. Being frightened of the enemy is one thing, being frightened of oneself another. They had all but begged him to stay in the military, offering quite a bonus.
One tour plus nine months of stop loss were more than enough thank you. He was proud to have served, but happy to go home. And even after a few years of college in Texas, he ended up back in his small home town.
Life was ironic.
There was a knock on the door.
Kyle grinned as he had almost asked Tess to get it. Maybe he was getting a little too used to being haunted.
Kyle walked over to the door. It was Eddie, a friend of his from the nearby reservation. For whatever reason, business from the Reservation had been steered his way when he had opened his auto shop. And he made sure that he repaid their loyalty. “Something up? I thought Poker was going to be Wednesday this week?”
Eddie shook his head, “Truth is I need your help.”
Kyle sighed, “The shop is closed, but what do you need me to take a look at? Something stuck back at the Reservation?”
“In a sense, yes. But it is not a vehicle, Kyle. There is a cave where there should only be rock. I am afraid that one of the visitors may have returned. And with River Dog’s death….”
“I don’t see how I can help you.”
“Kyle, don’t play dumb with me. I know you. You have dealt with these beings before, more than I have anyway.” He ran his hands over his face, “Look, I really need your help here. Do you know how to contact with the others?”
Kyle shook his head sadly. His friends knew how to contact him, but it was simply safer for him not to be able to reply. “Let me grab a few things and we’ll go.”
“Thank you, Kyle.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” Kyle said grimly as he went to grab as much firepower as he thought he could reasonably carry.
Keepsmiling7- Thanks.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 1
Kyle
Kyle Valenti was a haunted man. He didn’t even pretend to be surprised as the lights of his house flicked on to greet him. The TV channel changed from some sappy movie to a sports channel.
No, Kyle wasn’t surprised. He simply said, “Thanks.”
It was a relic of the days he had truly existed in a strange world. When he had been classmates and assisted the elusive Max Evans. A reluctant ally perhaps, unlike his father who had thrown it all behind the alien teen.
And they had paid.
Kyle pulled a beer out of the fridge and wondered what he should have for dinner tonight. One of the TV dinners would be easier, but his eternal guest would not be happy and would have little ways to show it all night.
Not something he wanted to put up with all night. Tonight it would be something relatively healthy.
It had taken him years to get used to being haunted. Years to understand the subtle clues. Why all of his relationships had failed so badly.
Tess. It all came back to Tess. Somehow part of her lingered and latched firmly to Kyle.
At first Kyle had been excited, wondering if he was developing powers of his own. Those had been a couple of strange years as he had been in Afghanistan by that point. The Army had been his last hope to leave Roswell. Isabel and Maria had disappeared, and Michael, Max, and Liz had been in hiding.
So he had joined the Army and strange things kept happening to him. His friends started to call him Jinx, because of all the odd things that happened around him. But he never got hurt.
His friends weren’t always so lucky.
How he had wished he could have talked to his friends then. Being frightened of the enemy is one thing, being frightened of oneself another. They had all but begged him to stay in the military, offering quite a bonus.
One tour plus nine months of stop loss were more than enough thank you. He was proud to have served, but happy to go home. And even after a few years of college in Texas, he ended up back in his small home town.
Life was ironic.
There was a knock on the door.
Kyle grinned as he had almost asked Tess to get it. Maybe he was getting a little too used to being haunted.
Kyle walked over to the door. It was Eddie, a friend of his from the nearby reservation. For whatever reason, business from the Reservation had been steered his way when he had opened his auto shop. And he made sure that he repaid their loyalty. “Something up? I thought Poker was going to be Wednesday this week?”
Eddie shook his head, “Truth is I need your help.”
Kyle sighed, “The shop is closed, but what do you need me to take a look at? Something stuck back at the Reservation?”
“In a sense, yes. But it is not a vehicle, Kyle. There is a cave where there should only be rock. I am afraid that one of the visitors may have returned. And with River Dog’s death….”
“I don’t see how I can help you.”
“Kyle, don’t play dumb with me. I know you. You have dealt with these beings before, more than I have anyway.” He ran his hands over his face, “Look, I really need your help here. Do you know how to contact with the others?”
Kyle shook his head sadly. His friends knew how to contact him, but it was simply safer for him not to be able to reply. “Let me grab a few things and we’ll go.”
“Thank you, Kyle.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” Kyle said grimly as he went to grab as much firepower as he thought he could reasonably carry.
Re: Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Pt1 - 11/02/11
Still running a little behind, but the story is starting to be much clearer to me.
mary mary= Thanks.
xmag- Thanks. The departure point for changes is Graduation. The current point for the POV's is modern day. It is what happened during Graduation that is the mystery as well as what happened to Isabel and Maria.
begonia9508- Thanks
Natalie36- Thanks
keepsmiling7- Thanks
HypnotiqBlueEyes- Thanks
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 2
Maria-
Maria stared at her old house. She shouldn’t be here. But the gate had been so close, how could she not at the very least take a look to see how her mother was doing?
Certainly talking with the woman would be impossible now. The differences would be too great. Better that she think that girl dead.
It was true enough in a fashion.
But surely it would not be too great a risk to observe her mother, if only for a few moments. She slipped off the motorcycle she had borrowed from the Indian Reservation. It had taken nearly a full day for Maria’s magic to get it into working shape, so she doubted it would be missed.
Maria whispered a quiet spell that let her speak to the local vaettir. The Earth vaettir were different from Nidavellir’s. They were both more vibrant, more alive and yet less powerful. But even weak, the land spirits could still talk.
She was amused that they still recognized her. Tiny images of her and Liz and Alex playing in the yard. To be replaced by passionate arguments and even more passionate make outs shared by herself and Michael. They fed off intense emotion and in the process were shaped by what went on in their surroundings. They also influenced other people, albeit it subtly and so in turn shaped their own environment in a feedback loop.
When the vaettir told her that no eye was upon her she turned invisible and slowly made her way into her old house. Some of the changes surprised her. The kitchen had all new appliances, so her mother must be doing okay financially. That had been a worry for her, but Maria could see by all the old nicknacks that it was still Amy Deluca’s home.
Maria’s heart sunk as she realized so many pictures around the house were of her. Memories of the missing daughter. Maria wiped away a tear and softly bumped into the wall.
A boy, perhaps seven or eight, said softly, “Is someone there?”
Maria remained dead quiet as the boy muted his animated show and looked toward the door his bright green eyes flashing suspicion.
Maria recognized those eyes, recognized features on his face and knew. This young boy was her brother. Exactly who the father was, exactly when it had happened, Maria simply didn’t know.
Now she was burning to talk with her mother. Ten years is such a long time, such a vast gulf to not know what has happened to someone you loved.
But her mission was so dangerous. Coming here had been a mistake. What if she had lead one of Them to this house? What if even now her mother and brother were targets?
No. She had to leave. She carefully avoided the boy as he searched the room. She closed her eyes and let a few tears flow as the boy went into the other room.
“Mom? Can I go over to Nathan’s house?”
Maria all but screamed in internal anguish at the next sound.
Amy answered, “You know your father will be here to pick you up in a half hour or so.”
Maria so needed to hear that voice speak to her, to hold her mother one more time….
“He’s always late.”
“Yes well, he is a busy man and…”
Maria fled. She needed to know more, desperately so. But the longer she stayed the more likely she would confront her mother. And Amy wouldn’t want to hide what had happened. She would certainly tell someone. And the enemy would know.
This mission had such a small chance for success. The odds of saving the Alliance and Stormhold were small. That of saving her friends even smaller.
But she had to try.
So she fled back to her bike and her mission. And promised herself that she would make the time afterwards to see them. That she would not simply let the connections pass, as easy as that would likely seem at the time.
She drove north.
Where a confused Michael was following a call she had sent him. He probably didn’t understand what was driving him. But she could feel him coming.
She needed him now more than ever.
And so she drove.
mary mary= Thanks.
xmag- Thanks. The departure point for changes is Graduation. The current point for the POV's is modern day. It is what happened during Graduation that is the mystery as well as what happened to Isabel and Maria.
begonia9508- Thanks
Natalie36- Thanks
keepsmiling7- Thanks
HypnotiqBlueEyes- Thanks
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 2
Maria-
Maria stared at her old house. She shouldn’t be here. But the gate had been so close, how could she not at the very least take a look to see how her mother was doing?
Certainly talking with the woman would be impossible now. The differences would be too great. Better that she think that girl dead.
It was true enough in a fashion.
But surely it would not be too great a risk to observe her mother, if only for a few moments. She slipped off the motorcycle she had borrowed from the Indian Reservation. It had taken nearly a full day for Maria’s magic to get it into working shape, so she doubted it would be missed.
Maria whispered a quiet spell that let her speak to the local vaettir. The Earth vaettir were different from Nidavellir’s. They were both more vibrant, more alive and yet less powerful. But even weak, the land spirits could still talk.
She was amused that they still recognized her. Tiny images of her and Liz and Alex playing in the yard. To be replaced by passionate arguments and even more passionate make outs shared by herself and Michael. They fed off intense emotion and in the process were shaped by what went on in their surroundings. They also influenced other people, albeit it subtly and so in turn shaped their own environment in a feedback loop.
When the vaettir told her that no eye was upon her she turned invisible and slowly made her way into her old house. Some of the changes surprised her. The kitchen had all new appliances, so her mother must be doing okay financially. That had been a worry for her, but Maria could see by all the old nicknacks that it was still Amy Deluca’s home.
Maria’s heart sunk as she realized so many pictures around the house were of her. Memories of the missing daughter. Maria wiped away a tear and softly bumped into the wall.
A boy, perhaps seven or eight, said softly, “Is someone there?”
Maria remained dead quiet as the boy muted his animated show and looked toward the door his bright green eyes flashing suspicion.
Maria recognized those eyes, recognized features on his face and knew. This young boy was her brother. Exactly who the father was, exactly when it had happened, Maria simply didn’t know.
Now she was burning to talk with her mother. Ten years is such a long time, such a vast gulf to not know what has happened to someone you loved.
But her mission was so dangerous. Coming here had been a mistake. What if she had lead one of Them to this house? What if even now her mother and brother were targets?
No. She had to leave. She carefully avoided the boy as he searched the room. She closed her eyes and let a few tears flow as the boy went into the other room.
“Mom? Can I go over to Nathan’s house?”
Maria all but screamed in internal anguish at the next sound.
Amy answered, “You know your father will be here to pick you up in a half hour or so.”
Maria so needed to hear that voice speak to her, to hold her mother one more time….
“He’s always late.”
“Yes well, he is a busy man and…”
Maria fled. She needed to know more, desperately so. But the longer she stayed the more likely she would confront her mother. And Amy wouldn’t want to hide what had happened. She would certainly tell someone. And the enemy would know.
This mission had such a small chance for success. The odds of saving the Alliance and Stormhold were small. That of saving her friends even smaller.
But she had to try.
So she fled back to her bike and her mission. And promised herself that she would make the time afterwards to see them. That she would not simply let the connections pass, as easy as that would likely seem at the time.
She drove north.
Where a confused Michael was following a call she had sent him. He probably didn’t understand what was driving him. But she could feel him coming.
She needed him now more than ever.
And so she drove.
Re: Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Pt2 - 11/03/11
Here we go again.
mary mary- Thanks.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Not sure what part he will play yet, but it just felt right for this story.
xmag- Thanks. That is exactly it, adding him simply felt right for this story. He will play a part, I just don't know what it is yet.
begonia9508- Thanks.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 3
Liz
Liz was a content woman. Sure her life was nothing like she had assumed it would be. Education and science had once been everything to her.
Her eyes drifted outside to the man who had completely changed her life. Max stood there, resting for a moment from cutting firewood. He looked up and for just a moment their gazes met. And for just a moment their souls touched.
Yes it was worth it. Their life together was worth all the trouble and changes it had brought. A need for him ran through her.
Alas, no time. Liz looked down at the large breakfast she was preparing the latest in a string of guests. And they really did need more firewood. She looked up and Max was already back at work.
She spent a few moments watching him move, watching the muscles ripple. So very beautiful.
Liz went back to running the kitchen at the little bed and breakfast she and Max operated. It was one of Max’s hide in plain sight plans. And so far it had worked flawlessly.
It helped that no one was looking that hard for them anymore, but still no one thought that the little couple running the small bed and breakfast could possibly be on the run. And they were such a lovely couple….
The first sign of a major premonition hit her about a half hour later. A slight tingling in the fingers, luckily nothing visible. She hesitated from telling Max, as it would just worry him. She was pretty sure the premonition only indirectly affected them.
It wasn’t what they both feared, that the Feds or Special Unit had finally tracked them down. Or worse, some of the stranger alien hunters looking to find out what really happened that fateful Graduation day.
In truth, Liz would like to know too. She had lost Maria and Isabel that day. Taken away from the world like they had never existed. And they had tried to find them.
And failed.
Then the premonitions began to hit. And while they made little sense, they did point that Maria had survived. But the details were so blurred and indescribable, it did little else.
The only time she had seen Isabel was an oddly clear dream in which Isabel had been dressed the part of some fantasy witch queen. And she had said good bye.
Just those two words. Good bye.
Liz shook her head, pointless to worry about it. She just needed to ride out the flashes. Liz sat down.
Just in time as she felt her head begin to fill with images of places and things she had never seen before. It all flashed before her eyes too fast for her to get anything solid. Much too fast!
Liz beat the table in frustration. What was the point in seeing things she couldn’t follow or understand?
Again and again it poured into her. She began to feel as if bits of herself were being buried and swept away by the force of the flashes. She had to hold on! She had to remain herself!
WE ARE SORRY
Liz felt as her hold on her powers frayed and green lightning began to spray around the room. It was all she could do from shrieking with agony.
THIS ISN’T FAIR. IT IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM.
Liz screamed for Max. Called for him as if her sanity, or perhaps her very soul depended on his presence.
Perhaps it did.
BUT YOU ARE ALL WE HAVE CHILD. PLEASE HELP US.
It cut off as Max’s arms swept around her. “Liz, what is wrong?”
Liz blearily looked up into her husband’s eyes. So very beautiful.
“Liz, please, talk to me!”
Liz mumbled, “Maria is free. They need our help, Max. We need to help them.” So very tired. Only his eyes kept hers open. So beautiful. She could stare at them for hours.
“Liz?”
Liz felt as Max sent healing energy into her. But while it helped, she could feel it ease her aches and pains, it wasn’t what she needed.
She needed sleep. And so she slept.
mary mary- Thanks.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Not sure what part he will play yet, but it just felt right for this story.
xmag- Thanks. That is exactly it, adding him simply felt right for this story. He will play a part, I just don't know what it is yet.
begonia9508- Thanks.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 3
Liz
Liz was a content woman. Sure her life was nothing like she had assumed it would be. Education and science had once been everything to her.
Her eyes drifted outside to the man who had completely changed her life. Max stood there, resting for a moment from cutting firewood. He looked up and for just a moment their gazes met. And for just a moment their souls touched.
Yes it was worth it. Their life together was worth all the trouble and changes it had brought. A need for him ran through her.
Alas, no time. Liz looked down at the large breakfast she was preparing the latest in a string of guests. And they really did need more firewood. She looked up and Max was already back at work.
She spent a few moments watching him move, watching the muscles ripple. So very beautiful.
Liz went back to running the kitchen at the little bed and breakfast she and Max operated. It was one of Max’s hide in plain sight plans. And so far it had worked flawlessly.
It helped that no one was looking that hard for them anymore, but still no one thought that the little couple running the small bed and breakfast could possibly be on the run. And they were such a lovely couple….
The first sign of a major premonition hit her about a half hour later. A slight tingling in the fingers, luckily nothing visible. She hesitated from telling Max, as it would just worry him. She was pretty sure the premonition only indirectly affected them.
It wasn’t what they both feared, that the Feds or Special Unit had finally tracked them down. Or worse, some of the stranger alien hunters looking to find out what really happened that fateful Graduation day.
In truth, Liz would like to know too. She had lost Maria and Isabel that day. Taken away from the world like they had never existed. And they had tried to find them.
And failed.
Then the premonitions began to hit. And while they made little sense, they did point that Maria had survived. But the details were so blurred and indescribable, it did little else.
The only time she had seen Isabel was an oddly clear dream in which Isabel had been dressed the part of some fantasy witch queen. And she had said good bye.
Just those two words. Good bye.
Liz shook her head, pointless to worry about it. She just needed to ride out the flashes. Liz sat down.
Just in time as she felt her head begin to fill with images of places and things she had never seen before. It all flashed before her eyes too fast for her to get anything solid. Much too fast!
Liz beat the table in frustration. What was the point in seeing things she couldn’t follow or understand?
Again and again it poured into her. She began to feel as if bits of herself were being buried and swept away by the force of the flashes. She had to hold on! She had to remain herself!
WE ARE SORRY
Liz felt as her hold on her powers frayed and green lightning began to spray around the room. It was all she could do from shrieking with agony.
THIS ISN’T FAIR. IT IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM.
Liz screamed for Max. Called for him as if her sanity, or perhaps her very soul depended on his presence.
Perhaps it did.
BUT YOU ARE ALL WE HAVE CHILD. PLEASE HELP US.
It cut off as Max’s arms swept around her. “Liz, what is wrong?”
Liz blearily looked up into her husband’s eyes. So very beautiful.
“Liz, please, talk to me!”
Liz mumbled, “Maria is free. They need our help, Max. We need to help them.” So very tired. Only his eyes kept hers open. So beautiful. She could stare at them for hours.
“Liz?”
Liz felt as Max sent healing energy into her. But while it helped, she could feel it ease her aches and pains, it wasn’t what she needed.
She needed sleep. And so she slept.
Re: Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Pt3 - 11/04/11
Thanks again. With luck I might have multiple chapters posted today. Time to catch up a little I think.
begonia9508- Thanks.
mary mary- Thanks.
Timelord31- Thanks
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 4
Kyle
Kyle stood there staring at the cave in front of him. He had been hoping his friend had simply imagined it, or that it would be small or shallow. But it was large and wide enough to be a rail way tunnel. Only there were no rails and it was slanted into the ground.
Eddie broke the silence. “It has been here a couple of days. And I have to be honest with you. You aren’t the first person consulted on this. They called on old Striking Eagle from a few villages over.” Eddie shrugged, “He’s a pretty prominent Medicine Man.” Eddie stopped and sighed.
Kyle looked over, “What happened?”
“Nothing happened. He did nothing.” Eddie began to pace. “But you could feel the tension. The man was eager to leave us. To get away from the cave. When I asked him what was in there, if we should explore it. He told me no. Nothing good would come of it.”
“But that is what you want me to do, isn’t it?”
Eddie sighed, “Yes my friend. Perhaps I am being hasty. Perhaps I should simply wait.” He paused and looked at the cave, “But I think this is something we need to deal with, not simply discuss over campfires or purification rituals.”
“You have spent too much time with me I think.”
Eddie smiled, “That is likely what the elders will say.”
Kyle turned on the flashlight and walked toward the cave. There was something unnatural about the whole set up. Kyle nodded, it was definitely man made. Or made by something similar.
He walked into the cave and felt along the wall. Smooth. The ground looked similar, but there was a granularity there. Kyle nodded to himself. Traction. They had made it so that it would give good purchase to footwear.
He heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and a somewhat frightened Eddie was behind him. He only had a tiny LED flashlight and he was flashing it at every shadow.
“Decided to come along?” Kyle asked.
“I am not going to let you do this on your own.”
“You just don’t want me getting all the glory.”
Eddie’s voice was stern, “Kyle, for once be serious. Striking Eagle was frightened by the sight of this cave. There are legends of monsters and things coming from the ground.”
“Anything I should know about them?”
“Yeah, they draw their powers from darkness.”
Kyle laughed, “Thanks for telling me that after we walked into the completely dark cave.” He flashed his large halogen flashlight from one side of the cave to the other. It seemed to simply go straight.
His flashlight caught on something near the ceiling. It looked like some sort of lighting device. Kyle nodded to himself. Broken probably. He was torn by the desire to figure out why the light was broken, and to simply keep on.
Eddie kept flashing his light from one corner to the next as if expecting an attack at any second.
They should push on; Kyle could check the light out later. Better to have a feel for how deep this cave went.
For another five minutes they walked on.
Eddie broke the silence, “Hey Kyle, is it just me or is the cave getting brighter?”
Kyle turned off his large flashlight. And ahead of them was the entrance.
Only it wasn’t the harsh light of day streaming in. Kyle checked his watch. Had they been down here for longer than he thought or….
A sudden sinking feeling of what the other option might be.
Eddie walked past him, toward the cave opening. “Kyle, you have to see this.”
Kyle walked up knowing he wasn’t going to like this. The valley outside the cave was covered in thick grass. A veritable sea of grass broken only by a large mass of animals probably a half mile away.
Eddie looked over at him, “What is going on? Those look like buffalo.”
Kyle sighed, “Maybe they are. But if so, they are buffalo of another world.” Kyle pointed at the sky.
The moon looked almost normal. The craters were a little different, but still it was similar.
Not so the smaller reddish moon off on the horizon.
Kyle looked at his friend, “I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore, my friend.”
begonia9508- Thanks.
mary mary- Thanks.
Timelord31- Thanks
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 4
Kyle
Kyle stood there staring at the cave in front of him. He had been hoping his friend had simply imagined it, or that it would be small or shallow. But it was large and wide enough to be a rail way tunnel. Only there were no rails and it was slanted into the ground.
Eddie broke the silence. “It has been here a couple of days. And I have to be honest with you. You aren’t the first person consulted on this. They called on old Striking Eagle from a few villages over.” Eddie shrugged, “He’s a pretty prominent Medicine Man.” Eddie stopped and sighed.
Kyle looked over, “What happened?”
“Nothing happened. He did nothing.” Eddie began to pace. “But you could feel the tension. The man was eager to leave us. To get away from the cave. When I asked him what was in there, if we should explore it. He told me no. Nothing good would come of it.”
“But that is what you want me to do, isn’t it?”
Eddie sighed, “Yes my friend. Perhaps I am being hasty. Perhaps I should simply wait.” He paused and looked at the cave, “But I think this is something we need to deal with, not simply discuss over campfires or purification rituals.”
“You have spent too much time with me I think.”
Eddie smiled, “That is likely what the elders will say.”
Kyle turned on the flashlight and walked toward the cave. There was something unnatural about the whole set up. Kyle nodded, it was definitely man made. Or made by something similar.
He walked into the cave and felt along the wall. Smooth. The ground looked similar, but there was a granularity there. Kyle nodded to himself. Traction. They had made it so that it would give good purchase to footwear.
He heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and a somewhat frightened Eddie was behind him. He only had a tiny LED flashlight and he was flashing it at every shadow.
“Decided to come along?” Kyle asked.
“I am not going to let you do this on your own.”
“You just don’t want me getting all the glory.”
Eddie’s voice was stern, “Kyle, for once be serious. Striking Eagle was frightened by the sight of this cave. There are legends of monsters and things coming from the ground.”
“Anything I should know about them?”
“Yeah, they draw their powers from darkness.”
Kyle laughed, “Thanks for telling me that after we walked into the completely dark cave.” He flashed his large halogen flashlight from one side of the cave to the other. It seemed to simply go straight.
His flashlight caught on something near the ceiling. It looked like some sort of lighting device. Kyle nodded to himself. Broken probably. He was torn by the desire to figure out why the light was broken, and to simply keep on.
Eddie kept flashing his light from one corner to the next as if expecting an attack at any second.
They should push on; Kyle could check the light out later. Better to have a feel for how deep this cave went.
For another five minutes they walked on.
Eddie broke the silence, “Hey Kyle, is it just me or is the cave getting brighter?”
Kyle turned off his large flashlight. And ahead of them was the entrance.
Only it wasn’t the harsh light of day streaming in. Kyle checked his watch. Had they been down here for longer than he thought or….
A sudden sinking feeling of what the other option might be.
Eddie walked past him, toward the cave opening. “Kyle, you have to see this.”
Kyle walked up knowing he wasn’t going to like this. The valley outside the cave was covered in thick grass. A veritable sea of grass broken only by a large mass of animals probably a half mile away.
Eddie looked over at him, “What is going on? Those look like buffalo.”
Kyle sighed, “Maybe they are. But if so, they are buffalo of another world.” Kyle pointed at the sky.
The moon looked almost normal. The craters were a little different, but still it was similar.
Not so the smaller reddish moon off on the horizon.
Kyle looked at his friend, “I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore, my friend.”
Re: Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Pt4 - 11/05/11
Still plugging away slowly.
mary mary- Thanks. I guess you just need to know where to dig.
keepsmiling7- Thanks
Timelord31- Thanks.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 5
Michael
Michael wasn’t sure why he was out here riding towards Roswell. He had originally planned to finish his vacation by heading back to Vegas and making a little money off the casinos. He had a pretty good feel for where the line was with his winnings. Enough to live off of but not enough to raise suspicions. Not that they had been able to prove that he was cheating.
Truth was, he was now good enough of a gambler to not have to cheat as much as he once would have. And he could always use his powers to play the slots.
This let him wander and explore as much as he needed to. Add that with the occasional bit of real detective work, and his life was set.
He wasn’t sure what was calling him back to Roswell, but he had learned to trust his instincts. Something was coming and he needed to be there.
Michael grunted at the memory it called up. He had been heading out of town, finally cutting ties. And he had seen the Feds, so obvious in their oh-so similar rent a cars. ‘Remember the love.’ That was what the old woman fraud had told him.
True words for once. He remembered all that his friends meant to him. Remembered just how important and crucial they had been to his live.
Pity he hadn’t been able to save them all.
To have lost the two women he loved all in one day. To this day he regretted not following Maria and Isabel. To have gone to protect them, rather than save Liz.
This resentment had made running together virtually impossible. The fact that Liz understood him, the fact that they had bonded over the loss of Maria…. It didn’t really get rid of the awkwardness between them. Liz tried so hard to bridge the gap between them, and Michael knew he should respond. Knew he was being a bastard.
But he simply couldn’t. All of it had simply been more of the same. Max got what he needed, the rest of them suffered with what remains.
At the end, Michael had said things he hadn’t fully meant. Things that Max could not ignore.
Their fight was no holds barred. And the chance that one of them would have bludgeoned the other to death very real.
Liz stopped them of course. She even tried to stop Michael from leaving. But too much had been said.
Michael had assumed he would never hear from the two of them again. They would find some happy place and bury themselves in it. But Liz somehow always found him. She always knew his phone number.
And over the years they had talked. Michael still felt resentment, and Liz tried to help him in his search as much as he could.
Max simply refused. When an opportunity came to hear from the only eye witness came, Bryce McCain, Max refused. McCain had simply wanted to talk with Max. To have him explain what had happened at that podium during Graduation.
One more reason to hate Max Evans.
Michael pulled off the main highway, looking for an old diner he frequented when coming this way. He smiled when he saw that it was still open. He parked and got his usual table.
For just a moment he closed his eyes and let the sounds and scents fuel his memories. It wasn’t quite the same, but so very similar to the Crashdown. It made him smile and feel the slight sting of unwept tears.
How he had hated it at the time. And now, they were among his fondest memories.
“Is this seat taken?” Came a voice straight from the past. It was inflected to be funny, but the nervousness in the voice kept it from being quite right.
Michael opened his eyes and he saw her. It was impossible but she was there. “Are you real?”
Maria’s eyes glittered with tears as she grasped one of his hands and kissed his forehead.
At the first touch, Michael was moving. To hold her once again in his arms.
For several minutes they remained there, uncaring at the attention they were gathering. Both of them backed.
Maria took a seat at Michael’s table. She waved the waitress over to order.
Michael just sat and watched Maria. She had changed a bit. Where once she had moved with a determined klutziness, her movements now were precise and graceful. And she was nervous, her eyes not always meeting his. There were fundamental differences between this woman and the confused girl he had lost ten years ago.
But those few moments, when their eyes touched, he knew that it was indeed Maria. And that despite the years, she remained his.
“So, you are alive.”
Maria put up a hand, “Michael, I already got us rooms at a nearby motel. We can talk about all of that later. Right now I just want to spend time with you.”
Michael looked at her cautiously, “And Isabel?”
“That is part of what I need to discuss later. It won’t be pleasant either.” She rubbed her face, “Right now, and please just fill me full of the normal everyday things for a while.”
And so they did.
mary mary- Thanks. I guess you just need to know where to dig.
keepsmiling7- Thanks
Timelord31- Thanks.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 5
Michael
Michael wasn’t sure why he was out here riding towards Roswell. He had originally planned to finish his vacation by heading back to Vegas and making a little money off the casinos. He had a pretty good feel for where the line was with his winnings. Enough to live off of but not enough to raise suspicions. Not that they had been able to prove that he was cheating.
Truth was, he was now good enough of a gambler to not have to cheat as much as he once would have. And he could always use his powers to play the slots.
This let him wander and explore as much as he needed to. Add that with the occasional bit of real detective work, and his life was set.
He wasn’t sure what was calling him back to Roswell, but he had learned to trust his instincts. Something was coming and he needed to be there.
Michael grunted at the memory it called up. He had been heading out of town, finally cutting ties. And he had seen the Feds, so obvious in their oh-so similar rent a cars. ‘Remember the love.’ That was what the old woman fraud had told him.
True words for once. He remembered all that his friends meant to him. Remembered just how important and crucial they had been to his live.
Pity he hadn’t been able to save them all.
To have lost the two women he loved all in one day. To this day he regretted not following Maria and Isabel. To have gone to protect them, rather than save Liz.
This resentment had made running together virtually impossible. The fact that Liz understood him, the fact that they had bonded over the loss of Maria…. It didn’t really get rid of the awkwardness between them. Liz tried so hard to bridge the gap between them, and Michael knew he should respond. Knew he was being a bastard.
But he simply couldn’t. All of it had simply been more of the same. Max got what he needed, the rest of them suffered with what remains.
At the end, Michael had said things he hadn’t fully meant. Things that Max could not ignore.
Their fight was no holds barred. And the chance that one of them would have bludgeoned the other to death very real.
Liz stopped them of course. She even tried to stop Michael from leaving. But too much had been said.
Michael had assumed he would never hear from the two of them again. They would find some happy place and bury themselves in it. But Liz somehow always found him. She always knew his phone number.
And over the years they had talked. Michael still felt resentment, and Liz tried to help him in his search as much as he could.
Max simply refused. When an opportunity came to hear from the only eye witness came, Bryce McCain, Max refused. McCain had simply wanted to talk with Max. To have him explain what had happened at that podium during Graduation.
One more reason to hate Max Evans.
Michael pulled off the main highway, looking for an old diner he frequented when coming this way. He smiled when he saw that it was still open. He parked and got his usual table.
For just a moment he closed his eyes and let the sounds and scents fuel his memories. It wasn’t quite the same, but so very similar to the Crashdown. It made him smile and feel the slight sting of unwept tears.
How he had hated it at the time. And now, they were among his fondest memories.
“Is this seat taken?” Came a voice straight from the past. It was inflected to be funny, but the nervousness in the voice kept it from being quite right.
Michael opened his eyes and he saw her. It was impossible but she was there. “Are you real?”
Maria’s eyes glittered with tears as she grasped one of his hands and kissed his forehead.
At the first touch, Michael was moving. To hold her once again in his arms.
For several minutes they remained there, uncaring at the attention they were gathering. Both of them backed.
Maria took a seat at Michael’s table. She waved the waitress over to order.
Michael just sat and watched Maria. She had changed a bit. Where once she had moved with a determined klutziness, her movements now were precise and graceful. And she was nervous, her eyes not always meeting his. There were fundamental differences between this woman and the confused girl he had lost ten years ago.
But those few moments, when their eyes touched, he knew that it was indeed Maria. And that despite the years, she remained his.
“So, you are alive.”
Maria put up a hand, “Michael, I already got us rooms at a nearby motel. We can talk about all of that later. Right now I just want to spend time with you.”
Michael looked at her cautiously, “And Isabel?”
“That is part of what I need to discuss later. It won’t be pleasant either.” She rubbed her face, “Right now, and please just fill me full of the normal everyday things for a while.”
And so they did.
Re: Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Pt5 - 11/06/11
And away we go. Don't worry, the three groups will meet up soon.
mary mary- Thanks.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. I think the key is cheat as much as used to. In card games he probably doesn't. Slots, I doubt he has the patience to wait.
Timelord31- Thanks.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 6
Max
Max looked down at his still sleeping wife. He had taken care of all the rest of the business of the day and began clearing the schedule for tomorrow. He had gotten everything ready for a sudden run if that was called for as well.
But he could not be sure if the vision Liz had gotten concerned their now quiet lives, or if it had some information about Isabel and Maria. The length of the time she had been unconscious spoke more in favor of some strange dream of Maria. If only there was some way he could simply see. Maybe he could help Liz somehow.
Max pressed his hands near her forehead and let his powers roam through her. She was healthy of course. He would never let her stay hurt or ill. Although in truth her body seemed more resilient than his. He wasn’t sure if that was because of the strange changes to Liz, or if it was due to this body still physically being Clayton Wheeler.
It didn’t really matter, as he was easily able to heal any wounds or injuries that either of them might suffer from. Even age so far as he could tell.
His powers touched on an oddity. He probed it and…
Flash-
In front of him now stood a small cottage, which appeared to be constructed of a grey stone. The roof was deeply slanted. Off the path he was on he could see vegetables orderly growing.
The door opened. The man was over six feet, with blond hair running to silver. His nose looked like it had been broken more than once and his face was well worn. But his eyes were bright and blue. “Come in, my dear Max. I have some tea for you. I bet you have questions.”
“Where am I?” Max said. As he turned slightly he saw the view from behind. And he stopped in awe. A dozen feet to the left there was a drop off that let him see the entire valley beneath him. Miles of farms and buildings stretched out for miles. There was the tiny bit of a town visible off in the distance.
And a formidable if abandoned looking hill fort only a mile to the right.
“You pose an interesting question. In a sense you haven’t moved Max. In another you are inside your wife’s head. Thirdly, you are inside the memory of my home.” He beckoned Max toward the cottage, “Really it is much more comfortable inside here.”
“If we are inside Liz’s head, what are you doing here?” Max lifted his hand and summoned his power.
“Don’t get hasty on me child. I am here teaching your wife what she needs to know. Really her training should be much more intense, and face it real than what she will have to deal with. But she presents an opportunity we can not miss. One that you provided for us.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Come in, come in, it is always better to be secure when talking secrets. And the tea is growing cold.” The man walked inside the cottage.
Gritting his teeth, Max followed. The inside of the cottage was more magnificent than the outside. He followed the older man to a table and sat down. “Okay, so tell me how I helped get you into my wife’s head?”
“Simple. You saved her life. She was fated to die that day. No real chance of survival. She was destined to die. To allow you to move on and achieve what you were born to. You would return to your world and save it. All the pieces were set. You simply had to let Liz go and a stream of events would have occurred to push you in that direction.” He took a sip of tea.
“I was supposed to let her die? I won’t accept any of this destiny crap anyway. We shape our own lives!” Max tried to keep his voice level, calm. But he could feel it slipping.
“To a degree we do. The day to day choices, things that can dramatically change how fate plays out sometimes. But still the doom is there. All the normal aspects of your life shape you for it and push you toward it. People can escape it, although it almost always ends badly.” He shook his head as if in memory, “But you are an interesting case. Your soul is not native to this world, nor is the prophecy that once guided your fate. You are not as tightly bound to fate here as others are. Had they hidden you on one of their worlds, you never would have been tempted by Liz. You would have pined for Tess from day one. And similarly no one native to this world could have save Liz. But you are not are you. And so the chain was broken.”
“Where does Liz come into this?”
“When you changed her, you did not change her fundamental essence. She was still a daughter of Ask and Embla, still a child of Yggdrassil. And so she still remains. Her powers come not from your worlds, but from ours. And because she died and came back how she did…. The world no longer reacts to her as it once did.”
“But you said she wasn’t an alien.”
“No. She is a wizard. One completely devoid of proper training. Open to so many forms of corruption and destruction. But we need her.”
Max stood up and waved his fits at the old man, “If this is dangerous, you can simply count us out. This simply doesn’t involve us.
“You are wrong, Max Evans. This involves you to the core. For if you and your wife do not get involved, you will see Ragnarok strike within the next two generations. And you will both still be alive and young. And doomed with the rest of the worlds. What is worse, the actions of your sister, the ones that are pushing the time table forward, are changing fate in the favor of the Enemy.”
“My sister?”
“Your precious Isabel is one of Sorvald’s greatest warlords. But it is the one they call Alex that must be stopped. His fate was altered much the same as Liz’s was. Only for evil purposes. They must be stopped.”
Max just stared at the lunatic. Alex was dead. His sister a warleader? His wife changed into some sort of hero that could stop them….
He couldn’t maintain the connection any longer. Assuming it had been a connection to begin with and not some odd hallucination.
But it had felt so real.
All he could do was wait for Liz to waken.
mary mary- Thanks.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. I think the key is cheat as much as used to. In card games he probably doesn't. Slots, I doubt he has the patience to wait.
Timelord31- Thanks.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 6
Max
Max looked down at his still sleeping wife. He had taken care of all the rest of the business of the day and began clearing the schedule for tomorrow. He had gotten everything ready for a sudden run if that was called for as well.
But he could not be sure if the vision Liz had gotten concerned their now quiet lives, or if it had some information about Isabel and Maria. The length of the time she had been unconscious spoke more in favor of some strange dream of Maria. If only there was some way he could simply see. Maybe he could help Liz somehow.
Max pressed his hands near her forehead and let his powers roam through her. She was healthy of course. He would never let her stay hurt or ill. Although in truth her body seemed more resilient than his. He wasn’t sure if that was because of the strange changes to Liz, or if it was due to this body still physically being Clayton Wheeler.
It didn’t really matter, as he was easily able to heal any wounds or injuries that either of them might suffer from. Even age so far as he could tell.
His powers touched on an oddity. He probed it and…
Flash-
In front of him now stood a small cottage, which appeared to be constructed of a grey stone. The roof was deeply slanted. Off the path he was on he could see vegetables orderly growing.
The door opened. The man was over six feet, with blond hair running to silver. His nose looked like it had been broken more than once and his face was well worn. But his eyes were bright and blue. “Come in, my dear Max. I have some tea for you. I bet you have questions.”
“Where am I?” Max said. As he turned slightly he saw the view from behind. And he stopped in awe. A dozen feet to the left there was a drop off that let him see the entire valley beneath him. Miles of farms and buildings stretched out for miles. There was the tiny bit of a town visible off in the distance.
And a formidable if abandoned looking hill fort only a mile to the right.
“You pose an interesting question. In a sense you haven’t moved Max. In another you are inside your wife’s head. Thirdly, you are inside the memory of my home.” He beckoned Max toward the cottage, “Really it is much more comfortable inside here.”
“If we are inside Liz’s head, what are you doing here?” Max lifted his hand and summoned his power.
“Don’t get hasty on me child. I am here teaching your wife what she needs to know. Really her training should be much more intense, and face it real than what she will have to deal with. But she presents an opportunity we can not miss. One that you provided for us.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Come in, come in, it is always better to be secure when talking secrets. And the tea is growing cold.” The man walked inside the cottage.
Gritting his teeth, Max followed. The inside of the cottage was more magnificent than the outside. He followed the older man to a table and sat down. “Okay, so tell me how I helped get you into my wife’s head?”
“Simple. You saved her life. She was fated to die that day. No real chance of survival. She was destined to die. To allow you to move on and achieve what you were born to. You would return to your world and save it. All the pieces were set. You simply had to let Liz go and a stream of events would have occurred to push you in that direction.” He took a sip of tea.
“I was supposed to let her die? I won’t accept any of this destiny crap anyway. We shape our own lives!” Max tried to keep his voice level, calm. But he could feel it slipping.
“To a degree we do. The day to day choices, things that can dramatically change how fate plays out sometimes. But still the doom is there. All the normal aspects of your life shape you for it and push you toward it. People can escape it, although it almost always ends badly.” He shook his head as if in memory, “But you are an interesting case. Your soul is not native to this world, nor is the prophecy that once guided your fate. You are not as tightly bound to fate here as others are. Had they hidden you on one of their worlds, you never would have been tempted by Liz. You would have pined for Tess from day one. And similarly no one native to this world could have save Liz. But you are not are you. And so the chain was broken.”
“Where does Liz come into this?”
“When you changed her, you did not change her fundamental essence. She was still a daughter of Ask and Embla, still a child of Yggdrassil. And so she still remains. Her powers come not from your worlds, but from ours. And because she died and came back how she did…. The world no longer reacts to her as it once did.”
“But you said she wasn’t an alien.”
“No. She is a wizard. One completely devoid of proper training. Open to so many forms of corruption and destruction. But we need her.”
Max stood up and waved his fits at the old man, “If this is dangerous, you can simply count us out. This simply doesn’t involve us.
“You are wrong, Max Evans. This involves you to the core. For if you and your wife do not get involved, you will see Ragnarok strike within the next two generations. And you will both still be alive and young. And doomed with the rest of the worlds. What is worse, the actions of your sister, the ones that are pushing the time table forward, are changing fate in the favor of the Enemy.”
“My sister?”
“Your precious Isabel is one of Sorvald’s greatest warlords. But it is the one they call Alex that must be stopped. His fate was altered much the same as Liz’s was. Only for evil purposes. They must be stopped.”
Max just stared at the lunatic. Alex was dead. His sister a warleader? His wife changed into some sort of hero that could stop them….
He couldn’t maintain the connection any longer. Assuming it had been a connection to begin with and not some odd hallucination.
But it had felt so real.
All he could do was wait for Liz to waken.
Re: Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Pt6 - 11/07/11
Thanks to everyone and the comments. No time for me to reply, but here is a tiny part.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 7
Kyle
Kyle stared at the other worldly scene for a few moments more before rationality kicked in. Now was not the time for exploring. Now was the time for a bit of scouting and then back with the information.
They would need more people and equipment to truly do justice to this. But who could they trust?
His father had access to men, but it was out of his jurisdiction. Would the Reservation have the resources to explore this fully? And would it do so or simply block off the cave and call this otherworld evil.
Kyle reached into his backpack and grabbed a small camcorder. He tossed it to Eddie. “Take as much film as you can. This is going to be hard enough to believe in as it is.”
Eddie dryly said, “I am here and I scarcely believe it.” He started filming.
Kyle pulled out a separate camera and began taking pictures. Before they left he would grab a few grass samples. Maybe some rocks. Anything that could make this seem real to people on the other side of the mountain.
Maybe he could put the word out and contact Michael.
Eddie quietly said, “Do you think this is your friend’s world”
Kyle took a couple more pictures, thinking. “No. Getting here was supposed to be hard. If they had a road like this one…. No this is something completely different. Do your people have any legends or myths regarding this?”
Eddie paused, “Some. More about troublesome creatures from another world. Not really about the other world itself. There were some local tales that told of the Anasazi of the area having a compact with the Children of Darkness. But then my people did not get along with those people.” He shook his head, “Yeah, to the point where we avoid their ruins.”
“Why?”
“I guess the Elders are afraid of what they may have left behind. Some of them were supposed to be powerful and dangerous witches. Better to simply avoid.”
Kyle sighed. No chance of getting help from the local reservation. He would be lucky if they didn’t simply cordon off the area. Kyle grinned, and Kyle at least wanted to explore. This was an amazing if potentially extremely dangerous find.
The bison began to call out to one another and to move. In moments there was a stampede away from their little sheltered cave.
“What is happening? Do they normally run around like that.”
Eddie, “Sorry not a bison specialist. You white folks killed all the ones in the southern ranges, remember? Something about manifest destiny or something the forced me to read in school.” He paused, “But no, I don’t think that is normal. Maybe fire? Or some predator?”
Kyle put the camera in a pocket and picked up his rifle. “Maybe it is time for us to go.” Kyle began to feel the hackles of his neck rise. Something was coming.
“I am all for that.”
The sky was suddenly full of terrifying cries as horsemen that galloped through the air came into view. They were chasing another rider who was rushing to the cave.
Kyle without a thought shot at one of the flying men. The horror emanated from them, and he could feel wrongness roll off of them.
They were unnatural and deserved to be destroyed.
The bullets seemed to hurt it but it did not die. Some of the evil riders rushed toward their cave.
Kyle kept shooting, searching for an area of vulnerability.
The other riders horse stumbled and fell, but the rider seemed to shift as she fell. A grey shape sped to the cave where they were at.
Kyle had already chosen sides, and hoped that whatever was rushing them wasn’t also a threat.
It was Eddie’s quick thinking with a flare gun that broke the flying riders. Who close up looked dead and dried out. The flare lit the one Eddie shot and it screamed horribly as it caught on fire. It raced randomly around the sky, catching a few of its compatriots on fire.
Kyle shuddered and looked to where the girl had gone to. Had she simply raced down the cave to his world?
No. She lay nearby, panting and shuddering from what looked like a nasty arrow wound.
Kyle looked over at Eddie. What where they going to do now?
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 7
Kyle
Kyle stared at the other worldly scene for a few moments more before rationality kicked in. Now was not the time for exploring. Now was the time for a bit of scouting and then back with the information.
They would need more people and equipment to truly do justice to this. But who could they trust?
His father had access to men, but it was out of his jurisdiction. Would the Reservation have the resources to explore this fully? And would it do so or simply block off the cave and call this otherworld evil.
Kyle reached into his backpack and grabbed a small camcorder. He tossed it to Eddie. “Take as much film as you can. This is going to be hard enough to believe in as it is.”
Eddie dryly said, “I am here and I scarcely believe it.” He started filming.
Kyle pulled out a separate camera and began taking pictures. Before they left he would grab a few grass samples. Maybe some rocks. Anything that could make this seem real to people on the other side of the mountain.
Maybe he could put the word out and contact Michael.
Eddie quietly said, “Do you think this is your friend’s world”
Kyle took a couple more pictures, thinking. “No. Getting here was supposed to be hard. If they had a road like this one…. No this is something completely different. Do your people have any legends or myths regarding this?”
Eddie paused, “Some. More about troublesome creatures from another world. Not really about the other world itself. There were some local tales that told of the Anasazi of the area having a compact with the Children of Darkness. But then my people did not get along with those people.” He shook his head, “Yeah, to the point where we avoid their ruins.”
“Why?”
“I guess the Elders are afraid of what they may have left behind. Some of them were supposed to be powerful and dangerous witches. Better to simply avoid.”
Kyle sighed. No chance of getting help from the local reservation. He would be lucky if they didn’t simply cordon off the area. Kyle grinned, and Kyle at least wanted to explore. This was an amazing if potentially extremely dangerous find.
The bison began to call out to one another and to move. In moments there was a stampede away from their little sheltered cave.
“What is happening? Do they normally run around like that.”
Eddie, “Sorry not a bison specialist. You white folks killed all the ones in the southern ranges, remember? Something about manifest destiny or something the forced me to read in school.” He paused, “But no, I don’t think that is normal. Maybe fire? Or some predator?”
Kyle put the camera in a pocket and picked up his rifle. “Maybe it is time for us to go.” Kyle began to feel the hackles of his neck rise. Something was coming.
“I am all for that.”
The sky was suddenly full of terrifying cries as horsemen that galloped through the air came into view. They were chasing another rider who was rushing to the cave.
Kyle without a thought shot at one of the flying men. The horror emanated from them, and he could feel wrongness roll off of them.
They were unnatural and deserved to be destroyed.
The bullets seemed to hurt it but it did not die. Some of the evil riders rushed toward their cave.
Kyle kept shooting, searching for an area of vulnerability.
The other riders horse stumbled and fell, but the rider seemed to shift as she fell. A grey shape sped to the cave where they were at.
Kyle had already chosen sides, and hoped that whatever was rushing them wasn’t also a threat.
It was Eddie’s quick thinking with a flare gun that broke the flying riders. Who close up looked dead and dried out. The flare lit the one Eddie shot and it screamed horribly as it caught on fire. It raced randomly around the sky, catching a few of its compatriots on fire.
Kyle shuddered and looked to where the girl had gone to. Had she simply raced down the cave to his world?
No. She lay nearby, panting and shuddering from what looked like a nasty arrow wound.
Kyle looked over at Eddie. What where they going to do now?
Re: Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Pt7 - 11/08/11
Where this part ends up was bound to happen given the two characters involved.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Bits and pieces I think.
mary mary- Thanks. Talk with Buddha?
begonia9508- Thanks. What can make a people simply seem to disappear?
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 8
Maria-
Maria had enjoyed their talk. She had even enjoyed the spritely motorcycle race to get to the motel. But now as she handed Michael the key to his room….
She didn’t want to leave. Even though she desperately needed a shower and simply a break from Michael’s presence to refocus herself. Michael had always made her head spin. And she needed to focus. There was too much important information he needed to have.
Maria wanted Michael to help them because he wanted to, not simply because she had seduced him into joining. But she needed him so very badly.
Michael just looked at her and took the key. He reached out and stroked her cheek. “I hope I will be seeing you soon.”
Maria looked up and smiled slightly, “Michael, I really need this. We might need this. You are not going to like some of what I am going to say.” Maria couldn’t help the fear and nervousness show, the fact that she might lose him over what she had to say affect her voice. She tried, but failed. “Michael, one of us might need space to cool off. But I don’t want to lose you.” Her voice was plaintive, “Not again.”
Michael’s arms surrounded her, “I will never abandon you again. I should never have left you.”
Maria shook her head, trembling heavily, because while she believed what she was about to say, she had suffered greatly for it. “You did the right thing. You couldn’t know what was coming. Who expects to be attacked by Mrykriddr on Midgard? No, if you had been there, I don’t know if you could have stopped it.” She shook her head, this is part of what we need to discuss after I take my shower.
Michael grumbled into her hair, “I could join you. We could save time and water. Roswell is a desert.”
“I didn’t fall for that when I was in High School, Space boy.”
“Hmmmph, I recall it worked a couple of times.” Michael smiled fondly.
“I was a horny adolescent, Michael. The bar was kind of low.”
Michael nodded, “Go, my love. Go and come back to me. I will wait for you here.” He grinned mischievously, “Maybe.”
Maria rolled her eyes and left for her own room.
She quickly checked to make sure no one had disturbed the equipment she had brought. A normal thief would not have been able to take anything, but explaining a corpse might be a bit difficult. She had to remember that Law was stronger and more respected here.
She stripped and walked into the shower. Such luxuriousness. The feel as the hot water sluiced down her body. Such amenities were rare on Nidavellir.
She was finishing up her shower, when one of the local vaettir warned her that a supernatural entity had breached her room’s defenses. Maria looked around the bathroom and cursed. She had let herself be lulled into a sense of safety here on Earth. All her weapons were in the main room.
She would have to trust in her magic. A few whispered words and she was invisible.
This wasn’t a perfect plan. There were several mirrors in the motel’s bedroom, and they would not lie for Maria. In fact Maria herself had placed them for maximum utility in breaking someone else’s illusions.
She slipped into the other room, preparing a burst of Alf-light to dazzle her opponent. That should let her grab one of her gauntlets or knives.
Michael turned slightly from examining Maria’s luggage. He looked around quizzically, “Is someone there?”
Maria was tempted to simply blast him. Instead she walked over and grabbed a towel to cover herself before letting her illusion drop.
Michael simply said, “What the hell?”
Maria glared at him, “I told you things have changed. I have changed. In ways you probably can’t imagine. I have gone far beyond you little Alien Abyss, Michael. So far that I am not even human myself.”
“Obviously if you can turn invisible. Or whatever it was you just did.” Michael stood there watching her. Trying to catch her eyes.
He had claimed to be able to read her simply by looking into her eyes. Did she risk it?
Her heart was pounding and she could feel her body react to his closeness. It didn’t help that she was wrapped in a single layer of linen either. She felt not only her core warming, but the slight tug of the Alf-stones in her belly.
She didn’t just want to sleep with Michael. She wanted his babies. And her body and the crystal inside her was letting her know how it felt about the whole situation. The ancestral voices approved.
She met his eyes. She did want this. Maybe not the children today, but soon.
She dropped the towel and smiled up at him.
Michael’s shirt hit the floor first, followed by his jeans. He moved to embrace her as soon as the encumbering clothes were gone.
She idly asked herself what had happened to talking. But her heart was pounding so very hard as she ran her hands over Michael’s bare chest.
Michael grunted as his hands slid over the scars on her back. He looked at her quizzically.
Maria said softly, “I wasn’t a very good slave.” She raised up her lips and kissed him.
Michael pulled back slightly, “Maria…”
“We’ll talk later. I am a little distracted right now.” She moved one of her hands from his back and reached down to gently stroke him.
He grunted and picked her up and carried her to the bed.
Maria giggled as she bounced a few times before getting reacquainted with the landscape of Michael’s body.
Michael began a determined assault on her breasts, his mouth making love to one, while his hand stimulated the other. At his touch there was an almost electric sensation, something she had felt with no other lover. It was as if his touch reached her deeper, stimulated her more somehow.
She felt a sudden wave of euphoria sweep over her causing her to tremble for a moment. She felt Michael’s gentle chuckling as he began to work his way slowly from the valley of her breasts down her belly.
Maria could only laugh as a wave of pure happiness washed over her. Despite all her trials, despite all the tribulations she had suffered to get here, here she was back in the arms of her true lover. Here in these arms she was safe.
And they made love.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Bits and pieces I think.
mary mary- Thanks. Talk with Buddha?
begonia9508- Thanks. What can make a people simply seem to disappear?
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 8
Maria-
Maria had enjoyed their talk. She had even enjoyed the spritely motorcycle race to get to the motel. But now as she handed Michael the key to his room….
She didn’t want to leave. Even though she desperately needed a shower and simply a break from Michael’s presence to refocus herself. Michael had always made her head spin. And she needed to focus. There was too much important information he needed to have.
Maria wanted Michael to help them because he wanted to, not simply because she had seduced him into joining. But she needed him so very badly.
Michael just looked at her and took the key. He reached out and stroked her cheek. “I hope I will be seeing you soon.”
Maria looked up and smiled slightly, “Michael, I really need this. We might need this. You are not going to like some of what I am going to say.” Maria couldn’t help the fear and nervousness show, the fact that she might lose him over what she had to say affect her voice. She tried, but failed. “Michael, one of us might need space to cool off. But I don’t want to lose you.” Her voice was plaintive, “Not again.”
Michael’s arms surrounded her, “I will never abandon you again. I should never have left you.”
Maria shook her head, trembling heavily, because while she believed what she was about to say, she had suffered greatly for it. “You did the right thing. You couldn’t know what was coming. Who expects to be attacked by Mrykriddr on Midgard? No, if you had been there, I don’t know if you could have stopped it.” She shook her head, this is part of what we need to discuss after I take my shower.
Michael grumbled into her hair, “I could join you. We could save time and water. Roswell is a desert.”
“I didn’t fall for that when I was in High School, Space boy.”
“Hmmmph, I recall it worked a couple of times.” Michael smiled fondly.
“I was a horny adolescent, Michael. The bar was kind of low.”
Michael nodded, “Go, my love. Go and come back to me. I will wait for you here.” He grinned mischievously, “Maybe.”
Maria rolled her eyes and left for her own room.
She quickly checked to make sure no one had disturbed the equipment she had brought. A normal thief would not have been able to take anything, but explaining a corpse might be a bit difficult. She had to remember that Law was stronger and more respected here.
She stripped and walked into the shower. Such luxuriousness. The feel as the hot water sluiced down her body. Such amenities were rare on Nidavellir.
She was finishing up her shower, when one of the local vaettir warned her that a supernatural entity had breached her room’s defenses. Maria looked around the bathroom and cursed. She had let herself be lulled into a sense of safety here on Earth. All her weapons were in the main room.
She would have to trust in her magic. A few whispered words and she was invisible.
This wasn’t a perfect plan. There were several mirrors in the motel’s bedroom, and they would not lie for Maria. In fact Maria herself had placed them for maximum utility in breaking someone else’s illusions.
She slipped into the other room, preparing a burst of Alf-light to dazzle her opponent. That should let her grab one of her gauntlets or knives.
Michael turned slightly from examining Maria’s luggage. He looked around quizzically, “Is someone there?”
Maria was tempted to simply blast him. Instead she walked over and grabbed a towel to cover herself before letting her illusion drop.
Michael simply said, “What the hell?”
Maria glared at him, “I told you things have changed. I have changed. In ways you probably can’t imagine. I have gone far beyond you little Alien Abyss, Michael. So far that I am not even human myself.”
“Obviously if you can turn invisible. Or whatever it was you just did.” Michael stood there watching her. Trying to catch her eyes.
He had claimed to be able to read her simply by looking into her eyes. Did she risk it?
Her heart was pounding and she could feel her body react to his closeness. It didn’t help that she was wrapped in a single layer of linen either. She felt not only her core warming, but the slight tug of the Alf-stones in her belly.
She didn’t just want to sleep with Michael. She wanted his babies. And her body and the crystal inside her was letting her know how it felt about the whole situation. The ancestral voices approved.
She met his eyes. She did want this. Maybe not the children today, but soon.
She dropped the towel and smiled up at him.
Michael’s shirt hit the floor first, followed by his jeans. He moved to embrace her as soon as the encumbering clothes were gone.
She idly asked herself what had happened to talking. But her heart was pounding so very hard as she ran her hands over Michael’s bare chest.
Michael grunted as his hands slid over the scars on her back. He looked at her quizzically.
Maria said softly, “I wasn’t a very good slave.” She raised up her lips and kissed him.
Michael pulled back slightly, “Maria…”
“We’ll talk later. I am a little distracted right now.” She moved one of her hands from his back and reached down to gently stroke him.
He grunted and picked her up and carried her to the bed.
Maria giggled as she bounced a few times before getting reacquainted with the landscape of Michael’s body.
Michael began a determined assault on her breasts, his mouth making love to one, while his hand stimulated the other. At his touch there was an almost electric sensation, something she had felt with no other lover. It was as if his touch reached her deeper, stimulated her more somehow.
She felt a sudden wave of euphoria sweep over her causing her to tremble for a moment. She felt Michael’s gentle chuckling as he began to work his way slowly from the valley of her breasts down her belly.
Maria could only laugh as a wave of pure happiness washed over her. Despite all her trials, despite all the tribulations she had suffered to get here, here she was back in the arms of her true lover. Here in these arms she was safe.
And they made love.
Re: Hall of the Mountain King (CC ALL/Mature) Pt8 - 11/09/11
Solidly plugging away.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. I suppose so.
Mary mary- Thanks. Yes. I will, its intregral into what she has become.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 9
Max
Max was in the kitchen making a sandwich for himself, when Liz, phone in one ear barged into the room.
She looked up at him, “Make me two. You know what I like. Some potato salad too. I will meet you in the dining room.” She rapidly walked into the side office and began rummaging through papers.
Max blinked. The last he had checked Liz was still deep asleep. He knew her though, she would tell him everything. He just had to wait a moment.
Max closed his eyes. He so hated waiting for information. But he quietly made the food. No need for a pointless argument. He put on a pot of coffee for her and basically readied their meal.
Liz came out of the office and hugged him. “Thanks Max.”
He handed her a mug of coffee, “So, what is going on?”
“We are needed elsewhere. So I called up Ava, and she and Holly would be happy to cover for us here. Trevor probably won’t be around much, so Ava asked if you could cut some extra firewood.”
Max never knew where Ava had met Trevor, but apparently it have been love at first site. To the point that she married him even with a teenage daughter. Both of them had run Dreamer’s Crossing before, so there were few worries there. “Okay, where are we going.”
Liz sighed, “Roswell. The local area anyway.”
Max closed his eyes, “We can’t ever fully escape it can we? It is always there calling us back.”
Liz set her cup down and walked over to hug him. “If it makes you feel better it doesn’t involve you home planet. In a sense it doesn’t even directly involve you.” She gave him a kiss.
“But it does involve you sister. And Maria. I know what happened to them now.”
“What?”
Liz tilted her head back in thought for a moment. “Do you remember when Courtney was trying to explain how time worked differently on Antar? How there were different layers of it?”
Max nodded slowly.
“Well, I mean that was patently nonsense. I knew something was happening, but that was simply too ridiculous. And the truth is that both of us were sort of right.” She cocked her head again, “And it explains the whole Five worlds of Antar too. All in one system and yet all fully inhabitable.”
“Liz please tell me what it is before I die of suspense.”
Liz chuckled, “That would be fun to watch.”
“Liz!”
“Alright. Basically there are multiple worlds all connected somehow. Each in its own little universe, yet tied inextricably to the others in its system.” She looked him firmly in the eye, “Max your world has five, well apparently mine has at least nine.” She shook her head, “It isn’t like yours in that one group ruled them all, there are a bunch of factions. Earth is basically a protected training ground for soldiers.”
“What?”
“That will take some explaining. But there are two main groups fighting each other, one representing relative order, the other chaos. Now they are in sort of a MAD situation right now. Both sides want the other destroyed, but if they start anything they will be destroyed as well. Very much like the old Cold War.”
“So how does this affect us?”
“Your sister is tilting the balance on one of the neighboring worlds. If she and her lover keep it up, the final war maybe in a generation or two. Possibly sooner.”
Max sighed and let his hands fall to his sides. “So I have to stop her? I have to be the one to crush her dreams again?”
“Max…” Liz sighed and buried her face in his chest. “It’s not that simple, Max. Your sister has changed. All that last year we spent together, there was something broke inside her. Jesse helped, but I don’t know that it was enough. Having Jesse die in her arms…. I think she shattered. Isabel was a good hearted person, sarcastic maybe, but good.” She lifted her head and shook it at Max. “That isn’t the case anymore. She is evil now. And I don’t know if we can save her.”
“Evil? I know that she worried about Vilandra, but…”
Liz’s eyes were sad and serious, “This is more than Vilandra. The things your sister has done.” Liz paused, “I suppose when we get to Nidavellir we can see for ourselves. But saving your sister is one of my main goals.”
“Thank you.”
They held each other for a time before breaking up to eat the dinner Max had prepared. They both kept the conversation light. Both thinking of what to do next.
There were still a great many things Max needed to know. But for now he thought of his sister and how much he had missed her over the past ten years.
Michael. He still wasn’t on speaking terms with the man. But he should know about Isabel. “Should we contact Michael about this?”
Liz said quietly, “He will already be involved. Part of the reason we aren’t driving to where they both are right now, is to let them get reacquainted with each other.”
“Maria.”
“Yes. Just remember that you and Michael are friends. That you need one another and are stronger together than every you were apart.” She paused again, “And from the little I know, Maria has lead a tough life these last years. So be nice to her.”
Max said softly, “I will be. I owe her.”
Liz said softly, “Me too.”
The rest of the night was spent planning their trip and preparing the Dreamer’s Crossing for Ava.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. I suppose so.
Mary mary- Thanks. Yes. I will, its intregral into what she has become.
In the Hall of the Mountain King part 9
Max
Max was in the kitchen making a sandwich for himself, when Liz, phone in one ear barged into the room.
She looked up at him, “Make me two. You know what I like. Some potato salad too. I will meet you in the dining room.” She rapidly walked into the side office and began rummaging through papers.
Max blinked. The last he had checked Liz was still deep asleep. He knew her though, she would tell him everything. He just had to wait a moment.
Max closed his eyes. He so hated waiting for information. But he quietly made the food. No need for a pointless argument. He put on a pot of coffee for her and basically readied their meal.
Liz came out of the office and hugged him. “Thanks Max.”
He handed her a mug of coffee, “So, what is going on?”
“We are needed elsewhere. So I called up Ava, and she and Holly would be happy to cover for us here. Trevor probably won’t be around much, so Ava asked if you could cut some extra firewood.”
Max never knew where Ava had met Trevor, but apparently it have been love at first site. To the point that she married him even with a teenage daughter. Both of them had run Dreamer’s Crossing before, so there were few worries there. “Okay, where are we going.”
Liz sighed, “Roswell. The local area anyway.”
Max closed his eyes, “We can’t ever fully escape it can we? It is always there calling us back.”
Liz set her cup down and walked over to hug him. “If it makes you feel better it doesn’t involve you home planet. In a sense it doesn’t even directly involve you.” She gave him a kiss.
“But it does involve you sister. And Maria. I know what happened to them now.”
“What?”
Liz tilted her head back in thought for a moment. “Do you remember when Courtney was trying to explain how time worked differently on Antar? How there were different layers of it?”
Max nodded slowly.
“Well, I mean that was patently nonsense. I knew something was happening, but that was simply too ridiculous. And the truth is that both of us were sort of right.” She cocked her head again, “And it explains the whole Five worlds of Antar too. All in one system and yet all fully inhabitable.”
“Liz please tell me what it is before I die of suspense.”
Liz chuckled, “That would be fun to watch.”
“Liz!”
“Alright. Basically there are multiple worlds all connected somehow. Each in its own little universe, yet tied inextricably to the others in its system.” She looked him firmly in the eye, “Max your world has five, well apparently mine has at least nine.” She shook her head, “It isn’t like yours in that one group ruled them all, there are a bunch of factions. Earth is basically a protected training ground for soldiers.”
“What?”
“That will take some explaining. But there are two main groups fighting each other, one representing relative order, the other chaos. Now they are in sort of a MAD situation right now. Both sides want the other destroyed, but if they start anything they will be destroyed as well. Very much like the old Cold War.”
“So how does this affect us?”
“Your sister is tilting the balance on one of the neighboring worlds. If she and her lover keep it up, the final war maybe in a generation or two. Possibly sooner.”
Max sighed and let his hands fall to his sides. “So I have to stop her? I have to be the one to crush her dreams again?”
“Max…” Liz sighed and buried her face in his chest. “It’s not that simple, Max. Your sister has changed. All that last year we spent together, there was something broke inside her. Jesse helped, but I don’t know that it was enough. Having Jesse die in her arms…. I think she shattered. Isabel was a good hearted person, sarcastic maybe, but good.” She lifted her head and shook it at Max. “That isn’t the case anymore. She is evil now. And I don’t know if we can save her.”
“Evil? I know that she worried about Vilandra, but…”
Liz’s eyes were sad and serious, “This is more than Vilandra. The things your sister has done.” Liz paused, “I suppose when we get to Nidavellir we can see for ourselves. But saving your sister is one of my main goals.”
“Thank you.”
They held each other for a time before breaking up to eat the dinner Max had prepared. They both kept the conversation light. Both thinking of what to do next.
There were still a great many things Max needed to know. But for now he thought of his sister and how much he had missed her over the past ten years.
Michael. He still wasn’t on speaking terms with the man. But he should know about Isabel. “Should we contact Michael about this?”
Liz said quietly, “He will already be involved. Part of the reason we aren’t driving to where they both are right now, is to let them get reacquainted with each other.”
“Maria.”
“Yes. Just remember that you and Michael are friends. That you need one another and are stronger together than every you were apart.” She paused again, “And from the little I know, Maria has lead a tough life these last years. So be nice to her.”
Max said softly, “I will be. I owe her.”
Liz said softly, “Me too.”
The rest of the night was spent planning their trip and preparing the Dreamer’s Crossing for Ava.