Thanks again.
mary mary- Thanks. And Liz is right. Her true love is out there. But don't sell Michael short. As you will see in couple of parts Scions are quite tough.
valentinebaby- Thanks. Yep. In-laws from hell to be sure.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. And we shall see.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringment is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 9
Liz
Liz walked up onto the ship. Somehow she had imagined that they would be working the ship. That she would be putting her knowledge to good use.
Seeing the Winters Edge changed that. It was a half steamer with fairly good rigging. Four people would not be nearly enough to manage such a vessel.
The ship itself looked fairly old. She would be interested to see how such an antiquated steam engine operated. The only ones she had been able to look at were the small scale models for lab use. Seeing one in the field, being able to sense the areas it had weakened and possibly to figure out why.
Liz sighed and carried her bags over to where Max was standing talking with Milton. “So how many cabins do we have and how far are we going on this ship. You made it seem like we would have our own vessel.”
Milton looked over at Liz. Then he looked longingly at the piers. “Once these docks were full of wave-jammers and schooners. Now everything is steam this and steam that. Bah. So very slow.”
A man in a uniform and feathered tricorn hat walked up behind them. “Welcome. You must be the last of the students Professor Milton told me about. It is such a pleasure to have such bright sparks aboard my ship! My name is Adam Winters, and I too spent a few long years here at Worlds End. I will ask you to stay out of the way of my crew, but outside of that if there is anything I can do for you, please let me know.”
Milton smiled and looked at Adam, “I still say you would have been better with a schooner. You would be faster and you wouldn’t need to load up on coal.” He looked among Max, Liz and Maria. “Adam was one of my students long ago.”
Captain Winters looked over at Max, “I can’t say I have the potential I heard back at the Navigation College. I hope you don’t mind if I bend your ear on some future prospects after you get your certification. Until you do I will have to caution you not to utilize your abilities unless it is an emergency.”
“Yes, sir.”
Captain Winters smiled as he looked at the two women, “And if I can do anything for you two ladies, please let me know. Just please, as with Mr. Evans, please do not utilize your magic in a way that may endanger the ship.”
Liz raised her hand slightly, “If I could, I would like to study your Steam Engine. I promise the magic I use will only be for observation and analysis.”
The Captain frowned, “I am not sure….”
“Sir, I am working towards a practicum in materials analysis and augmentation. Observation of such an object in the field may help me prepare for it.”
Captain Winters blinked, “Mr. Evans may not be the only one I need to talk to. Miss Parker. As long as you are careful.”
Milton just shook his head, “Steam power. Bah.”
Captain Winters companionably clouted Milton on the shoulder, “In the real world there are times its so much more convenient. Progress my dear Professor, Progress.” He looked again at the rest of them. “My Steward will show you to your rooms. You will have to excuse me, I have much to do if I want to get us to Oriesta before nightfall.”
Liz noticed how glum Maria was, and even Max was pensive. Both of them had often talked about leaving Worlds End and going on adventures.
She looked back at the city as she walked along the boat toward the passenger quarters. She would miss World’s End. Would miss the teachers and the opportunities to learn. But the place carried such pain for her too.
A decent part of her was eager to leave. Eager to see the world.
She put her bags in the berth that she would be sharing with Maria. Shipboard space was a precious commodity.
She was still putting a few things away when she noticed Maria had left for the deck. Liz was set to follow when it hit her.
Liz looked up at Max’s brown eyes. She said quietly and in great pain, “I love you Max. I never stopped loving you.”
“Liz, you can’t die on me. You just can’t! Hold on, just hold on. TESS! GET OVER HER NOW!”
Liz could feel herself growing cold. Her eyes slowly sliding shut.
Maria’s presence made itself felt, “NO! You can’t die! You are all Scions, save her!”
Liz’s eyes shut.
Darkness.
Less than a week. Liz had less than a week to live.
Suddenly the voyage didn’t seem so important. None of it did. She simply lay there and cried.
(12980)
Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Epilogue - 01/01/11
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Hunter, Island Breeze, Forum Moderators
Re: Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Part 9 - 11/07/10
And the second part for today, YAY! Need to keep trucking along. Note that each part is a seperate scene, so some of them will be brief.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. Yep Liz always looking for something to examine. And Liz's visions are always personal. They doesn't mean that they always involve her. But its always something personal that happens to whomever she sees for.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 10
Kyle-
Kyle stood near the prow of the ship. He had always liked the sea. He didn’t really have much talent as a sailor. Sure he knew enough to work the sails and the basics of navigation. He’d had to just to qualify for a position as an officer in the Navy.
But he still loved the sea. It had been one of the reasons he had spent so much of his time at Lands End learning the basics.
It was so peaceful. And the horizon stretched away forever.
He pulled a pair of binoculars to scan the horizon. Far off to their left a merchant ship in full sail was barely visible in the slight haze. Just beautiful.
He heard a soft feminine giggle behind him.
Kyle looked. Nothing.
He went back to scanning the horizon. He watched as the merchant vessel slipped off the edge of the horizon. The last bit of bright white sail looking like a bird in flight.
Again he heard a giggle. And there was the sense that someone or something was watching him. He placed his hand on the place he normally kept a pistol. He felt suddenly naked and unarmed.
There were some soft feminine whispers and giggles.
And he saw nothing.
Alex walked up, “Hey you looked spooked.”
Kyle looked at Alex. “Alex I think your boat is haunted. And, and where is the rest of the crew. Or, or is your ship crewed by,” Kyle’s voice dropped, a slight wavering of fear, “Crewed by the dead?”
Alex rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. “Okay, girls. We are still in sight of land, downstairs with the lot of you.”
There was a series of high pitched groans.
Kyle caught a couple glimpses of large luminous eyes winking at him. And one or two small kisses on his cheek.
One of them pinched his behind.
Kyle could hear them, a group of what sounded like young women softly talking heading into the ship. But he could see nothing.
Alex just shook his head, “Sylphs. So very restless. I should probably head down to the third deck and wake the others.”
Kyle looked at him dumbfounded. “Sylphs? As in air spirits?”
Alex nodded seriously, flourishing his cloak. “Yes. And be careful, the Dryads are pretty stable. But the Sylphs are a bit flighty. Flirty too, they’ll treat you as a new toy if you let them.” Alex shrugged, “That is up to you. But Serena will seriously be angry if you break any of their little fluffy hearts.”
“And what is she? Some automata? A golem maybe? Or perhaps an ogre or dragon in disguise?”
Alex looked quizzically at Kyle, “Don’t be silly. She’s a troll. I have a couple of her brothers below decks working on the engines.” He thoughtful for a moment, “They really are good mechanics. Pity there is such a stigma against them in the normal public.”
“Troll. The captain isn’t just female, she’s a troll. Your ship is crewed with Sylphs? And, and Dryads?” Kyle was shaking, “What exactly is the plan here. I know we need to stop your sister, and probably mine as well. But what? Are we going to be running into Scions next? Is out quest to find, what? The fountain of youth? The Mirror of Souls? Or why not the lost lands of the Azen?”
“Basically.”
Kyle looked at the man. Trying to see through the man’s poker face. Because he couldn’t be serious.
Alex continued. “We’ve done a few tests, and Max Evans is definitely a Scion. We think he is going to be approached by an Azen fugitive, we aren’t sure who. Max was definitely a part of the Navigator caste amongst the Azen. He would be the logical choice for someone seeking the lost lands of the Azen.”
Kyle slumped to the ground. “Evans huh. He always seemed like such a quiet guy.”
Alex shrugged, “Scions are people Kyle. Most don’t even realize what they are. Most go through relatively normal lives. It is part of the Council’s job to find and monitor them. Sometimes we even offer them a place among us. They make formidable allies. We were thinking of doing just that, and if I can catch up with Max I will make the offer.” Alex shrugged.
“You have got to be kidding me? Scions? In normal life? With what they can do?” Kyle shuddered.
Alex sighed, “There is some trigger sequence that turns some of them fully on, but leaves others pretty normal. We don’t really understand it ourselves. We usually don’t find them unless something odd or unusual happens. And aside from being slightly luckier than usual, inactivated ones live pretty normal lives.”
Alex was silent for a moment before continuing “And be very careful with someone who seems to have a great talent for magic and bad dreams. Particularly odd dreams of the past. If there is a trigger symbol those dreams seem to be it.”
Kyle looked at Alex in horror. “You don’t, you can’t….. Tess….. Tess had those dreams. She always used to wake up and…. Heaven’s Light, you can not truly be implying….”
Alex looked over at him, “Tess Harding was and as far as we know, is a Scion.” Alex closed his eyes, “You have no idea how strong she was Kyle. So very strong. And I am sorry. I know you cared for her.”
Kyle looked away. His eyes burned. His throat was tight, “Alex?”
“Yes, Kyle?”
“I wish you had told me. That, that I…. I wish I had known.”
“I didn’t want to take away from what you had with her. That whole situation between you and Tess and Max and Liz…. I didn’t want this to color it.”
Kyle’s voice was flat. “Then why tell me now.”
Alex sighed one more time, “Because there is a good chance we might meet her on this trip. I am sorry to do this. But you had to know before you met her again.”
“I see.” He fought it, but a single tear slipped down his face.
Alex’s voice was full of sympathy. “I will leave you alone for a while. Dinner will be in a few hours. Do you want me to call you?”
Kyle just grunted. And set himself staring at the sea.
So very beautiful
And at times, when the sun was at the right angle, the blue matched her eyes.
Kyle heard the footsteps trail off behind him. And if anyone had asked him, he would have said his face was wet because of sea spray.
‘Tess……’
(14088)
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. Yep Liz always looking for something to examine. And Liz's visions are always personal. They doesn't mean that they always involve her. But its always something personal that happens to whomever she sees for.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 10
Kyle-
Kyle stood near the prow of the ship. He had always liked the sea. He didn’t really have much talent as a sailor. Sure he knew enough to work the sails and the basics of navigation. He’d had to just to qualify for a position as an officer in the Navy.
But he still loved the sea. It had been one of the reasons he had spent so much of his time at Lands End learning the basics.
It was so peaceful. And the horizon stretched away forever.
He pulled a pair of binoculars to scan the horizon. Far off to their left a merchant ship in full sail was barely visible in the slight haze. Just beautiful.
He heard a soft feminine giggle behind him.
Kyle looked. Nothing.
He went back to scanning the horizon. He watched as the merchant vessel slipped off the edge of the horizon. The last bit of bright white sail looking like a bird in flight.
Again he heard a giggle. And there was the sense that someone or something was watching him. He placed his hand on the place he normally kept a pistol. He felt suddenly naked and unarmed.
There were some soft feminine whispers and giggles.
And he saw nothing.
Alex walked up, “Hey you looked spooked.”
Kyle looked at Alex. “Alex I think your boat is haunted. And, and where is the rest of the crew. Or, or is your ship crewed by,” Kyle’s voice dropped, a slight wavering of fear, “Crewed by the dead?”
Alex rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. “Okay, girls. We are still in sight of land, downstairs with the lot of you.”
There was a series of high pitched groans.
Kyle caught a couple glimpses of large luminous eyes winking at him. And one or two small kisses on his cheek.
One of them pinched his behind.
Kyle could hear them, a group of what sounded like young women softly talking heading into the ship. But he could see nothing.
Alex just shook his head, “Sylphs. So very restless. I should probably head down to the third deck and wake the others.”
Kyle looked at him dumbfounded. “Sylphs? As in air spirits?”
Alex nodded seriously, flourishing his cloak. “Yes. And be careful, the Dryads are pretty stable. But the Sylphs are a bit flighty. Flirty too, they’ll treat you as a new toy if you let them.” Alex shrugged, “That is up to you. But Serena will seriously be angry if you break any of their little fluffy hearts.”
“And what is she? Some automata? A golem maybe? Or perhaps an ogre or dragon in disguise?”
Alex looked quizzically at Kyle, “Don’t be silly. She’s a troll. I have a couple of her brothers below decks working on the engines.” He thoughtful for a moment, “They really are good mechanics. Pity there is such a stigma against them in the normal public.”
“Troll. The captain isn’t just female, she’s a troll. Your ship is crewed with Sylphs? And, and Dryads?” Kyle was shaking, “What exactly is the plan here. I know we need to stop your sister, and probably mine as well. But what? Are we going to be running into Scions next? Is out quest to find, what? The fountain of youth? The Mirror of Souls? Or why not the lost lands of the Azen?”
“Basically.”
Kyle looked at the man. Trying to see through the man’s poker face. Because he couldn’t be serious.
Alex continued. “We’ve done a few tests, and Max Evans is definitely a Scion. We think he is going to be approached by an Azen fugitive, we aren’t sure who. Max was definitely a part of the Navigator caste amongst the Azen. He would be the logical choice for someone seeking the lost lands of the Azen.”
Kyle slumped to the ground. “Evans huh. He always seemed like such a quiet guy.”
Alex shrugged, “Scions are people Kyle. Most don’t even realize what they are. Most go through relatively normal lives. It is part of the Council’s job to find and monitor them. Sometimes we even offer them a place among us. They make formidable allies. We were thinking of doing just that, and if I can catch up with Max I will make the offer.” Alex shrugged.
“You have got to be kidding me? Scions? In normal life? With what they can do?” Kyle shuddered.
Alex sighed, “There is some trigger sequence that turns some of them fully on, but leaves others pretty normal. We don’t really understand it ourselves. We usually don’t find them unless something odd or unusual happens. And aside from being slightly luckier than usual, inactivated ones live pretty normal lives.”
Alex was silent for a moment before continuing “And be very careful with someone who seems to have a great talent for magic and bad dreams. Particularly odd dreams of the past. If there is a trigger symbol those dreams seem to be it.”
Kyle looked at Alex in horror. “You don’t, you can’t….. Tess….. Tess had those dreams. She always used to wake up and…. Heaven’s Light, you can not truly be implying….”
Alex looked over at him, “Tess Harding was and as far as we know, is a Scion.” Alex closed his eyes, “You have no idea how strong she was Kyle. So very strong. And I am sorry. I know you cared for her.”
Kyle looked away. His eyes burned. His throat was tight, “Alex?”
“Yes, Kyle?”
“I wish you had told me. That, that I…. I wish I had known.”
“I didn’t want to take away from what you had with her. That whole situation between you and Tess and Max and Liz…. I didn’t want this to color it.”
Kyle’s voice was flat. “Then why tell me now.”
Alex sighed one more time, “Because there is a good chance we might meet her on this trip. I am sorry to do this. But you had to know before you met her again.”
“I see.” He fought it, but a single tear slipped down his face.
Alex’s voice was full of sympathy. “I will leave you alone for a while. Dinner will be in a few hours. Do you want me to call you?”
Kyle just grunted. And set himself staring at the sea.
So very beautiful
And at times, when the sun was at the right angle, the blue matched her eyes.
Kyle heard the footsteps trail off behind him. And if anyone had asked him, he would have said his face was wet because of sea spray.
‘Tess……’
(14088)
Re: Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Part 10 - 11/07/10
Still plugging away. Might even get one more chapter after this one out tonight. Thank you all for reading.
valentinebaby- Thanks. Poor Liz. BIts and pieces are going to start popping up in the next few chapters that feature any of those four characters. But yeah, he was crushed by it.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 11
Tess-
Tess looked down at the shivering and battered naked woman who lay on the table. The eyes were full of fear and shattered dreams. This was the third woman she had dealt with.
She wasn’t sure whether it was easier to deal with the men or the women. The men usually fought her more, they were typically not quite as broken as the women. But their fate would not be as grim either. Many if not most of the men would be changed to serve the Cause. Nikolai did sell some as slaves, but very few.
The women faced a direr fate. But often had been traumatized enough by the time she got them to make them more malleable.
She placed her hands above the body and began to Shape her. The easy and obvious part was to heal the damage. Not just the obvious mistreatment she had suffered at the hands of Nikolai’s men, but also the day to day damage of living in a primitive village. Healing any of the myriad of hidden things that could cause trouble down the road.
But that was the tip of the ice berg. Nikolai collected quite a bounty for supplying Bright Cove’s many brothels. And part of the reason he got such good prices was the work that Tess did.
She smoothed the skin. Removed the calluses off of feet that had never worn shoes. Altered the bone structure and musculature to suit the various ideals of female beauty. Altering the chemical balances and hormones. Prodding the subjects body itself to change. To fill out in the right places, mostly. Sometimes to change the locations a body preferred to store its fat deposits.
Playing with the nerves, making them more sensitive to some things and less to others.
And finally the mind. To change and alter how the subject felt and saw the world. She couldn’t truly alter or add skills or talents. But she could alter what the subject desired to learn. And that could make a more tractable subject, whether male or female.
A more useful too. Because that is what humans were, right? What she had been brought up to believe. Merely animate tools for their betters to improve on and to use.
Or so she tried to tell herself. But this time as she moved her hands over the girls eyes, she could feel the mind struggle and shatter under Tess’s onslaught. And become the tool that she had been Shaping.
How was this any different that killing the poor girl….
Sure they body would live. But the girl as she was, was well and truly dead. Lost now under the Shapings that Tess had wrought.
Tess had killed her as surely as she had nearly killed Alex. As she had done to countless others.
She had become what she had promised Kyle she would never be.
There was a prickle that rolled up and down her spine.
Power. VAST amounts of Power were being used. More than she herself could use unaided.
She put her subject to sleep and ran to find out what was going on.
Nyssa was leaning on the starboard rail and staring at the island they were sailing away from. She was an aging but still handsome blonde woman.
Tess joined her. And stared in awe and fear.
From the beach a long white tendril of power was drifting up to the overcast sky. And the sky began to bubble and froth. The slight misting of rain began to rain in earnest.
A bolt of lightning stretched across the horizon.
Nikolai rushed to join them. “What in the Seven Hells is that?”
Nyssa said defensively, “We didn’t miss anyone, Nicky. Everyone is on board or dead.”
Tess shivered. “Only three things could do something like that. A Scion, A Wizard, or a Azen.”
Nikolai glared at her, “The Azen are dead. And if they had a Scion, he or she would certainly have fought us before now.” He moved closer to Tess, “What are you hiding in that ditzy blonde head of yours?”
Nyssa shook her head, “A Wizard would have fought us before this too.”
Tess said softly, “A trap. To catch us without doing any harm to themselves. Its easy. They have their spies figure out how long it takes us to do a raid and pull out. And then as we sail away….”
“What Tess, damn you what?”
Tess looked over at Nikolai, “I guess we are going to see how good a Navigator you truly are. But we need to leave now.” She looked up at the sky. Lightning rippled from one end of the sky to the other. “Because that is going to be one hell of a storm.”
Nikolai stared at her a moment and then began screaming orders.
She didn’t go back to her subjects. If they lived there would be time for it later. For now. For now she just needed to hold her son.
So she walked to his room and held him.
(14935)
valentinebaby- Thanks. Poor Liz. BIts and pieces are going to start popping up in the next few chapters that feature any of those four characters. But yeah, he was crushed by it.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 11
Tess-
Tess looked down at the shivering and battered naked woman who lay on the table. The eyes were full of fear and shattered dreams. This was the third woman she had dealt with.
She wasn’t sure whether it was easier to deal with the men or the women. The men usually fought her more, they were typically not quite as broken as the women. But their fate would not be as grim either. Many if not most of the men would be changed to serve the Cause. Nikolai did sell some as slaves, but very few.
The women faced a direr fate. But often had been traumatized enough by the time she got them to make them more malleable.
She placed her hands above the body and began to Shape her. The easy and obvious part was to heal the damage. Not just the obvious mistreatment she had suffered at the hands of Nikolai’s men, but also the day to day damage of living in a primitive village. Healing any of the myriad of hidden things that could cause trouble down the road.
But that was the tip of the ice berg. Nikolai collected quite a bounty for supplying Bright Cove’s many brothels. And part of the reason he got such good prices was the work that Tess did.
She smoothed the skin. Removed the calluses off of feet that had never worn shoes. Altered the bone structure and musculature to suit the various ideals of female beauty. Altering the chemical balances and hormones. Prodding the subjects body itself to change. To fill out in the right places, mostly. Sometimes to change the locations a body preferred to store its fat deposits.
Playing with the nerves, making them more sensitive to some things and less to others.
And finally the mind. To change and alter how the subject felt and saw the world. She couldn’t truly alter or add skills or talents. But she could alter what the subject desired to learn. And that could make a more tractable subject, whether male or female.
A more useful too. Because that is what humans were, right? What she had been brought up to believe. Merely animate tools for their betters to improve on and to use.
Or so she tried to tell herself. But this time as she moved her hands over the girls eyes, she could feel the mind struggle and shatter under Tess’s onslaught. And become the tool that she had been Shaping.
How was this any different that killing the poor girl….
Sure they body would live. But the girl as she was, was well and truly dead. Lost now under the Shapings that Tess had wrought.
Tess had killed her as surely as she had nearly killed Alex. As she had done to countless others.
She had become what she had promised Kyle she would never be.
There was a prickle that rolled up and down her spine.
Power. VAST amounts of Power were being used. More than she herself could use unaided.
She put her subject to sleep and ran to find out what was going on.
Nyssa was leaning on the starboard rail and staring at the island they were sailing away from. She was an aging but still handsome blonde woman.
Tess joined her. And stared in awe and fear.
From the beach a long white tendril of power was drifting up to the overcast sky. And the sky began to bubble and froth. The slight misting of rain began to rain in earnest.
A bolt of lightning stretched across the horizon.
Nikolai rushed to join them. “What in the Seven Hells is that?”
Nyssa said defensively, “We didn’t miss anyone, Nicky. Everyone is on board or dead.”
Tess shivered. “Only three things could do something like that. A Scion, A Wizard, or a Azen.”
Nikolai glared at her, “The Azen are dead. And if they had a Scion, he or she would certainly have fought us before now.” He moved closer to Tess, “What are you hiding in that ditzy blonde head of yours?”
Nyssa shook her head, “A Wizard would have fought us before this too.”
Tess said softly, “A trap. To catch us without doing any harm to themselves. Its easy. They have their spies figure out how long it takes us to do a raid and pull out. And then as we sail away….”
“What Tess, damn you what?”
Tess looked over at Nikolai, “I guess we are going to see how good a Navigator you truly are. But we need to leave now.” She looked up at the sky. Lightning rippled from one end of the sky to the other. “Because that is going to be one hell of a storm.”
Nikolai stared at her a moment and then began screaming orders.
She didn’t go back to her subjects. If they lived there would be time for it later. For now. For now she just needed to hold her son.
So she walked to his room and held him.
(14935)
Re: Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Part 11 - 11/08/10
Thanks again. And after this bed. I am trying to give myself a buffer for the upcoming madness. So here we go again.
mary mary- Thanks. Who is the father of Tess's baby? Kyles a good choice, unfortunately he's not the only candidate.
valentinebaby- Tess has great powers but is still weak in so many ways. She already let one person drag her into a situation of being evil. (The whole Alex debacle and the Max, Kyle, Tess, and Liz love quadrangle) Now in her haste to strike back at the perceived injustice she recieved because of her first epic screwup, she has managed to sign up for team evil a second time. Right now she is suffering an quiet nervous breakdown, because while she realized that they were kind of bad. Just how evil her colleagues and by extension her are was not apparent to her.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 12
Isabel
Isabel woke to the dripping water landing in her eye. Her eyes felt so dry as she blinked them closed. Once and then a second time until the felt close to normal. Still dry but usable.
Her body felt stiff and cold.
Why was she laying her propped up against the wall?
She was so very cold. And stiff.
The village smelled wrong. Of death and human waste. And overlying it all was the sweet tang of human blood mixed in with charred wood.
Her hand slid down her smooth belly. One that lacked the awkward bump that had been driving her to distraction these last few months.
But lacking also the life and movement she had grown to cherish. Her baby was gone.
She started shivering this time in a mix of horror and fear. The tackiness that was holding her down was blood. Her blood.
Odd thoughts and memories began swimming through her head. Of other times when she had been badly injured.
Her mind flitted to the ruined buildings and the few sprawled bodies.
Raiders.
Half her mind is screaming inside, the other half calmly viewing the scene. A scene she had always hated, but had scene many times. The aftermath of a slave raid. A slave raid as most of the inhabitants had been captured.
She nodded, ‘That was why they left me. I was pregnant. To much of a hassle. Much better to have their fun and kill me.’ Anger welled in her. ‘If they hadn’t been poisoning me I could have stopped this.’
Likely tactical options and power usage came to her mind. She calculated the number of raiders and the time they had left as well as the likelihood she could bring them to justice.
She was Vilandra. High Templar and Defender of the Southern Gate. Protecting the innocent was her charge. That she had failed here and now did not diminish her need to bring justice to their killers.
She was Justice. And nothing would stand in her way of fulfilling her duty. Either that or death.
Inside of her, the part that was not this cold and calm monster, the part that was Isabel and bubble of anguish was growing.
This was what her father had feared. This monster inside her.
The practical Vilandra warred with the broken Isabel. Her actions shaped by that inner struggle. She was shaking violently as she quickly grabbed some clothes and food. And she retched as the part of her that was Vilandra tried to eat.
No.
Not here.
Not amongst the ruins of her village and her life.
The cold part of her accepted it. And dragged Isabel along with her as she made a pyre and placed every one of the twenty slain villagers on it.
With a act of will, the bodies were burnt.
Isabel whispered her prayers, even as she could hear echoes of similar prayers throughout her mind. The many lives she had lived amongst the many nations joined the elegant and serene prayers of the lives she had lived amongst the Azen.
Afterwards she staggered off, exhausted and yet too full of emotion to stop. She stood on a tall hill above the village, one that she used to stand on to watch for her husband when he came in.
She sat there in the softly weeping sky eating food that tasted like dust. Drinking water that was pure and yet she so desired to spit out. She did not want to be alive. She did not want to be what she was.
To be what her father and village had so rightfully feared.
And yet….
She could have saved them. If they had let her be as she had been meant to be. She could have pushed the raiders back into the sea. Could have directed the villagers in ways to improve their lives. Simple techniques she had learned throughout her lives.
She was not evil. She had made mistakes. Some of her memories showed just how horrible and catastrophic some of those had been. But since the Fall of Azen, she had done what she could to promote order and good. To be what she had been created to be.
She could have been that here too. Fear. Fear had held them and her back. And all of them including her and her unborn child had paid the price.
Her baby.
Memories of other children flashed through her mind. Hers across the countless years. A mixture of pride and pain.
Mortal everyone of them. All dead now.
But threads of her laced through the bloodlines of more than a dozen worlds. Perhaps by now a dozen dozen.
For just a moment a vision appeared before her. Similar in some ways, different in others. The woman stood tall and proud. She was clad all in metal armor. “I am the memories of the days we lived amongst the Azen. Do not hate them for what they became, for they were once great. And good. And that is not the same thing as you may learn.”
“But why? Why now? We could have saved them. Saved my husband, my child, my home.”
Vilandra’s eyes filled with pain. “We all make mistakes Isabel. They are human as are you. And to err is sadly part of what it means to be human. Do what you can to ensure justice and to save what you can. That is all you can do.”
“You grieve for my child like he was yours. Why?”
Vilandra smiled, “Because I am you, my dear. These memories I bear are yours. All of us you can hear inside of you are part of you. Part of who you once were. Learn from us.”
“I am so scared and frightened of you and of me. And,” She fell to her knees. “It hurts so bad. Oh, Creator in Heaven it hurts so very badly.”
Vilandra’s eyes were full of tears, “It is good and fitting for you to grieve. But know that across the ages we grieve with you.” She touched Isabel’s cheek lightly and melted into her.
Isabel cried and raised her hands in supplication to the heavens and cried out in her pain and loss.
The heaven’s answered.
The winds grew heavy and the clouds dark. And save for the eye of the storm, centered on a hill with a sobbing woman, the storm raged.
(16022)
mary mary- Thanks. Who is the father of Tess's baby? Kyles a good choice, unfortunately he's not the only candidate.
valentinebaby- Tess has great powers but is still weak in so many ways. She already let one person drag her into a situation of being evil. (The whole Alex debacle and the Max, Kyle, Tess, and Liz love quadrangle) Now in her haste to strike back at the perceived injustice she recieved because of her first epic screwup, she has managed to sign up for team evil a second time. Right now she is suffering an quiet nervous breakdown, because while she realized that they were kind of bad. Just how evil her colleagues and by extension her are was not apparent to her.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 12
Isabel
Isabel woke to the dripping water landing in her eye. Her eyes felt so dry as she blinked them closed. Once and then a second time until the felt close to normal. Still dry but usable.
Her body felt stiff and cold.
Why was she laying her propped up against the wall?
She was so very cold. And stiff.
The village smelled wrong. Of death and human waste. And overlying it all was the sweet tang of human blood mixed in with charred wood.
Her hand slid down her smooth belly. One that lacked the awkward bump that had been driving her to distraction these last few months.
But lacking also the life and movement she had grown to cherish. Her baby was gone.
She started shivering this time in a mix of horror and fear. The tackiness that was holding her down was blood. Her blood.
Odd thoughts and memories began swimming through her head. Of other times when she had been badly injured.
Her mind flitted to the ruined buildings and the few sprawled bodies.
Raiders.
Half her mind is screaming inside, the other half calmly viewing the scene. A scene she had always hated, but had scene many times. The aftermath of a slave raid. A slave raid as most of the inhabitants had been captured.
She nodded, ‘That was why they left me. I was pregnant. To much of a hassle. Much better to have their fun and kill me.’ Anger welled in her. ‘If they hadn’t been poisoning me I could have stopped this.’
Likely tactical options and power usage came to her mind. She calculated the number of raiders and the time they had left as well as the likelihood she could bring them to justice.
She was Vilandra. High Templar and Defender of the Southern Gate. Protecting the innocent was her charge. That she had failed here and now did not diminish her need to bring justice to their killers.
She was Justice. And nothing would stand in her way of fulfilling her duty. Either that or death.
Inside of her, the part that was not this cold and calm monster, the part that was Isabel and bubble of anguish was growing.
This was what her father had feared. This monster inside her.
The practical Vilandra warred with the broken Isabel. Her actions shaped by that inner struggle. She was shaking violently as she quickly grabbed some clothes and food. And she retched as the part of her that was Vilandra tried to eat.
No.
Not here.
Not amongst the ruins of her village and her life.
The cold part of her accepted it. And dragged Isabel along with her as she made a pyre and placed every one of the twenty slain villagers on it.
With a act of will, the bodies were burnt.
Isabel whispered her prayers, even as she could hear echoes of similar prayers throughout her mind. The many lives she had lived amongst the many nations joined the elegant and serene prayers of the lives she had lived amongst the Azen.
Afterwards she staggered off, exhausted and yet too full of emotion to stop. She stood on a tall hill above the village, one that she used to stand on to watch for her husband when he came in.
She sat there in the softly weeping sky eating food that tasted like dust. Drinking water that was pure and yet she so desired to spit out. She did not want to be alive. She did not want to be what she was.
To be what her father and village had so rightfully feared.
And yet….
She could have saved them. If they had let her be as she had been meant to be. She could have pushed the raiders back into the sea. Could have directed the villagers in ways to improve their lives. Simple techniques she had learned throughout her lives.
She was not evil. She had made mistakes. Some of her memories showed just how horrible and catastrophic some of those had been. But since the Fall of Azen, she had done what she could to promote order and good. To be what she had been created to be.
She could have been that here too. Fear. Fear had held them and her back. And all of them including her and her unborn child had paid the price.
Her baby.
Memories of other children flashed through her mind. Hers across the countless years. A mixture of pride and pain.
Mortal everyone of them. All dead now.
But threads of her laced through the bloodlines of more than a dozen worlds. Perhaps by now a dozen dozen.
For just a moment a vision appeared before her. Similar in some ways, different in others. The woman stood tall and proud. She was clad all in metal armor. “I am the memories of the days we lived amongst the Azen. Do not hate them for what they became, for they were once great. And good. And that is not the same thing as you may learn.”
“But why? Why now? We could have saved them. Saved my husband, my child, my home.”
Vilandra’s eyes filled with pain. “We all make mistakes Isabel. They are human as are you. And to err is sadly part of what it means to be human. Do what you can to ensure justice and to save what you can. That is all you can do.”
“You grieve for my child like he was yours. Why?”
Vilandra smiled, “Because I am you, my dear. These memories I bear are yours. All of us you can hear inside of you are part of you. Part of who you once were. Learn from us.”
“I am so scared and frightened of you and of me. And,” She fell to her knees. “It hurts so bad. Oh, Creator in Heaven it hurts so very badly.”
Vilandra’s eyes were full of tears, “It is good and fitting for you to grieve. But know that across the ages we grieve with you.” She touched Isabel’s cheek lightly and melted into her.
Isabel cried and raised her hands in supplication to the heavens and cried out in her pain and loss.
The heaven’s answered.
The winds grew heavy and the clouds dark. And save for the eye of the storm, centered on a hill with a sobbing woman, the storm raged.
(16022)
Re: Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Part 12 - 11/08/10
And here is a sixth. Honestly I doubt I can manage more than one to two posts a day during the regular week. But at the moment the story is basically flying off my fingers and I am trying to keep it up. Hope you folks enjoy.
begonia9508- Thanks. If you have any other words you want me to detail, just let me know. I wll add them to the glossary. Sorry it I am making it hard to read. It amazes me, simply amazes me that we have so many people whose primary languages other than English reading these stories. Thank you so very much!
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 13
Michael-
Michael sat at the bar nursing his beer. He had given up on getting drunk, on forgetting the past. Of forgetting her. He had even chosen a calmer tavern, one more for the working class of Bright Cove than the sailors who typically stayed near the docks.
No, now something inside him told him to wait. To simply stay here.
So he had turned down several lucrative contracts that had headed his way. Nikolai’s men had approached him as well. It seemed that the men who had accosted him a few days ago were from Nikolai’s growing army of goons.
Paradoxically they didn’t try to hurt him or fight him at all. Apparently they wanted to hire him. For him to meet with their leaders.
Michael had turned them down as well. He had no intention of working for such a butcher. And he told them so.
In fact, day by day, as he stopped trying to drown out every memory, he began to see more and more of the injustices going on around him.
And he was growing angry.
Why he should care Michael didn’t know. Through the last few years, ever since he had stumbled off the docks from the Privateer vessel that had rescued him from that island….. He simply hadn’t cared. He had taken any job that would pay him enough to drown his sorrows. Drown his memories and make him too drunk to dream.
It hadn’t really worked though. With each day those memories had become just a little bit more clear, those memories of her. And with them the dreams. Dreams that Michael was beginning to swear were whispering to him. Opening his eyes to what was going on around him.
And those whispers did not approve. They spoke to a deep part of him. A part that wanted to stalk through this town and level it.
A part of him that believed that he could indeed do so. And that he should.
But a larger part of him told him to be patient and to wait. That his time was coming.
And wait is what he would have done. He would have.
Until near midnight a dozen men from a pirate vessel streamed in. Michael’s hackles immediately began to rise as they demanded whiskey and rum. The smell of them….. Not from their unwashed bodies, but from their tattered and self mutilated souls wafted to him.
Michael grew very still. He so wanted to act. But despite how foul those men were they had done nothing.
But they would.
Patience.
Many of the other patrons left for their rooms or some place safer. And as they chased away the normal clientele the pirates grew louder and bolder. They began to accost the barmaids.
And still Michael waited.
He did not have to wait long.
One of the pirates decided fondling the barmaids was not enough. He grabbed one and threw her onto a nearby table. A couple of his friends held her down and the first pirate began undoing his trousers with one hand, pushing up her heavy skirt with the others.
The maid screamed. Another rose to her friends defense, only to have another pirate grab her and give her a rough kiss.
Michael stood and walked towards them.
The tavern keeper rushed one of the pirates, only to be run through with a sword.
Michael simply quietly said, “I think you should stop.”
One of the pirates sneered, “Who the hell do you think you are?”
Another said, “Oh, just hack him down. Then we can get on with our fun.”
Michael answered the first pirate, drawing a sword from his belt. It was not the cutlass he had placed there earlier. “Once long ago, I was known as the Wrath of Heaven. Or simply Wrath. You are about to find out why.”
And he killed them.
(16665)
begonia9508- Thanks. If you have any other words you want me to detail, just let me know. I wll add them to the glossary. Sorry it I am making it hard to read. It amazes me, simply amazes me that we have so many people whose primary languages other than English reading these stories. Thank you so very much!
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 13
Michael-
Michael sat at the bar nursing his beer. He had given up on getting drunk, on forgetting the past. Of forgetting her. He had even chosen a calmer tavern, one more for the working class of Bright Cove than the sailors who typically stayed near the docks.
No, now something inside him told him to wait. To simply stay here.
So he had turned down several lucrative contracts that had headed his way. Nikolai’s men had approached him as well. It seemed that the men who had accosted him a few days ago were from Nikolai’s growing army of goons.
Paradoxically they didn’t try to hurt him or fight him at all. Apparently they wanted to hire him. For him to meet with their leaders.
Michael had turned them down as well. He had no intention of working for such a butcher. And he told them so.
In fact, day by day, as he stopped trying to drown out every memory, he began to see more and more of the injustices going on around him.
And he was growing angry.
Why he should care Michael didn’t know. Through the last few years, ever since he had stumbled off the docks from the Privateer vessel that had rescued him from that island….. He simply hadn’t cared. He had taken any job that would pay him enough to drown his sorrows. Drown his memories and make him too drunk to dream.
It hadn’t really worked though. With each day those memories had become just a little bit more clear, those memories of her. And with them the dreams. Dreams that Michael was beginning to swear were whispering to him. Opening his eyes to what was going on around him.
And those whispers did not approve. They spoke to a deep part of him. A part that wanted to stalk through this town and level it.
A part of him that believed that he could indeed do so. And that he should.
But a larger part of him told him to be patient and to wait. That his time was coming.
And wait is what he would have done. He would have.
Until near midnight a dozen men from a pirate vessel streamed in. Michael’s hackles immediately began to rise as they demanded whiskey and rum. The smell of them….. Not from their unwashed bodies, but from their tattered and self mutilated souls wafted to him.
Michael grew very still. He so wanted to act. But despite how foul those men were they had done nothing.
But they would.
Patience.
Many of the other patrons left for their rooms or some place safer. And as they chased away the normal clientele the pirates grew louder and bolder. They began to accost the barmaids.
And still Michael waited.
He did not have to wait long.
One of the pirates decided fondling the barmaids was not enough. He grabbed one and threw her onto a nearby table. A couple of his friends held her down and the first pirate began undoing his trousers with one hand, pushing up her heavy skirt with the others.
The maid screamed. Another rose to her friends defense, only to have another pirate grab her and give her a rough kiss.
Michael stood and walked towards them.
The tavern keeper rushed one of the pirates, only to be run through with a sword.
Michael simply quietly said, “I think you should stop.”
One of the pirates sneered, “Who the hell do you think you are?”
Another said, “Oh, just hack him down. Then we can get on with our fun.”
Michael answered the first pirate, drawing a sword from his belt. It was not the cutlass he had placed there earlier. “Once long ago, I was known as the Wrath of Heaven. Or simply Wrath. You are about to find out why.”
And he killed them.
(16665)
Re: Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Part 13 - 11/08/10
Thanks again to everyone.
valentinebaby- Thanks. The question is where he will draw the line. Michael's a pretty reasonable guy, Wrath, well he's got an old testament view on justice. And he is living in a Pirate Freetown. Lots to keep him busy.
mary mary- Thanks. It may take few chapters, but you are likely right.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 14
Maria
Maria left Liz in the cabin to think. And to pray So she lightly leaned against the railing and prayed..
She wasn’t very religious, a trait she had picked up from being treated very badly by the local churches back in the City. Most of them considered bastards evil by intrinsic nature and would not allow them to participate. Those few who did looked down on both her and her mother.
This killed any true desire to go to church on a regular basis. Even after she had been legally and religiously adopted by the Valentis she still avoided church. It was one of the many things she shared with Liz.
Liz was also illegitimate. But unlike Maria had never been adopted. She had lived her life with Jeff Parker and Nancy Madigan, had even taken the name Parker, even when it was known that she was sister to Alex Whitman and therefore not his blood.
Jeff Parker hadn’t cared. He had raised little Elizabeth and had taught her everything she could absorb. If Liz hadn’t had such a strong gift for Wizardry, she likely would be Jeff’s second now. Running the seedier side of the Capital.
That was always such a funny thing to contemplate. Straight-laced Liz Parker, gangster extraordinaire. Still the girl knew how to calculate odds on so many different things, and it had shaped her. Certainly gambling against her was a good way to lose money.
Maria herself was certain Liz could conjure up her visions to help with her card play.
She shook her head a smile on her face. She had met such special people since coming to World’s End. Liz and Alex and Max and Kyle. Well she had known him from being in the family, but she had never really been close to him until she had gotten here.
So many blessings. So many good things.
And so she prayed, giving thanks for her good fortune. She asked for success in their endeavor and protection for her family. All the usual prayers. And along the way she felt the connection build.
It just happened sometimes. She could feel as she filled with love and light and life. She just stood there, mouth slightly open as it filled her.
Moments later her eyes snapped open and she was shivering with pleasure. She never knew when this would happen. Sometimes she was just lost in thought or meditating. But always afterwards there was something she knew she needed to do.
Like she did now.
She walked back into the cabin. Liz lay on her bed crying. Maria could feel the ponderous residue of one of Liz’s visions surrounding the distraught girl.
“Liz? Liz, honey?” She rubbed her friends back to comfort her. “What is wrong? What did you see?”
“I, I am going to die, Maria. I, I thought I would have forever. I really did. I thought I could wait until the pain died down and I could talk with Max and make it all right. But, but I’m going to die.” She pounded her fist on the bed. “I have wasted so much time Maria. And now, now I am out of it. It’s, it’s all gone.”
“Liz. For one thing, neither I or Max is going to let you die. So don’t even THINK it is going to happen. Because we will stop it.”
Liz wiped her eyes, “Thanks. But I saw it Maria. I felt myself die. Heaven’s Light, I have never felt a vision so strong.” She bitterly sighed, “Five days. Seven tops. I know, Maria. Sometimes I just KNOW.”
“Come on. I know you get most of these things right. But sometimes you are wrong. Like me. You say I will meet my hearts desire still. But I already had Michael. I doubt I will ever feel that way again. I, I can’t explain it, but I do.” Maria blinked back her own tears. “So you see, you can be wrong. And you will be this time.”
Liz touched Maria. Her eyes flashed silver for a moment and looked beyond her. For a moment Liz held her there.
Maria felt once more the ponderous feeling that accompanied Liz’s visions.
Liz shook her head. “You will meet him soon. He will need you desperately, though he may try to deny you. You will know when you see him how much you need him as well. And it will be soon. Very soon.” Liz shook her head wearily, “Hopefully I can meet him before I die. There is a shine about him. Similar but different from the one around Max.” She smiled up at Maria, “Or the one that surrounds you.”
Maria looked down at her friend, “I still will need to see it with my own eyes.”
Liz just smiled. Her eyes were still full of sorrow and regret.
Maria sighed, “Surely you have been wrong before? Where something you see didn’t happen.”
Liz’s voice was sharp and bitter. “Twice, Maria. It has happened twice. Once, when we managed to save Alex in time.”
“And the second?”
Liz winced in pain, “I had a vision where Max handed me his first child. His and mine. That too did not come to pass.”
Maria hissed, “Tess….”
Liz grimaced. “Yes. Amazing how much damage one woman can do if she is determined.”
Maria tried to clear the bad taste out of her mouth. Tess had been a friend. Or so they had thought.
No. Maria needed to prioritize. Now was time to get Liz moving. She had a task and it was one she was more than happy to carry out. “See it IS possible. It is not set in stone. We can and we will save you.”
Liz just looked up at Maria, obviously still certain of her immanent demise. But putting on a happy face to mollify her. “I guess you are right. I will just have to be careful.”
How like Liz to try to calm and sooth her while facing such a deep existential crisis.
Maria patted her on the shoulder, “You do that.” Maria could feel the light pour out of her and into Liz. It never stayed for long. Always there was someone who needed it more.
And Liz definitely needed it now.
Maria watched as Liz relaxed and calmed. It never effected others like it did Maria. It usually just calmed them and brought them peace. A gift Maria was more than honored to give.
But Maria knew she wasn’t quite done. At least not from her perspective. She shook Liz slightly, “So what are you waiting for? Even though we ARE going to save you, whether you have seven days or seven years or even seven hundred years, what are you going to do about Max? Both of you love each other. That is obvious to everyone. I think even the two of you see it, just neither of you have the courage or strength to make the first move.”
“Maria its not that simple….”
“Yes it is. Go woman. You were the one who said she had wasted so much time. You are the one who thinks she has only seven days. Do you want to spend the last of them like you have the last few years? Go talk to the man. Whether the two of you fall desperately in love again or finally just resolve it all, it is time.”
Liz looked up at her. Opened her mouth to rebut something and then chuckled. “I guess you are right. I still want him. I always have. I, I just don’t want to lose what we have now.”
Maria’s voice was soft. “You won’t know until you talk to him.”
Liz bit her lip and nodded. “Will you help me get ready?”
“Ready? You just need to talk to the man.”
“I want him Maria. If I only have a few days…. We don’t have time to take it slow. So, will you help me?”
Maria smiled. “My pleasure.”
(18011)
valentinebaby- Thanks. The question is where he will draw the line. Michael's a pretty reasonable guy, Wrath, well he's got an old testament view on justice. And he is living in a Pirate Freetown. Lots to keep him busy.
mary mary- Thanks. It may take few chapters, but you are likely right.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 14
Maria
Maria left Liz in the cabin to think. And to pray So she lightly leaned against the railing and prayed..
She wasn’t very religious, a trait she had picked up from being treated very badly by the local churches back in the City. Most of them considered bastards evil by intrinsic nature and would not allow them to participate. Those few who did looked down on both her and her mother.
This killed any true desire to go to church on a regular basis. Even after she had been legally and religiously adopted by the Valentis she still avoided church. It was one of the many things she shared with Liz.
Liz was also illegitimate. But unlike Maria had never been adopted. She had lived her life with Jeff Parker and Nancy Madigan, had even taken the name Parker, even when it was known that she was sister to Alex Whitman and therefore not his blood.
Jeff Parker hadn’t cared. He had raised little Elizabeth and had taught her everything she could absorb. If Liz hadn’t had such a strong gift for Wizardry, she likely would be Jeff’s second now. Running the seedier side of the Capital.
That was always such a funny thing to contemplate. Straight-laced Liz Parker, gangster extraordinaire. Still the girl knew how to calculate odds on so many different things, and it had shaped her. Certainly gambling against her was a good way to lose money.
Maria herself was certain Liz could conjure up her visions to help with her card play.
She shook her head a smile on her face. She had met such special people since coming to World’s End. Liz and Alex and Max and Kyle. Well she had known him from being in the family, but she had never really been close to him until she had gotten here.
So many blessings. So many good things.
And so she prayed, giving thanks for her good fortune. She asked for success in their endeavor and protection for her family. All the usual prayers. And along the way she felt the connection build.
It just happened sometimes. She could feel as she filled with love and light and life. She just stood there, mouth slightly open as it filled her.
Moments later her eyes snapped open and she was shivering with pleasure. She never knew when this would happen. Sometimes she was just lost in thought or meditating. But always afterwards there was something she knew she needed to do.
Like she did now.
She walked back into the cabin. Liz lay on her bed crying. Maria could feel the ponderous residue of one of Liz’s visions surrounding the distraught girl.
“Liz? Liz, honey?” She rubbed her friends back to comfort her. “What is wrong? What did you see?”
“I, I am going to die, Maria. I, I thought I would have forever. I really did. I thought I could wait until the pain died down and I could talk with Max and make it all right. But, but I’m going to die.” She pounded her fist on the bed. “I have wasted so much time Maria. And now, now I am out of it. It’s, it’s all gone.”
“Liz. For one thing, neither I or Max is going to let you die. So don’t even THINK it is going to happen. Because we will stop it.”
Liz wiped her eyes, “Thanks. But I saw it Maria. I felt myself die. Heaven’s Light, I have never felt a vision so strong.” She bitterly sighed, “Five days. Seven tops. I know, Maria. Sometimes I just KNOW.”
“Come on. I know you get most of these things right. But sometimes you are wrong. Like me. You say I will meet my hearts desire still. But I already had Michael. I doubt I will ever feel that way again. I, I can’t explain it, but I do.” Maria blinked back her own tears. “So you see, you can be wrong. And you will be this time.”
Liz touched Maria. Her eyes flashed silver for a moment and looked beyond her. For a moment Liz held her there.
Maria felt once more the ponderous feeling that accompanied Liz’s visions.
Liz shook her head. “You will meet him soon. He will need you desperately, though he may try to deny you. You will know when you see him how much you need him as well. And it will be soon. Very soon.” Liz shook her head wearily, “Hopefully I can meet him before I die. There is a shine about him. Similar but different from the one around Max.” She smiled up at Maria, “Or the one that surrounds you.”
Maria looked down at her friend, “I still will need to see it with my own eyes.”
Liz just smiled. Her eyes were still full of sorrow and regret.
Maria sighed, “Surely you have been wrong before? Where something you see didn’t happen.”
Liz’s voice was sharp and bitter. “Twice, Maria. It has happened twice. Once, when we managed to save Alex in time.”
“And the second?”
Liz winced in pain, “I had a vision where Max handed me his first child. His and mine. That too did not come to pass.”
Maria hissed, “Tess….”
Liz grimaced. “Yes. Amazing how much damage one woman can do if she is determined.”
Maria tried to clear the bad taste out of her mouth. Tess had been a friend. Or so they had thought.
No. Maria needed to prioritize. Now was time to get Liz moving. She had a task and it was one she was more than happy to carry out. “See it IS possible. It is not set in stone. We can and we will save you.”
Liz just looked up at Maria, obviously still certain of her immanent demise. But putting on a happy face to mollify her. “I guess you are right. I will just have to be careful.”
How like Liz to try to calm and sooth her while facing such a deep existential crisis.
Maria patted her on the shoulder, “You do that.” Maria could feel the light pour out of her and into Liz. It never stayed for long. Always there was someone who needed it more.
And Liz definitely needed it now.
Maria watched as Liz relaxed and calmed. It never effected others like it did Maria. It usually just calmed them and brought them peace. A gift Maria was more than honored to give.
But Maria knew she wasn’t quite done. At least not from her perspective. She shook Liz slightly, “So what are you waiting for? Even though we ARE going to save you, whether you have seven days or seven years or even seven hundred years, what are you going to do about Max? Both of you love each other. That is obvious to everyone. I think even the two of you see it, just neither of you have the courage or strength to make the first move.”
“Maria its not that simple….”
“Yes it is. Go woman. You were the one who said she had wasted so much time. You are the one who thinks she has only seven days. Do you want to spend the last of them like you have the last few years? Go talk to the man. Whether the two of you fall desperately in love again or finally just resolve it all, it is time.”
Liz looked up at her. Opened her mouth to rebut something and then chuckled. “I guess you are right. I still want him. I always have. I, I just don’t want to lose what we have now.”
Maria’s voice was soft. “You won’t know until you talk to him.”
Liz bit her lip and nodded. “Will you help me get ready?”
“Ready? You just need to talk to the man.”
“I want him Maria. If I only have a few days…. We don’t have time to take it slow. So, will you help me?”
Maria smiled. “My pleasure.”
(18011)
Re: Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Part 14 - 11/09/10
Thank you all for reading.
begonia9508- Thanks. Sorry, no flying vessels this time. Don't tell Alex though, or he'll try to fit wings to his ship. Bits and pieces of the Max/Tess madness in this part, more to follow in the next.
mary mary- Thanks. Sadly yes it is canon. Expect a twist though.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. I think everyone regrets what happened there, even Tess.
valentinebaby- Thanks. Lets hope they succeed in saving her. And Liz already knows that with her visions, there is no place to hide.
XAF RU208- Thanks.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 15
Alex
Alex walked into the wheelhouse that over looked the ship. Serena was there with a couple of sober looking nut colored girls. Their skin was smooth and their hair was blondish, with just a hint of green. Both of the Dryads smiled at Alex as he walked in and then went back to their business.
Serena looked grim.
Alex breezily said, “So, what is the problem? The Sylphs trying to use the sails to paraglide again?”
Serena just glared at him. “It’s your friend. Now I will admit he is much better behaved than I ever expected. When you said you were going to bring a friend, a noble friend, from the Capital….. I was certain he would be constantly harassing the girls. The fact that the two of you were stuck in the Capital for half the day resolving duels from the debauchery from the night….”
“It was not debauchery.”
Serena looked at him.
“Okay, it wasn’t for me. Mirabelle and I just talked.”
Serena rolled her eyes and glared at him.
“So there was a little more than that. Still her stupid brother totally over reacted.”
“Like you wouldn’t if your sister was involved.”
Alex smiled and thought of his half-sister, “No there you are wrong. But then Lizzie would turn anyone giving her trouble to charcoal or something equally horrific, so….” He shook his head, “I get what you are saying though. You thought Kyle was a rake. Part of the reason I wanted him to come with us it to keep that from happening.”
Serena looked out at Kyle who was sitting in out the way area just watching the ocean, “He has been remarkably well mannered. The Sylphs have been trying to get his attention, but outside a few smoky looks, nothing from Kyle. And given that he has done since he has gotten on board is some impressive athletic workouts and cry…. The girls are seriously trying to see who can … comfort him first.”
Alex laughed softly, “Normally that would be easy. Heck, normally you would be harassing me about the fact he was trying to chat them up all the time. But I forgot this was his anniversary with Tess. He always gets a little maudlin this time of year.”
Serena nodded, “Tess is that bitch who nearly burnt your brains out a few years back?”
Alex sighed, “It’s more complicated than that.”
“It always is with you humans. Or wizards for that matter. You are both.”
Alex looked over his friend. “Tess came to World’s End about seven years ago. She really wasn’t a people person at first. Her father raised her in near solitary conditions for some reason.” Alex looked away. “But she warmed up soon enough. Became our friends. She and Liz were very close, and when Maria came they quickly added her to their little cabal. And with Maria came Kyle. Liz was already deeply involved with a boy named Max Evans.” Alex smiled, “They were so sickly sweet at times,”
“So was Tess jealous of Liz? Or what? I get there is some story here.”
“I don’t know if she was ever jealous of Liz over Max. I do know that within a few months Tess and Kyle were an item. He even proposed to her.”
“She turned him down?”
Alex looked out at his sad friend, “She accepted. She was so happy. But her father had returned. And he was not pleased at how much time Tess was spending socializing with us rather than studying. We didn’t notice it at first, but we should have seen the changes. Tess became less sweet and more focused. Almost bitter. Two months later she dumped Kyle. It had been a rough few months for my sister too. What ever magic had propelled her and Max’s relationship had fizzled out it seemed.”
“So Tess picked him up?”
Alex closed his eyes and remembered holding his sobbing sister. Liz had been nearly inconsolable, and yet she had been so angry at Max for some reason. Tess’s doing. “And I began to get my migraines. All of it Tess’s touch.” Alex shuddered. The girl and her father had come so very close to success. “The girl is a Scion, a Heart-shaper.” There was a sudden gasp from one of the Dryads. Alex looked over and girl’s green eyes were trembling.
She noticed Alex’s gaze and softly asked, “Do you need us to go.”
Alex shook his head, “I trust your discretion. And if you could tell your friends to be gentle with him, okay?”
The Dryad nodded. And continued to pretend to be working on the maps.
Serena laughed softly, “Go on, boy. Go on. The story is not done.”
Alex nodded, “Heart-shapers are not considered as dangerous as say a Templar or Crusader, but in their own insidious way they are as dangerous. Perhaps more so. What Tess was doing was shaping both me and Max to her will. Me to grab a relic for her father. And trying to breed with Max.”
“So she had been jealous of your sister all along.”
Alex shook his head. “No. Max might not know it, but he is also a Scion, a Navigator we think. Her father,” He looked over at the two Dryads. “Girl’s I need you to swear you won’t share this. If your friends ask just say he was a powerful magician okay?”
Both of the Dryads nodded and looked at him wide eyed. Neither pretended to do anything other than listen now.
“Serena, her father was Azen. He was Azen and wanted to breed Scion’s for some reason that only they might know.”
“Alex. The Azen are all dead. Have been for centuries.”
“No, Serena. Some of them escaped from whatever calamity ruined or removed their homeland. We didn’t catch her father, but we did get Tess That is a whole different story.
“Okay. So they stopped whatever magic was eating your brain, put her head on a pike and called it a day?”
Alex sighed once more. “We exiled her. She has to help us if she can. And as fate would have it, she recently sent us a message. And the location of a dead drop for more of it.”
“So you are chasing after your sister to stop her from doing whatever ridiculous thing she is planning on so she doesn’t get killed, but at the same time you have to check up on Council agents? Including one that nearly killed you.” Serena shook her head, “So are you really happy they let you join? It’s always hardest on the junior members in a group like that, and a society like that Alex, you are going to be junior for a long, long time.”
Alex nodded, “How far from Lands End? We need to find out who went with her.”
“Alright. Well that explains why you have me heading there and not chasing after Liz. But what do you expect to find?”
“I don’t know. Liz isn’t the real target you see. It is Max. With a Navigator like that…. We think it likely another Azen is trying to find his way home. One who probably had been hiding among the staff. We need to see if he took anything I need to prepare myself for. We have too many devices there we aren’t a hundred percent sure on. But an Azen would probably know, “
Serena nodded, “Well we will be at Lands End in about five hours if my girls’ have plotted us right.” She shook her head, “I still don’t see why your friend is pining after that Scion.”
“You know my Liz can see the future.” Alex said cautiously, “It’s not like she is a prophet or seer. She doesn’t see big things. Just personal things. But one trick she has is reading if and when you will find your true love.” He cocked his head to the side, “Well, she says it’s the person you will find most suitable and compatible.”
“Right.” Serena placed her hands on her hips, “You can not honestly tell me you believe in that crap?”
Alex shrugged, “I don’t know. She told me when I would meet mine, and that I would not be happy about it for some reason. But I have seen it with others. What she sees happens. Look its pointless arguing this, I will wait until you meet her. Just know that Kyle was told that Tess was his true love. And the boy believes it.” Alex sighed unhappily, “He believes it still.”
“A damn shame.”
Alex could only agree.
(19456)
begonia9508- Thanks. Sorry, no flying vessels this time. Don't tell Alex though, or he'll try to fit wings to his ship. Bits and pieces of the Max/Tess madness in this part, more to follow in the next.
mary mary- Thanks. Sadly yes it is canon. Expect a twist though.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. I think everyone regrets what happened there, even Tess.
valentinebaby- Thanks. Lets hope they succeed in saving her. And Liz already knows that with her visions, there is no place to hide.
XAF RU208- Thanks.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 15
Alex
Alex walked into the wheelhouse that over looked the ship. Serena was there with a couple of sober looking nut colored girls. Their skin was smooth and their hair was blondish, with just a hint of green. Both of the Dryads smiled at Alex as he walked in and then went back to their business.
Serena looked grim.
Alex breezily said, “So, what is the problem? The Sylphs trying to use the sails to paraglide again?”
Serena just glared at him. “It’s your friend. Now I will admit he is much better behaved than I ever expected. When you said you were going to bring a friend, a noble friend, from the Capital….. I was certain he would be constantly harassing the girls. The fact that the two of you were stuck in the Capital for half the day resolving duels from the debauchery from the night….”
“It was not debauchery.”
Serena looked at him.
“Okay, it wasn’t for me. Mirabelle and I just talked.”
Serena rolled her eyes and glared at him.
“So there was a little more than that. Still her stupid brother totally over reacted.”
“Like you wouldn’t if your sister was involved.”
Alex smiled and thought of his half-sister, “No there you are wrong. But then Lizzie would turn anyone giving her trouble to charcoal or something equally horrific, so….” He shook his head, “I get what you are saying though. You thought Kyle was a rake. Part of the reason I wanted him to come with us it to keep that from happening.”
Serena looked out at Kyle who was sitting in out the way area just watching the ocean, “He has been remarkably well mannered. The Sylphs have been trying to get his attention, but outside a few smoky looks, nothing from Kyle. And given that he has done since he has gotten on board is some impressive athletic workouts and cry…. The girls are seriously trying to see who can … comfort him first.”
Alex laughed softly, “Normally that would be easy. Heck, normally you would be harassing me about the fact he was trying to chat them up all the time. But I forgot this was his anniversary with Tess. He always gets a little maudlin this time of year.”
Serena nodded, “Tess is that bitch who nearly burnt your brains out a few years back?”
Alex sighed, “It’s more complicated than that.”
“It always is with you humans. Or wizards for that matter. You are both.”
Alex looked over his friend. “Tess came to World’s End about seven years ago. She really wasn’t a people person at first. Her father raised her in near solitary conditions for some reason.” Alex looked away. “But she warmed up soon enough. Became our friends. She and Liz were very close, and when Maria came they quickly added her to their little cabal. And with Maria came Kyle. Liz was already deeply involved with a boy named Max Evans.” Alex smiled, “They were so sickly sweet at times,”
“So was Tess jealous of Liz? Or what? I get there is some story here.”
“I don’t know if she was ever jealous of Liz over Max. I do know that within a few months Tess and Kyle were an item. He even proposed to her.”
“She turned him down?”
Alex looked out at his sad friend, “She accepted. She was so happy. But her father had returned. And he was not pleased at how much time Tess was spending socializing with us rather than studying. We didn’t notice it at first, but we should have seen the changes. Tess became less sweet and more focused. Almost bitter. Two months later she dumped Kyle. It had been a rough few months for my sister too. What ever magic had propelled her and Max’s relationship had fizzled out it seemed.”
“So Tess picked him up?”
Alex closed his eyes and remembered holding his sobbing sister. Liz had been nearly inconsolable, and yet she had been so angry at Max for some reason. Tess’s doing. “And I began to get my migraines. All of it Tess’s touch.” Alex shuddered. The girl and her father had come so very close to success. “The girl is a Scion, a Heart-shaper.” There was a sudden gasp from one of the Dryads. Alex looked over and girl’s green eyes were trembling.
She noticed Alex’s gaze and softly asked, “Do you need us to go.”
Alex shook his head, “I trust your discretion. And if you could tell your friends to be gentle with him, okay?”
The Dryad nodded. And continued to pretend to be working on the maps.
Serena laughed softly, “Go on, boy. Go on. The story is not done.”
Alex nodded, “Heart-shapers are not considered as dangerous as say a Templar or Crusader, but in their own insidious way they are as dangerous. Perhaps more so. What Tess was doing was shaping both me and Max to her will. Me to grab a relic for her father. And trying to breed with Max.”
“So she had been jealous of your sister all along.”
Alex shook his head. “No. Max might not know it, but he is also a Scion, a Navigator we think. Her father,” He looked over at the two Dryads. “Girl’s I need you to swear you won’t share this. If your friends ask just say he was a powerful magician okay?”
Both of the Dryads nodded and looked at him wide eyed. Neither pretended to do anything other than listen now.
“Serena, her father was Azen. He was Azen and wanted to breed Scion’s for some reason that only they might know.”
“Alex. The Azen are all dead. Have been for centuries.”
“No, Serena. Some of them escaped from whatever calamity ruined or removed their homeland. We didn’t catch her father, but we did get Tess That is a whole different story.
“Okay. So they stopped whatever magic was eating your brain, put her head on a pike and called it a day?”
Alex sighed once more. “We exiled her. She has to help us if she can. And as fate would have it, she recently sent us a message. And the location of a dead drop for more of it.”
“So you are chasing after your sister to stop her from doing whatever ridiculous thing she is planning on so she doesn’t get killed, but at the same time you have to check up on Council agents? Including one that nearly killed you.” Serena shook her head, “So are you really happy they let you join? It’s always hardest on the junior members in a group like that, and a society like that Alex, you are going to be junior for a long, long time.”
Alex nodded, “How far from Lands End? We need to find out who went with her.”
“Alright. Well that explains why you have me heading there and not chasing after Liz. But what do you expect to find?”
“I don’t know. Liz isn’t the real target you see. It is Max. With a Navigator like that…. We think it likely another Azen is trying to find his way home. One who probably had been hiding among the staff. We need to see if he took anything I need to prepare myself for. We have too many devices there we aren’t a hundred percent sure on. But an Azen would probably know, “
Serena nodded, “Well we will be at Lands End in about five hours if my girls’ have plotted us right.” She shook her head, “I still don’t see why your friend is pining after that Scion.”
“You know my Liz can see the future.” Alex said cautiously, “It’s not like she is a prophet or seer. She doesn’t see big things. Just personal things. But one trick she has is reading if and when you will find your true love.” He cocked his head to the side, “Well, she says it’s the person you will find most suitable and compatible.”
“Right.” Serena placed her hands on her hips, “You can not honestly tell me you believe in that crap?”
Alex shrugged, “I don’t know. She told me when I would meet mine, and that I would not be happy about it for some reason. But I have seen it with others. What she sees happens. Look its pointless arguing this, I will wait until you meet her. Just know that Kyle was told that Tess was his true love. And the boy believes it.” Alex sighed unhappily, “He believes it still.”
“A damn shame.”
Alex could only agree.
(19456)
Re: Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Part 15 - 11/10/10
Thanks again to everyone following along.
valentinebaby- Thanks. I don't know what to say, except thank you for the compliment. One day maybe. Note that Tess thinks she had a crappy life she almost salvaged before letting her father ruin it. Alex looks at the whole thing from a different angle, and doubtless doesnt know much about her life before or since her time at Lands End. As for Milton, we'll see won't we?
Mt. Gazer- Thanks.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Tess at least believes that anyway, that Kyle could have made her human.
begonia9508- Thanks. Well you have Liz's view pegged. And there is quite likely some truth to it as well....
mary mary- Thanks. If you have any questions, please ask or pm me. I don't want to be confusing! (Unless of course its a time when I do)
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 16
Max-
Zan cut the pieces of the chicken to small bit sized pieces for his daughter. He looked at the vegetables and the fried potatoes, judging if they were cut fine enough for Lyta. His wife was currently in the Ancient City shopping.
There were rumors that his sister Vilandra was finally going to accept an engagement. His wife said she was looking for a present for her.
Max shook his head, the woman loved to shop. And the days when he had enough free time to spend it watching their daughter and allow her to get out of the house had been growing sparse lately.
The unrest in some of the provinces was growing severe. And while some of his more eager Crusaders were ready and willing to go smash rebels, Zan wanted to wait until they had actually rebelled. Diplomacy would be much better than open warfare.
It was these proposed new birth taxes. So many of the more primitive provinces depended on having a large family. Taxing them heavily for each child…. It was bound to cause some friction.
There was a knock at the door. Zan looked over and Vilandra breezed in.
She smiled as soon as she saw her niece. “Lyta! How are is my sunshine today?”
Lyta squirmed out of her seat and ran to her aunt. Vilandra picked her up and swirled her around.
Zan just looked at Vilandra holding Lyta. So good with children. And so reluctant to settle down. “Just for that you are going to have to help me feed and clean her.”
Vilandra smiled broadly. “Did you hear that, I have been ordered by my Prince to feed and clean you.”
“Lub you an’ Vivi.”
Zan rolled his eyes and watched as Vilandra expertly settled his daughter down and placed the cut food on a plate for her.
Both of them watched her eat.
Zan turned to her, “Do you need anything?”
“No. Just to talk to you.”
“Is it true? About you and Khivar? I am happy with you, if he is your choice, but the man, the man is very ambitious.”
Vilandra was calm but firm, “My life is my own. As for the other, maybe. I he hasn’t asked and I haven’t decided what I would say.” She looked away for a moment, a flash of unhappiness. “Something is wrong, Zan. Can’t you sense it? That this life, that things are getting out of control. The birthing laws for instance….”
“Population control, Vi. I don’t like it anymore than you do. But it has to be done.”
Vilandra’s eyes glittered, “You should read some of those new laws, Zan.” She tossed her long black hair back, “I for one will not forcibly sterilize a woman because she has had more than two children. I am not going to geld some boy because he knocked up a girl out of wedlock. Punish maybe but castration? Seriously. I WILL not.”
“It won’t come to that. It will blow over and calm down soon.”
Vilandra watched his daughter, “I hope so. For all of our sakes I hope so.”
Max woke up to feel Liz curled up behind him, softly rubbing his back. Max sighed as the muscles relaxed under her touch. He turned and faced her.
She was dressed up, make up highlighting her features and making her even more beautiful. A soft and sweet smelling perfume. She had a little smile as she faced him.
But Max could see a small furrow on her forehead and a slight wildness to her eyes. Something was wrong. “What is it Liz? What is wrong?”
“Just seeing if I can cut out steps one to three in my plan to seduce you Mr. Evans.” She shifted her weight. “Mmmm, I forgot how warm you were.” She wrapped her arms around him to hold him close.
“Uh, Liz?” He needed to push her away, and he did slightly. But only enough so that he could see her face clearly. Looking deep into her eyes she saw fear. “It’s not that I mind, but I did think we had a bit to talk about before, you know.”
Liz shook her head, “Time Max, we have wasted too much time. And now, now we might be out.”
It hit Max. Her visions. She must have seen something. “What Liz, what did you see?”
“Max, please. I know we need to talk. I know this won’t solve our problems. I know, I know this might even drive you away. But I need you Max. Tonight, I need you.”
“Liz, please. I need to know. I can’t stop whatever you saw from happening unless I know.”
Liz pulled away. “You always need to know all the facts before committing. Never letting spontaneity get in the way of the life you try so hard to control.”
“Liz!” His heart hit the bottom of his throat, “Please don’t do this.”
Liz stood up and walked across the room, smoothing the short skirt she was wearing. “You really want to know? I die in your arms. Someone kills me and I die in your arms. Happy now?”
“Who, where, when?”
Liz spat out, “Don’t know. All I saw was my death and all my friends crowding around. I guess I should be happy that I don’t die alone, but Max…. It will be soon. Five to seven days.”
“I am not going to let that happen Liz. I WILL not. Don’t you know what you mean to me, Liz? I will never let you go.”
Her dark eyes flashed, “You had not problem four years ago. You dropped me fast enough to shack up with that bitch Tess.”
“Liz…..”
“No, I was happy to gloss it all over, but looks like we can’t ever do the quick and easy way can we? She was my best friend and I loved you and, and to find you in BED with her. Why Max? Why?” Liz was crying, her arms wrapped around herself. Max moved closer to hold her.
Liz whispered a couple words and several bands of complicated runes burst into radiance along her arms.
Max could not get closer than six inches. Something was holding him back.
Max felt as his heart began to break. She didn’t trust him to the point she was using her Power on him? Where had all the love gone?
Liz looked up at him defiantly, “You wanted to talk, so we talk.” She tilted her eyes, “Do you even have an excuse? You didn’t even look up when I came in, just kept pumping away. Did you even notice I had caught you?”
Max wearily shook his head, “No.” Max sighed wearily, “She was different that summer, Liz. Familiar in ways that she never had been before. I don’t know, that night, I just felt overwhelmed by passion for her. I wish I could say that I could be certain she used her power over me. But I don’t know. There was something about her, Liz…..”
“Did you love her?”
Max looked despairing at Liz, “Not like I love you. But yes. Yes I did.” Max thought searchingly, “I still do I guess.” He walked back over to his bed. “I doubt you will believe me when I say that when I was with her, there was a part of me that was saying that it was, I don’t know, wrong? That I knew her, had known her for so very long. And that while a part of her was happy to have her as a lover, a larger part was…. Horrified.”
Liz glared at him with contempt. But as she looked at him it began to wane. “I felt a bit that way when I was with Kyle. I mean he was such a great friend. So fun to be around, but sleeping with him? I don’t know it just seemed wrong.”
“But you did it anyway.”
Liz looked down, “Yeah, part of it was to make you jealous. I think Kyle thought the same thing. I don’t know what we were thinking. That’s why it didn’t last at all. I threw myself into that last chapter on transmutation of elemental wood to elemental metal. And Kyle tried to sleep with anyone with a cleft between the thighs.” Liz looked thoughtful, “I think I did cure him of any desire to gamble as an occupation.”
Max sighed, “So here we are. Still stuck after all these years.”
“Stuck?”
Max laughed bitterly, “Face it Liz. You called it years ago. We were meant for each other.” He looked at her until she met his eyes, “Even now I love you. And always will. Seriously, do you think either of us will ever truly move on?”
Liz’s eyes were sad. “No. I know that I never will. I will love you to my dying day.”
“Yes. But that doesn’t change anything does it? The pain is still there. The memories still raw. The hurt….” Max shook his head, “I am sorry Liz. I wish I could take those days back. I do. But I can’t.”
Liz sighed, “So much lost time Max. She cost us so very much. But I do love you.” She muttered a few other words and the wards on her arms faded. She walked forward and sat on the bed next to him. “But we are almost out of time, Max. I know it won’t solve everything. I know we will probably fight and argue and hurt each other over the past. But right now…. Right now I just want you to make love… No, that is much too gentle. I want you to fuck me senseless. I want to drown myself in sensation, drown myself in you…. Please Max. Please just this once, give in….”
And he kissed her. He had wanted her for so long. He could hold back no longer.
Her lips, her tongue, her body were all so very willing.
And for a time, for a blessed time, nothing existed save them. No painful dreams of the past, nor uncertain visions of the future hung over them.
They existed solely in the Now. And in that place only they existed until they both collapsed, sated.
For now anyway.
And they slept.
(21179)
valentinebaby- Thanks. I don't know what to say, except thank you for the compliment. One day maybe. Note that Tess thinks she had a crappy life she almost salvaged before letting her father ruin it. Alex looks at the whole thing from a different angle, and doubtless doesnt know much about her life before or since her time at Lands End. As for Milton, we'll see won't we?
Mt. Gazer- Thanks.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Tess at least believes that anyway, that Kyle could have made her human.
begonia9508- Thanks. Well you have Liz's view pegged. And there is quite likely some truth to it as well....
mary mary- Thanks. If you have any questions, please ask or pm me. I don't want to be confusing! (Unless of course its a time when I do)
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 16
Max-
Zan cut the pieces of the chicken to small bit sized pieces for his daughter. He looked at the vegetables and the fried potatoes, judging if they were cut fine enough for Lyta. His wife was currently in the Ancient City shopping.
There were rumors that his sister Vilandra was finally going to accept an engagement. His wife said she was looking for a present for her.
Max shook his head, the woman loved to shop. And the days when he had enough free time to spend it watching their daughter and allow her to get out of the house had been growing sparse lately.
The unrest in some of the provinces was growing severe. And while some of his more eager Crusaders were ready and willing to go smash rebels, Zan wanted to wait until they had actually rebelled. Diplomacy would be much better than open warfare.
It was these proposed new birth taxes. So many of the more primitive provinces depended on having a large family. Taxing them heavily for each child…. It was bound to cause some friction.
There was a knock at the door. Zan looked over and Vilandra breezed in.
She smiled as soon as she saw her niece. “Lyta! How are is my sunshine today?”
Lyta squirmed out of her seat and ran to her aunt. Vilandra picked her up and swirled her around.
Zan just looked at Vilandra holding Lyta. So good with children. And so reluctant to settle down. “Just for that you are going to have to help me feed and clean her.”
Vilandra smiled broadly. “Did you hear that, I have been ordered by my Prince to feed and clean you.”
“Lub you an’ Vivi.”
Zan rolled his eyes and watched as Vilandra expertly settled his daughter down and placed the cut food on a plate for her.
Both of them watched her eat.
Zan turned to her, “Do you need anything?”
“No. Just to talk to you.”
“Is it true? About you and Khivar? I am happy with you, if he is your choice, but the man, the man is very ambitious.”
Vilandra was calm but firm, “My life is my own. As for the other, maybe. I he hasn’t asked and I haven’t decided what I would say.” She looked away for a moment, a flash of unhappiness. “Something is wrong, Zan. Can’t you sense it? That this life, that things are getting out of control. The birthing laws for instance….”
“Population control, Vi. I don’t like it anymore than you do. But it has to be done.”
Vilandra’s eyes glittered, “You should read some of those new laws, Zan.” She tossed her long black hair back, “I for one will not forcibly sterilize a woman because she has had more than two children. I am not going to geld some boy because he knocked up a girl out of wedlock. Punish maybe but castration? Seriously. I WILL not.”
“It won’t come to that. It will blow over and calm down soon.”
Vilandra watched his daughter, “I hope so. For all of our sakes I hope so.”
Max woke up to feel Liz curled up behind him, softly rubbing his back. Max sighed as the muscles relaxed under her touch. He turned and faced her.
She was dressed up, make up highlighting her features and making her even more beautiful. A soft and sweet smelling perfume. She had a little smile as she faced him.
But Max could see a small furrow on her forehead and a slight wildness to her eyes. Something was wrong. “What is it Liz? What is wrong?”
“Just seeing if I can cut out steps one to three in my plan to seduce you Mr. Evans.” She shifted her weight. “Mmmm, I forgot how warm you were.” She wrapped her arms around him to hold him close.
“Uh, Liz?” He needed to push her away, and he did slightly. But only enough so that he could see her face clearly. Looking deep into her eyes she saw fear. “It’s not that I mind, but I did think we had a bit to talk about before, you know.”
Liz shook her head, “Time Max, we have wasted too much time. And now, now we might be out.”
It hit Max. Her visions. She must have seen something. “What Liz, what did you see?”
“Max, please. I know we need to talk. I know this won’t solve our problems. I know, I know this might even drive you away. But I need you Max. Tonight, I need you.”
“Liz, please. I need to know. I can’t stop whatever you saw from happening unless I know.”
Liz pulled away. “You always need to know all the facts before committing. Never letting spontaneity get in the way of the life you try so hard to control.”
“Liz!” His heart hit the bottom of his throat, “Please don’t do this.”
Liz stood up and walked across the room, smoothing the short skirt she was wearing. “You really want to know? I die in your arms. Someone kills me and I die in your arms. Happy now?”
“Who, where, when?”
Liz spat out, “Don’t know. All I saw was my death and all my friends crowding around. I guess I should be happy that I don’t die alone, but Max…. It will be soon. Five to seven days.”
“I am not going to let that happen Liz. I WILL not. Don’t you know what you mean to me, Liz? I will never let you go.”
Her dark eyes flashed, “You had not problem four years ago. You dropped me fast enough to shack up with that bitch Tess.”
“Liz…..”
“No, I was happy to gloss it all over, but looks like we can’t ever do the quick and easy way can we? She was my best friend and I loved you and, and to find you in BED with her. Why Max? Why?” Liz was crying, her arms wrapped around herself. Max moved closer to hold her.
Liz whispered a couple words and several bands of complicated runes burst into radiance along her arms.
Max could not get closer than six inches. Something was holding him back.
Max felt as his heart began to break. She didn’t trust him to the point she was using her Power on him? Where had all the love gone?
Liz looked up at him defiantly, “You wanted to talk, so we talk.” She tilted her eyes, “Do you even have an excuse? You didn’t even look up when I came in, just kept pumping away. Did you even notice I had caught you?”
Max wearily shook his head, “No.” Max sighed wearily, “She was different that summer, Liz. Familiar in ways that she never had been before. I don’t know, that night, I just felt overwhelmed by passion for her. I wish I could say that I could be certain she used her power over me. But I don’t know. There was something about her, Liz…..”
“Did you love her?”
Max looked despairing at Liz, “Not like I love you. But yes. Yes I did.” Max thought searchingly, “I still do I guess.” He walked back over to his bed. “I doubt you will believe me when I say that when I was with her, there was a part of me that was saying that it was, I don’t know, wrong? That I knew her, had known her for so very long. And that while a part of her was happy to have her as a lover, a larger part was…. Horrified.”
Liz glared at him with contempt. But as she looked at him it began to wane. “I felt a bit that way when I was with Kyle. I mean he was such a great friend. So fun to be around, but sleeping with him? I don’t know it just seemed wrong.”
“But you did it anyway.”
Liz looked down, “Yeah, part of it was to make you jealous. I think Kyle thought the same thing. I don’t know what we were thinking. That’s why it didn’t last at all. I threw myself into that last chapter on transmutation of elemental wood to elemental metal. And Kyle tried to sleep with anyone with a cleft between the thighs.” Liz looked thoughtful, “I think I did cure him of any desire to gamble as an occupation.”
Max sighed, “So here we are. Still stuck after all these years.”
“Stuck?”
Max laughed bitterly, “Face it Liz. You called it years ago. We were meant for each other.” He looked at her until she met his eyes, “Even now I love you. And always will. Seriously, do you think either of us will ever truly move on?”
Liz’s eyes were sad. “No. I know that I never will. I will love you to my dying day.”
“Yes. But that doesn’t change anything does it? The pain is still there. The memories still raw. The hurt….” Max shook his head, “I am sorry Liz. I wish I could take those days back. I do. But I can’t.”
Liz sighed, “So much lost time Max. She cost us so very much. But I do love you.” She muttered a few other words and the wards on her arms faded. She walked forward and sat on the bed next to him. “But we are almost out of time, Max. I know it won’t solve everything. I know we will probably fight and argue and hurt each other over the past. But right now…. Right now I just want you to make love… No, that is much too gentle. I want you to fuck me senseless. I want to drown myself in sensation, drown myself in you…. Please Max. Please just this once, give in….”
And he kissed her. He had wanted her for so long. He could hold back no longer.
Her lips, her tongue, her body were all so very willing.
And for a time, for a blessed time, nothing existed save them. No painful dreams of the past, nor uncertain visions of the future hung over them.
They existed solely in the Now. And in that place only they existed until they both collapsed, sated.
For now anyway.
And they slept.
(21179)
Re: Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Part 16 - 11/11/10
Thanks again for everyone who is following along on this strange ride.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. You did want to know what happened with Max and Liz. This is part of it.
begonia9508- Thanks. Max cheated first, basically. But there is plenty of blame to go around. Max is just calmer and more reasonable about it. A hodgepodge is a jumble of unrelated things.
valentinebaby- Thanks. Yeah, that whole situation would not have been pretty. They both hurt each other badly though. Deliberately using what they knew about each other to hurt each other. Nothing nastier that loved turned to hate. But a lot of that wasnt natural, and not entirely of their own free will. But their memories of what they were willing to do... It took them a while to just be good friends and they were afraid to go farther. A real shame.
mary mary- Thanks.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 17
Maria-
Maria woke from her nap.
Liz still had not returned.
Maria smiled. This was a good sign. Not perhaps definitive. Knowing those two, they could simply have sat down and talked.
But Maria had done her best to pep up Miss Parker. To get her to go get her man. She’d even whispered a quick prayer that they would get over their stupid hang-ups and see that were still meant to be.
Maria’s jaw quivered with anger at memories of Tess. That bitch had done so much damage to her step brother and to her best friend. She still could not believe they had actually let her go. She had nearly killed Alex!
But she hadn’t actually killed anyone. She’d hurt Alex, but since he had lived, exile was the harshest punishment.
But then they hadn’t seen personally just what it had done to Max and Liz. Yeah, they had survived, but both of them had been broken by those events as surely as Alex had.
And Kyle. Heaven’s Light, the poor fool still loved that blonde viper.
She closed her eyes. Her anger filling her. The desire to curse the shrill harpy never closer to her mind.
No.
No, one did not pray for ill of another.
Not even…..
For just a moment she had a feeling of tension. As if all the air had been sucked out of the room.
Her heart began to pound. And she knew. She knew she could do it. That she could cast her ill will towards Tess.
And it would strike. It would strike the woman down.
Maria felt as her body began to break out in a deep sweat. She felt as a warmth flooded into her. And a sensation of power.
And pain.
If the light that had filled her earlier had brought her joy, this seething darkness seemed to eat at her. To pluck at the very fiber of her being.
She just needed to focus her hate. To channel her hatred and desire for Tess’s utter destruction. The energy that filled her now was eager for it. It would destroy Tess happily.
It ached for destruction. For Tess’s, for Maria’s, for all of Creation.
Breathing was an agony. Every inch of her skin felt like it was on fire. The very act of existing, of being Maria hurt.
So much power. So very much power. She thought of all she could do with it. For it offered itself to her. It offered her power, limitless power. All she had to do was allow it access.
It didn’t care who or what she destroyed. So long as she destroyed.
Her rivals at school. All the people who had mocked her when she had grown up. The church officials who had declared her evil. Who had reluctantly allowed her a place in the temples after her adoption.
She could strike them down. Could cause them to know the pain she had felt. Could show them the true meaning of evil.
She opened her eyes and looked into the mirror. She paid no attention to the fact her eyes were solid black. Images flickered in the mirror. All those who had hurt her. All those who had ever slighted her.
Her mother in law. How she could cause the woman who lead to Michael’s death to suffer! Misfortune and mischance would follow every effort made by the Corelli’s and any who stood by them. Plague and famine would strike her household. Not until the very end as she gasped for death in her broken and withered body would she be released.
Maria gloated as she watched her enemies suffer and fall. It took her moments to realize that she was glorying in her friends suffering as well. And their defeat and downfall.
For they would stand against her. Stand against her justice. She would fill the world with truth. With the glory of destruction, and save this world and countless others from their pointless existence.
Maria shook as she realized what was filling her.
No.
NO!
“I refuse. I will not do this! I wish no one ill! Not like this!”
She reached into her head. To that tiny spot that the light filled her from and she called and begged and pleaded and prayed.
“I need you. Please help me.”
Maria snapped out of the daydream. There was a tingling sensation running throughout her whole body..
Had it been real? Surely that could not have been real.
Maria had never heard of such a thing. Never. She would have to ask Liz if she had come across it. Or maybe if she could work up the courage she would ask Milton He was Azen. Surely he had heard of something like this.
No. It could not have been real. She was just imagining it.
Something like that couldn’t be real.
Could it?
Maria shivered and said a few quick prayers. She tilted her head.
Maybe her anger at Tess was reaching unhealthy levels. Maybe obsessing about it was bad and unbalancing her. Yeah. That is what that dream was trying to tell her.
Maria had never been more than passably average in her magical gifts. She had always loved them, particularly when she could mend something or the sheer feeling of joy that suffused her when she healed something.
How she wished her gift were great enough to heal more than small wounds.
No. She would never forget what Tess had done to her friends and family. But hating her….. To much effort. Maria instead prayed for the child the woman had carried. And reluctantly a prayer for the woman herself.
As the words of the prayer for the two came off her lips she felt as the light rushed in and out of her. This had been the first time it had flashed through her, leaving her gasping.
And Maria knew. Something had happened. She had no clue what. But something was going on.
She turned her head and looked off into the distance and heard the voiceless Calling.
Maria shivered. She was no Scion like Max. She was just an ordinary girl with a few minor talents.
Why her?
Maria shivered. She wouldn’t find out here.
Time to see if her and Liz’s plan had borne any fruit. She quickly dressed and headed for Max’s cabin. It was quiet in this part of the ship Winters Edge had room for more than a dozen passengers, even though it was just carrying Maria and her friends at the moment.
The crews berths were elsewhere, Maria knew not.
So she tramped up to Max’s room. The door was locked, but then you couldn’t spend time with someone like Liz and not pick up a few tricks. With a small surge of power she checked to make sure Liz hadn’t warded the door. When that came negative she opened it.
Maria looked around for a second trying to find them…. They lay entangled in each other, both sleeping. The room sharp with the scent of sweat and sex.”
Maria closed the door. And locked it. Which was a much harder use of power if you asked her.
She stood there a moment, trying to remember the simple warding spells Liz had tried to teach her.
Wizardy just seemed to allude her tonight though.
The lock would have to do.
“Ah, there you are Miss Deluca. And I was just about to summon Max as well. Do you mind fetching Miss Parker? There is a sight you really should all see.”
Maria turned and saw Milton smiling at her. Maria turned and put her arms splayed out protecting Max’s door. “Uh, he’s,,,. busy.”
“Oh, I am sure he would want to see this. Just let me by and I will knock on his door.”
“No, Professor. He really wouldn’t want you to disturb him right now. He really, really wouldn’t. He’s…. He’s really tired.”
Milton’s face fell in disappointment. “Well. I see, I guess. I was really hoping to show him this Translation. We all missed the first one they made last night. But this one will be in the full light of day on both worlds. It’s really quite a sight.” He peered at the door. “Well, I guess we can both go fetch Miss Parker.”
“Um, no. She’s busy too.”
A small wry grin appeared on his face. “Busy. I see. Would she happen to be busy with Mr. Evans by chance.”
Maria’s face blushed slightly.
Professor Milton chuckled slightly, “Well then Miss Deluca, if you will follow me. You at least will see this Translation.”
Maria followed behind him. They kept up a little light talk about the college and Maria’s plans.
In truth Maria didn’t have any plans. Most of the classes she audited. She was basically in Lands End to be out of the Capital. And she did enjoy learning to use her talents. But odds were good that when Liz left, she would too.
Maria wasn’t sure what she would do. Travel maybe. Help Liz if she didn’t go back to the Capital.
Maria was being paid enough to do pretty much whatever she wanted as long as she stayed out of trouble and out of the Capital. One day that scandal would finally be buried enough to return, but for now, and likely for years to come, she wasn’t welcome.
Both of them were staring off into the horizon, waiting for the translation to begin when Milton asked her, “So is that why you use your mother’s maiden name rather than Corelli or Valenti like you have every right to?”
“I guess. It suits my life better. No one bowing because of any title. They accept or do not accept me because of who and what I am and not who my family is.”
“Quite a few people know anyway, even with your attempt to hide who you are.”
Maria said nothing, just watching as the clouds hung on the horizon.
Milton continued, “I knew your mother once. Gave me advice that let me recover from the grief that I had let me nearly destroy me.” He laughed self consciously, “She didn’t know who or what I was. I had married a former student of mine. Her death nearly crushed me.” His breath came out in a harsh sigh, “Her death and that of my son.”
“You have children? I thought the Azen were sterile? Wasn’t that part of those final laws that started the Rebellion?”
Milton looked at her.
“Hey, so I don’t slack off in all my classes. I don’t know, it just seemed interesting to me. Utterly pointless to know, but interesting to learn never-the-less.”
Milton looked away, his voice soft. “No. We can have children with the Fallen. But, Maria they are always mortal. Just normal humans. So as we grew in power and longevity we grew to be like the Scions, unable to have children with others of our kind.”
Maria thought of Tess. She turned to Milton, “That has to be wrong. You remember Tess Harding?”
“Ah, yes. She is hard to forget after all she did. Had she managed to get Alex to fetch….” He shook his head, “Yes. I do remember her. Why?”
“She was pregnant when she was exiled.”
“Yes. I believe that was indeed true. It’s part of what made the Board push for exile rather than execution. That tiny life had no bearing on what the mother did. I know it swayed my vote.”
“The father was Max.”
Milton shook his head, “Impossible. Both are Scions. And both were awoken by the time the baby would have had to have been conceived. Trust me it was tried. Scions and Azen can’t breed either. No recorded live births after nearly a thousand years of testing.”
“But why would they go through all that trouble to test that?”
Milton raised his hand, “Hush. We are just about to Translate. After, my dear. After.” He looked over at her, “Besides I could use a hardy breakfast after all this. But you have no idea how much I appreciate an attentive audience after all these years. Just, I don’t want you to miss this.”
Maria pouted a little bit, But breakfast did sound good. Then there was a crackle of noise from behind her.
The mast was covered in what looked like green fox fire. The crew gave it no mind and kept working. But Maria’s jaw dropped as she watched it coat everything.
Milton put his hand on her shoulder. “Look! Out there on the horizon!”
Maria was filled with a sense of exultation as cool clean air brushed across her and the clouds above her seemed to boil. And the horizon seemed to shift, almost like it was spinning away from them.
The air in front of them seemed to turn to a simple sheet of glass which they sailed through.
And then the storm hit.
The winds buffeted and tore at the sails. Maria could hear ripping sounds as they tore free.
Cry after cry came from those being flung over board. She herself was barely hanging on to the railing. She looked up and saw a giant wave that looked to swallow the ship.
The mind is a funny thing. Her first thought was not of herself, but of the two lovers below. Of their renewed passion, now to be cut so tragically short.
“Please shelter and protect them from this storm.”
The light flared through her at lighting speed. She felt it enter and exit, felt as it did something.
But any other thought was cut short by a wall of water that washed over her. She felt her hands get ripped from the boat as she was flung into the open ocean.
Maria’s last thoughts were swimming alone in the ocean. She knew that others must be nearby, but the roaring wind and pouring rain cut any chance of hearing them.
She saw the Winters Edge as a wave swept her up. It was still there and steaming under its own power.
Away from her.
She saw again the world twist about the ship. And it was gone.
Maria was lost.
She grabbed a floating object and hung on for dear life.
She fought the storm for as long as she could, fought to maintain her tenuous life. But she grew so very tired.
And knew no more.
(24592)
keepsmiling7- Thanks. You did want to know what happened with Max and Liz. This is part of it.
begonia9508- Thanks. Max cheated first, basically. But there is plenty of blame to go around. Max is just calmer and more reasonable about it. A hodgepodge is a jumble of unrelated things.
valentinebaby- Thanks. Yeah, that whole situation would not have been pretty. They both hurt each other badly though. Deliberately using what they knew about each other to hurt each other. Nothing nastier that loved turned to hate. But a lot of that wasnt natural, and not entirely of their own free will. But their memories of what they were willing to do... It took them a while to just be good friends and they were afraid to go farther. A real shame.
mary mary- Thanks.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 17
Maria-
Maria woke from her nap.
Liz still had not returned.
Maria smiled. This was a good sign. Not perhaps definitive. Knowing those two, they could simply have sat down and talked.
But Maria had done her best to pep up Miss Parker. To get her to go get her man. She’d even whispered a quick prayer that they would get over their stupid hang-ups and see that were still meant to be.
Maria’s jaw quivered with anger at memories of Tess. That bitch had done so much damage to her step brother and to her best friend. She still could not believe they had actually let her go. She had nearly killed Alex!
But she hadn’t actually killed anyone. She’d hurt Alex, but since he had lived, exile was the harshest punishment.
But then they hadn’t seen personally just what it had done to Max and Liz. Yeah, they had survived, but both of them had been broken by those events as surely as Alex had.
And Kyle. Heaven’s Light, the poor fool still loved that blonde viper.
She closed her eyes. Her anger filling her. The desire to curse the shrill harpy never closer to her mind.
No.
No, one did not pray for ill of another.
Not even…..
For just a moment she had a feeling of tension. As if all the air had been sucked out of the room.
Her heart began to pound. And she knew. She knew she could do it. That she could cast her ill will towards Tess.
And it would strike. It would strike the woman down.
Maria felt as her body began to break out in a deep sweat. She felt as a warmth flooded into her. And a sensation of power.
And pain.
If the light that had filled her earlier had brought her joy, this seething darkness seemed to eat at her. To pluck at the very fiber of her being.
She just needed to focus her hate. To channel her hatred and desire for Tess’s utter destruction. The energy that filled her now was eager for it. It would destroy Tess happily.
It ached for destruction. For Tess’s, for Maria’s, for all of Creation.
Breathing was an agony. Every inch of her skin felt like it was on fire. The very act of existing, of being Maria hurt.
So much power. So very much power. She thought of all she could do with it. For it offered itself to her. It offered her power, limitless power. All she had to do was allow it access.
It didn’t care who or what she destroyed. So long as she destroyed.
Her rivals at school. All the people who had mocked her when she had grown up. The church officials who had declared her evil. Who had reluctantly allowed her a place in the temples after her adoption.
She could strike them down. Could cause them to know the pain she had felt. Could show them the true meaning of evil.
She opened her eyes and looked into the mirror. She paid no attention to the fact her eyes were solid black. Images flickered in the mirror. All those who had hurt her. All those who had ever slighted her.
Her mother in law. How she could cause the woman who lead to Michael’s death to suffer! Misfortune and mischance would follow every effort made by the Corelli’s and any who stood by them. Plague and famine would strike her household. Not until the very end as she gasped for death in her broken and withered body would she be released.
Maria gloated as she watched her enemies suffer and fall. It took her moments to realize that she was glorying in her friends suffering as well. And their defeat and downfall.
For they would stand against her. Stand against her justice. She would fill the world with truth. With the glory of destruction, and save this world and countless others from their pointless existence.
Maria shook as she realized what was filling her.
No.
NO!
“I refuse. I will not do this! I wish no one ill! Not like this!”
She reached into her head. To that tiny spot that the light filled her from and she called and begged and pleaded and prayed.
“I need you. Please help me.”
Maria snapped out of the daydream. There was a tingling sensation running throughout her whole body..
Had it been real? Surely that could not have been real.
Maria had never heard of such a thing. Never. She would have to ask Liz if she had come across it. Or maybe if she could work up the courage she would ask Milton He was Azen. Surely he had heard of something like this.
No. It could not have been real. She was just imagining it.
Something like that couldn’t be real.
Could it?
Maria shivered and said a few quick prayers. She tilted her head.
Maybe her anger at Tess was reaching unhealthy levels. Maybe obsessing about it was bad and unbalancing her. Yeah. That is what that dream was trying to tell her.
Maria had never been more than passably average in her magical gifts. She had always loved them, particularly when she could mend something or the sheer feeling of joy that suffused her when she healed something.
How she wished her gift were great enough to heal more than small wounds.
No. She would never forget what Tess had done to her friends and family. But hating her….. To much effort. Maria instead prayed for the child the woman had carried. And reluctantly a prayer for the woman herself.
As the words of the prayer for the two came off her lips she felt as the light rushed in and out of her. This had been the first time it had flashed through her, leaving her gasping.
And Maria knew. Something had happened. She had no clue what. But something was going on.
She turned her head and looked off into the distance and heard the voiceless Calling.
Maria shivered. She was no Scion like Max. She was just an ordinary girl with a few minor talents.
Why her?
Maria shivered. She wouldn’t find out here.
Time to see if her and Liz’s plan had borne any fruit. She quickly dressed and headed for Max’s cabin. It was quiet in this part of the ship Winters Edge had room for more than a dozen passengers, even though it was just carrying Maria and her friends at the moment.
The crews berths were elsewhere, Maria knew not.
So she tramped up to Max’s room. The door was locked, but then you couldn’t spend time with someone like Liz and not pick up a few tricks. With a small surge of power she checked to make sure Liz hadn’t warded the door. When that came negative she opened it.
Maria looked around for a second trying to find them…. They lay entangled in each other, both sleeping. The room sharp with the scent of sweat and sex.”
Maria closed the door. And locked it. Which was a much harder use of power if you asked her.
She stood there a moment, trying to remember the simple warding spells Liz had tried to teach her.
Wizardy just seemed to allude her tonight though.
The lock would have to do.
“Ah, there you are Miss Deluca. And I was just about to summon Max as well. Do you mind fetching Miss Parker? There is a sight you really should all see.”
Maria turned and saw Milton smiling at her. Maria turned and put her arms splayed out protecting Max’s door. “Uh, he’s,,,. busy.”
“Oh, I am sure he would want to see this. Just let me by and I will knock on his door.”
“No, Professor. He really wouldn’t want you to disturb him right now. He really, really wouldn’t. He’s…. He’s really tired.”
Milton’s face fell in disappointment. “Well. I see, I guess. I was really hoping to show him this Translation. We all missed the first one they made last night. But this one will be in the full light of day on both worlds. It’s really quite a sight.” He peered at the door. “Well, I guess we can both go fetch Miss Parker.”
“Um, no. She’s busy too.”
A small wry grin appeared on his face. “Busy. I see. Would she happen to be busy with Mr. Evans by chance.”
Maria’s face blushed slightly.
Professor Milton chuckled slightly, “Well then Miss Deluca, if you will follow me. You at least will see this Translation.”
Maria followed behind him. They kept up a little light talk about the college and Maria’s plans.
In truth Maria didn’t have any plans. Most of the classes she audited. She was basically in Lands End to be out of the Capital. And she did enjoy learning to use her talents. But odds were good that when Liz left, she would too.
Maria wasn’t sure what she would do. Travel maybe. Help Liz if she didn’t go back to the Capital.
Maria was being paid enough to do pretty much whatever she wanted as long as she stayed out of trouble and out of the Capital. One day that scandal would finally be buried enough to return, but for now, and likely for years to come, she wasn’t welcome.
Both of them were staring off into the horizon, waiting for the translation to begin when Milton asked her, “So is that why you use your mother’s maiden name rather than Corelli or Valenti like you have every right to?”
“I guess. It suits my life better. No one bowing because of any title. They accept or do not accept me because of who and what I am and not who my family is.”
“Quite a few people know anyway, even with your attempt to hide who you are.”
Maria said nothing, just watching as the clouds hung on the horizon.
Milton continued, “I knew your mother once. Gave me advice that let me recover from the grief that I had let me nearly destroy me.” He laughed self consciously, “She didn’t know who or what I was. I had married a former student of mine. Her death nearly crushed me.” His breath came out in a harsh sigh, “Her death and that of my son.”
“You have children? I thought the Azen were sterile? Wasn’t that part of those final laws that started the Rebellion?”
Milton looked at her.
“Hey, so I don’t slack off in all my classes. I don’t know, it just seemed interesting to me. Utterly pointless to know, but interesting to learn never-the-less.”
Milton looked away, his voice soft. “No. We can have children with the Fallen. But, Maria they are always mortal. Just normal humans. So as we grew in power and longevity we grew to be like the Scions, unable to have children with others of our kind.”
Maria thought of Tess. She turned to Milton, “That has to be wrong. You remember Tess Harding?”
“Ah, yes. She is hard to forget after all she did. Had she managed to get Alex to fetch….” He shook his head, “Yes. I do remember her. Why?”
“She was pregnant when she was exiled.”
“Yes. I believe that was indeed true. It’s part of what made the Board push for exile rather than execution. That tiny life had no bearing on what the mother did. I know it swayed my vote.”
“The father was Max.”
Milton shook his head, “Impossible. Both are Scions. And both were awoken by the time the baby would have had to have been conceived. Trust me it was tried. Scions and Azen can’t breed either. No recorded live births after nearly a thousand years of testing.”
“But why would they go through all that trouble to test that?”
Milton raised his hand, “Hush. We are just about to Translate. After, my dear. After.” He looked over at her, “Besides I could use a hardy breakfast after all this. But you have no idea how much I appreciate an attentive audience after all these years. Just, I don’t want you to miss this.”
Maria pouted a little bit, But breakfast did sound good. Then there was a crackle of noise from behind her.
The mast was covered in what looked like green fox fire. The crew gave it no mind and kept working. But Maria’s jaw dropped as she watched it coat everything.
Milton put his hand on her shoulder. “Look! Out there on the horizon!”
Maria was filled with a sense of exultation as cool clean air brushed across her and the clouds above her seemed to boil. And the horizon seemed to shift, almost like it was spinning away from them.
The air in front of them seemed to turn to a simple sheet of glass which they sailed through.
And then the storm hit.
The winds buffeted and tore at the sails. Maria could hear ripping sounds as they tore free.
Cry after cry came from those being flung over board. She herself was barely hanging on to the railing. She looked up and saw a giant wave that looked to swallow the ship.
The mind is a funny thing. Her first thought was not of herself, but of the two lovers below. Of their renewed passion, now to be cut so tragically short.
“Please shelter and protect them from this storm.”
The light flared through her at lighting speed. She felt it enter and exit, felt as it did something.
But any other thought was cut short by a wall of water that washed over her. She felt her hands get ripped from the boat as she was flung into the open ocean.
Maria’s last thoughts were swimming alone in the ocean. She knew that others must be nearby, but the roaring wind and pouring rain cut any chance of hearing them.
She saw the Winters Edge as a wave swept her up. It was still there and steaming under its own power.
Away from her.
She saw again the world twist about the ship. And it was gone.
Maria was lost.
She grabbed a floating object and hung on for dear life.
She fought the storm for as long as she could, fought to maintain her tenuous life. But she grew so very tired.
And knew no more.
(24592)
Re: Across the Far Horizon (CC ALL, Mature) Part 17 - 11/12/10
Thanks to everyone following along this story.
begonia9508- Thanks. I would say there would be several very interested parties in hearing Milton's story. Max and Liz, yes. And likly Kyle as well.
valentinebaby- Thanks. A lot can happen in four to six days. Remember, Liz's visions have only failed twice. Most of the next few posts will resolve this. Our heroes, or what is left of them will need to gather soon.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Scions can not interbreed, they can have kids. Just not by each other. Or so Milton claims.
mary mary- I will try to post everyday, save probably Thanks giving. Wish me luck.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 18
Liz-
Liz wasn’t sure what woke her, but already half her defensive glyphs were activated. Her naked skin glowed where each of the tattooed glyphs were inlaid. The tattoos had drawn with a special series of magical inks that would only activate when the spell it was created for was activated.
It was one method of having spells on permanent standby, albeit involving some pain. One could not always trust that you might have device or enchanted object at hand.
There was some danger in having the spell literally drawn on you. If improperly limited they could kill you. Most often a badly crafted one would be an annoyance until it could be removed.
This was one reason why the magically active pigments were used, as only a visible tattoo would be active. It was possible to smother one of the spells before it activated if you knew the correct spots in the spell to break it.
Liz could already feel a slight drain on her magical reserves from a shield spell. Normally it didn’t draw too much, but it had spread to cover Max.
Damn. This had been a tiny bit of what she had been afraid of. In her mind, her deep subconscious mind, she had reclaimed Max as hers. As important to her as herself.
And it wasn’t like they had truly solved any of their lingering problems.
Not that it mattered at the moment. The ship was swaying ominously and there were sounds of wood snapping above the whistling wind. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but it was bad.
She knew if she did not act now they would be drowning in minutes. It wasn’t a vision. I was just her normal sense of altered sense of time.
For whatever reason, Liz Parker was good at time magic. It was a rare and somewhat dangerous sub branch of alteration. Altering anything that had happened was impossible, requiring more power than existed in the universe. But if a wizard was strong enough he could create a pocket of frozen time.
It was a very high order spell. Higher than most that Liz would ever dare. But as far as she could tell it was cast or die.
And she knew the spell. She had been studying it in the weeks before this quest had come up. Not in any plans of using it. But some of the segments and subsections of the spell were useful for other things. And part of her practicum would be on time magic.
But this was Council level magic. Senior Council level. Not Journeyman Adept level.
Liz cast it anyway. And she cast it sped up, as several of her glyphs increased her physical and mental speed.
Something hit and cause the roof to begin to fall on them.
Liz watched as she recited her spell as the roof began to slow its decent.
And stopped
She was just laying there looking at the main mast as it had fallen directly on their cabin. There was a jagged splinter of wood nearly three feet long that was hovering over Max’s exposed belly.
Liz blinked. So very close.
She blinked again, her vision so very dizzy. Her other sigils began to flicker and fade as her magic reserves faltered and failed.
She was so tired. So tired and had so much to do.
Max woke up and cried out in shock at the debris stopped right above them.
Liz fuzzily looked over at him. What was he doing in this? The spell should have just affected her.
Unless her stupid subconscious had dragged him along. And if so, no wonder her reserves were shot!
He pulled her close. “What is going on?”
Mmm. He felt so good holding her. If only they had a little time.
But sooner or later the spell would fail, and if they hadn’t set up a way to survive they would all die. Simple as that.
Liz softly said, “I don’t know. But something has gone wrong. Maybe we Translated into a storm or something. But the ship is taking a beating.”
“Why is everything so …. Still.”
“Time Max. I froze it, sort of.” She looked around. It was much more complicated than that, dealing more with speeding the subject up to an incredible rate compared to the surroundings. And having a field that surrounded them that allowed them to interact with things they could touch.
Otherwise breathing would be impossible. Let alone doing anything.
Max stared at her in shock. “Liz that isn’t possible.”
Liz sighed, “I beg to differ. Toss something on quickly. We have to figure out how to save all our lives before the spell ends.”
“Do you have any clue how long it will last?”
Liz shook her head, “It skews my time sense, so not a clue. Oh, and you need to move deliberately, let the field that surrounds you interact with the environment or you won’t be able to do anything.”
Liz threw on a robe and waked slowly towards the door. It was hard to move so deliberately and let the field work... But the spell worked exactly as the old scroll said it would.
Max kept being brought up short as he ran into the solid walls of air that would form if you moved too quickly.
It took a few agonizingly slow moments as they moved deliberately down the corridor. They proceeded out side and saw a wave break over the ship. More than one person had been swept overboard. Tiny pockets of water from the rain that surrounded them soaked their robes as the field let it fall.
For a brief moment the world seemed to start up again and the winds knocked Liz down. The ship buckled and Max grabbed her before she slid too far down the ship.
Then it stopped again. But Liz could tell the spell was failing.
“Max. This is going to be hard. Really hard. But can you translate the ship? To a world where this storm isn’t?”
Max looked about him. “I think so. But what are we going to do about the people we leave behind?”
Liz was grim. “We have to save who we can, Max. We won’t be able to go back and save them if we are dead.”
Max looked grim, “And there is nothing more you can do?”
Liz felt as her head began to pound. She dropped to her knees. “Now Max! Translate us now!’
Liz felt as the world began to lose all semblance of color. Little curlicues began to form around everything as her gift extended itself far beyond her normal capacity.
She felt the Translation begin and she smiled as she realized she had saved them. That they would live.
The Winters Edge settled and Liz let the comforting blackness of sleep take over.
So very tired. So very weak.
It had worked, and they were safe.
For now.
Liz slept.
(24761)
begonia9508- Thanks. I would say there would be several very interested parties in hearing Milton's story. Max and Liz, yes. And likly Kyle as well.
valentinebaby- Thanks. A lot can happen in four to six days. Remember, Liz's visions have only failed twice. Most of the next few posts will resolve this. Our heroes, or what is left of them will need to gather soon.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Scions can not interbreed, they can have kids. Just not by each other. Or so Milton claims.
mary mary- I will try to post everyday, save probably Thanks giving. Wish me luck.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Across the Far Horizon part 18
Liz-
Liz wasn’t sure what woke her, but already half her defensive glyphs were activated. Her naked skin glowed where each of the tattooed glyphs were inlaid. The tattoos had drawn with a special series of magical inks that would only activate when the spell it was created for was activated.
It was one method of having spells on permanent standby, albeit involving some pain. One could not always trust that you might have device or enchanted object at hand.
There was some danger in having the spell literally drawn on you. If improperly limited they could kill you. Most often a badly crafted one would be an annoyance until it could be removed.
This was one reason why the magically active pigments were used, as only a visible tattoo would be active. It was possible to smother one of the spells before it activated if you knew the correct spots in the spell to break it.
Liz could already feel a slight drain on her magical reserves from a shield spell. Normally it didn’t draw too much, but it had spread to cover Max.
Damn. This had been a tiny bit of what she had been afraid of. In her mind, her deep subconscious mind, she had reclaimed Max as hers. As important to her as herself.
And it wasn’t like they had truly solved any of their lingering problems.
Not that it mattered at the moment. The ship was swaying ominously and there were sounds of wood snapping above the whistling wind. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but it was bad.
She knew if she did not act now they would be drowning in minutes. It wasn’t a vision. I was just her normal sense of altered sense of time.
For whatever reason, Liz Parker was good at time magic. It was a rare and somewhat dangerous sub branch of alteration. Altering anything that had happened was impossible, requiring more power than existed in the universe. But if a wizard was strong enough he could create a pocket of frozen time.
It was a very high order spell. Higher than most that Liz would ever dare. But as far as she could tell it was cast or die.
And she knew the spell. She had been studying it in the weeks before this quest had come up. Not in any plans of using it. But some of the segments and subsections of the spell were useful for other things. And part of her practicum would be on time magic.
But this was Council level magic. Senior Council level. Not Journeyman Adept level.
Liz cast it anyway. And she cast it sped up, as several of her glyphs increased her physical and mental speed.
Something hit and cause the roof to begin to fall on them.
Liz watched as she recited her spell as the roof began to slow its decent.
And stopped
She was just laying there looking at the main mast as it had fallen directly on their cabin. There was a jagged splinter of wood nearly three feet long that was hovering over Max’s exposed belly.
Liz blinked. So very close.
She blinked again, her vision so very dizzy. Her other sigils began to flicker and fade as her magic reserves faltered and failed.
She was so tired. So tired and had so much to do.
Max woke up and cried out in shock at the debris stopped right above them.
Liz fuzzily looked over at him. What was he doing in this? The spell should have just affected her.
Unless her stupid subconscious had dragged him along. And if so, no wonder her reserves were shot!
He pulled her close. “What is going on?”
Mmm. He felt so good holding her. If only they had a little time.
But sooner or later the spell would fail, and if they hadn’t set up a way to survive they would all die. Simple as that.
Liz softly said, “I don’t know. But something has gone wrong. Maybe we Translated into a storm or something. But the ship is taking a beating.”
“Why is everything so …. Still.”
“Time Max. I froze it, sort of.” She looked around. It was much more complicated than that, dealing more with speeding the subject up to an incredible rate compared to the surroundings. And having a field that surrounded them that allowed them to interact with things they could touch.
Otherwise breathing would be impossible. Let alone doing anything.
Max stared at her in shock. “Liz that isn’t possible.”
Liz sighed, “I beg to differ. Toss something on quickly. We have to figure out how to save all our lives before the spell ends.”
“Do you have any clue how long it will last?”
Liz shook her head, “It skews my time sense, so not a clue. Oh, and you need to move deliberately, let the field that surrounds you interact with the environment or you won’t be able to do anything.”
Liz threw on a robe and waked slowly towards the door. It was hard to move so deliberately and let the field work... But the spell worked exactly as the old scroll said it would.
Max kept being brought up short as he ran into the solid walls of air that would form if you moved too quickly.
It took a few agonizingly slow moments as they moved deliberately down the corridor. They proceeded out side and saw a wave break over the ship. More than one person had been swept overboard. Tiny pockets of water from the rain that surrounded them soaked their robes as the field let it fall.
For a brief moment the world seemed to start up again and the winds knocked Liz down. The ship buckled and Max grabbed her before she slid too far down the ship.
Then it stopped again. But Liz could tell the spell was failing.
“Max. This is going to be hard. Really hard. But can you translate the ship? To a world where this storm isn’t?”
Max looked about him. “I think so. But what are we going to do about the people we leave behind?”
Liz was grim. “We have to save who we can, Max. We won’t be able to go back and save them if we are dead.”
Max looked grim, “And there is nothing more you can do?”
Liz felt as her head began to pound. She dropped to her knees. “Now Max! Translate us now!’
Liz felt as the world began to lose all semblance of color. Little curlicues began to form around everything as her gift extended itself far beyond her normal capacity.
She felt the Translation begin and she smiled as she realized she had saved them. That they would live.
The Winters Edge settled and Liz let the comforting blackness of sleep take over.
So very tired. So very weak.
It had worked, and they were safe.
For now.
Liz slept.
(24761)