"That...wasn't your fault." Maks said. That coming from him was surprising. Victor didn't want to sound patronizing. He shoved his hands into his pockets. However empty he felt, he hated to pretend that nothing was amiss, he agreed to cut ties with her_but he was glad that she was safe and sound and this was over. He glanced at Elvis in the background watching them keenly. He owed him a treat. "Are you kidding?" Artemis said. "You literally tried to fry our brains ow_" She held her shoulder. "Bruh...I mean it's good to have you back, blondie." She added when Maks nudged her. Her lips twisted in a sneer."Brute." She mumbled. Irma wiped her eyes. "Thank you." She said stiffly to Victor. She owed him that much after he was willing to give away generations' worth of heirlooms in exchange for her life during Ping's ploy. She hugged her arms walking out the door....Hours before the expulsion. Rider listened to the girls' songs on his headphone singing in a falsetto while he drove hi
The herald blew his trumpet and shouted that the King was dead. The news warranted momentary silence and gasps from the crowd and he blushed and announced again that the King was 'here'. They cheered while they had the grand opening and then they went about their businesses. Playing games, preparing for the jousts and the play. "So, where are we off to now?" Irma said in a black Led Ze**elin shirt, jeans and sneakers. Artemis straightened the puffed sleeves of her dark green tunic, brown leather gauntlets, long brown skirt and boots. "Not my style but I'll take it." The merchants were offering a 70% discount on their products. They picked out essentials and jewels. Artemis bought a pouch with a wyvern on it. "Yes." She hung it on satisfied with the snugness of it. It had a nice grip. Irma put more jewellery into it and then tried on a black headband on her short hair. The people felt cheated when Artemis picked out most of the quality merchandise."These are awesome." Irma said t
The rest of its body was intertwined to make up the rest of the maze. It took time to construct. He was ready for it. He held a torch while Irma advanced. There was nothing to be afraid of. She said to herself advancing. They stared at the telescoped alcove of the dragon's mouth. There was a trail of metal torches with green fire on the stone wall. The floors were made of stone."How long did it take to build this place?"Victor searched for clues. Irma felt at the walls and she peeked at the trail of torches. She took a small paper off the side of the torch and unfurled it."All that glitters is not goldBut in this case, don't be fooled?" Her eyes narrowed on the stone floors, the ceilings bejewelled with refractive green crystals and the line of torches on the walls, she glanced at a torch, the bulb was not glowing as much as the rest of them, it was simply catching light from the others. It highlighted its deep yellow pigment. She smiled at the golden apple and hurried toward it.
Janice arrived and pivoted a staff against him, Maks's throat. His adam's apple bobbed. "Should I kill him?" Her mad face said."Sure!" Maks plunged back before she stabbed him. He glanced at the statue of a screaming man. "Noted." He gripped his Medusa shield blocking her swings and stabs. It dented at her powerful blows and he punched her midsection with his shield given the chance. Janice groaned and he smashed the edge against her face. He grimaced when the shield flew out of his grip. She hit him from different angles in three different places at the same time.He tried to stab her and it refracted."Haha!"He ducked her staff and slashed the side of the fake sword against her faces. Maks bashed her with the side of his sword and it broke in half. Janice nudged him into the next cavern, he rolled over in the dust and she drifted toward him. Raising her staff. "Did I hurt you?" "Please say yes!" Her mad face said. He lunged backwards, gained momentum and blitzed her with his
He tapped the beams, Alec set his snout over the rim. He hesitantly gave him one last rub and he turned to leave. Kirsta held on to his jar. Irma stared wistfully at the ranch. Her throat was clogged. "I wished I listened. I wished things happened differently." She brushed her eyes."It's fine, you wanted different things. I think he cared enough to take the fall." He was back home, his insides were in a knot. He stocked up what he needed for college and he hefted up his bag. Dragging it to the front porch. The Dorm at Griffin University was all set. Melvin was having a brisk conversation with Doreen outside, they seemed to be in a fight. He looked from one parent to the other and grimaced. He glanced at Emily coming with an evil grin on her face and he stepped back."Dora!" Emily said and Doreen cleared her throat. "Em, you made it, early." She nudged Melvin and he groaned."Mom? What are you_""Hey, champ. You didn't think I'd miss your going away party for the world, did ya?
Jason laughed. Aaron snorted. "I'll tell ya later...Did I also mention that I'm a man of mystery?" Maks snorted at Aaron. He was eager to fall back into routine. He wiped his eyes and collected his stuff arranging them. He was off the city district now alone. Not that he had a problem with it. His circadian rhythm manipulation had been on hold for weeks. He spent time learning the school's routine on the handbook. Drinking substitutes for coffee. Not knowing what extracurricular activities to pick from, he was no whiz at music, although he sang once in a while, the sports club seemed too time consuming but he wanted to keep in shape. He hated to leave tasks behind. He worked like an ant. He strolled around and met freshmen at the gazebo. The students made some serious complaints about snack shortages, damaged furniture and erosion on school grounds. The weather was nowhere near warranting any landslides. He signed a petition and let it slide. He scaled down the hills, past a dom
Artemis stepped back, she opened the door and Aaron heard buzzing sounds. "Keep em distracted."He turned to Artemis who went into the room already and the sky flooded with ants."This is not how you treat your guests!" He looked alarmed at the swarm coming. Their wings flapped and their mandibles clicked. Aaron pushed himself against the door and Artemis sprayed her doorstep. He ran for his life. He ducked the flying squadron and shot red hoops at them. Maks crawled out of the hole, with sand pouring off his arms. The place was infested by ants. The flying ants kept in motion, to cover their own forces and to keep the humans in continual alarm. He was not surprised that he was back to where he started. The dune trails were worse now. He gazed at the construction site with eroded soil. Their antennas stirred aggressively, the ants did look too happy about him blocking their way in. Some of the food they were carrying on their backs looked too big to move through the complicated
He stepped back from the next big threat. Everywhere it stepped, the grass died and the land became barren. It took literal earth-shaking steps toward them."Fei?" His eyes were wide. No, it was not Fei Long, however, he wished it was... Fei was a bull with a white face. "That's a cow." Aaron pointed out. Artemis had not come to terms yet that it was just a "cow". He narrowed his cat-like eyes at it, it had an eye on its forehead, a scaly, brown fur coat, and a scaly jade green snake as its tail. Maks growled and he lunged. The Fei throttled towards him, bellowing, it had fangs in place of molars and powerful limbs. Steam seeped out of its hooves and it whipped its tail like a lasso coming after them. It charged and the blighty trail surpassed it and the blight spread under their feet. The earth quaked and the ground sunk, dust accumulated. They dropped into a hole. Artemis held on to the edge, and Aaron crept up the hole dizzy. He was out of energy. She sought her old swiss arm