Giskard
Only human
CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO
Sandy watched as Cassie disappeared and then, almost immediately, reappeared with vigor. There was a physical thump that jarred the ground so hard, everyone stumbled. A change in air pressure made everyone human wince and hold their ears, yawning to try to equalize the pressure on their eardrums. All fighting stopped as the sunlight flashed in and seemed to melt the clouds away into a vapor, leaving trails as they blew outward into the blue sky, creating fog.
Sandy picked herself up off the ground. She'd done it. Odd little CJ with her talent for shifting and a penchant for rainbows actually saved the day. Literally.
Cassie opened her eyes and looked at Sandy, “Something made me stop. I couldn’t do it.”
“Honey, you did something,” she responded.
When the earth settled, the creatures and humans quickly reassessed. The gargoyle king of the west cast his eyes about wildly, and bellowed, sounding like something between a raptor and a panther. It was a signal the creatures of darkness, those principalities, interpreted as retreat. Even as the clouds tried to re-coalesce, they were scattered to the four winds. The beings of light took pursuit, but there had to be far too few of them to follow all the creatures of darkness.
Then the thrumming from the Dark Cloud device stopped. The sudden quiet seemed the first in what felt like days, had been mere hours. Cassie slid off the Dark Cloud device. She looked down at Vargas and he smiled at her and gave her a thumbs-up.
She ran to Sandy and hugged her tight. Pip bounced his forepaws against Sandy’s leg and ran away, barking urgently.
Karen, Valerie, Sandy, Manuel Vargas, and Cassie watched after him. Vargas choked out, “Pete,” and erupted into a coughing spell.
Karen stayed with Manuel while everyone else ran after Pip. They couldn’t see where Pete fell, but evidently Pip knew. Then they found the unthinkable; the unbelievable, on this blue, warm homecoming. Pete Williams lay in the snow-covered weeds, bleeding from the chest. Pip gently licked at his face. Valerie and Sandy tried to revive him, but it was too late. He was gone. Valerie sat back and sobbed, holding onto his hand.
The New Ventura Militia began to arrive on the scene, the able-bodied helping the wounded walk. Sandy stood and she stopped Cassie from getting closer to their fallen friend when she arrived, out of breath. They held each other and cried. All the joy of this momentous occasion bled away with the life of this man – this sweet, brave friend of less than one day. A friendship from which they were cheated while he was robbed of enjoying his remaining days. Militia members removed their hats and bowed their heads. Their leader died a hero.
Sandy watched as Cassie disappeared and then, almost immediately, reappeared with vigor. There was a physical thump that jarred the ground so hard, everyone stumbled. A change in air pressure made everyone human wince and hold their ears, yawning to try to equalize the pressure on their eardrums. All fighting stopped as the sunlight flashed in and seemed to melt the clouds away into a vapor, leaving trails as they blew outward into the blue sky, creating fog.
Sandy picked herself up off the ground. She'd done it. Odd little CJ with her talent for shifting and a penchant for rainbows actually saved the day. Literally.
Cassie opened her eyes and looked at Sandy, “Something made me stop. I couldn’t do it.”
“Honey, you did something,” she responded.
When the earth settled, the creatures and humans quickly reassessed. The gargoyle king of the west cast his eyes about wildly, and bellowed, sounding like something between a raptor and a panther. It was a signal the creatures of darkness, those principalities, interpreted as retreat. Even as the clouds tried to re-coalesce, they were scattered to the four winds. The beings of light took pursuit, but there had to be far too few of them to follow all the creatures of darkness.
Then the thrumming from the Dark Cloud device stopped. The sudden quiet seemed the first in what felt like days, had been mere hours. Cassie slid off the Dark Cloud device. She looked down at Vargas and he smiled at her and gave her a thumbs-up.
She ran to Sandy and hugged her tight. Pip bounced his forepaws against Sandy’s leg and ran away, barking urgently.
Karen, Valerie, Sandy, Manuel Vargas, and Cassie watched after him. Vargas choked out, “Pete,” and erupted into a coughing spell.
Karen stayed with Manuel while everyone else ran after Pip. They couldn’t see where Pete fell, but evidently Pip knew. Then they found the unthinkable; the unbelievable, on this blue, warm homecoming. Pete Williams lay in the snow-covered weeds, bleeding from the chest. Pip gently licked at his face. Valerie and Sandy tried to revive him, but it was too late. He was gone. Valerie sat back and sobbed, holding onto his hand.
The New Ventura Militia began to arrive on the scene, the able-bodied helping the wounded walk. Sandy stood and she stopped Cassie from getting closer to their fallen friend when she arrived, out of breath. They held each other and cried. All the joy of this momentous occasion bled away with the life of this man – this sweet, brave friend of less than one day. A friendship from which they were cheated while he was robbed of enjoying his remaining days. Militia members removed their hats and bowed their heads. Their leader died a hero.
