#521-Friday Fiction- Cillia Ward “How it All Began”
Chapter 3-The Conclusion
Lord Malcom grabbed at the tentacles and tried pulling them from around Krator’s form with little effect, as some of the other tendrils gripped at the mage himself, creating immediate pain wherever he was touched.
The head of the Ward household was then forced to release any aid that he had started with his Clockwork/Major Domo, to help himself.
It was then, that a few of the sparring partners that had just finished training Cillia, arrived in the room to help, but were instantly overcome by the long, thin arms of the glowing rock thing.
And within seconds, one was pulled into the maw of the stony creature and vanished, while the other began to shake, shudder and twist, with a glowing visage of red covering his eyes!
It seemed as if the rock creature had averted his attention to the two men, which gave Lord Malcom Wheeler Ward a second’s respite to take a different form of defensive action.
He stared directly into his palms and waited a few mere seconds for his hands to turn a shade of orange that seemed like his hands were bursting with fire! And they were as he gripped each tendril that had either grabbed him or tried to burrow into one of the fleshy parts of his skin.
A mere moment’s passing and each tentacle screamed through its teeth-filled mouth and turned to ash. The Lord repeated this motion time after time as he became more and more free from the grip of the octopus-like arms of this stone being.
It was then, that both Captain Lewis arrived from the other side of the dining hall, with Cilia right beside him, her cloak still flowing wildly behind her.
The man with the burning eyes, raised an arm and swatted the captain away, knocking the top hat from his head and sending him sprawling several yards away.
“Father, Captain Lewis,” screamed Cillia as she arrived by their sides a moment before the captain was knocked aside.
“Stay back, Cillia!” Her father commanded her as he tried to keep his daughter out of harm’s reach from the dangerous entity.
“Thank you, sir, for coming to my aid,” began Major Heathcliffe Kraytor, still encircled by the many tendrils that sprang from both the rock and the front of the now-possessed sparring partner.
“But I believe that these thin arm-like appendages are having no luck against my metal shell.” Krayton now had his arms free enough, thanks to the intervention of the magician/politician, that he used the leverage he had gained and began snapping some of the tendrils into smaller pieces, accompanied by the high-pitched and tiny screams from the creature.
It was then, that the possessed sparring partner opened his mouth and a guttural sound began to emit.
“From the land of Thulan-Golus, I, Epoch Corinth, shall take back my world!”
Trying to right himself from his prone position, halted at the sound of the name that was spoken. But while Captain Lewis showed some interest, Lord Malcom was almost petrified with a terrible realization.
He quickly turned his attention to another matter, ignoring the fact that new tendrils were burrowing themselves into his legs and calves. Lord Ward held out a hand, straightened out his palm and made a silent incantation.
Instantly, colorful butterflies materialized and flew from his hand and rested on the inside brim of the captain’s hat.
“You’ll find almost unlimited power residing within, my friend. Keep my daughter safe!”
“I will, m’ Lord…count on it!” Lewis did not exactly know what was happening, but felt that this moment was an important one, and a moment that he would remember for the rest of his life. He felt even more so on the subject, as he placed the hat back upon his head and felt a surge of power filling his being.
Just then, a scream ripped from Cillia’s lips as she pointed her crystal wand at the tentacles that held her mother in tow, dragging her, along with her now-possessed sparring partner, towards the unearthly rock. Beams kept blasting at the appendages with not much effect.
Another scream followed!
“Remember the true source of your power, my darling daughter.” It was the last words that Cillia’s mother, Chloe spoke before she was pulled fully into the entity of the possessed man and vanished.
Lord Malcom too, began disappearing as he was being pulled into the form of the rock. But before he totally left this plane of existence, he grabbed his daughter by the wrist and spoke solemnly.
“Remember the words of your mother, darling. And remember that I have always been much more powerful than you ever might have guessed. I am leaving now to be with, and protect your mother. There will be others from across the universe to guide and advise you, but until then…I leave you with a portion of my power to augment your own expanding talents!”
A flow of energy rippled through Lord Malcom’s arm and traversed its length until it came across the wrist of Cillia’s and travelled upward to her shoulder and continued traveling throughout her body.
Then, Lord Malcom Wheeler Ward completely vanished!
There was nothing left now, but the strange rock, that still reached out with its deadly appendages.
Kraytor, now free from all of the attacking tendrils, began tearing the thin arm-like things from the base rock and then with his mighty, metal foot, came down hard, crashing the rock, splintering it into dozens of smaller pieces…none of which glowed now!
Captain Gordon Lewis removed his hat in a show of respect and as he did, some form of webbing shot out from the opening of his hat brim. The ensuing goo, smothered all of the pieces of the dangerous rock, ending its seemingly evil machinations forever!
Looking with astonishment at the opening of the hat, Lewis shook his head, accepting of his new powerful situation as well as his new offensive-minded chapeau, and smiled slightly.
“Where does this leave us now?”
“In a place where we have to look up that thing’s name and the land where he came from, to rescue my parents.” Cillia was quiet and forlorn as she looked at the floor, making her statement as she did.
“But for now…I may be…an orphan!”
“Come on, Cillia, your friend needs us at the river leading to the mouth of Hell. We’ve got to leave now!”
“Yes, Miss Cillia, I’ll pack us a lunch for the journey!” The Clockwork Butler made clanking sounds with his legs as he moved towards the kitchen to prepare the meals.
It was just then, that Herbert, the talking Lemur, popped up from the inside of one of Captain Lewis’ pockets.
“Chee, Chee, Chee,” chattered the tiny creature.
“Yes, I know Herbert,” began Lewis in an exasperated fashion, you don’t like asparagus, I’ll tell Kraytor!”
The ex-military man, then turned to the daughter of his old friend, Lord Malcom, and continued. “What’s the matter, Cillia. Haven’t you been paying attention?
Shaking her head back and forth, Cillia replied in a sleepy fashion.
“I’m sorry, Gordon, I was thinking back to a very important day in my life.”
Then, as soon as Kraytor returned, the four of them raced for the door!