MIND FLIGHTS:
FANTASTIC STORIES OF THE IMAGINATION
VOLUME TWO
By Dimitri Kelly
Copyright 2016 DK
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Patience is a virtue when it comes to writing, and I’m not referring to the patience of the writer here. I would like to thank my wife and son for having the patience to deal with dad when he goes into his corner to create these works. Thank you, and I love you.
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OTHER BOOKS BY DIMITRI KELLY
Mind Flights: 3 Tales of Horror! Volume One
***Special Promotion!***
You can download Mind Flights Volume 1 for 99 cents! Click on the link above or below!!!
Mind Flights: 3 Tales of Horror! Volume One
Enjoy your download!!!
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ABOUT THIS COLLECTION
The following stories are works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, either living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
It literally takes “Seconds” for a world to turn upside down. But maybe, just maybe a prominent scientist can do something before it’s too late.
In “The Tear of God”, a powerful Elven magic is beginning to fail. If nothing is done, creatures the like of which haven’t been seen in eons will be released upon an unsuspecting populace.
In “REAPER”, planetary colonists have uncovered something that can either be mankind’s greatest salvation, or lead to the extinction of the human race.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
OTHER BOOKS BY DIMITRI KELLY
ABOUT THIS COLLECTION
SECONDS
THE TEAR OF GOD
THE REAPER
ABOUT DIMITRI KELLY
ENDNOTES
Seconds
The records should have never been lost. But through the passage of time, they vanished. Light gave way to darkness. Truth became myth. And now an entire civilization lay at the brink of disaster.
Professor Alexander Gauss, Chief Historian of Kyros VII, read the newly discovered document before him. Having just learned how to translate the archaic symbols, the process was slow and tedious. And as the meaning became clear to him, a growing dread settled into the pit of his stomach...
*
30,000 years ago... (New Age Calendar)
I feel compelled to write this down. I can only hope that these words will help someone in the future. That is, if someone is still around.
You see, our planet has a dark side. Every time the twin suns of Kyros VII align, this terrible need must be sated, else all life will perish.
When the suns aligned, my brother Fredrick and I were outside gazing at the miraculous spectacle that scientists said happened every 30,000 years or so. Many others also stood outside, gazing upward in wonder through our specially made goggles. The combined light of the red and yellow sun was dazzling, and a feeling of awe began to rise within me. To be able to see such an awesome display made us feel lucky. Or so we felt at the time...
Mere seconds after the heavenly alignment, it happened. All birds, insects, and other animal noises ceased. Kyros VII shuddered. The massive quake caused everyone to fall to their knees. And as our knees hit the dirt, we knew something even worse was about to happen. For all around us, the plant life had somehow disappeared. As one, our eyes turned towards the forest, and we had to blink twice to make sure we weren't seeing things. The plants hadn't vanished. Using their roots, they were running into the forest, towards our homes where our wives and children awaited us.
Horrible screams, millions of them, both human and animal, split the eerie silence, filling our hearts with dread.
Many people sat in stunned silence as they gazed uncomprehendingly at the forest that was now as alive and mobile as you and I. As for me, I had already grabbed Fredrick by the hand, and was dragging him away from the wretched sight behind us. We could still feel the ground shutter as the trees continued to uproot themselves.
Like lightning, the survivors of the plant onslaught burst from the forest. The people who had foolishly stayed to watch were trampled. Fredrick and I looked over our shoulders, and saw people dragged to the ground as the grasses of our once-tame planet wrapped around them. A look of horror was in their eyes. But it was gone just as quickly as their screams when the plants covered their eyes, and went down their throats.
"We have to get to our skycars!"
Fredrick didn't respond, but I knew he had heard me. Every now and then, we risked a glance back at the quickly advancing plants.
A brief thought flashed through my mind. "Fred," I managed while gasping for air, "did you install that remote control module for your car?"
His eyes lit up. Quickly reaching into his pocket, he produced a black box with several different buttons.
As he pushed them, animals and people ran by us.
"We can't land it here," said Fred. "There are too many people!"
Frantically, I looked around. Off to our left was a small hill.
"There!" I yelled.
Looking over, Fred's eyes bucked! "Are you crazy! If the car doesn't get there in time, do you know what will happen?"
"We don't have any choice!" I gulped down air. "We can't keep running like this!"
Fred nodded in agreement. Together, we turned toward the hill and ran with all our might.
Minutes later, we sat atop it searching the skyline for Fred's aircar. The plants were getting closer at an alarming rate.
Time agonizingly passed by. In horror, I watched as the plants reached the base of our hill. There was no longer any place we could run. On all sides, we were surrounded. The plants began to creep up the hillside, stalking us like the prey we had become.
"I see it!" yelled Fred.
Briefly, I glanced in the direction he'd indicated. His skycar was quickly approaching. But I didn't think it would reach us in time, because the plants were halfway up the hillside.
"Fredrick!" I yelled. "We don't have much time!"
"I know!" Fred sounded scared. "It's nearly here!"
I didn't know if he was talking about the plants or the skycar, because my eyes were drawn to green tendrils that had just topped the hill. Tendrils that were less than ten feet away.
I felt a slap across my face. Dazed, I looked into Fred's black pupils.
"We'll have to jump!" he said. "There's nowhere to land!"
Looking up, I saw the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Fred's silver skycar. Our only lifeline in a world gone mad!
As the car hovered a few feet above us, Fred pushed another button that opened the doors.
Jumping as high as we could, we grabbed on, and pulled ourselves in while the car rocked slightly. As soon as our feet left the ground, green tendrils covered the spot where they had been only a second before.
*
"What are we going to do?" Fred asked. "We'll need to land sometime."
"I don't think it's over Fred."
"What do you mean?"
"You remember that tale about Wind Slashers we heard as children?"
"Yeah. Something about them coming from the trees to eat children who were bad?"
"Yeah," I said. "Look over there."
The strange got stranger.
The forests trees were glowing with an eerie, inner light. As we looked on, a few began to split. A great, green hand shot out! Covering it were tiny black mouths. Mouths with needle-like teeth
. And they all looked hungry.
We stared as about a hundred or so thirty-foot tall apelike creatures emerged from the ruined trees. Huge pieces of bark protruded from their arms, making them look like giant fans.
"I think those are the Wind Slashers!"
The Wind Slashers began to rotate their arms at tremendous amounts of speed, creating powerful gales. Buildings began to fall, and the people who had been safe within them scrambled out, only to be caught by the plants and Wind Slashers. Before long, many sported human carcasses from the multiple mouths covering their bodies.
"I can't believe how fast those things move!" said Fred.
"We have to get out of here!" I said. "But the sky and ground is no longer safe."
"Perhaps," said Fred, "we should go to the old ruins."
I thought about the old ruins, with their strange buildings made of metal, and it seemed to make sense. As children, we had played in the tunnels underneath them. Maybe that would be our safe haven.
"Let's go!"
Twenty minutes later, we were there. It seemed as if a lot of people had the same idea that we did, because many skycars were there.
Fred and I went into a building that was probably an old bomb shelter. Outside, we could hear powerful winds blowing. The Wind Slashers were here!
"Fred!" I yelled loudly. It sounded like a whisper compared to the noise that was coming from outside. "We have to get into the tunnels!"
The gale force winds picked up in intensity. Immediately, a section of the wall caved in, separating me from my brother.
"Fred!" I yelled. "Fred!" But there was no response. Knowing that there was little time, I went into the tunnels. I crawled deeper and deeper, and gradually the noise went away. Soon, alone and scared shitless underneath the ancient ruins, I began to cry.
I've been trying to find my brother Fred for hours now. I can only hope that he's okay. I still have many places to search for him. Perhaps he'll meet me in one of them.
In the meantime, I'll keep moving. The alignment of the suns will last for two more days. There has to be more people than me alive. There has to be...
*
Professor Gauss turned the ancient document over. The words just trailed off. Panicking, he looked at his watch. In less than twelve hours, the twin suns would realign once more. Perhaps that would be enough time to warn people. Perhaps...
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THE TEAR OF GOD
In the beginning, when the world was newly-formed, faerie creatures ruled the land. For a while, there was peace, till a great evil began to overtake all. Then, everyone began to suffer unimaginable pain, and it was so horrible that God Himself cried. His Tears, as they fell, became blue diamonds. The evil creatures, looking up, beheld their sparkling doom. As the diamonds struck the hellspawn, they sank deep into their bodies, and began to emit a soft glow which gradually intensified. The hellspawn shrieked in pain, and then seemed to shrink to nothingness as the Tears did their work, pulling the evil within themselves, and then the Tears dropped to the ground, now glowing red because of the dark magic which had been sealed away within them. The hellspawn not instantly killed were driven underground, into a deep, dark pit known as the Abyss. A powerful magic, which required the willing sacrifice of an Elf life, was set in place to keep the monsters trapped. This magic became known as the Divide.
The Tears that had fallen from heaven were gathered together and forged into a powerful weapon. A two-edged dagger that held both the power to heal…and to destroy. This weapon, this Tear of God, became the property of the family of Elves whose patriarch had willingly given his life to help form the Divide. His line became the Keepers.
Book of Origins (History of the Elves)
*
Zlyn knew when he entered the room and saw the Elder’s haggard appearance that something was wrong. Very wrong.
Ezreyn’s silvery-black hair was matted to his head. Mud-stained clothes clung to his skin from his ride through the night in a blinding rainstorm. Zlyn looked into Ezreyn’s haunted, dark blue eyes.
“Zlyn,” said Ezreyn, who struggled to stand straight, “I need you to take seven of your Honor Guard, and escort the Keeper Aria to Lunareze.” He paused to catch his breath. “You must take her tonight.”
The Captain of the Honor Guard was taken aback. “Tonight?”
“Yes, tonight.” The Elder’s expression hardened. He looked at the drawn blinds covering the windows. “Her entire family was murdered, just after sunset. Their bodies…” His voice faltered. “Their bodies were torn to shreds.”
Zlyn, Aria’s friend and personal protector, felt as if he’d been punched in the stomach. “How?”
“No one saw a thing, Zlyn,” said Ezreyn. “As soon as their bodies were discovered, I left.”
“Who, or what could have done such a thing?”
“It had to have been one of them…” Ezreyn’s shoulders sagged. “One of the creatures from the Divide. Its magic has begun to show signs of failing.”
“So the stories in the Book of Origins…” began Zlyn.
“Were all true.” Ezreyn turned back to Zlyn. “And we don’t have much time.”
Zlyn stared at the Elder. He now understood the true nature of Ezreyn’s hasty visit.
Zlyn shook his head. “She’s not ready yet.”
“She’s the last.” Ezreyn said flatly. He then sighed, and reached under his cloak. “Give her this.”
In spite of himself, Zlyn gasped when he saw what the Elder was handing him. Never had he seen anything so exquisite. The foot-and-a-half dagger was forged from a double-edged blue diamond. Legend said it was fused together from the Tears of God Himself. The hilt was half ruby, half emerald. The ruby, for blood. The emerald- new life.
Zlyn stared at the unparalleled weapon in his hands. It was the Elves finest work. And when he looked up, there was determination in his eyes.
“It will be as you ask.” Zlyn bowed, and left the room.
Ezreyn watched Zlyn go. If he failed, and the ritual wasn’t performed soon, the Elves would be doomed. The Divide would collapse, and the evil beings shut away in the Abyss would be free. They would first seek vengeance on those most responsible for keeping them there. Ezreyn hoped he had made the right choice.
*
Zlyn and his men made haste as they rode under the cover of darkness to the elven city of Silverset. He wondered how he would tell Aria about her family. Involuntarily, he placed his hand on the dagger. The Divide was failing. And if it came completely down, they would all most likely perish.
They were almost to Silverset when a scream rang out in the distance, shattering the quiet of their nighttime ride. Reflexively, Zlyn put a hand up, and his men stopped. The screams were followed by a horrifying howl, and then nothingness. Zlyn looked into the eyes of his battle-hardened men, and saw his own resolve in them. They wanted to investigate and provide any help if it was still needed. Still though, they did have another mission…
We must provide help if we can, Zlyn thought. He turned his horse towards where the scream had come from, and cautiously led his band forward.
As they got closer, an eerie silence seemed to grip the land. Zlyn and his men could smell blood. Immediately, they knew that something horrible had happened here.
They dismounted from their horses, and stealthily crept up to the house in front of them. His men spread out. Zlyn gave a hand signal. As one, they moved cautiously to the front of the house, and then instantly stopped as soon as they saw the carnage revealed before them. Pieces of Elves littered the ground, but that is not what held their attention.
In the middle of the carnage, peppered by spears which had killed it, was a hellhound. Its head was misshapen, with bone-like structures protruding from the sides. It had steel spikes protruding from its back, as well as along the length of a whip-like tail, which ended in a steel tip. It had 8 inch teeth, and claws, which were both also made of steel. Blood and gore still clung to them.
A piece of c
loth on the back of the hellhound caught Zlyn’s attention, and he moved closer to investigate. Wearily, he reached out and plucked it from the spike. The cloth contained a symbol, and Zlyn knew what it meant. This same creature had been at Aria’s house. Most likely, it was what had slaughtered them.
“Men, we have to hurry! There isn’t much time!” The soldiers rushed back to their horses, and they galloped off into the distance.
Behind them, a creature seemed to break off from the darkness of the night. It went to stand by the hellhound, and picked up the piece of cloth that the elven warrior had pulled from the hellhound’s spike and then dropped, before riding off at a hard gallop. The creature smiled, which showed off its own wicked collection of teeth. He knew that those warriors carried a powerful magic, and he thought he knew what it was, because he had felt something similar in eons past before they were locked away in that accursed Divide. And he also knew, based on the piece of cloth he now held, where they were headed! The creature took off behind the mounted men, and easily kept pace.
*
Zlyn and his men reached their destination a short time later. Thankfully, everything appeared normal. He stationed his men outside the home which was on the edge of Silverset, and then knocked on the door. After his second knock, a regal-looking woman opened it.
Before she could say a word, Zlyn spoke. “I have to see Aria! It’s urgent! And I don’t have time to waste!” Pictures of the hellhound flashed through his mind.
The lady looked at him, saw his Honor Guard insignia, and immediately went to get Aria.
Zlyn didn’t have to wait long. His childhood friend, and now charge, briefly smiled before she noticed the grave look on Zlyn’s face.
“Zlyn, what’s wrong?” She moved a few strands of hair from her face.
“We need to talk privately.”