Star Rider and Bonds of Love: A Sci-Fi Space Opera with a Touch of Fantasy Heidi Skarie (fox in socks read aloud .TXT) 📖

life. Itbecame a tawkus, a large reptile-like bird, then shimmered and turnedinto a giant night buzzard. Continuing to change it became a huge,black, scaly monster. Toemeka continued firing at it.

“Stop firing, Toemeka!”Michio yelled. “You’re giving it more power!” He tried movingtoward her, but was blocked by an invisible force field.

Fear pulsed through Toemeka andBaymond started crying. As her concern turned to her baby, her heartopened and the creature started getting smaller. Michio’s wordssunk in and she began thinking of everything good in her life:Baymond, Michio, Erling and Master Bakka. She filled herself withlove. Images of things she loved came to mind: red roses, soft summernights, the feel of wind on her face. She felt a celebration of life.She looked at Michio and Erling with love in her heart.. As her feardesolved the creature faded away.

The force field dissolved andMichio hurried over and drew her into his arms. “It was just anastral illusion they mocked up to escape. The more negative energy itwas given, the stronger it became, but it couldn’t stand up againstthe positive force.” He looked at Erling. “Did you use theMarsindi knife to kill Seetva?”

“Yes, it’s fortunate I wascarrying it. The knife has belonged to the Marsindi line of rulersfor centuries.” He recited the verse engraved on the blade frommemory, “To the Lord of Jaipur, Master of the Rose, Swordsman ofSpirit, Goodness begets Goodness, Evil begets Evil.”

“Is the knife a psychicweapon?” Toemeka asked.

“The knife has no power of itsown,” Michio said. “It draws energy from the person using it.That’s why the purpose behind its use is so important. The heartand intent of the user is reflected in the knife. Look, we can’tlet those criminals get away. Let’s split up. Erling, go afterZanton; I’ll go after Cadmus and Toemeka can find Zac and his men.”

“No, we need to stay together,”Toemeka said. “Cadmus could circle back and try to capture meagain.”

“Toe’s right,” Erling said.“It’s too dangerous to leave her and the baby unguarded. Takethem back to the house and I’ll go after Zanton and Cadmus, so wedon’t lose them.”

“You can’t track both men,”Toemeka said. “They went different ways. None of us are safe whileeither one is alive. Michio and I can track Cadmus while you trackZanton.”

“Toemeka, if you come with me,you have to promise to stay out of the fight,” Michio said.

“Neither one of us is going tofight him. We’ll just track him and let Captain Zachary and his menknow his location.” She pushed a button on her communicator andgave Zac their location, then she and Michio headed in Cadmus’direction.

“Let’s just leave Cadmus toZac and his men and go home,” Michio said. “This is no place forBaymond.”

“I won’t do anything to putour son at risk.”

“You just brought him into themiddle of a deadly fight with three sorcerers.”

“What else could I do? Theywere about to kill you.”

“I’m grateful you saved mylife, but I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you orBaymond. Let’s head home.”

Torn, she shook her head. “Cadmuswill have a spacecraft nearby. If we don’t stop him, he’llescape. We can’t let that happen. We need to end this now. I don’twant to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, afraid ofhim capturing me again.”

“Nor do I.” They continuedhiking in the same direction. It was dark in the forest and Toemekastuck close to Michio. Branches grabbed her clothes and the unevenground made it hard to not to trip.

Finally they emerged from thewoods and found themselves at the base of a high cliff wall. The skywas starting to lighten in the predawn.

“Where did he go?” Toemekalooked both directions, then gazed upward. Above them, Cadmus wasscaling the nearly vertical rock wall. “Up there! He’s gettingaway.”

Michio followed her gaze. “Stayhere. I’ll follow him.”

Toemeka clasped his arm. “Becareful. Here, take the blaster.”

He took the weapon and startingscaling the mountain.

Further up the cliff wall, Cadmusspotted Michio and pulled out a blaster.

“Look out!” Toemeka screamed.

34

Final Battle

Blaster fire rained down thecliff wall toward Michio and pieces of rocks sprayed out, forcing himto retreat under a rock overhang. Higher up the cliff, Cadmus startclimbing again. Michio leaned out from behind the overhang and firedback. Cadmus returned fire and Michio drew under the overhang.

Toemeka realized Michio couldn’treach Cadmus without fully exposing himself as he scaled the steeprock wall. Diving back into the woods, she found a tree with a stoutlimb to hang the baby carrier on. She hesitated to leave her sleepingbaby, but he seemed content, swaying gently in the tree. Toemekakissed his soft cheek, before heading back to the rock wall whereMichio was held at bay.

At the cliff base near the woods,she found a narrow crevice in the side of the precipice that reachedall the way to the top. She squeezed into the fissure and startedclimbing using both sides in her ascent and moved steadily upward.

Finally, she reached top of thecrevice and peered over the edge. Cadmus wasn’t in sight. Sheclimbed warily onto the clifftop and gazed over the edge. Cadmus wasa short distance below her, nearly at the top. When his hand graspedthe edge of the cliff, she stomped on it and he withdrew his hand. Amoment later he thrust his torso over the edge of the cliff, grabbedone of her legs and yanked on it. She screamed as she fell to theground and was pulled toward the edge of the cliff. He let go of herleg and scrambled up beside her, then pinned her beneath him. “Ididn’t expect to recapture you so easily,” he snarled.

“You haven’t captured me!”She tried to buck him off.

“You never give up, do you?”Cadmus stood and jerked her up after him. Grasping her wrist in avise-like grip, he gazed over the edge. Below them, Michio wasascended the cliff wall.

Cadmus draw his blaster out ofits holster and aimed at Michio. Toemeka threw herself against him,screaming, “Michio, watch out!”

Cadmus jerked away, releasingher. She lost her balance and tumbled toward the rocky edge. Cadmusdropped the blaster as he grabbed for her and the weapon clunked tothe ground, bounced and dropped over the edge. Cadmus pulled Toemekato