“Rescue” (32)

Callon paced his study rigorously.

Where was that damned galaxian?

Why had she not reported back in weeks?

With every moment that passed with her absence, he grew increasingly more irritated.

Just as he thought he might thrash the study into devastation, a whooshing sound vibrated against the walls.

He spun on his heel and watched as the galaxian appeared before him.

Without hesitation he strode widely to her, closing the distance between them in just a few steps, and wrapped his hands around her throat before she could fully appear, her legs still weaving themselves together with her magic ability to teleport.

"Where have you been you insolent fool?!", he shouted into her face. His perfectly smoothed hair slowly becoming more wild from his frantic combing as he had paced the study.

The galaxian woman struggled and reached her hands to release his from her throat. She made painful choking noises as she fought with his incredibly strong grip.

Callon hissed through bared teeth and released the woman to the ground.

The galaxian felt a sense of having been here before. Only with a much more powerful creature behind the grip, and not so long ago.

"My lord,", she rasped massaging her throat, "the woman. She-", she began before stopping and rethinking what she should do.

On one hand the Lord of Midnight had threatened her life should she not deliver the false news of the woman's death, on the other hand, if Callon were ever to discover her lie, he would hunt her down. No matter that one of the five had commanded her to do so.

To call it a conundrum was putting it lightly.

Then a thought occurred to her, a phenomenal moment of clarity.

Should Callon take this woman for his own, that would mean the Lord of Midnight would surely need a new woman by his side. A more powerful woman than the insignificant human one he had seemed so protective of.

She could leave this life behind. No more servant work. No more demands.

She could be a queen.

Even better yet, she could understand the lord more than that woman ever would. Born and raised in the depths of the Midnight Forest, she could understand him more than anyone else. Especially that unimpressive human girl.

She would be doing her lord a service, truly. Saving his life even. She could rule by his side, bring him happiness he could hardly imagine. She would be away from this simpering fool she had been assigned to by the Midnight Elves that fancied themselves greater than the galaxians. Always treating them like slaves, calling them ancient and powerful in the same breath as commanding them to do their bidding.

No more.

She decided right then and there that she would be the queen of midnight. It was so obvious and simple she could hardly believe it took her this long to realize it.

"She has been taken my lord. By the Beloved One, the Cursed One, the Lord of Midnight.", she said with a dramatic bow, being sure her tone conveyed the depth of her disappointment and fear at the matter.

Callons eyes grew wide before he threw his head back in boisterous laughter.

"The Lord of Midnight? He's been missing for 20 years and before that in isolation from the world. I misjudged your capabilities galaxian, you obviously lack eyesight. A fundamental skill required for spying.", he said maliciously.

The woman clenched her teeth.

"I can show you, what I saw was truth.", she said scornfully and stood quickly. With a flick of her wrist a black oval appeared in the center of the room. Upon it could be seen a dragon the size of a building roaring into the night. The next image was of Caeli astride the dragons back in the air. The image melted once more into the galaxians point of view when she had been captured by the beast. No longer on four legs, the dragon in the vision was humanoid, a skull for a face and glowing red orbs for eyes.

"He transported the girl to a place in the past, frozen in time, and with his immense power, had accidentally transported me as well as I was following closely to observe the events that transpired. Upon discovery he forced me to disclose my purpose. Once known, he instructed me to lie to you and inform you that the woman had died an untimely death.", she said with feigned sadness. She bowed her head deeply and waited for a reply.

Callon stood for a moment, processing what he had been told.

What would the Lord of Midnight want with the girl? In all his existence the lord had never taken interest in anything that didn't involve politics or strategy of the battle field. After his years of active kingly ruling over the Midnight Forest, he had isolated himself for unknown reasons becoming a thorough recluse.

Never had the lord taken interest in anyone, let alone a female companion. It was told that many hundreds of years ago, the dragon of Lenay had worked hard to entice his interest but to no prevail. After she had given up, it was presumed the lord would be alone for all of his long existence.

Why the human woman?

Surely Callon had sensed something strange and powerful about the woman, would not the Lord of Midnight do so as well?

Was the woman's power greater than Callon had initially thought?

The lord was a monster, a beast, she would never reciprocate any feelings he may have for her. She had already said that she would consider the position at the council that Callon had offered. It would be simple to rescue her, in which she would feel indebted to him and take the position.

Of course, he had not told her the position would be as his wife and political negotiator.

She had an innate and powerful ability to read the true intentions of those around her. He had seen it first hand, felt it. She would be a valuable asset assuredly. Even more so as his wife.

Perhaps her capture was a blessing in disguise. She had been reluctant in his presence before, even more so about the joining of the council. But now, she could not refuse him if he were to rescue her from the clutches of an evil dragon.

"You will take me to the woman, we will rescue her from the Lord of Midnight. We will be discreet. Our lives will surely be taken from us should he discover our intentions.", he said as he collected a few things around the study. "We shall move furtively to her side, avoiding his detection. We will transport her back here, to safety. And then she will be mine.", he said as he smoothed his hands over his hair and observed himself in the reflection of the mirror hanging on the wall. After a few minutes of adjusting his clothing he turned to look at the galaxian.

The plan was almost effortless, especially with the galaxians ability to teleport. Child's play even.

Not a single thing could go wrong when a plan was so perfectly simple.

The galaxian woman opened a portal to appear only miles from where Caeli was. Once she had seen something she could take herself there in just seconds.

This power was one of the reasons she was chosen to go with Callon in the first place.

With the woman's face firmly placed in her mind it was as easy as a few whispered words.

Callon straightened his back, smoothed his hair with the palms of both of his hands, and with a broad smile on his face, he stepped through the portal.

With a smile only slightly smaller than his, the galaxian stepped through behind him.