* * *
Joe watched the ceremony with increasing enthrallment. He soon felt a thrum of power ebbing and flowing in front of him, and when the priest shouted at Garnedell, he saw the boy freeze, unmoving and almost unaware. Flashes of light began to ebb and flow around the beautiful pattern in the ground and soon they merged into an intricate flow of light and power, filling the gaps in the pattern, but not like liquid oozing in. It almost felt electrical, flashes of power surging down pathways from the central statue, following a pattern Joe could not see or recognize, quickly flashing down various pathways, most of which sunk into the stone at Garnedell’s feet. A small portion flashed down differing pathways to the priest’s circular platform before arcing away from the priest’s platform to other platforms or stones scattered around the shrine. As each stone or platform was struck, they took on differing characteristics. Some shone a differing light, changing lights as it was struck. Others took on beautiful tones, soon shifting in a gorgeous melody just barely out of Joe’s awareness. Still others began moving or shifting in strange patterns of movement, and Joe quickly realized all were a repeating pattern that seemed to be orchestrated by the priest, each taking on a portion of the burden of whatever… this was.
Soon, the flashes of light from the central statue to the priest diminished and stopped, and all the light seemed to be coming from or interacting with the various platforms and stones scattered in a circle around the shrine and Garnedell’s position next to them. The patterns seemed to be shifting, synchronizing slowly, until they finally seemed to match whatever pattern was needed and then all of them pulsed that pattern rapidly in exact sync, lines of power striking from the edges into the stone Garnedell stood on. All patterns repeated several times, simultaneously with each pulse sending a pulse of power from themselves to the central stone on which Garnedell stood. Joe soon realized that the pulses of power were strangely unique and individual. At first, he only noticed the light flowing easily through carved passageways for they were quickly and easily seen. But the other patterns pulsed out forms of energy, some of which he swore he could sense, even with his eyes, despite the fact that his eyes were incapable of ‘seeing’ that from of energy.
One line of power felt like a snaking line of sound. Another line of power was literal liquid which almost looked like water but behaved in a way that was definitely not liquid for it never deviated from its path, always flowing directly towards the central stone despite passing other passageways where a liquid would have spread out. Another streak of power that arched towards the middle seemed like heat for he could literally see the mirage like effect rippling the air around it as it passed. As each power converged on the central platform where Garnedell stood, they gathered and waited for their peers to come, the thrum of power growing and growing until the last arrived. Suddenly, all leapt straight upon Garnedell, some crawling up on his skin up his legs, others going higher to the torso. Some struck through the air much like lightning, or a cobra, leaping directly for their target before seeping into Garnedell, oozing like ink backwards into its container. Some enveloped in a soft glow, especially those targeting Garnedell's head, tightening up around it much like cloth being vacuum sealed. All this happened simultaneously and rapidly. Joe was unable to capture everything, his eyes rapidly darting from energy source and absorption, studying them all. As Joe eagerly looked to identify other forms of power and absorption types, the ceremony came to an abrupt end, a clap of noise, light, and energy powering outwards from the central shrine, but doing absolutely nothing to affect him, seeming to pass directly through his body without affecting him. Wow… uh… I hope I just didn’t get bombarded with bajillion rads of radiation?
Garnedell seemed to unfreeze, stumbling slightly. Joe almost jumped forward to grab him, but worried he would mess up things and waited, tense with a bit of worry, but the priest seemed unconcerned, a small smile on his face. Garnedell took a couple gulping breaths and then settled himself. A short conversation between the two, seemingly about whether the boy could move, had Garnedell stepping from the central shrine dais. The priest shook his head, shooing the boy towards him. Garnedell walked towards Joe and stood beside him. The priest nodded and spoke to Garnedell again quickly. Garnedell turned to him and translated.
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“Stay. No move, Zhoe!”
“Right… got it!”
Joe didn’t move, a bit of expectation of what might be next flooding into his system. Despite that expectation, he was completely flabbergasted as the priest took a staff he’d had lying in the brush beside him and raised it up before slamming it to the ground. Suddenly, the lake water swirled up over the bank of the lake and rolled like jello over the shrine and all the stones around the shrine. The water roiled rapidly around the whole shrine, statue, floor pattern and all, almost like an oversized transparent washing machine. Joe was gratified to see that he wasn’t the only one staring in startled shock as the water rolled around the entire place. Garnedell stood next to him with his jaw open, shock clearly overwhelming him. The water continued for another minute or so before it silently, and in a completely controlled manner, oozed back over the bank and into the lake. Not a drop of water was left on the statue, paving, or any of the dirt in between. It was bone dry!
Joe blinked in startled surprise, not certain how to respond. But the priest wasn’t done yet. Another sharp cry and the vegetation seemed to roil around them, grass, weeds, and bushes leapt towards the shrine. New life exploded up around the shrine with vegetation taking on a wild unkempt look around the entire place. The central statue was soon covered completely in gnarly brush, once again looking as if it had been years since the last cleaning or trimming. Joe’s eyes blinked once again, his mouth gaping open a few times without any speech to offer. He was truly stunned silent. Whelp… ok… I’m going to say that magic is… pretty likely to be real! All that... before... maybe a light show for Garnedell and everything, but... growing plants ... aging plants in seconds? Joe stepped forward and fondled the vegetation, but found it to be, for all he could see, completely real and with the appearance of having been in place for months. Joe looked at Garnedell who returned his look. The two simply blinked with a bit of stunned shock before both began grinning like idiots. Ok... magic. Magic! OOOooh! Magic!
Joe turned to the priest and gave the only thing he could, two huge thumbs up and a great smile. Garnedell began speaking a mile a second and the priest seemed to brush off their praise with unhappy grunts but Joe could see the small smile of satisfaction tinting the edges of the priest’s lips.
The rest of the event turned out more mundane, and Joe offered the priest his ten slime gems as payment, but gave him another ten as thanks. When the priest seemed unwilling to accept, Joe smiled and pushed it back before simply saying thanks. Garnedell recognized the word and translated for him, and the priest accepted their generosity with a grumpy unhappiness. You know what! I’ve got a new mission! I’m going to make you smile for real one day! I really will!
After profuse thanks tinged by excitement and joy, the two left and Joe had Garnedell pull up his stats. The main page was wonderfully lacking the curse, and Joe smiled at Garnedell and congratulated him. Garnedel looked up at Joe after seeing his main page empty of the curse and a few hidden tears flooded the lower edges of his eyes. Joe smiled and gave a quick hug to the kid, grateful that he was now free of that curse. Today is a good day! Let’s go kick some more slime ass… Do they have asses?
* * *
Aboard the QQS Observant, the director of the scientific observation of the alien life forms on the moons orbiting the gas giant fumed with frustration. Initial reports of insertion had been optimistic and the director had been ecstatic. Twenty six pods had made successful insertion and only four failed to land safely. With twenty two living samples now on the surface, the director gleefully waited for the data to stream in. The director’s happiness took a decided plunge when almost half of the twenty two were dead by the first month. However, most died because of obvious environmental difficulties, and he had hope the other half would survive well. Another month saw that number cut in half almost again, and the director began to despair.
The numbers themselves turned out to be the only successful result of their experiments. Most of their data was retrieved purely from incredibly sophisticated but ultimately very limited light telescopes. The original specimens sent to the surface had all failed to transmit any data. It seemed all their efforts at biological communication devices had failed. All had been working correctly when they were launched. They even were getting telemetry up until the pods landed and were opened. But as soon as the specimens had left their pods and touched the surface of the planet, the telemetry ended immediately. It was almost like the planet short circuited all of them!
This had left the director scrambling for a response, in difficulty, and very irritated. It had also left him very much alone as few were willing to help a sinking ship. He needed a win, and he needed a win, now… maybe… a scapegoat as well?