Day Two - The Worst Birthday

SpaceWizards
(Another SpaceWizards Action/Adventure Mystery)

Everyone had their own ways of doing things. That was especially true when it came to magic and wizardry. Some just like to use spells while others only use Fire Balls, electrical string, etc. That team of SpaceWizards could do it all. They each had their own specialties that they preferred or used most of the time. But they could and did use the others a lot too. That helped them to stop whatever Horrald was trying to do, but it could also hurt them. These were one of those times.

”The Worst Birthday”

A Short Story

Remember By

All

     Seven Fire Balls or electrical strings shot in the direction of one Kakan. Four electrical strings and three Fire Balls struck him in various parts of his body. One electrical string skidded between the two top parts of his oblong face in both directions. He went down and started trying to get up admittedly.

     The voice of Horrald started laughing. “That wasn’t me.”

     There were several hundred KaKans in that large room. They were in groups of three to six. Some were children. And they mostly stayed with a couple of adults. But there several of the older ones who talked among each other their own ages. The ones with the adults didn’t really do anything. In fact, they looked bored and unconcerned. Most of them there were adults.

     “Who am I now?” The voice of Horrald could be heard clearly from a small group of four KaKans.

     A single electrical spring shot in that direction from someone. It struck a middle-aged female in her chest. She placed her long bony fingers as she fell back, but she didn’t get up. “That wasn’t me, either.”

     The voice of Horrald started laughing hectically. “One of you just killed the Ruler of this planet.” Horrald stepped out of the body of a KaKan leaning over the dead Ruler. He looked in the direction of whoever just killed the Ruler of KaKan.

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     It’s obvious what Horrald is doing at this party. All the Leaders on this planet are here, including the Ruler of it. If Horrald can make these KaKans part of his army, then making the rest of KaKan a part of it. Yena walked among the KaKans there.

     The younger children there were about her height. But the older children and adults were about twice the size of them. Yena had to look up to see them. Not as much as with the older children. But quite a bit when it came to the adults. She obviously stood out as an Alien among the KaKans. So, did the other SpaceWizards.

     Yena scanned the room with her right red eye and her left blue one at eye level. But she wasn’t looking at the children. She was looking around them at the adults. Most of what she saw were their long bony legs. Yena also saw her fellow SpaceWizards. She nodded at each one as she saw them. And they nodded back.

     Has anyone seen Horrald? Are we even sure that he’s here?

     We know that he’s on KaKan. Pacill thought back. This is the most logical place for him to come be.

     He’s here somewhere. I can smell him. Borrele thought as she continued walking among the KaKans.

     I can feel him too. It’s easier for me to do that when he’s nervous about something. And he must be really nervous about something or someone. Jacci spoke first.

     He is. It’s us. Horrald knows that we are here. Mairon was looking at Yena when he said that.

     There he is. Yena pointed at him as he stepped out of one KaKan right into another. She raised and pointed her finger at him. It had extended about a foot in front of her before an electrical string shot out at an old male. The electrical string struck that KaKan in the shoulder.

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     No wonder we can’t find him. He’s using these KaKans to hide from us. Stavon thought as he ran up to the old male who had just spun around in a full circle from the electrical string striking him.

     I’m not surprised. Angoria thought. He has been using that a lot lately with creating his army.

     Ever since he learned how to do that from a wizard he killed a few months ago, he had been using it. It’s the only magic he’s using right now. Pacill thought as he scanned the crowd forming around the fallen KaKan.

     Mairon stretched his neck to see the fallen KaKan. Is he going to be okay?

     Stavon squatted and leaned over the fallen KaKan. He checked him over from pointed head to webbed toes. “He’s going to be okay.” Stavon got up and glanced among the KaKans in a crowded circle around him. “Did anyone see what just happened here?”

     Most of the KaKans there answered Stavon one way or another. They did it in many ways. But no matter if they said it or gestured it, the answer was always the same. The answer was no. After a few seconds, the crowd started to separate back into their own groups.

     Did anyone see where Horrald went? Jacci asked.

     I haven’t. Borrele went back to looking for him too. But everyone needs to be careful. He could be anyone here, except for us.

     He could be one of us too. Yena thought as she walked toward Stavon. That’s how he learned his new power. That wizard he got it from entered his body to try to persuade him not to hurt anyone else on that planet.

     Stavon suddenly stopped. I just saw him enter a younger female. He raised his palm up at the younger KaKan.

     Wait, don’t hurt her to get to Horrald. Angoria quickly responded. We are here to stop Horrald, not hurt him.

     After making a fist, Stavon opened it and shot a small Fire Ball at the younger KaKan’s leg. And a few second later that Fire Ball exploded. She toppled over into a younger male. But other than that, she appeared to be okay. The male mumbled something that no one could hear.

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     Why is Horrald doing this? Borrele thought. I’m mean why is he building up his army instead of just trying to take over the galaxy like he did before.

     I think we all the answer to that. Jacci spoke first. It’s us. He’s like a SpaceVillian. He needs an army to protect him when he does do whatever it is that he’s going to do.

     He’s not as strong as he used to be. His powers got weakened while he was frozen. He needs to do whatever he can to protect himself against us. And he will do whatever he needs to do to get what he wants. That’s why he’s been using this trick lately. Because it is so hard for us to stop him. Mairon said all that.

     No one spoke for several minutes. They just continued looking at the oblong, straight up, eyes of the KaKans. This will be the fourth planet in the last month that he has taken over if we don’t stop him, said Pacill. That’s another five billion dead. He’s already got fifty times that many already. How many does he need before he feels protected?

     I don’t know, said Angoria. But when it comes to us it’s probably twice as many any he has. We have gotten stronger since he was frozen while he has gotten weaker.

     Once again, no one spoke for several minutes as they continued walking among the KaKans. Stavon suddenly stopped. I just saw Horrald enter a young female. But I’m not close enough to stop him. Can you do it, Borrele?

     Borrele looked in the direction that Stavon was looking in. And she pointed at three young females. Each time she looked over at Stavon who shook his head no. but on the fourth one, he nodded yes. Borrele shot an electrical string at her. She aimed it at her leg. But at the last second the young female squatted down to pick something up and it hit her in the stomach instead.

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     The young KaKan doubled over. But she instantly straightened up. All the others started mumbling around her. The conversations were very heated. A few seconds later one of them turned toward a group of adults and mumbled something. Within a minute the young female was surrounded by a large group of adults.

     Mairon, can’t you hear what they are talking about? Pacill asked.

     With his eye closed, Mairon cocked his head toward the group. I’m trying. But their language is hard to understand. That’s why I haven’t been trying to read them.

     The adults in the group suddenly turned and looked at the strangers among them. And they looked mad. Four, two males and two females, started approaching each one of the SpaceWizards. They were speaking very loudly as they approached them. The males had their hands into fists.

     I think this would be an appropriate time for you to start reading them. Angoria almost thought panicky. I don’t think they want us here anymore.

     “They do know that we are here to help them. Don’t they?” Jacci asked.

     Mairon opened his eye and saw four KaKans almost in his gray face. They know. But I think Angoria is right, though. The KaKans don’t want us here anymore.

     Stavon started stepping back. As he did, he noticed the others were doing it too. That’s too bad because we aren’t leaving here until Horrald does.

     Speaking of Horrald, I just saw him enter a very old male. He probably thought that he could get away with it without being seen because of the chaos. Pacill’s voice sounded shaky.

     “Can You stop him under the current circumstances?” Yena asked.

     “It won’t be easy to do, but I think that I can. I don’t know if I can do it without harming him, though. In fact, I might even kill him.”

     A few seconds later Pacill continued. Right now, I don’t think I have much choice but to try. Either I try, or Horrald wins another death. And this one could be an important one.

     Pacill looked up at the ceiling at the Image Reflectors every few feet from each other in that oval room. He pointed at one with one finger. And with his other hand, he shot a small Fire Ball at it. A few seconds later that Fire Ball bounced off the reflector and stuck the KaKan that Horrald was hiding within. It hit him in the chest right in between his two hearts that were slightly exposed because of the small hole in his chest.

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     Angoria being the smallest skidded in between to KaKan legs and ran over to the fallen KaKan. She looked at his chest and saw his hearts still beating. Just then Horrald exited that body and disappeared. I just missed stopping Horrald by only a few seconds.

     When Angoria skidded between the KaKans legs, he stopped and turned back toward Angoria. His three fellow KaKans did it too. The other foursome of KaKans saw what they did and did the same thing. They joined the other KaKans not in the foursomes as they all surrounded the fallen one.

     Where did he go? Mairon asked. Did you see whose body he went into next?

     He didn’t go into anyone. Angoria sighed. Horrald just disappeared.

     Hopefully, that means that he’s gone for good. Maybe he saw that we were getting too close to stopping him, and he left KaKan.

     I hope you’re right, Yena. But I don’t think that you are. He’s here somewhere. I’m sure of that. I just don’t where he is right now.

     Unfortunately, I think Angoria is right too. Mairon started walking toward fallen KaKan. So, did the other SpaceWizards. He’s just hiding until he can continue his Death Mission.

     The SpaceWizards walked slowly toward Angoria. Keeping their eyes on each other, the KaKans, and the surroundings around them. Angoria met them a few seconds later by going through the legs of several KaKans that crowded in around her to keep her trapped. The KaKans turned toward her and started walking after her. Only that time it was all of them doing it.

     Angoria glanced over her shoulder several times as she joined her fellow SpaceWizards who were now once again a team. The KaKans were right behind her. They stopped just in front of the team. One of them stepped forward. “Why are you attacking us? I thought you were here to protect us.” It was the Ruler of that world.

     Mairon closed his eye as soon as the KaKan started speaking. “We are here to help you. But the one we are trying to protect you from is using you to stop us from stopping him.”

     Just then, Angoria looked up and saw Horrald floating down and entering a female child. Angoria raised her finger and shot an electrical string at the child. It was aimed right at her head. But Angoria swapped it away only an inch or two from her.

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     As the KaKans surrounded the shocked child, the SpaceWizards stepped back into the shadows. “Why did you do that. You almost killed that child.”

     “I don’t know why I did it, Mairon.” Angoria looked as shocked as the child did. “The only thing that I can think of is that I panicked. And you know what happens when I do that. I messed up.”

     “You messed up big time,” said Jacci. “Luckily, you didn’t mess up the Swat Spell.”

     “I’ve never had any trouble with that one. There are a few others like that one. But that one is my favorite. Now you know why I like doing spells instead of using my other powers.”

     “That was a close one. We need to stop this before someone does get hurt, or worse killed.” Mairon quickly changed the subject.

     “What else can we do?” Pacill asked. “As long as he’s using the KaKans there’s nothing else that we can do but stop him every time he takes another one over.”

     “I don’t know what to do. But we need to do something. If we don’t, then we will start killing these individuals. And when that starts he wins another member for his army.”

     “Mairon is right. We do need to stop Horrald one KaKan at a time. And I think I know how we can do that without anyone getting killed.”

     A few seconds later Yena continued. “We need to do three things. First, we can’t use electrical strings or Fire Balls anymore. The Clap spell is all we need. Second, we need to stop him from jumping from one KaKan to another. And third, we have to get him to start talking to us.”

     No one said anything for several minutes. Then suddenly they all turned to face a large group of adult KaKans headed for them. They also saw Horrald exit one KaKan and enter an old female. Mairon stepped forward and clapped his hands together as he mumbled something. A few seconds later the right arm of Horrald’s latest Kakan snapped and Horrald, not the KaKan, screamed.

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     “I can understand why we shouldn’t be using Fire Balls or electrical strings.” Jacci looked at Yena as the other KaKans surrounded the screaming male, from a female, voice. “But why do we need him to start talking to us?”

     Borrele had spoken before Yena did. “I think I know the answer to that question. Not only will he be easier to find, but he likes to taunt us. Getting him to talk to us will make him careless. And when he’s like that we can stop him.

     No one said anything for several minutes. They just watched as one of the KaKans squatted and leaned over KaKan with the broken arm. “She must be a Healer,” said Pacill.

     “Now that they know what Horrald is doing, maybe the KaKans won’t try to kill us anymore.”

     “I hope you’re right about that too, Angoria. But we still have a very big problem.” Stavon kept staring at the KaKans. Most were facing the hurt female. But there were KaKans several staring back at them. “We still don’t how we are going to get Horrald to start talking to us. We’ve been here for hours. And he still hasn’t said anything.”

     Jacci smiled. “I know how we can get him to talk to us. It’s going to be a little painful for the KaKan he takes over. But nothing that the Healer can’t handle.”

     The other SpaceWizards looked at each other in wonderment. Then they looked back at Jacci. It was Mairon who spoke first, though. “What do you plan on doing to this KaKan?”

     Before Jacci could respond they, all saw Horrald entered a young male. Jacci stepped forward and started mumbling something as she clapped her hands together. A few seconds later the young KaKan screamed. “You just tried to break my back. That’s the second time in the last hour that you have tried to kill me.”

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     “So, which one of you just killed the Ruler of KaKan?” Angoria asked. “I know it wasn’t me because I haven’t been trying to hit him. All of my Fire Balls or electrical strings have been missing on purpose.”

     The other SpaceWizards looked at Angoria in shocked. Then at each other, as they started talking among themselves. Some of that talk got very heated. After several minutes the talking stopped, and they faced Angoria again.

     “You do know why we didn’t include you in this discussion.” Mairon stepped forward before he started speaking to Angoria.

     “Of course, I do. You always do. It’s because of my age. So, which one of you did it?”

     “That’s not the reason,” Yena spoke first. “We did it because we know you weren’t trying to hit Horrald.”

     “We also figured out who did kill the Ruler,” said Stavon. “And it wasn’t one of us. It was Horrald.”

     “The reason we couldn’t find him by his voice was because he was throwing it.” Jacci continued a few seconds later. “He was behind us when the Ruler was killed.”

     “He’s the one who killed the Ruler,” said Pacill. “He just wanted the KaKans to think that we did it.

     Just then, a young child of about ten ran up to the ruler crying. She held him in her arms. It took three adult males to pull her off him. “This is the worst birthday that I have ever had.” She looked at the SpaceWizard with anger on her face. “Which one of you killed my father?”

Word Count = 3,019