Day Fourteen - The Wedding

SpaceWizards
(Another SpaceWizards Action/Adventure Mystery)

Almost every planet with a population has marriages. But for most of them, it’s not called marriage. The most used ones are Being Together and Together as One. They also use terms like Mate, Lover, and Love. But those are more for the romantic part before and after the marriage than the marriage itself. It’s the same when it comes to The Wedding too. The ceremonies are a lot different too. There are usually one or two main ones. But there are several others too. Earth is a good example of that. The most different one of them all must be the one that the SpaceWizards have been invited to. This is that story.

“The Wedding”

A Short Story

Remembered By

Borrele

     The seven SpaceWizards quickly surrounded Horrald. They raised their palms and fingers at him. A few seconds later eight Fire Balls came shooting out of the palms, and about thirty to thirty-five electrical strings were shot out of fingertips. All were aimed at Horrald. But all of them passed right through him, making him flicker each time they did.

     None of the Fire Balls struck any of the SpaceWizards. But Pacill and Yena had to bend over to avoid them. Pacill bent forward while Yena went backward. Jacci and Stavon just had to step sideways to avoid their balls. The Fire Balls exploded when they struck the walls behind them in the Practice Chamber. None of the electrical strings struck them either. A little twisting and turning to avoid them. But they passed between them.

     “I’m not really here,” said Horrald. “This is just an image of me. Do you really think I’m that stupid or crazy to come on to your spaceship as myself.”

     Horrald continued a few seconds later. “I’m here to invite you to my wedding. The Wedding between Tonnie and me will be in two weeks on the planet of ZeQue. I do hope all of you will attend it.” A few seconds later the image of Horrald disappeared.

     No one spoke for several minutes. They just stared at where Horrald used to be. It was Mairon that broke that silence. “What was that about?”

     “I think we were just invited to another trap. And I think we should go to it.”

     Mairon looked at Angoria. “of course, it’s a trap. But what I want to know is what is Horrald is really up to.”

     “It’s got to be a trap,” said Pacill. “There’s no way Horrald would invite us to his wedding.”

     “If there even is a wedding,” said Borrele. “Horrald might have just said that to get us to go to the trap.”

     “That would explain why he used Tonnie's name,” said Mairon. “He knew we would go there to see if Tonnie really was back from the dead.”

     “I think we should go to it too,” said Jacci. “Not just to see that Tonnie is back, but which SpaceGem he stole to do it.”

     “Do you all have to go to it?” Borrele asked. “Wouldn’t it be safer if only half of you went to it. The rest of us could remain on our spaceship just in case it’s not a trap.”

     Everyone looked at Borrele in shock. But it was Yena who spoke first. “What else could it be but a trap?”

     “I think all seven of us should go to it,” said Mairon. It’s going to take all seven of us to stop this attempt to kill us. After all, ZeQue is Horrald's home planet.”

     Mairon. Continued a few seconds later. “We need to decide if we are going to this wedding or not now. From where we are at, it’s going to take us two weeks to get there. So, what’s our decision? Are we going to this wedding together or not?”

=====-=====-=====-=====-=====-=====

     Jacci slowly scanned the Wooded Area in front of her. After scanning in both directions twice, Jacci turned around to face a large round cone topped building. I’ve scanned my side of the outside. And there are no dead here.

     Just finished my side too. And there’s no dead on this side either. Pacill was still facing the Wooded Area where he was at.

     There’s no dead on my side either, thought Yena. At I haven’t seen any yet. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there. If they are, they’re doing a really good job at hiding.

     I’m facing the front of this Wedding Place, thought Stavon. And all I have seen are guest who has started to arrive.

     Mairon watched as a small group of ZeQueians came in through the front entrance. Stop and place their palm inside a square thin sided open square. That inner square glowed yellow a few seconds later. A few seconds later an inner entrance slid open long enough for the palmer could enter. Then it closed again.

     The dead aren’t here either. I’m also at the front entrance. And all I have seen are guests. What about you Borrele and Angoria? Have you seen any dead? And what about Tonnie. Has anyone seen her yet?

     Borrele walked past an entrance. As she did it, she mumbled something. A jagged circle on the entrance appeared to show nobody in there. I’ve checked about half of the second level. And I haven’t seen any dead or Tonnie.

     Neither have I, to both. And I’m almost finished scanning the first level. Angoria did the same thing as Borrele did. But she looked inside the rooms via the walls instead of the entrances.

     This place is almost surrounded by a Wooded Area. There’s only one way in and out of here. Horrald came through here a few hours ago. But Tonnie hasn’t.

     I haven’t seen Tonnie either. Maybe we haven’t seen her because she isn’t really back from the dead. We might have right that Horrald said her name to get us here.

     Then why hasn’t he strung his trap? Pacill thought. I’m sure Horrald knows that we are here.

     Horrald knows that we’re here. He smiled at me when he entered. He’s probably just waiting for all of his guests to arrive.

     So, you think the guest are part of his army. That could be true, Yena thought. He could have used a spell on them to make them appear ZeQueian.

     True, Horrald have put a spell on them. But not because they are dead. If he did, it was because they are his Living Followers. I’m sure some of the guests are his Followers, if not most or all of them.

     This wedding may not be a trap, after all. At least not this part of it. I just saw Tonnie arrive. And it is her. She should be coming in any second now.

=====-=====-=====-=====-=====-=====

     Mairon sat near the interior entrance to a large room that looked more like an Entertainment Place than a Wedding Place. Most of it was filled with rows of chairs. There was about two hundred and fifty chairs in that place that Mairon was looking at. And almost all of them had a ZeQueian in it.

     The other six SpaceWizards were scattered around the outside of the edges. After scanning the ZeQueians there, Mairon did a quick nod ‘yes' to the other SpaceWizards. They all nodded ‘yes' back.

     Everyone, keep your eyes open for anything weird. I doubt that Horrald will spring his trap during the wedding itself. But he might.

     What do mean by weird? Angoria asked. I’ve never seen a ZeQueian wedding before. This is all weird to me.

     You know what Mairon means, said Jacci. Anything that might indicate an attack was about to happen.

     Just then the lights dimmed a little. The restless crowd calmed down. And everyone faced the raised floor in front of them. A few seconds later Horrald and Tonnie came onto that raised floor from opposite ends. They met in the middle of it.

     Horrald and Tonnie faced each other and then held hands. They began talking to each other. Tonnie went first. She talked for about fifteen minutes. Then Horrald talked to her. And he did it for about fifteen minutes too.

     Can anyone hear what they are saying? Mairon asked.

     I’m the closest one to them. And I can't hear them, thought Pacill. It must be a low voice wedding that only they can hear.

     You’re partly right, Pacill. I researched this type of wedding, thought Borrele. And it’s not a low voice wedding. It’s a thought wedding that only they can hear.

     Just then Horrald and Tonnie kissed. Then they hugged each other for a few minutes. After another kiss, they turned to face their guest and bowed to them. Horrald and Tonnie then left that raised floor hand in hand together.

     Mairon looked shocked. Is that it? Have they Become One? The lights answered his question. They returned to normal lighting.

=====-=====-=====-=====-=====-=====

     When the SpaceWizards noticed the ZeQueians standing up, the did the same thing. A few seconds later the chairs sank into the solid looking level. The raised level also became solid with the other level. And a few seconds later a long table with food and drinks rose up. So did about fifty table for six individuals each where the rows of chairs used to be.

     Everyone be watchful. The attack could happen at any time, thought Mairon. It probably won’t until we leave. But it could happen here too.

     A few seconds later Mairon continued. Talk with the ZeQueians. Try to get to know them. See if any of them are the dead or a Follower.

     The seven SpaceWizards stayed where they were seated. But now they were talking with the ZeQueians. They did that for about twenty-five minutes. Then the room dimmed again. And a bright light appeared where Horrald and Tonnie left after their wedding.

     Horrald and Tonnie have returned. Let’s see if one of us can find out where Horrald ‘found' those SpaceGems around her neck.

     For the neck two hours, the After-the-wedding party continued. The SpaceWizards continued to talk with the ZeQueians. And one by one they did try to get close to Tonnie. But Horrald kept her with him. Finally, he let go of her hand. She left. So did Borrele. Borrele followed to a nearby Public Personal Care Center.

     As soon as they entered Tonnie confronted Borrele after making sure no one else was there. “I’m happy that you came. I was hoping that you would.”

     “Where did you get those beautiful SpaceGems? Do they have any more like them??

     “Horrald gave them to me. I don’t know where he got them. He never told me.”

     A few seconds later Tonnie continued. “I know who you are. I’m the one who asked Horrald to invite you. Told him it was because of you.”

     “Why did you want us to come to your wedding? It can’t be just because of me.”

     “It’s not. I was brought back from the dead against my will. I’ve never wanted to Become One with Horrald. Thirty thousand years ago I didn’t. And I still don’t.”

     “What do you want me, us, to do about it?” Borrele asked.

     “I want you to kill me. Not only will I be dead permanently, but I won’t be a part of his army either.”

     Borrele looked shocked and confused. “I didn’t think you were part of his army. We thought you were one of his Living Followers until you got killed.”

     “No, I was never a Follower. He fell in love with me. And he had to have me no matter what. I also wasn’t quite dead either. He put a spell on me that has kept me near death until he could bring me out of it. Only he forgot it after thirty thousand years. That’s why he had to find a SpaceGem or SpaceGems powerful enough to do it.”

     “Did you just tell me you wanted us to kill you permanently?” Borrele asked. “We can’t do that. You’re alive again.”

     “You have to do it. Otherwise, I will be his for the next billion centuries.”

     “I’m sorry for what you are going through. But we can’t just kill you.”

     “Yes, you can. It just needs to be an accident as the last time. And it does need to look like one too. Only this time make sure I am really dead.”

     A few seconds later Tonnie continued. “Horrald is going to try to kill you soon. That’s the perfect time to kill me too.

=====-=====-=====-=====-=====-=====

     What did you just think, Borrele? Maison asked as he mumbled something and sliced a finger across his neck. Six dead got their necks sliced off one after another. Their bodies had hit the ground before their heads did.

     Borrele sent a Fire Ball at four dead. It killed them and two others when it exploded. Tonnie wants us to kill her.

     You did tell her we couldn’t do that, didn’t you? Pacill asked as he shot several electrical strings out of his fingertips. Each one struck a different dead in their heads.

     Of course, I did, several times. But she wants us, me, to do it anyway. She even threatened to tell all of you what my big secret is if I didn’t do it.

     Yena mumbled something and sent a Fire Ball back at its thrower. Not only did it kill them when it exploded, but it also killed two others too. What big secret?

     I don’t know about any secret either. The dead were using the Wooded Area as cover. Angoria sent a Fire Ball right through a tree, killing the five dead hiding behind it.

     That because I’m the only one who knows it. And I haven’t told anyone what it is. I don’t plan on doing it either. Mairon mumbled something and punched the air in front of him. A second later a dead was falling to the ground with a big hole in his empty chest.

     Borrele first fired two Fire Balls at about fifteen dead. Then she shot some electrical strings at them. All died one way or another. That’s not what I told Tonnie. I told her she could tell any of you if she wanted to because you already know what it is

     So, what is this big secret that I’m already supposed to know but don’t? Stavon asked as he mumbled something. A few seconds later a fallen tree branch sent a hole through three of the dead.

     This is not the time or place to tell you it right now. I promise I will do it after this is all over. Borrele shot two Fire Balls at a group of eight dead. Both killed them all plus four more when they exploded.

     Jacci mumbled something. A few seconds later three dead flew into three Fire Balls that were just shot by three other dead. All six plus five others died at the same time. It is almost over. There are only about a hundred of them left for us to save.

     Just then Tonnie could be seen within the Wooded Area. All seven of the SpaceWizards could see her. She was right next to Horrald who was talking to her. He was waving in the other direction of the fight with his hands. Tonnie talked back to him and shook her head ‘no’ as Horrald got in front of her.

     What are you going to do about the Tonnie situation? Are you going to free her from Horrald or not? Mairon asked as he sent several electrical strings into two Fire Balls that were shot at him. They went right through them and into the dead who threw then. He mumbled something, and the Fire Balls smashed into each other and exploded.

     Borrele looked at Tonnie. She was pleading with her with her eyes. Then Borrele looked at the other SpaceWizards who were also using the Wedding Place building for protection. I don’t know what to do. On the one hand, I want to free her from Horrald. But on the other, I can’t because she’s alive again. What am I going to do?

     A few seconds later Borrele added in a small voice that only she could hear. “I don’t know how I’m going to tell the others my big secret either. How do you tell someone that thirty thousand years ago you and Horrald had a wedding of your own?”

Word Count = 2,610