Magic Spawn Origins

Magic Spawn: Chapter 51

by Meredith Skye

* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *

Police chief Francis Campbell rubbed his short grey beard, pulled his hat down further to cover his long forehead with its receding hairline. "Earl, Alexandra, you're with me," he said in his short, direct manner. He had on his large, tinted glasses that made him look like a trooper from a 70's cop show. Lloyd Howe, his young lieutenant, followed behind him without being told.

The troopers took their car, and the police followed behind them. Rian, Ehina and Aldena went on foot, as it was only two or three blocks to the entrance of the Darktree Cemetery where Chief Campbell had set up an action station.

Rian and the others arrived to see Campbell and the other police standing around in the parking lot. Campbell spread a map of the cemetery on the hood of his Ford Police Interceptor (he had the newest, fastest vehicle of the lot).

"Where is this guy at?" asked Chief Campbell.

"Molan?" asked Rian. "He's not a guy. He's a dangerous magic user from another dimension."

"Whatever," said Campbell.

Annoyed, Rian pointed to the crypt on the map. "Here. But watch out. He has all sorts of skeletons and monsters guarding it."

The chief gave him a narrow look. "I'm sure he does." He said it in a way that meant he was sure it didn't. "Let's go," he nodded to the others.

"Let me come with you," argued Daren. "Lauretta is my sister."

"No, stay here," said Campbell. "We'll keep in touch on the radio."

They had allowed Rian and his friends to come along, mostly because they were eye witnesses.

But Harlan agreed to escort the girls back to his comic store, Harlan's Hobbies.

"This is a mistake," insisted Ehina. No one listened to the young, otherworldly woman, but Rian felt she was right. Molan and his creatures wouldn't be defeated by even the superior firepower of the police and troopers. Still, he hoped, more than believed, it would work.

Campbell and his crew set out on foot into the graveyard. Daren stayed behind at the pavilion with Rian and the others, in communication with the police via the radio. They were armed with heavy rifles and handguns. Certainly, they had enough firepower.

And then, they waited.

There was not much news for the first 10 or 15 minutes, just the usual radio chatter.

Ehina waited near them. She approached Aldena.

"You said your name was Aldena?" said Ehina.

"I didn't say," replied Aldena. She always had a suspicious nature.

"Aldena Jade of Chuness? Wasn't your father Athelas?"

Aldena looked at her, a little resigned. "Yes." Then her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean was?"

Now Ehina looked nervous. "I assumed that you knew ..."

"Knew what?" demanded Aldena.

For long moment, Ehina paused. "That Athelas died 27 years ago when Molan invaded Chuness."

"No!" said Aldena, her eyes went wide.

"But you and your brother vanished at that time. And we thought that the enemy had gotten you."

"No," said Aldena, recovering a little. "Very nearly. They tried a teleport spell against us but we broke away."

"And ended up here," concluded Ehina. "But, why didn't you ever return?"