The thought of George calling Senchae his king angered Fergus. His dark-brown complexion portrayed his hostility as he flung his braids clear of his eyes. "You're one of those pathetic souls from the south! Who are you to come into my home and act as if my king is your own?"

The manipulator held the general's chaotic gaze. "I'm the guy who's going to be protecting your king from now on. It seems you have a shortage of qualified subjects around these parts. Where were you when the king's mages failed him? Where were you when his son was taken from his bed in the middle of the night?"

"Bahhhh! I don't answer to you! I'd rather bash your skull in. I despise your ignorance."

"Ignorance? The last series of moments I checked, there was no ignorance in true statements. Let's face it, Fergus, you were nowhere to be found. You didn't know where your king was. I'll bet no one knew his son was gone until this morning. Maybe you should have used the word insolence. This would better describe the way I'm speaking to you. I'm pretty sure I'm being insolent."

The leader of the army removed his fur cloak and pulled his war hammer from his hip. He pointed it at George. As soon as he did, the seven cats took defensive postures and snarled in a display of power. They spanned the width of the throne room and warned the overzealous barbarian that he was making a terrible decision. Even Maldwin was ready to use his visions. The rodent's head was sticking out of George's pack as he looked over the mage's shoulder, and his nose was twitching with excitement.

"Only a swine would not fight his own battles," Fergus sneered as he studied the opposition. He pointed to the stuffed trophies around the room. "If you didn't have your companions, I'd add you to the king's collection."

George laughed. "My King, perhaps a demonstration is in order."

Senchae stood from his throne and spoke to the general. "I'll allow you to battle, but if you get blood on my trophies, you'll replace them with your own. I warn you, it's a mistake to fight this human. He's not weak."

"I know what I'm doing, Sire. You don't need this swine spreading his stench throughout our kingdom. I'll govern your protection, not this piece of garesh!" The general spun his hammer in his hand.

The king gave George a glance. "What of your cats?"

The mage turned and motioned for them to move toward the walls. He lowered Maldwin to the floor and asked Kepler to call the rodent to him. "Tell the tigers I don't want their help. Make sure they don't interfere." He turned to Maldwin and held up his thumb. "Everything is A-okay, man!"

"Everything is A-okay, George," the rat responded in a high pitched voice.

Again, the general rolled his hammer in his hand. "Are you going to play with your mouse ... or are you going to fight?"

George rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Blah, blah, blah. Whatever, Sergeant Slaughter!" He looked at Senchae. "My King, perhaps there are others we should invite to watch your general's display of power. I'd hate for the people of this great kingdom to miss an event like this."

Senchae understood that George was going to make an example of Fergus. The king would allow an audience, since it was long past the moment for an apology.

The king clapped his hands to summon his servants and then sent them to retrieve all those who were in his castle-lodge. It was not long before the room was packed with onlookers who were tucked between the giant cats, and an area was cleared for the men to fight.

Senchae commanded the room's attention. "This battle will be to the death. These men have points of view that must be expressed. May their blood stain the floor of my throne room. Glory is in victory!" Bloodvain was anxious to see the extent to which George would go to make his point.

Fergus nodded, and then he turned to face George. "This is to the death, swine! If you leave our kingdom, I'll let you live. Go back to your pig-of-a-mother and crawl back into the hole you came out of!"

George yawned. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah! Are we fighting, or are you going to insult me into oblivion?"

Kepler growled. "End him, George! You can eat him like you eat everyone else."

The mood in the room was so intense, and Maldwin was so excited to add his two Helmep worth that he screamed as loud as his tiny body would allow, "I like cheese, George!"

Everyone in the room turned, including General Fergus. They all looked strangely at the rat. After a moment of awkwardness, Fergus shrugged and then turned his attention back to his enemy.

"What can I say?" George said with a casual grin. "He likes his cheese!"

Without another word, Fergus attacked, swinging his hammer at George's head. The mage dodged the advance, rolled out of the way and stood. "Is that the best you've got? You're killing me, man. You've got to do better than that. Please ... don't miss again."

Fergus howled as he made his next advance. Again, he missed.

George shook his head. "Tsk! Tsk! Tsk, General. How could you be the leader of an army? Your movements are too slow. My King, you need a competent general ... not a fool. I've seen servant wenches move faster than this clown."

Neither Senchae nor Fergus knew that the mage was using his magic to increase his speed. George would toy with Fergus a bit more before he took the offensive. "Perhaps you should hit me, General, or is the hammer you carry too heavy for you? If I'm not mistaken, that's what it's made for ... right?"

"You talk a lot for a doomed man!" Fergus snapped as he charged. Again, his hammer found only air as it smashed into the floor without hitting its target. But during the next series of moments, Fergus would not give George the chance to make another comment. He lifted his hammer and took another swing. Again, he hit nothing but air.

"d.a.m.n! I'm kind of disappointed in you, General. My King, is this the best our army commands? I guess they can't all be built for war like you are, Sire."

As he watched Senchae grin, George knew he had made the king sound strong with his comment and slammed the general's pride during the same moment. With his point made, the moment had come for the mage to demonstrate his power.

George waited for the next swing of the general's hammer. As expected, Fergus raised the weapon high over his head. The mage lifted both hands. Just as the hammer began its descent, a wicked storm of lightning arced from his fingertips and slammed into his enemy's chest, sending the barbarian flying across the room toward Senchae who sat on the edge of his throne.

Senchae, seeing that he was in the general's path, was quick to react. As Fergus flew toward him, the king pushed himself off his chair and then jumped skyward to avoid the collision.

Fergus pa.s.sed beneath Senchae's feet and slammed into the throne that sat to the left of the fireplace that was ablaze. The general's weight carried the throne with him as he crashed into the wall some two paces behind it. The chair crumbled under Fergus' momentum, and the general slid unconscious to the floor as the pummeled pieces of wood landed around his ma.s.sive form.

Kepler was shocked. The demon cat studied the peoples' faces as the spectators' murmurs filled the room. The jaguar knew his friend had stolen Amar's power, but he did not realize how advanced George's magic had become. The undead cat had seen other mages throughout his seasons, but he had feared none of them. Kepler needed to have a serious conversation with his partner.

"Garesh!" Senchae shouted as he released his grasp on the heavy iron chandelier that hung above the fireplace. With his feet planted on the stone floor, he turned to face George. "That was my favorite throne! You destroyed a family heirloom. It's been in my family for over 1,300 seasons. Perhaps you could finish him without breaking anything else."

George had to laugh. "Allow me to fix your chair, My King." He waved his hand and the shattered pieces of wood began to float around the room.

Fear seized the crowd, and they cried out.

Annoyed, the king silenced them all with just a look.

Piece by piece, the wood came together, the magic reforming them until the chair rested in its original position. "I trust that's acceptable, Sire?" George said as he watched the king shake his head in disbelief.

George moved to stand over his unconscious opponent. Looking around, he noticed the wooden rafters that spanned the room. He removed his dagger from its sheath and stabbed one of Fergus' feet through his boot.

The pain woke the general as George twisted the blade. The general tried to fight back, but with a simple wave of his hand, George sent the general's head slamming into the stone wall hard enough to render him unconscious again.

George yanked the dagger free and allowed the blood to flow. He stood, lifted his hands, and Fergus floated toward one of the wooden beams.

Again, screams echoed from the crowd.

Now, with Fergus' body pressed against the rafter, the mage took his free hand and with a flip of his wrist, he used his magic to drape the general's arms around it. George walked to a position beneath Fergus. He looked up and levitated toward the beam to ensure the general's arms were overlapped. He then drifted downward just enough to touch the blood on the general's foot and then floated back to the floor. He listened to the frightened sounds of the crowd as the general's arms turned to stone.

Once again, the king demanded silence, and motioned for George to continue.

The mage walked over to Kepler and whispered in his ear. The cat lowered to the floor and allowed George to sit on his back. Kepler rose with his burgundy eyes glowing as he moved to a position near the throne.

The undead beast stood tall and released a deafening roar to wake the general. Everyone in the room had to cover their ears, including Kepler's feline subjects who buried their heads under their paws.

George knew the people were soaking this up like a sponge. Once he left, gossip would spread through the city about the Peak's events.

The mage lifted his hands. "General Fergus, you aren't worthy to serve our king! You cannot command an army when your actions are filled with weakness! It is your moment to pa.s.s!"

Once again, a storm of lightning arced from the mage's fingertips. He allowed the magic to flow until the general's body was cooked. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room as Kepler called his subjects to him and instructed the cats to lay a paw on one another.

George looked at Senchae. "You might want to buy an air freshener. I'm getting the h.e.l.l out of here. This place reeks. I'll see you in the morning, My King." The mage touched Kepler's back and motioned for Maldwin to jump in his arms. They vanished.

Senchae moved back to his throne and scanned the faces of his bewildered subjects. The smoke rising from the general's body was billowing along the ceiling. He shook his head. "I warned you, Fergus."

GEORGE and his companions appeared in Mary's barn. The mage took one of the corgans from its stall and turned its lungs and spinal cord to stone. The large piece of meat fell over and became one big, rare steak. Before he left to find Athena, he waved his hand across the b.l.o.o.d.y scene. It vanished.

With Maldwin in his arms, he entered the house and gave the little guy some cheese to satisfy his hunger.

Lying in bed with his beautiful wife, he talked to her pregnant belly while Athena rubbed his head.

He would leave for the Barbarian King's throne room in the morning. Despite his love for his pregnant wife, he was anxious to return to see the results of his handiwork.

SAM was sitting with Shalee at breakfast feeding her grapes when Mosley appeared to announce that Lasidious would be holding a meeting to disclose where the first two pieces of the Crystal Moon had been hidden.

CELESTRIA has thought of a project. She has vowed to learn how to make an ospliton pie. An ospliton tree has grown near the witches' home, and the squirrels she has been feeding have offered to help her pick the best fruit.

SENCHAE BLOODVAIN left General Fergus' body hanging from the rafters. He called for the barbarian's family to collect the body for burial on the Blood Sea. From the looks of it, there would not be anything left of his organs to harvest, since his innards had been fried to a crisp.

The Barbarian King spent many, many moments after George's departure explaining to his military leaders that he intended to start a war. The moments have come to begin a new campaign to take control of the Kingdom of Brandor. He bragged about his new consulate's power, using the lifeless general as a visual aid to convince his men that he was right in aligning the barbarian people with the mage. All in all, the meeting went well.

LASIDIOUS needs to meet with George. There are a few matters that need to be discussed.

Thank you for reading this edition of the Grayham Inquirer

CHAPTER 34.

No Loose Ends Town of Lethwitch George and Athena's Home The Next Morning LASIDIOUS APPEARED TO GEORGE. Athena had just left her mother's guesthouse to fix them something to eat. The mage was sitting in a hot bath he had conjured, and he was not fazed when the G.o.d appeared.

"h.e.l.lo, my mortal friend," Lasidious said as he looked down at the deceiver. "I felt speaking in person would be a pleasant change. How are you?"

George smirked. "Yeah, whatever, man. I'm sure you already know how I am. You were watching me outside of Bloodvain's city. I think the barbarian's castle is a joke. It reminds me of an oversized Elks lodge. It figures I'd end up trying to take charge of a bunch of rednecks. I'm going to have to renovate the place, maybe even rebuild it. I won't live like Grizzly Adams, Lasidious."

The G.o.d chuckled. "I'm sorry you don't like the king's style. The barbarians are rugged."

"Really?" George mocked. "Ya think? I would've never been able to tell. The stuffed animals they have all over the place drive me nuts. Once we take over Brandor, I intend to take full control and keep that blockhead, Senchae, in the north. I'll stay down here and run the south."

Lasidious laughed at George's rant. "I'm sorry you dislike the king's lifestyle. It is true, I was watching you the other Peak, but I wasn't the only one."

"Really? Hmmm, intriguing. Who else was watching? Did you get the show you were after?"

"And, more, much more. We were impressed. You did things that even surprised me. I was worried how you would work your way into the hearts of the people of Bloodvain." Lasidious paused. "I must admit, sparing the king was a great idea. I applaud your decision to use him as a tool. When you dangled his son in front of his face to find his breaking point, that was an exceptional piece of work. How did it go inside the city? I wasn't there for that. Do tell."

"You would have shared in my delight," the mage responded, lifting a washcloth. "Do you mind if I finish?"

"By all means."

George washed and explained the events from the night before. "It's safe to say the general didn't like me much..." George finished the tale by saying, "... then I sent lightning into Fergus' a.s.s until he was Kentucky-fried."

Lasidious' brow furrowed, "Kentucky-fried?"

"It means I cooked him until he was crispy ... but I didn't hang around to do a taste test."

"Well done, my friend. This should give you a solid reputation throughout Bloodvain. With the king on your side, the people will be more apt to listen, despite you being an outsider."

"We shall see," George responded. "When I left Senchae's throne room last night, I left the general hanging from the ceiling."

Lasidious smiled. "I wish I had a hundred of you, George. You continue to impress. I look forward to the Peak when I can retrieve your daughter's soul."

The mage smiled at the thought of his baby girl, and then he redirected the conversation. "I've been wondering. What's the best way to handle the Serpent King when I meet with him?"

The G.o.d walked to one of the bathing room windows. "I'm not able to answer your question, George. It is against the G.o.ds' laws. You'll have to finish the events we've put in motion without my a.s.sistance. Besides, from what I have witnessed, you don't need anyone telling you how to win friends and influence people."

"Ha! That's the funniest thing I've heard all d.a.m.n Peak. Winning friends and influencing people ... an excellent resource book. I used it as my bible to perfect my skills of manipulation when I was on Earth. I wish I had it here so you could take a gander at it. The principles I learned to win friendships are also the same principles I use to undermine them, though the book wasn't meant for that."

"Sounds like a fine read, but I have a reason for my visit. I want to warn you to be careful when you talk to others. The G.o.ds are watching, and we can't afford to have you say something you shouldn't when they're present. I don't wish to have our plans divulged." Lasidious disappeared just before Athena walked into the room with a sandwich.

"Who were you talking to, honey? I heard voices."

"You know me, babe. All I do is babble." He stood from his bath and grabbed a towel. d.a.m.n, he thought. I can't believe I just lied to her. That's unacceptable. Pull your head out of your a.s.s, George. She deserves better from you.

City of Brandor After breakfast, Shalee left Sam and went into the royal garden, wanting to add to her magical foundation. The gardeners were asked to leave. Over the last 7 Peaks, she had made significant advances in her abilities, and she now commanded most of what she learned without using Precious.

Walking through the foliage, she pa.s.sed her hands over the flowers, causing them to bloom-but this Peak was not about the flowers. This Peak was about making her first attempt at teleportation.

When Helga arrived, the ladies embraced as they always did. "Child, I've never been able to command magic this strong. For you to make it work without harming yourself, you'll need to be familiar with your destination. There's only one other on Grayham that I know of who can command this power, and that's Amar."

Shalee's face displayed her curiosity. "Exactly how could I hurt myself if I fail? What could possibly happen?"

Helga placed her hands on Shalee's face. "You could appear too high above the ground and fall to your demise. You could appear under a large rock, inside a wall, under the ground, deep below the surface of a lake, in a lava flow or, if you're really blessed, you could appear with your head stuck in a corgan's backside. But no pressure, Child, I'm rooting for you." She winked.

"Ha, ha, ha! Very funny, smart aleck. Thanks for the confidence boost. I can't seem to remember why I love you so much at the moment. Will you please remind me?"

"Because you need your mother."

"Yeah, right." Shalee laughed as she moved to a spot that she had chosen. "I've been studying this patch of gra.s.s for a while now. I figured this would be the place to start. For some reason, I already knew I needed to be familiar with the area. But don't ask me how I knew. I was fixin' to make a trial run."

"Very insightful, Child. Where's Precious?"

"I want to do this without the staff. I want to work on commanding my power without that kind of crutch."

Helga looked worried. "I understand your desire to master your magic, but do you think it's wise to teleport without it? Perhaps you should use Precious to get a feel for how the magic works. Once you know, you can try again without it later."

"No, that won't work. The staff uses words, and lately I've been controlling my magic non-verbally."