THE VROL TRILOGY (47 page)

"Um, everyone… I really
want to thank you all. You see, I come from a place where things
are different. We don't have to build fires, or fix tables, or even
make training targets. We have little machines that run around and
clean up our floors. Before coming here I had never seen a broom.
People in my world call themselves
advanced
. We fly among the stars in
the sky, protecting our four worlds from anything that would seek
to destroy our way of life. But here, I have found this way of life
more advanced than any technology can provide. The truth is that I
really, really love this place - and appreciate the things we must
do to help each other. Plus, I like beating up the bad
guys."

The crowd cheered loudly and would have
started in the revelry of throwing various objects, had it not been
for the fact that Jennie had not finished speaking.

"I've made new friends, and new family
- family I never had before, and for that I am most grateful."
Then, turning to Krynos, she said, "My liege, as time permits I
shall be honored to assist in the training of the soldiers of the
Rhönen. I thank you for your most kind gesture of offering me yet
another home. Liliana and I will return frequently, as I have a
feeling we will be able to use the skills of a certain young lycan
mage to facilitate our travels."

Looking down the table at Max, she
smiled and gave him a wink while the crowd broke out into applause,
with Krynos again trying to quiet them.

"Thank you, Jennie, my dear girl. Nothing
pleases me more than to hear your words. However, in order to train
our forces, one must have a military title, and so I hereby
commission you as Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Escalante, of the
Rhönen Dominion Special Forces Group."

Jennie bowed deeply to Krynos while Liliana
bounced in her chair, clapping her small hands. The two then took
their seats, and Krynos looked over to Max, who was seated on the
other side of his grandfather.

"Maximilianus Xavier Gunnarsson - he who
terminated the line of Vladros, and along with his intrepid allies
helped to save the Rhönen Dominion - I have one question to ask.
Did the sharks really rend Vladros into halves?"

Laughter filled the main hall as a smiling
Max nodded his head, looking around awkwardly.

"My boy, my son, my brother. Thank you so
much for your unwavering support. Since your arrival to our kingdom
we have witnessed feats of battle skill and magical wonders never
before seen emanating out of one man at the same time.  Your
grandfather has informed me that you shall be a truly powerful mage
one day, and that goodness reigns in your heart. As I offered to
Jennie, I also offer to you - a place in our kingdom to call your
home - and also a title, so it is with the greatest pride that I
hereby grant you the commission of the rank of Commander of the
Rhönen Dominion Special Forces, to serve at will along side your
lovely companion, Jennie."

Max smiled and stood up
before the crowd, but before saying anything leaned back and looked
to Donus, as he mouthed, "
Commander
?" to which Donus grinned
and replied, "Oh, I also received a promotion, young lad, but it is
your night. Enjoy the festivities."

Max looked out at the quickly hushing room
and spoke to the Dominion.

"King Krynos, with immense gratitude I accept
your commission. As Jennie stated before, we are from a distant
world, but this one suits me better. Much better. I don't know if
it was fate or destiny, but at this moment I could not be happier.
Thank you, everyone - thank you."

The crowd jumped to their feet and gave Max a
standing ovation, which caused his typically awkward face to break
out into a blush, being such a modest individual. Always putting
others first, the appreciated him for who he truly was - a hero.
Looking down the table to where Jennie and Liliana were seated, he
saw the beautiful dega blow him a kiss, which gave him butterflies
in his stomach. His relationship with Jennie was difficult, and
even though they depended on each during times of battle, he
couldn't help but think she viewed him more like a sibling than
anything else.

"Brothers! Sisters! Let us begin the feast!"
cried out Krynos, as Draagh stood up and slammed his staff to the
stage floor, this time having made sure that his cantuses were in
proper order.

Everyone was suddenly provided with meats and
delicacies saved for special occasions, and even wines from another
world - specifically malbec - a red wine from a variety of grape
made famous in Argentina of Old-Earth, and reinstated on the
European continent of its origin some centuries later.

As everyone dug into their food, Max noticed
that Jennie was eating with a fork and knife, apparently having
mastered the utensils, and Liliana watched her with rapt interest
as she tried to copy her adoptive mother.

"Draagh - thanks. I don't know what to say
besides that. I guess one day I'll find a better way to show my
appreciation."

"My dear son, it is I who should thank you,
but we do have to one day leave this world and take care of
business on Azul. However, you shall be able to return here at any
time of your choosing in the future."

"Why did you stop me when I was going to say
something about Jennie claiming Liliana? Is there more I should
know?"

"Well, the girl will need a surname, and the
law here states that children must take the surname of their father
- and as she has no father, I figured it would be best to let it,
how shall I say, rest for the time being."

Max got a mildly confused expression and went
back to eating his dinner. Just because he had a genius-level
intellect didn't mean he would always see what was staring him
directly in the face. Sometimes the most obvious things are hidden
in plain sight.

Nibbling away at some delicious grouse, he
saw a hand slide a shot glass in front of his plate. He looked over
to see Draagh smiling, holding Max's half-empty bottle of
Glennfidich in his hand.

"My son, would you mind if we shared this
with Krynos?"

"The whisky! I forgot all about it…  and
no… not at all. I mean… you could simply conjure another one up as
needed, right?"

"Yes, my boy, but this one is special, as you
discovered it at the beginning of this most wonderful
adventure."

Max then lifted his shot glass, and looking
over at a smiling Krynos, threw it back in one swallow - that first
shot of the evening always bringing on a warm sensation in the
stomach, followed by a delicious dulling of the mind.

The party started to ramp
up, beginning with the usual tabletop game,
Lycan Jenga
, as Max had named it. He
even joined in, deftly avoiding being smashed in the face by using
combinations of quick movements and cantus shields. As
medieval-style music played, Jennie and Liliana danced together,
prancing around in circles, while waving long, trailing red ribbons
through the air. Krynos, Donus and Draagh laughed boisterously as
the main hall shook with the massive stomping of lycan soldiers who
were performing a type of synchronized line dance, particular to
the Dominion. Max worked the room, visiting with tables and
recounting the tale of the Battle of the Blood on demand. After a
while, Jennie approached Krynos and asked for permission to change
the music up a bit, to which the king readily agreed, remembering
the tango dance at Donus' birthday celebration.

Looking at Draagh, she gave him a sweet smile
and said, "My Lord, if you could play a particular song, I would
greatly appreciate it." She then ran up and whispered the song name
in his ear, causing him to smile and nod approvingly.

Conjuring an infoscreen, he
performed a quick search with Jennie looking over his shoulder, and
changed the music most suddenly (and much to the surprise of the
small musical group), causing everyone to stop in their tracks.
Some expected, and hoped for, another tango dance, but Jennie had
something else in mind. As the stunning woman approached the
semi-cleared out area in the middle of the main hall, Draagh pushed
out both of his hands, and then separated them, lightly prompting
everyone to take their seats (those seats which remained, as
Lycan Jenga
tended to
deplete furniture rather quickly).

Jennie sauntered out to the
center, as a mirrored light ball magically appeared, rotating
slowly and projecting reflected light throughout the room. Liliana
looked at the lights with an almost silent "
ooooo"
, and the crowd quieted down.
A beautiful song, accompanied by a rich symphony of instruments,
began to play over invisible speakers at perfect volume. Jennie
looked over to where Max was standing, as he had been caught amidst
a large group of rather demanding soldiers, all desiring to hear
the story of Vladros' defeat over and over again.

"Commander Gunnarsson… would you dance with
me?"

Max stood where he was, shocked, and then
slowly approached the girl waiting for him within view of the
entire Rhönen Dominon leadership and military.

"This is unexpected," he murmured, "a slow
dance?"

"Mmhmm. You got it, boy."

Max gently placed his right hand around
the small of her back and clasped her right hand with his left,
guiding her through the melody of the song, which was quite famous
in Earth of the early 21st century.

As they slowly spun about
the floor, Liliana started making sparkles inside of bubbles at the
high table with Jennie's wand - now hers. Draagh looked on with
great interest, seeing a bit more than
pseudo-mage
in the
youngster.

He leaned over to Krynos, who was watching
the attractive young couple dance, and asked, "My Lord, tell me
about Liliana's parents. They were both lycan, were they not?"

"Yes my friend. Quite a sad tale, also - they
were the very last to murder each other in their death forms before
we implemented the system of phase-detecting locks on the
cells."

"Hmm, and neither had magical skills?"

"No, but the father of the mother of her
mother was a mage. However, this did not pass along to his
offspring. Why do you ask? Does it appear that the girl has some
innate skills?"

"A simple blood test will tell me all I need
to know. Anyway, thank you, my friend."

The two powerful men then
sat back and shared some more of the delicious Scotch whisky from
Earth of the 29
^th
century.

Jennie had wrapped her arms around
Max's neck near the end of the song, each of the two looking into
the other's eyes. When they first met she tried to shoot him in the
face with her stinger. Now she couldn't imagine ever hurting him in
any way. She had come to the conclusion that he truly was a
wonderful man, and she was glad she gave him the chance to show her
the errors of her ways and opinions.

"You know, Gunnarsson, I am super glad that
this all happened. I mean, we have a lot more to do, but I think my
life has changed for the better. How about you?"

"Yeah - best life ever, Jen. Best life
ever."

As the dance ended to
polite applause, with the attendees being unusually well behaved,
Max looked up to Draagh and thought out to his grandfather,
"Hey, can I choose some songs now? It's time to
get this party rolling."

"Of course, my son. The infoscreen is
yours."

Max reached his hand out,
and Draagh's glowing infoscreen, which had been floating off to his
side, shot through the air and stopped at Max's fingertips, causing
some "
oos
" and
"
aahs
" in the
crowd. Then, looking at Jennie with an impish grin, he said, "Let's
watch these guys move."

"Oh God, Max, what are you going to do?"

Her question was rhetorical, as throughout
the weeks she had come to know the more mischievous side of his
nature. Max then called out to the audience while waving his hands,
his blue leather suit shining in the sparkle of the disco ball
lights.

"My brothers and sisters. At Donus'
birthday, Jennie and I performed an ancient dance from the land of
our ancestors, but tonight we shall all perform together. I have
selected some music from Earth, from centuries before we even
existed, that I feel would be fitting for a lycan
celebration."

Max tapped some data into
the infoscreen, and started playing a song by a man named Zombie,
which had a particular heavy, driving beat. The young lycan mage
then started jumping up and down, pounding his boots on the floor
waving his arms around, calling his lycan brothers to join him.
Jennie cleared off the dance floor, not wanting to be caught in the
massive crowd of soldiers - soldiers who were getting their first
experience at what was called
slam
dancing
. It was almost immediately that
things - and people - started to fly across the room, as tables and
chairs were upended, true to a lycan celebration.

Up on the mezzanine, Alfie, the castle's
master carpenter, looked down at the riotous commotion, and shaking
his head turned to his apprentice, saying, "I do believe we shall
have a great deal of work in the coming weeks, lad." He then sighed
and continued to watch the mayhem below.

To Jennie's shock and dismay, Liliana jumped
down from the high table and headed for the dance floor while
waving sparkles in the air from her wand. Curiously, nothing
touched the small girl. Draagh had created a protective cantus that
enveloped her, following her every movement. Looking over at
Jennie, he waved his finger around while maintaining a knowing
grin. The copper-skinned lycan woman then looked out at the crowd,
relieved, and watched as Max slammed into various men almost twice
his size, causing them to fly off to the sides, only to have them
jump up and again dive into the crowd.