Collaborative Fiction Monsters of Rural Colorado

Astra could sense the power of Fiona’s psychic bond with the big man. Astra’s bond was that of concern for a fellow hero. Fiona’s was much deeper, more intense, and more emotional. The difference was that of a concern for a person and that of much more. Astra realized the Fiona was not just his psychic counterpart; she was undoubtedly deeply in love with the big man. Astra could sense it was a love that was many years in growing. Obviously, her connection with Highlander went back many years, conflicting with what Astra thought of as the case.

She could sense Fiona’s deepest thoughts. Her feelings were that of romantic love for the Scotsman.

“Please come back to me,” flowed Fiona’s thoughts to the man lying prone before them.

Fiona’s emotions and thoughts were growing stronger by the second, and Astra finally realized why. Highlander was fading; his mind and his thoughts growing fainter. Astra redoubled her efforts to reach into his mind, to soothe the torment.  She reached out and grabbed Ace’s hand, and without opening her eyes or breaking her concentration, she searched frantically with her other hand for that of Tempest’s.

Ace realized what was happening and called to Tempest,” I.T., come back. Take Astra’s hand. She needs us.”

Infinite Tempest stopped, hesitated a moment and rushed back when Ace urged him to hurry.

“NO!. Fiona grimaced, “Legion took you from me once! No one will take you again!”

Fiona broke into tears, and sobbed, “Astra. take us to wherever we need to go to heal him. Please! PLEASE!”

Astra reacted quickly, somehow knowing that a trip to the Astral Plane was necessary. She exerted the full force of her formidable will and suddenly the five of them were gone from the physical realm and into what was ...

Stars everywhere. Fiona had no idea where they were. She held Highlander’s hand, noticing his breathing had slowed and he now appeared almost restive.

Her voice trembled as she asked, “Astra. Where are we? Where did you bring us?”

Ace looked around in wonder, and could only say, “Wow. Wow.”

Tempest swallowed hard and looked all around.

“I think this must be the Astral Plane of which Astra spoke. This is incredible. Can you feel that?”

Ace answered, “I feel something. I … I don’t know what I’m feeling. Strange. Really strange.”

Fiona lay her head on Highlander’s chest and spoke softly, “Please stay with us, my love. I don’t know what to do. I only know I’m here to provide the energy Astra needs to save all of us. Without her, I may lose you forever, and I couldn’t bear that. Legion took you so many years ago, before any of us had ever heard of it and the terrible things it's done to other worlds. I can’t live without you again.”

She looked up at Astra with tears streaking her cheeks and her voice trembled even more.

“Astra, please save him. I may have to be sacrificed to save him, I know. If that is how it must be, so be it. If my love can’t be here, I don’t want to be here either. Save him, and if I have to depart this life to save him, do it. Please save my love.”

Astra could sense a feeble response from Highlander. Why or how was not apparent. Neither  was what. The psychic could sense a slight change in the big man. Was it due to the place where they were now?

All she could really tell was that somehow, someway, or maybe somewhy, the strain of remaining in contact with Highlander was lessening, even though the was only a barely perceptible change in his condition. Was it this place? Astra was concerned. She wasn’t certain they were on … or in … the Astral Plane. It didn’t feel right; it didn’t look right. Had they somehow transitioned to a place that was almost, but not quite, the Astral Plane? She touched briefly the minds of her companions.

Highlander – less tormented, but still not whole.

Ace – slightly confused, but filled with wonder.

Tempest – overly wary, for some reason. Why? What was the nature of his unease?

Fiona – a single-minded purpose. Her attention focused solely on Highlander. Yes, Astra could tell now. Their connection was intense – at least from Fiona’s perspective. There was a portion of Highlander’s mind where, yes, he felt the same. But he was unaware he felt that way.

NO! NO!!

Astra was on the verge of panic. She was in control of her mind and fully aware. Highlander, Ace, Tempest, Fiona … and …

ANOTHER!

‘My God,’ Astra thought. Something … or someone … had teleported with them.

How could she have not detected it?

It was faint, nearly undetectable. A foreign entity, alien in nature. So alien, that it was unrecognizable.

What was it? Slightly familiar, but totally alien. Where had she encountered it? She closed here eyes and concentrated, psychically calling to Fiona.

‘Fiona,’ Astra thought forcefully. ‘FIONA!’

Fiona stirred and looked around. Her eyes focusing on Astra; they then widened, a look of terror came across her face. She slowly shook her head, and then turned her attention to her man.

“Leave him. Let him alone!”

Fiona backed away from Highlander and the big man suddenly sat up. Ace and Tempest appeared frozen in time, staring at the Scotsman. Astra looked on, unable to move as Highlander stood, rising to his full, nearly seven foot height, his eyes cold unfeeling, and totally lacking emotion of any sort.

He looked toward Fiona, and reaching out, pushed her down, and in virtually the same motion, hit Tempest with such force as to propel him backward nearly a full ten feet.

His eyes, now manic in nature, focused on Ace and Highlander’s hand shot out, grabbing magic master by the throat, lifting him so high the Ace’s feet were nearly even with the Scotsman’s thighs. Highlander’s face assumed a look of ferocity and he threw Ace toward a slowly rising Tempest. Both men collapsed in a heap as Astra looked on in horror.

“No!! Leave Him,” cried Fiona, screaming at the top of her lungs. Highlander turned toward her and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her high.

“YOU WILL NOT STOP ME!!”

The voice that emanated from the big man was not his. It was inhuman, cold, unearthly. Totally and inconceivably alien. He hurled Fiona aside and turned toward the fear-paralyzed Astra.

The … thing … Highlander growled and advanced toward her.

Suddenly, simultaneous blasts of electrical power and powerful magic hit and staggered the big man as Tempest and Ace re-entered the fray. Highlander staggered back a step, but did not go down.

Suddenly, his eyes widened and his hands went to the side of his head as Fiona hit him with the most powerful psionic blast Astra had ever sensed. The big man dropped his knees and uttered a painful groan, then fell forward.

The deed done, Fiona rushed to him and fell onto his back, alternately screaming and wailing at what she had done, crying out “DUNCAN” over and over.

A shimmering something arose from Highlander’s body and floated a short distance away, hovering, shimmering, and pulsating.




“WHERE HAVE YOU BROUGHT ME?!? RETURN ME … NOW!!! SEND ME HOME!!!”

Highlander lay motionless, unsensing, not breathing.

“HE WILL DIE!!! I’LL KILL HIM!!! IF YOU DO NOT RETURN ME, I’LL KILL ALL OF YOU!!!”

The booming voice was painful to hear. It was so strong, their entire bodies hurt.

The first to react was Ace, who moved to the side, away from Tempest. Reflexively, Tempest moved the other way, widening the gap between he and Ace further.

“Kill us, and there will be no one to help you return,” said Tempest. Electrical charges flashed and crackled around him, and Ace considered the most potent spells he knew. Astra stood and faced the direction of the voice as Fiona, oblivious to all happenings, continued to hold Highlander and cry.

“Who are you,” asked Astra.

Silence.

“ANSWER ME,” yelled Astra. “WHO ARE YOU? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIGHLANDER?!? ANSWER!!!”

Ace tried to bind the force that hovered nearby, demanding to be returned home. His arcane skills did little in the dimension they were in. As hard as he tried to conjure, there was no power to his efforts. I might not be able to do anything to it, but maybe I can get a better picture on what it wants. He activated his Arcane Sight, trying to give quantifiable details the being.

His perception wasn't as well defined as it would be on Earth, but it did reveal a startling fact. Whatever had left Highlander's body had been their long enough to have merged with Highlander, or Cain. Ace knew a bit about anatomy, and the entity seemed to have replaced parts of Highlander's nervous system. Without the connectivity the being provided, Highlander was missing pathways for his body to pass information along to his different parts.

"WHO I AM DOES NOT MATTER," the entity revealed. "I HAVE A DUTY TO FULFILL. RETURN ME!"

Ace thought hard at Astra, hoping she could be eavesdropping on his thoughts. "Astra, without psychic healing, Highlander will not survive without that... lifeform... as a part of him. We might need to form a truce between it and us, rather than trying to face it down. Try to lull it into thinking we will help it."

"Please, we aren't here to interfere with you. Call me Ace. We were simply worried when we saw Highlander collapse. Can you stop kicking our asses for a minute? Maybe we can help you find your way home.

    Astra sighed, "I'm sorry, We're just trying to save our friend here.  He is called Highlander.  I did not intend to take you with us.  How did you come with us?  I didn't detect you."
    "IT MATTERS NOT HOW I CAME WITH YOU! ONLY THAT YOU TOOK ME WITH YOU! RETURN ME NOW!" it demanded.
    "Well, if you're powerful enough to piggyback my power, then you're powerful enough to help our friend and then we'll all return together," She offered.
    "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO MAKE DEMANDS OF ME!  RETURN ME NOW!" it commanded.
    "You have no right to make demands of me, either," Astra reminded it.  "You can do as we ask, or stay here and we'll leave.  Does that sound fair?"
    "That's quite a gamble," Arcane Ace said.  "Are you sure you want to do that?"
    "No, but I don't think it's GOD," Astra stated.  "GOD could do whatever he/she wants.  If it's trapped here because it piggybacked my power then it's not GOD.  GOD wouldn't be trapped.  So, make it help Highlander and we'll send it back with us.  Simple deductive reasoning."
    "That actually makes sense," IT said.
    "Let's hope it does as you asked," Fiona whimpered. "I fear for him already.  Please help."

“HE DESERVES TO DIE!!”

“No, he doesn’t! He’s my love and I want him back. Legion took him from me,” Fiona said. You have no idea what he’s been through. "You know nothing about him! How can you say he deserves to die? What kind of monster are you?”

“I AM BORN OF AN EVIL MAN. A MURDERER! I KNOW WHO HE IS; I KNOW WHAT HE IS! AND I KNOW HE TURNED HIS BACK ON HIS OWN! FOR THAT, HE DESERVES DEATH!”

“So you are his judge,” asked Ace. “You say he deserves death? From what I’ve learned about him in the short time I’ve known him, he may welcome it because of how he’s suffered all these … centuries. Or at least, all these decades. I daresay I know him better now than you ever could.”

Astra glowered at the cloud, or light, or whatever it was.

Infinite Tempest spoke, “You say he turned his back on his own. Perhaps he did if the story is true. Regardless, it’s not your place to judge him. Like Ace said, he may very well welcome it. And you are willing to grant him that wish? It doesn’t seem to me that you are as evil as you wish to think you are if you’re willing to ease his anguish.”

“So he suffered punishment for turning on his own, as you say,” Astra remarked. “Fine, he’s been punished for killing his brother. How dare you criticize a man for that when you’re willing to kill, also. You’re very hypocritical.”

The glow from the entity softened , and it spoke, more calmly and less hostile than before.

“I was not criticizing him for killing his brother,” the entity confessed. “I have also suffered endless torment because of having my father turn from me.”

“If you’re suffering from that, why do you lash out at him,” Fiona spoke up. “It seems your issue would be with your father.”

“It is,” the entity said. “After all these centuries, I saw an opportunity to strike at my father. My father’s evil compelled me to follow his footsteps and I found myself striking out at my family. I blame my father for turning his back on me and not acknowledging his failings as my own ... Mother.”

“WHAT?!?” I’m not your mother,” Fiona exclaimed.

“Perhaps, step-mother would be more appropriate. He … is my father. My name was Tubal-Cain. You love him. Why?”

“I don’t feel he’s the same man who killed his brother,” Fiona said. “I fell in love with him long after what happened then. He has been a good man, striving to do what is right at all times. Failing, at times; like so many of us. But still trying. If you can help him, please …”

“I ... cannot help him. Only … she can,” said the entity, extending a beam of light toward Astra. ”I lashed out at you because of my feelings toward him. I cannot save him, nor can I return you to your home. Only you, and she, can do those things.”

“Tell us how, and we’ll help you to return to where you belong,” Astra said.

"No. I do not wish to return from whence I came any longer,” Tubal-Cain said. “I can see, I can feel his suffering. He … my father … has suffered more than me. He was overtaken then by a truly evil spirit. He has been punished. To take him away from his love would accomplish nothing but punishing her. He turned his back on me because like him, I killed my brother ... my mother … and other family members because I was possessed to seek his approval by emulating him. Someone who loves like you, Fiona, does not deserve to be punished.

“He may deserve it. But you are right. It is not my place to decide further punishment. I wish to go elsewhere now; not to return to where I was. By coming with you, I caused you to come to a different plane than that which you sought. Astra, seek my thoughts. You will find the answers you seek. My thoughts will tell you how to return to your own realm, how to save my father, and how to defeat the demon which you pursue. Know this. You were all brought together to defeat that demon, whose name I share only in my thoughts.

“You must utter its name, silently, to defeat it by your power. Fiona’s support will strengthen you sufficiently to bind him.  Infinite Tempest’s power, reinforced by Arcane Ace’s power will destroy him. Ace’s magic, supported by Tempest’s power and guided by the psychic powers of you and Fiona, will first open the gateway needed to enable me to rejoin the spirits of my family member I slew, and thus I can seek their forgiveness. Once that has been done, the demon will be unable to tap into my power, and will be weakened in such a way you can defeat him.”

The entity brightened briefly before speaking again.

“I have been told my family is seeking to forgive me, and I will be briefly united with them before going to my eternal residence, that is not with them, but is instead a place of lesser torment than that which I have known.

“I know longer bear you ill will, Father. Fiona, tell him the story I have told the four of you, and tell him our paths will never cross again. It must be that way, for he will remain with you, and I am not deserving of being in the presence of you and Astra and Ace and Infinite Tempest. He will understand. I was a disappointment to him, just as he was to his father. I regret that Helmut died when I tried to kill my father. That would be yet another reason for Cain to be disappointed in actions I took.”

Astra stiffened, her eyes glazed and she staggered. Ace caught her before she fell.

“I know now,” Astra said. “We can send Tubal-Cain to his destination, return to our realm and save Highlander. After we have done that, and defeated the demon. We will be free to resume our journeys. Our task will have been completed; although, I believe we will be brought together again, in the future when the need arises.”

Astra smiled and nodded to each of them.

“Let us begin,” Astra said. This is what we must do …"

(Coming: The final chapters.)

The Infinite Tempest looked puzzled. "Astra. This has all been very strange, but I have to ask, what about the purpose for out coming out here in the first place? Finding out about your abduction and what happened to Doug?"

"Yes, of course." Astra closed her eyes and fought to concentrate. "I don't know why I said that. I think I will  need some time to rest when we get back. My thoughts are somehow a jumble."

"If you don't mind the company, I wouldn't mind helping you with that task, Astra," Arcane Ace said. "If you'll have me. I know we had an uneasy start when we met, but you were all of great service when it came to defeating the Torment spirit."

"I'd like that," Astra said. "I've got some questions I've been meaning to ask you about how you knew certain things about me."

"I'll explain later." Ace nodded. "Once we've gotten home."

The rest of the group groaned.

"What?" Ace asked.

"You did the whole 'I'll explain later' thing. That's like saying 'It can't get any worse' or 'what else could go wrong'?" Fiona rolled her eyes. "Even I know you never say that."

Just as Fiona spoke, a strange blue man appeared naked floating in the air above Highlander. His arms fell to his sides listfully, as if asleep on a hammock.

"What now?" Arcane Ace asked.

"Hold on. I know him. Isn't that Strange Quark?" Astra asked. She stepped bashfully aside so her full frontal view was interrupted and placed a hand against her right eye to further block the sight. "That answers a question I never asked or wanted answered. Now I know why they call him strange and why he likes ducks so much."

"Wasn't he injured after the Ruby Shard hunt?" Infinite Tempest asked. "He doesn't look well."

Fiona paid little attention, her focus on Highlander. She didn't even notice when Strange Quarks hand passed through her head.

"He's not grounded." Astra exclaimed. "He's unstuck between dimension."

"That sounds uncomfortable," Arcane Ace said.

Becoming restless while in mid-air, Strange Quark's face became twisted in distress. "No... NO!!... I won't be in the middle of your Turducken!"

With that, Quark vanished with a pop and a ghostly quack.

    Astra concentrated and took them back to Earth.  There was another flash of red psionic energy.  and they were back in their bodies on earth.  She placed her hands at Highlander's temples.  She prepared herself and Fiona for another wild ride in his psyche.  She had never psychically healed anyone, so she hoped she was doing this correctly.
    His mindscape was much calmer this time, but still in chaos.  Using her will power and the guidance of Fiona she started to sort out his mind and healing his emotions as well as his shattered psyche.  It was with a great help of Fiona that she could sort and lock away dangerous memories that would cause another shutdown.
    She seemed to be in there for weeks, but in reality it was just a few minutes.  That's because thought is much faster than action.  She could feel him coming back out.  She and Fiona left his mindscape leading him back to the real world.  She was exhausted, but hopeful that this was what was needed.
    She stood up and smiled at Fiona.  Then the most wonderful thing happened.  Highlander opened his eyes.

Fiona looked upon her beloved as he now gazed toward the sky. A tentative probe of his surface thoughts provided her with the answers she thought he would find. It was apparent that what the big man had been through was one hell of a ride.

His eyes darted back and forth until they settled on Fiona, and then on Astra. What followed was the first indication some movement from him other than those of his eyes. The giant extended a hand toward each of them, and the ladies were more than willing to grasp his huge hands. His grip was strong, nut not harmful, firm, yet soft.

“Tempest? Ace? Are they with us,” Highlander asked. “Did we …?

“We’re here, hoss,” answered Ace. “You aren’t losing us that easily.”

Tempest asked, ”Feeling better, big guy?”

“I have a wee bit of a headache,” said the big man.

“Just a wee one? A small headache, huh?” said Ace.

“Where are we,” Highlander asked.

“We’re back on earth,” Fiona said.

“I hope what I had was a really bad dream,” the Scotsman said “If not, we’ve been through a lot more than we bargained for. Fiona?”

“I’m here, Duncan.”

"What did ,,, Is … Where’s Helmut?”

Fiona bit her lip before replying, ”Helmut’s gone, my love.”

“That’s what I saw. I couldn’t help him.”

“None of us could. It happened so quickly,” she said. “Do you remember anything else?”

“Yes. Tubal.”

“I had hoped that was just an illusion," Fiona said.

“No,” Highlander said. “He hated me for abandoning him. I didn’t want him to bare my shame. He snapped when I deserted him, didn’t he?”

Astra answered, “It appeared he did.”

“He should have talked to his mother. She understood why I left. She could’ve helped him,“ Highlander said. “It wasn’t the way I wanted it to be.”

“Duncan,” Fiona said. “It’s in the past. He’s at peace now. You should be also.”

Fiona leaned over and gently kissed him.

“I will be, Fiona. And … call me Cain. I can’t ignore that, now that I can remember,” Highlander said.

"Yes, Cain.”

“Where do you go from here,” asked Ace.

“Are we done here, Astra? Is the demon done,” asked Highlander.

“I don’t know, High .,. Cain,” said Astra. “I don’t know."

“We’ll be back, if he isn’t,” said Infinite Tempest. “You can count on that, Astra."

Astra nodded, and the rest agreed.

“I need to go back to my … our home. To Scotland.” Highlander said. “Call us if we’re needed.”