THE VROL TRILOGY (70 page)

"Yiouuuu tuuuu. Carrrre for baby. Be kind.
Learrrrn," growled Max, this time a bit more understandable. Then,
he suddenly took off southbound into the wilderness, with the
intention of never being seen again by Lykanrol.

###

Dons and Pandy were sitting on the front
stairs entrance to Seven Sins, watching people mill about, going in
and out, but mostly hanging out in the street around various fire
pits. Adam hadn't shown his face all day, ever since Dons
confronted that same morning. As the fake mage kept hidden, Jessica
was inside attempting to cook a meal for her clan mates, but being
as her cooking skills basically sucked compared to Max's no one
really ate what she produced - except for Cassandra, who would eat
anything - even scat, which everyone found disgusting.

"Boss, you think he'll come back or even if
he's ok?" Pandy asked Dons.

"Don't know, sweetheart. Time will tell."

Marko was out in the street with his pack,
being supported by two of his subordinates, and even though he was
still injured he maintained a sneering look on his face. It was
already common knowledge that something very wrong had happened to
Max, and although Marko didn't see Max's transformation he was well
aware of it.

"I thought Max was a very nice fellow, and
his cooking was excellent. I do hope for his safe return," Pandy
stated eloquently. Before she could continue, she detected a scent
in the air. It was apparent that all other lycans and nekos in the
vicinity also smelled something. Nudging Dons, she smiled and said,
"That was quick. Max is back. Be on alert. We may need to defend
ourselves."

Individuals started screaming and running in
various directions as a still-phase 2.5 Max approached at high
speed, skidding to a halt in the middle of the street near a very
alert Dons, his sword at the ready.

"Hi Donsh," Max struggled through his
non-human mouth, "yiouuu mish me?"

"Um, hi Maxie. Are you ok? I mean, you don't
fancy eating any of us, right?"

Max looked around at everyone. Marko wasn't
able to clear out as quickly due to his healing injuries, and
simply stood, unsupported, with a look of utter terror on his face,
and a very obvious wet stain on his pant leg. Max smelled Adam, who
was lurking behind a building.

"Yesh. Guud. New form now. I likesh."

Max leaned his head backwards and started to
change back to his day form, which was nearly as painful as his
transformation to his phase 3, and now his new phase 2.5 forms.
After roughly a minute, a human-appearing Max stood before his
friends, fortunately still barely clothed, as his phase 2.5 form
maintained a bipedal configuration, albeit quite larger.

"Um, hi guys," Max sheepishly said. "I didn't
make too much of a mess, did I?

"Max! Buddy! You're back! So glad to see
you!"

It was Lennie, out of all people, a vampire,
greeting Max and extremely glad to see he was safe.

"Hey Lennie - yup, I'm good, my friend. Had a
bit of a transformative experience, if you know what I mean."

Max started laughing, only to be joined by
Lennie, Dons and Pandy. The girl ran over and hugged Max tightly,
causing him to put his arms out and embrace her awkwardly.

"Heya Pandy, yeah, I'm good. Found some
things out about myself, and it's actually kinda cool." Then,
turning to Dons he said, "Um, let's go inside. I have some stuff to
tell you."

The three went inside, leaving Lennie to his
own business, and relaxed in Dons' new seating area, with Max
taking a seat in the middle. Leaning back with a large chunk of
meat in his hands, he took a bite, enjoying the halfway decent cut.
Jessica came out of the kitchen and joined them, taking a seat at
Pandy's side.

"You guys - I'm so sorry. You see, I have
only told you half-truths because I was afraid that you wouldn't
understand. But now that you've seen how different I am, I guess
it's time to fess up."

The other three just sat there looking at
him, not appearing to be upset, but having looks of curiosity on
their faces.

"Where are you really from, Max?" asked
Jessica. "I always knew there was something different about
you."

"Well, that's complicated, Jess. You see -
I'm originally from another planet, called Azul. In my world there
are no demons or magic or even lycans or vampires."

"Oh my goodness, you're not human then?"
exclaimed Pandy.

Max nearly burst out in laughter, barely
containing himself, "Oh, I'm human. That much is certain. I'm also
lycan, but where I'm from lycans and vampires don't know what they
are. You see, I'm from an alternate timeline where mankind
emigrated from Earth to a distant planet. Unfortunately, in that
timeline, the Vrol, those who you called demons, invaded Earth and
destroyed all life on it with a sickness. These Vrol aren't demons
- they're actually an alien race from a distant part of the
galaxy."

"But you say that lycans and vampires don't
know what they are? I'm confused, Max," Jessica stated plainly.

"Well, you see, that's where it gets
complicated. My actual title is Commander Maximilianus Gunnarsson,
PhD, of Azul Scientific Military Research. I'm a scientist, and I
invented a way to travel faster-than-light and returned to Earth to
test my theories. Upon arrival I found a desolate Earth, with no
one left alive. It was also there that I met my grandfather. He's
a… god, for lack of a better word. And that makes me, besides being
a lycan - a mage… and a demigod. But also a real mage, not a faker,
like your buddy Adam."

"I knew it!" exclaimed Dons. "Max is a
scientist and Adam's a total fraud. What's he got? And tell me,
what didja do to him that day he crapped his pants?"

Max stifled a snicker and composed himself,
taking another bite of meat before continuing.

"Well, he has what's called a magic-enabled
device - a wand, and it provides the user with some abilities, but
nowhere near what I am able to do. He pissed me off so I basically
gave him the beat-down of his life in the kitchen. Magic isn't what
everyone believes. It's actually naturally-occurring technology
that has been around since the dawn of time, created by Jah."

Max waved his hand out and conjured an
infoscreen, which made a hologram that showed a magic particle -
his so-called
rolling ball of
death
. Everyone looked at the hologram, stunned with
silence, the two girls sitting with big eyes and their mouths
forming little
o
's. He then
waved the imagery off, causing it to slowly dissipate into the
air.

"Anyway, to go on, my grandfather took
me to Earth of the distant future, the
43
^rd
century, where the planet
had been restored and magic had been re-enabled. It's there that I
have a wife and daughter. You see, I made a mistake while traveling
between worlds and ended up stranded here. It's only thanks to you
guys that I am still well."

"Oh Maxie, mate. I think you woulda done just
fine wherever you ended up."

Dons seemed to be taking Max's whole
revelation quite well as he sipped some tea. "So tell us, where did
you go when you…changed?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. You see, where I'm
from - the future world where I come from - lycans transform into
werewolves on the full moon. That's why I was asking what you guys
all did during the lunar cycle."

"Yeah, I thought that was kinda weird,"
snorted Jessica.

"What was weird this time, is that right
after I changed and had taken off I regained my senses and actually
was in control of myself. I ended up way north, about fifty
kilometers, and kinda hooked up with a lycan pack.

"And how were they?" asked Pandy

"Um… they were total jerks. Sorta like Marko
and his gang, but a lot worse. But I really should be thankful,
because I learned to make a new transformation while in their
presence.

"Oh, what you looked like when you showed
up?" asked Pandy

"Yeah, it's totally new, and I don't need a
full moon to do it. Now, I don't know if I can do it back home, but
it is kinda cool."

"So this lycan pack - what did they do? I
can't imagine anyone worse that Marko's group," Pandy again
asked.

"They used a magic-enabled tunnel that
basically teleported us to the camp of a large, multi-species
family. Lycans, some vampires, nekos and some humans. There were
pregnant females and children. These guys just started slaughtering
them without remorse."

"Can't say I'd see ya taking that well, eh
mate?"

"Oh yeah. Man, I was mortified. It was all I
could do to protect the survivors. But in the end I destroyed the
tunnel, as well as the pack's campsite. Unfortunately I had to kill
a couple of them, but they deserved it."

"How so, mate?

"Well, they killed some kids, and one of them
lit me on fire,"

"That sucks, how'd that work out for ya?"
asked Dons

"Well, another of my abilities is healing.
Like the girls' bracelets, but on a much higher level."

Pandy raised her hand, almost as if asking
permission to speak.

"Oh… my… god! Is that why I saw Minnie
running around again? Cassandra ripped her eyes out, but she looks
fine to me. You healed her when you took her away!"

Max got a guilty looking smile on his face
and said, "Yeah, I did. But I told her to stay away. Lotta good
that did, eh?"

Dons snickered and looked at his girls, then
at the doorway to the lounge, seeing Adam quickly duck out of
site.

"Yeah mate. I think I understand you. You
know, things are a bit different here, but you're good people. Now,
just so you know, this morning Adam was trying to convince me to
kill you in your sleep, if you returned, that is. Said you're a spy
for the demons 'n whatnot. I nearly sliced his throat when he got
up in my face."

"Well, he is afraid of me, and for good
reason. I revealed to him that I was a mage when he threatened me
in the kitchen that day. Told him to shut up too. You see, he
wanted me to help him to overthrow you, but I refused. Then he
started waving his little wand around in my face, so I
bitch-slapped him all over the kitchen."

"He actually came out and said he wanted to
get rid of us?" gasped Jessica.

"Yeah, but he's a weakling. I was going to
tell you before I found a way back home, and was dedicated, and
still am, to keeping him under reign while still here. Even though
he's a tool, he can still be useful to you guys."

"Well mate, I think his usefulness has
outlived itself. Time to put that kibosh on him, if ya know what I
mean."

"Aw man, you don't have to kill him. You see,
one of the things I did was modify his wand when I first met him.
He is incapable of actually doing any harm to anyone with it now.
He can do simple things, like heat a stew or chase down a rabbit,
but the wand won't respond if he attempts to use it offensively
against someone."

"Good move, mate," laughed Dons, "so, can we
see something? Some kind of magic? Your display was nice, but how
about something with a bit of a pop to it?"

"Sure… I know! Let's have a little discussion
with Adam to inform him that we know what he's up to."

"Cool! I'll go get him!" said Pandy as she
stood up.

"No need, little one," said Max as he waved
his hand, causing a rush of air to blow everyone's hair around.
Looking up, they all suddenly saw Adam pinned up against the wall
next to them, arms and legs spread out wide.

"Nyaaaaaaagh! Put me down, perverse creature!
You operate at your own peril! Dons, now do you see? He is an agent
of the demons! Kill him while you can! Kill him!"

"
Shut
up
!" yelled all three Feral Kids
simultaneously.

"Adam," said Max calmly, "you've been a very
bad boy. Dons told me all about your little plan to kill me in my
sleep, and I told him about your scheme to take over the club. He
also knows that I'm a real mage - not a faker like you. So, it's
totally up to Dons, but I asked him to spare your life, against my
better judgment. I already melted someone's head tonight, so I
really don't have the stomach for more death, even for a jerk like
you."

Adam suddenly grew a terrified look of
finality. He truly had no control over his current predicament and
was at Max's mercy, as much as a speck of dust was at the mercy of
the wind. Further, he couldn't convince anyone to help him, so he
had no choice but to agree to behave - for the time being.

"Can I still stay, Dons? I can be of service
to you. I know sometimes I talk a lot, but I would never really try
to take the clan from you."

Adam had an almost believable
sincerity-
almost
believable.
Dons looked at Max, and then at Pandy and Jessica.

Turning to Adam he said, "You live - for now.
Get outta line one more time and it's all over, mate. Got it? You
can let him down now, Max."

Max smiled and swung his outstretched hand
towards the door, causing Adam to fly out the club entrance and
land on his face in the street.

All four started laughing, prompting Dons to
wave a neko waitress over for beers beers (and a non-alcoholic
ginger beer for Jessica). The quartet then spent the evening
drinking and listening to Max's stories of the Rhönen Dominion, and
how he was training to save his own world from the Vrol.

Chapter 13 - Gabriel Meets the Gang

"You have knowledge of where your brother
resides? Where would this be, and how do you know?" asked Draagh,
while giving his son Gabriel a very serious look.

"I know where he is because I sent him there.
He is stranded, powerless and unable to escape. I believe he has
learned his lesson by now, so this seems like a good time to go to
his rescue, especially as you have promised me my own world.
However, I am not so sure he will desire to return as quickly as
you would have need of him."