Retaking the Control
The golden-haired girl tried to run, but she could barely walk. She was feeling exhausted from the hardships endured that day, but she knew she could not fail. It took her half an hour to cover the half mile that separated her from the house she had seen at the distance, but finally there were only a hundred yards left. She recognized the house as being the telemental's cottage and felt a sense of relief. She also noticed that the braided woman was not bleeding anymore. Her body was colder than the usual and for a moment she thought the woman had bled out, but then she paid attention and the woman was still breathing, though very lightly.
The braided woman was exhausted, with her eyes closed and she had a faint smile on her face. As the golden-haired woman passed thought the small gate of the cottage, she started shouting for the purple-haired girl and the princess. The braided woman was wakened by the shouts and made a light movement of hands. The golden-haired girl looked at her face, she was smiling.
"Oh, I've told you we'd make it."
"Now... I can... do that..."
The golden-haired girl feels a light breeze and sees blue sparkles over the braided woman's body. The braided woman releases a deep sigh. After shouting a bit more, the golden-haired girl notices a head popping up at the window of the second floor.
"Anna! You've made it!"
"Nei! Come here!"
The purple-haired girl runs downstairs, followed by the princess. The telemental doesn't look concerned, but as she sees the girls speeding up past him, he decides to follow them. As the girls get out of the house, the golden-haired girl is almost at the door. As the princess looks at the braided woman, hanging as if dead on the golden-haired girl's arms, she staggers. Tears come to her eyes.
"No..."
"What, Marlena?" The purple-haired girl turns back to her.
The golden-haired girl looks at the princess and her reaction spark again some angry feelings toward the braided woman. "Well, she is not evil, but still it doesn't make it right."
"No..." The princess runs to the braided woman and softly hold her cheeks, staring at her face.
"Queen... Mar...lena..." The braided woman stares at the princess' wet shining cyan eyes and smiles.
"Ah, you are alive!" The princess gently strokes her hair.
"Alive... and... getting better... all... the time."
The purple-haired girl looks at the golden-haired girl and at the telemental and becomes worried since both are with an indignant expression. The telemental's eyes flash redder. She is puzzled also because she doesn't know why they are like feeling like that.
"Oh, Anna, it is so good to see that you are well." The princess wraps her arm around the golden-haired girl's neck and kisses her cheek. "Let's get into the house."
"Let me help with her, Anna."
The purple-haired girl helps the golden-haired girl to carry the braided woman inside. The golden-haired girl feels puzzled by the princess last reaction. The purple-haired girl whispers at her.
"Why were you and the telemental looking that way at Marlena?"
"Oh, Nei, I think you don't understand those things..."
"What I don't understand is you, Anna. Why do you hate this woman so much?"
"Don't worry, Nei. Now I know this woman is not evil."
"I'm relieved to learn that."
"I don't hate her..." The golden-haired girl raises her voice. "Let's put her on the couch."
"No!" The telemental screams, angry. "She will stain my couch with her bloody soaked clothes."
"But she is critically injured..."
"I don't care. Lay her somewhere else"
"Lay me... on the floor..." The braided woman seemed unconcerned.
"But you are wounded."
"Don't worry... Nei. I'll be... fine... soon..."
"Oh, well, alright..."
The purple-haired girl and the golden-haired girl placed the braided woman carefully on the floor. The braided woman released a sigh of relief.
"Thanks, Anna..."
"That was nothing. I'm glad it is all over."
"How does it feel?" The princess sits down beside the braided woman and starts stroking her hair.
"Not too bad... queen Marlena..."
"Thank Laya! When I saw you, I thought you were dead."
"No, majesty... Anna protected me."
"I'm so happy to hear that. Oh, sorry, you must be very tired and I'm here making you speak."
"Don't... worry... majesty."
"It grieves me to see you like that, always weak, sick or hurt. I wonder when I'll be able to see you feeling well, smiling."
"Well... majesty... I don't know... whether you will... see me well... often or not... But rest assured... you will... always see... me smiling..." The braided woman smiles at the princess.
"And your smile will always make me smile back."
The golden-haired girl tried to ignore the princess words. The purple-haired girl and the golden-haired girl went upstairs. The golden-haired girl just wanted to take a shower and exchange her blood-stained clothes for something clean. The purple-haired girl followed her to have a chat with her longtime friend.
"Oh, Anna, I was very worried about you. We lost you in the middle of the confusion. Those biomonsters were a big hassle."
"Don't tell me, Nei. I thought I'd be killed by those fiends which had caught me on the plateau."
"And I thought we'd be overrun by those biomonsters. You know, I don't feel very well killing biomonsters because I am one of them, but I felt a bit of joy when I saw those damned creatures annihilated by that mysterious ball lightning."
"My heart almost stopped when I saw that ball lightning cracking up the sky. I was afraid you were hit by the electric discharges."
"No, it was as if the ball lightning was carefully cast to kill the biomonsters surrounding us."
"It was, indeed. Don't you know it was our friend who did that?"
"Really? That is why Marlena said she saved us when I thanked whoever saved us. I thought she was talking about Laya, her Goddess."
"No, the healer is a terrific spellcaster as well. She buckles her pearls on her staff and cast some impressive spells. On our way back home, we fell into a trap. Some biomonsters induced us to a bridge, which cracked when I stepped into it, sending us rolling down the sand dune. When we arrived at the bottom, we have been trapped by thousands of biomonsters and fiends. She cast a spell and then a huge dragon appeared in the sky. It was terrifying. The dragon flew over us and released an energy ray through his mouth, annihilating all the biomonsters. I've never seen such an explosion in my life.., well, second to Palma's explosion. I was really surprised to learn she is so powerful."
"Hmmm, now I understand why she has so much pearls. Well, talking about surprises, I was surprised by Marlena's skill with neishot. She learned quickly and helped me a lot."
"Did she use the neishot?"
"Yeah, we were desperate and there was the only weapon available, besides the neisword. I never thought she'd behave coolly at the battlefield."
"I see. Impressing."
"The telemental didn't help us, so I made him carry our luggage."
"That rascal! Nei, sometimes I wonder when we will have to fight him."
"When?"
"Yes, when, because that we will need to, I'm sure about it."
"Well. So, at least you don't hate the healer anymore?"
"No, she'd made many sacrifices for me, for us all today. I'm feeling guilty, Nei."
"Why?"
"During the battle, I hesitated for a moment and she got that deep cut in her chest that almost killed her."
"Oh, Anna..."
"I feel terrible because of that. She was there to save me and I wished for a moment she would die..."
"Anna..."
"What can I do? I still have my issues with her, but, how can I face her now?"
"Well, as the worst hasn't happened, you can carry on. Don't blame yourself, what is past cannot be changed. But you can still change the future. Try to not make it happen again."
"I know, I'm trying to accept her ways, though it is not easy for me. Well, I don't want to torture myself with these thoughts now. I'm finished here and I'm hungry. Let's check if there is something to eat."
The girls climb down the stairs and find the braided woman seated, leaning on the princess. The smile on the princess´ face make the golden-haired girl roll her eyes, but then she tries to conceal her displeasure. The purple-haired girl comes near to the two other women.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yes."
"We are hungry. Aren´t you hungry as well?"
"Oh, yes, we are, Nei." The princess answers without taking her eyes from the braided woman.
"Well, I think we have brought some food, didn´t we? Where are the luggage?"
"I think the telemental left them in the kitchen, Nei."
"I see. Well, looks like we will have to prepare the food on our own. The telemental, who used to cook for us, is locked in his study room. Our favorite cooker is injured..."
"Oh, Nei... do you really like... my food that much?" The braided woman blushes "I can cook for you." The braided woman tries to stand up, but the princess hold her.
"No, no, you are too weak, you must rest. Though I´ve never cooked myself, I think me and the girls can prepare something."
"Don´t worry... queen Marlena. I can cook... for you. Wait a minute." The braided woman closes her eyes. After some seconds, blue sparks are seen over her chest. When the sparks disappear, the braided woman opens her eyes and stands up, slowly. "Well, now I feel better. I´ll take out this dress, clean myself and then I´ll cook something for us."
"The bathroom is upstairs, I can help you there."
"Thanks, Anna."
The braided woman climbs up the stairs with some difficulty, being helped by the golden-haired girl.
"Well, I´ll take a shower. Can you get me some clothes?"
"Of course." The golden-haired girl stares at the floor. "Errr.. do you want me to help you?"
"No, no, it is not needed, Anna."
"Are you sure? You don´t look so well, you can barely stay standing by yourself."
"I´m sure, Anna. I can manage to do it myself. Besides, I´m a bit embarrassed with the idea. I know it is something silly. You´d be here with me as my friend. I have nothing to hide, I´m pretty unattractive, I know that there is nothing else between us, but still I´m a bit embarrassed. There are some things that make me act as a teenager. Though sometimes it doesn't look like that, I'm a bit too prudish..."
"Yeah, sometimes it is hard to believe you are that way. They way you talk, the way you act with men, with women... but if you are saying so, then I believe it."
The braided woman takes her shower, removing all the dirty and blood from her body. She also washed her blood stained dress, hoping to have it sewn in the future. Meanwhile, the golden-haired girl gets a plain dress for the braided woman and leave it hanging on the bathroom's door knob. The braided woman put on the dress and exits the bathroom. She notices that the golden-haired girl was seated on the large bed, thinking.
"I´m ready, Anna."
"Well..." The golden-haired girl´s tone is not a comfortable one. "I was thinking about Marlena´s behavior..."
"Oh, queen Marlena? Isn´t she lovely?"
"Yeah, but..."
"She has that special talent of hers, for loving. I think she is start mastering her talent, focusing her love to help people. In the future, maybe she will be able to do fantastic things with her love, given it is not misunderstood by those receiving it."
The golden-haired girl is speechless. "Is she being sincere? She talks as if she is unaware of what is going on..."
"Well, Anna, we all have our special talents, but most people live unaware of that. It is not that we are chosen ones, superheroes or something of the like, we are just normal people like everyone else. Queen Marlena is just a common girl with a special talent for loving. It would be a shame if she didn´t live to share her love with the world. She will not change the universe, but she may start something beautiful."
"Yeah."
"Look at us three, who were revived by her. We all have our special talents, but we are just common women. We did great things while we were alive, but the universe kept on thriving despite our deaths. Of course, now that we were miraculously brought back, we should make the best of this opportunity, but if we were never revived, most probably the universe would thrive the same way."
"Hmmmm, you are right... but what about the telemental saying we are needed for the future of the universe?"
"Maybe we are, but not the way he believes it."
"Do you mean you know his plans?"
"Sort of, but he will change his mind. He is a very powerful person and he is one who could be doing great things, but looks like he is focused in other things. Let´s hope he can change his mind soon and start using his powers to something good."
"Sometimes I´m afraid of what he has in mind. He acts like a mad man."
"Sometimes I'm afraid too. And saddened because he is wasting his powers."
The girls went to the kitchen and prepared the dinner together, under the directions of the braided woman. When the dinner was ready, they called the telemental, who showed up as if his behavior was normal and they had dinner peacefully. Then the girls went to sleep after the eventful day. Arriving at the bedroom, they realize there is no room for the four girls.
"What will we do? There is only one large bed in this room..." The purple-haired girl has an inquisitive look.
"No way we can sleep in the same bed four of us. It was difficult to sleep in three." The golden-haired girl doesn't look happy.
"Well..." The braided woman turns her head, a bit embarrassed. "You three can sleep on the bed, as you were used to. I'll find somewhere else to sleep..."
"No!" The princess' tone is of worry. "You are still weak, you must rest in a comfortable place."
"No, queen Marlena, don't worry about me. I don't want to be a nuisance. I'll lay a blanket on the floor and sleep over it."
"No..."
"My decision is final."
"Well." The golden-haired girl shrugs. "If you think it is fine, then it is fine for me."
The girls got ready to sleep. Meanwhile, the telemental was restless in his room. He couldn't sleep, so excited he was. He stayed awake thinking about the situation, making plans. "Damn, everything is getting out of control. I'll have to use my powers to achieve what I want. I wanted the things to flow naturally, but they will never agree with me! The princess... the princess... she is ruining everything! Damn!" The telemental stayed making plans, while his eyes grew redder.
The golden-haired girl was having difficulties to sleep, even tired as she was. She was rolling on the bed, though carefully, as she didn't have much room for herself on the bed. She looked at the braided woman who was lain over a blanket left on the floor, mumbling some words, with her hands crossed. The golden-haired girl didn't say anything to not interrupt the woman. She started paying attention to the prayer and some sentences caught her attention. She was surprised and whispered.
"What are you mumbling?"
"A prayer." The voice of the braided woman was just a bit stronger than her mumbles.
"Where did you learn that?"
"I've always prayed this way."
"How can that be possible? It is one of the prayers of my religion."
"I don't know. It is just my beliefs."
"Sorry, I interrupted you."
The golden-haired girl stayed staring at the braided woman, puzzled. "How can this be possible that we share the same faith living in worlds apart?" Anyway, the discovery made the golden-haired girl feel more at ease because the braided woman should share the same moral values as hers.
Morning broke and the telemental had already waken up. He was still excited, having slept just a few hours. The braided woman, who was the first of the girls to wake up, met him downstairs after taking a shower, but he barely answered her greetings, so she went to prepare the breakfast. The other girls woke up, one by one, took a shower and went to have the breakfast. After they all finished the breakfast, as the purple-haired girl and the princess were doing the dishes, they heard a knock on the door.
"Who could be at this hour?" The golden-haired girl was feeling suspicious.
"I´m not expecting visitors. Leave them outside." The telemental said harshly, dismissing the event.
There were more knocks at the door.
"Won´t you check who it is?" The braided woman looks worried.
"No! There will be some idiots bothering me."
"Idiots? Don´t be so rude. I´ll check what the person outside wants. Maybe it is someone who was attacked by the monsters." The braided woman moves toward the front door.
"No, I didn´t give you permission to do that." The telemental stands up.
"Too late." The braided woman opens the door defiantly.
As she opens the door, she meets a group of three white-robed men and one white-robed woman. At the sight of the unknown woman, with a battered up appearance, the robed man who leads the group, who looks older than the others, seems surprised and worried at the same time, as he only expected the telemental to be in the house.
"Where is that rascal?" The white-robed woman shouts from behind.
"Calm down, Kyra!" The elder esper shouts dryly at the white-robed woman and turns to the braided woman. "Excuse me, lady, we are looking for the telemental. We know he is inside."
"And you are?"
"Espers."
"What does that mean?"
"You´re certainly not from here, are you?"
"Stop wasting our time!" The white-robed woman shouts again.
"Kyra!"
"No, I´m not. Well, he is inside. Do you want to talk to him?"
"Yes."
"Please." The braided woman opens the door fully and motions them to enter the house.
The white-robed men went to straight to the telemental, who was again sitting on the couch. The telemental didn´t even raise his eyes to look at them, showing disrespect for the visitors.
"So you are back again!"
"Why did you admit these idiots into my house?" The telemental addresses the braided woman.
"Hey!" The white-robed woman is indignant.
"Well..." The elder esper clears his throat. "So you are back. Our solar system is facing the biggest crisis it has ever faced and you are there, seated at your couch, as if nothing had happened."
"Why should I care?"
"You were supposed to be helping. All espers are working in order to save our solar system."
"Why do you worry, sissies? Who sent you here?"
"Lutz."
"Rune?"
"Yes."
"That stupid arrogant told you the truth... Now he must believe he is the most important man in the universe. By the way, you have already the chosen one and the mighty Lutz on that, why do you still waste your times worrying about the future of Algol? "
"Because there are people sick, dying. We, espers, are exhausting ourselves to heal people who got sick with the black energy. We don't know whether Rune and Chaz will be able to stop this evil force of not, but even if they can, we must save the lives of people who are dying meanwhile. You should be helping too. There are people who need to be healed, people who need to be protected. You, as a telemental, is an esper. You have the obligation to help."
"I have more serious matters to be worried about."
"Which matters? What can be more important for you than the future of Algol?"
"I don't have to inform you of my own business."
"You should, as an esper. By the way, why were you using magic yesterday? You know you are not free to use magic at will. We have already warned you about that."
"I didn't cast any spell yesterday."
"Liar!" The blue-robed woman yells at the telemental.
"It was not me, it was her." The telemental points to the braided woman.
The group of white-robed men turn to the braided woman, surprised. They start staring at her with inquisitive eyes. The braided woman blushes.
"Is she... an esper?"
"No." The telemental answers dryly.
"How can she use magic?"
"Ask her."
"Who are you? How can you use such strong magic?" The elder esper tone is a mix of fear and arrogance.
"Me... I'm just a common woman..." The braided woman stares to the floor, feeling ashamed of being the focus of the attention.
"Why did you use magic?"
"We were attacked by monsters..."
"Attacked?"
"Many of them. Hundreds, thousands. I had to kill them to save our lives. I felt guilty about that, but Anna explained me they were pure spawns of evil, so I considered killing them the right thing to do."
"Anna? Who is Anna? I can't believe it!" The elder esper catches a glimpse of the golden-haired girl and turns to the telemental again. "Stupid rascal, you brought Anna back as well? Lutz told me..."
"Rune."
"Rune told me that you had revived Nei. Now Anna too..."
"Yeah! Isn't it nice?"
"Nice? What do you have in mind?"
"It is none of your business."
"Do you think it is right to go resurrecting people you want, without purpose?"
"Are you jealous?"
"Jealous? You are completely crazy! And this woman? Tell me the truth about her."
"She is from outside Algol. We went to her planet to bring her with us."
"Man, why are you doing all that?"
"Ah, I can't stand it anymore!" The white-robed woman shouts, irritated.
"Kyra..."
"Let me speak with this rascal!"
"Oh, Kyra..."
"I've got it, you rascal! You are with all these women just because they are pretty! Look at their faces, they are all pretty. Look at his eyes, burning with desire."
"You are mad, girl."
"Of course I am right! Why would he bring back them if he could bring back the heroes of the past, like Alis, Lutz or Rolf?"
"You don't know what you are saying, annoying girl. Considering you think Chaz and Rune very powerful, I could only expect such a stupid remark coming from you. If you don't have anything intelligent to add, shut up."
"Admit it! You've only brought them because they are pretty!"
"Why are you so angry? Are you envious because you are an ugly, weak and unattractive tomboy?"
"I will show you who is weak..."
"Cool off!" The purple-haired girl holds the white-robed woman before she attacks the telemental.
"Release me! Hey, who are you? You look exactly like Rika!"
"I'm Nei. Come here with me." The purple-haired girl takes the white-robed woman to the kitchen. "Take a seat."
"I don't feel like seating! I need to teach that idiot a lesson!"
"Cool off. Let's chat for a while. Maybe I can answer some questions of yours."
"Oh, well... You are exactly like Rika. Where did you come from?"
"Motavia."
"Really? Which computer has made you?"
"Mother Brain. 1000 years ago."
"Wow! Were you alive at the times of the Mother Brain?"
"Yes... but I ended up killed. To get rid of the biomonsters, I had to die too."
"Why?"
"Because I'm a biomonster."
"Biomonster? But Rika, who is exactly like you, isn't. She was made through extensive genetic research."
"If she is like me, she is a biomonster as well. The fact that we are more human than the others don't make us any different. I can't tell you how many times they have tried to kill me just because I am the way I am."
"Oh, that is revolting!"
"Those were the times I lived in."
"Creepy. Well, how did you get back?"
"That girl there, surrounded by your friends. She revived me."
"Who is her?"
"She is Marlena, a Palmian. She lived in one of the spaceships which escaped Palma when the satellite struck it."
"Come on, you are fooling with me! This can't be true!"
"It is. I know it is hard to believe, but she is Palmian. We have been at her spaceship and people there are Palmians. They have many of our traditions, they speak the same language as us."
"These things you tell me, are hard to believe. I wish I could take this knowledge of yours to the esper mansion."
"Well, I'll be glad to help. Anna can help too. She fought the Dark Force and the Mother Brain."
"Really? With Rolf? Rune told us about the Mother Brain and Rolf, which were in the Lutz Memory."
"Yes. She was part of our group. She met Lutz."
"Our group?"
"Rolf was my foster brother. I was with him during the first stages of his quest. Then I was killed."
"And Anna was with you as well?"
"Yes. She was the closest to him. I thought they'd end up married, but they died fighting the Earthmen, so this relationship never came to fruition."
"I see. What a strange thing. It is too much for me. Well, anyway, why do you follow that rascal?"
"He was the one who started it all. We must discover what he wants from us."
"You should not trust him. He is a renegade."
"We don't trust him, you can rest assured."
The elder esper enters the kitchen. "Kyra! It is useless. Let's leave them. The telemental won't help us. I´ve tried, but he refuses to have a serious conversation with us."
"Rascal!"
"Let's go, Kyra. You must return and be ready. Maybe Chaz and Rune need your help soon."
"Well, gotta go, Nei. Take care with that rascal."
"Don't worry."
The white-robed woman returns to the living room. She notices that the telemental has left the room. Even so, she shouts very loud, to make sure the telemental will listen.
"If Rune was here, he would teach you a lesson!"
She can hear the telemental laughing upstairs. Irritated, she turns to leave and finds the other two espers trying to flirt with the princess. They are just babbling random phrases at her, acting like teenagers. The princess is politely giving attention to the espers, when the white-robed woman catches them by the collar of their robes.
"Hey, what are you doing? Let's go!"
"Huh? Can't we just... stay a bit longer?"
"Idiot!" The white-robed woman slaps the esper who asked. "Do you think we are visiting them for leisure?"
"Oh, Kyra, you don't need to be angry at us..."
"So stop acting like stupid teenagers. We have urgent matters to attend."
"Alright, alright." One of the espers whisper to the other. "Isn't she lovely? Not like the big sister here."
"Yeah, she is also the prettiest girl I've ever seen."
"For her I'd abandon the Esper Mansion..."
The white-robed woman stops and turn at the two young espers. "What are you talking about? Why do you need to keep it secret?"
"Nothing important, big sister."
"So you'd better stop."
"Alright..."
"Sorry..." The braided woman follows the espers to the door.
"Why do you feel sorry? We didn't came for you."
"I promise you... I'll do something... about that..."
The white-robed men leave the place. When the telemental hears that the door was shut again, he climbs down the stairs fuming with rage.
"Damn! Let's leave here immediately!"
"What?" The golden-haired girl is surprised by the telemental's reaction.
"I've wasted too much time with you and these idiots. Now it is time to go on with my plans!"
"Where are we going?" The purple-haired girl is curious and frightened.
"Outside Algol."
"No, not again! I'm not going anywhere!" The golden-haired girl defies the telemental.
"You all will come with me now!"
The golden-haired girl grabs her slasher, ready to fight the telemental, but the telemental casts a spell that immobilizes the four girls. The girls, specially the golden-haired girl, curse him, but to no avail. They are powerless to free themselves from the telemental´s spell. The telemental exits his house and drags the girls along with him, using his magic. He draws a circle on the ground and starts casting the teleport spell. Only when the plasma rings are high enough to discourage the girls to get out, the telemental releases them from the spell.
"Stop this spell, your idiot!" The golden-haired girl threatens the telemental.
"Too late. Now you will have to accept your fate. Either you come with me or you die."
"Rascal! I´ll kill you when we reach our destination!"
"Well, you can try if you feel like dying again! Be ready, it will be a trip with no return."
"What about our things?" The princess is frightened and worried.
"You will not need them, frivolous girls!"
"Why are you doing that?" The princess has tears on her eyes.
"Now it is my time to deal the cards!" The telemental's eyes are crimson red.
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