By and copyright of Owen Quinn
magic bix is part of the collection of stories in The Time Warriors@ When Angels Burn book now on salw on Amazon. This and all the other Time Warriors titles can be ourchad=sed there aloing with Zombie Blkues and Talkes from Bsllinfree.
As a crystalline entity, dear, sweet Dunderram had no weakness of flesh or need to breath air at all. His species looked like someone had built a man out of every jewel known to man.
He regarded the crystalline alien carefully.
“You truly are a beautiful species, one that sets my admiration afloat like a starship floating among the stars,” the man crooned as if admiring a rare, priceless jewel in a museum.
“Silicon beings are so rare and always and forever something to be cherished. But sadly for you, there is only one part of you I wish to cherish. I am sorry but you see, I have plans for a small group that have caused me great distress. So, I have a plan and the literal key to that plan is your good self Dunderram.”
“Please no, Casio. There…”
Casio held up his cane with a warning shush, putting his finger to his lips.
“Please, say nothing. It would spoil the moment and make you so unbecoming.” Casio took a step closer to the trembling Dunderram.
His eyes narrowed as he raised his cane in a four fingered blue scaly hand.
A thick, silver ring glinted in the erratic torchlight. The black cane was long and silver trimmed like the ring. It was engraved with a series of symbols, leading to a cusp like a four leaved clover in which nestled an azure crystal globe that erupted with a bright light, emitting a low pitch.
“And just between us, who do you think funded the Julerian campaigns?”
Immediately, Dunderram stiffened, frozen where he stood. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. The pitch entered every part of him, vibrating with a rising cascade.
Casio stood, any emotion, if he indeed had any, about Dunderram’s fate. His expression was hidden by shadow. His eyes stared, patience dripping from his body language. Casio Candrelor was known for many things but patience was not one of them. But for this, he displayed much.
Dunderram vibrated on the spot, his body rippling faster and faster, his body helpless before the sonic pitch. It took just over two minutes before Dunderram screamed before shattering into a thousand pieces.
Casio blew on the tip of his cane. It returned to its normal colour. He stepped forward, shifting the crystal shards with his boot.
Bending down, he reached in, sifting through the crystalline mounds that was a living being mere seconds ago. With a soft intake of satisfied breath, Casio lifted out an octagonal red ruby about the size of his fist. He held it up to the light reverently, like he was witness to a lost holy relic revelling in its interior lattices, dancing with life in the torchlight.
Casio crooned. “Your selfless act will not be in vain, my dear, precious one, Dunderram the Delicious.”
A sense of confirmed purpose settled over him as he tapped his cane on the stone floor, crushing shattered pieces of what was left of Dunderram beneath it.
He pressed the double moon gold brooch on his
“Gobien, order clean up in area twelve, section delta two. tell them to bring the hoover, dustpan and brush to get the bits out of the cracks in the floor. Get us out of here. We have a very special show to put on.”
The Time Warriors and Beyond 