Rifts -- Strange Bedfellows
Previously ... Donna Bell, a 32-year-old archaeologist is caught up in ley line nexus, which takes her from the present to a strange future. In this future, Zha-Ying a powerful Lizard Mage crime lord has been killed and with his dying breath casts a strange incantation that will hold grave implications for Donna. Lastly, although there was supposed to be no witnesses to the attack, we learned that it was witnessed by at least two bystanders.
*****
Donna was lying on a smooth black marble floor. As she opened eyes, she saw that she was bathed in soft white light coming from somewhere above. As she rose, she asked out loud, "Where the hell am I?"
As she scanned all around her, her eyes fell on a full-length mirror that was next to her. She got to her feet and saw that her reflection was completely naked. She was tall and fit, with almost boyishly short blonde hair. Her hands reached up to cup her breasts. They then tranced lines down her sides, where they came to rest on her shapely hips. She thought no one ever expected a scientist nerd to look this good. To punctuate that point, she heard a thought say, "You look VERY pleasing."
She then realized that the thought wasn't her own, but a voice in her head. Suddenly, it felt like someone was not just looking at her, but leering at her. Her hands instinctively went to hide her nudity.
She turned around and stepped out of the cone of light to better see her surroundings. As she did, the light brightened to reveal she was in a large circular room. The walls were lined with book shelves. There were tables and display cases scattered around the space and near her was a large ornately carved wooden chair sitting on a raised dais.
Seated in that chair was a half-human, half-reptilian being that had greenish-brown scales. It was well-muscled, with a broad chest and had powerful looking arms and legs. His arms were folded across his chest, while one leg was casually crossed over the other. The lizard-like head had large, piercing yellow eyes. A long, red snake-like forked tongue darted from its mouth. Its lips parted in a cold smiled, filled with sharp teeth.
"Greetings, my dear," he said in hissing voice, "My name is Zha-Ying and I would like to propose ... what is the word." He held up a long, clawed finger when it came to him, "Ah, yes! That's the word, a partnership. I would like to propose a partnership with you."
The only thing Donna could do, was scream.
*****
South of Northern Gun Territory
Wind Runner felt as if he were cursed or something. Everything he touched always seemed to turn from gold to lead ... including this present situation. He was an Emirin. Part of a small sentient race of beings that looked like large mountain lions, Wind Runner had keen senses that were accentuated by natural psionic abilities. He was creeping along as silently as he could, in the presence of a lumbering, 2 ½ meter-tall, 200-kilo ogre.
"Dammit, Grond! Can you walk any louder," he telepathically scorned.
'Sorry," said the ogre in a raspy whisper as a stepped off the branch he had just broken and sheepishly grinned.
They had crept from their position on the opposing hill and had made their way across the valley. Wind runner had led the way and had commanded Grond to dart from cover to cover as best and as quietly as he could. Occasionally, Wind Runner would send out a telepathic 'ping' to the third member of his crew, Elvina Glitterwing. She was one of the Faerie folk. A Pixie she would have emphasized. She liked to go by the name of Pink, due to it sound tougher than Elvina. Pink wasn't responding. She had psi abilities as well, but not as finely tuned as those of the Emrin.
He arrived at a copse of trees at the base of the hill they had been heading for and waited for Grond who soon followed, sneaking through the trees with all the grace that an ogre possessed. Grond unslung the energy rifle he had been carrying from his shoulder.
"Grond, you stay here," Wind Runner communicated, "I'll sneak up the hill and see if anything is left up there. If I need help, I'll call you."
Grond thought for a moment and said warily, "Are you sure? Grond don't want you to get hurt."
'I'm sure," broadcast the Emirin, "With all the shit that was thrown at that hill top, I don't think anything could have survived."
Grond set down his rifle and settled next to a tree with a crash.
"At least this way," Wind Runner thought to himself, "I'll have some semblance of an element of surprise."
The Emirin crept up the slope of the hill. As he went, he reached out with his mind to sense the presence of life and magic. His probes told him there was one life form and that the presence of magic did exist on the hill top. He gazed up. The Nexus had closed and ley line activity had visibly settled back to normal. Once more just to be sure, he reached out with his mind to detect any dimensional anomalies and found none currently present in the entire area.
As he reached the mid-point of the slope, the ground became pock-marked from the hail of mini-missiles. His sensitive nose detected the acrid scent of the explosives and he could still feel the heat of the detonations through the pads on his paws. There was one life form and the presence of magic. Those two things put together could spell trouble. He glanced back over his shoulder. He was tempted to summon Grond, but if he did he would lose any hope of surprise. He crouched down and inched his way forward, deciding to go on alone.
*****
Donna stood quivering in fright, managing only being able to say, "Who and what are you? Where the hell am I?"
The lizard said again, smiling, "I am Zha-Ying. I want to make you a VERY lucrative proposition. Don't be afraid. I'm not going to harm you. Please, come closer so I can get a better look at you. What is your name child"
Donna was hesitant, but eventually inched forward as she continued to attempt to cover herself.
"My name is Donna. Donna Bell," she said.
As she got closer, she noticed a cushioned stool to the side of where the lizard was seated. Zha-Ying motioned to it and said, "Donna, please be seated. I want to answer your questions and tell you about this wonderful opportunity that is being presented to you."
As she seated herself, Zha-Ying said, "My you are quite lovely my dear. You don't need to cover yourself. I have always enjoyed the human form, especially that of the female. Please, let me admire you."
Blushing and feeling extremely embarassed, Donna lowered the hand that was covering her breasts to her lap.
"Very pleasing indeed," said Zha-Ying and continued, "Now where were we. Ah, yes! As I introduced myself, my name is Zha-Ying. I am a Lizard Mage. I come from a distant place called Palladium. Where we are, is a place that is called Earth."
"Earth," said Donna incredulously. "When did, what did you call yourself ... lizard mages come to earth," she asked.
Zha-Ying smiled, "This is not the same world you left. Do you remember seeing a blinding light," he asked.
Donna nodded her head and the Lizard Mage told her that was a nexus, a dimensional portal had opened and brought her here. These nexus points can form where two or more ley lines cross over each other.
Like a student, Donna raised a hand and interjected, "I've heard of ley lines, but I always thought they were mythical. I'm an archaeologist. Supposedly ancient cultures like the Mound-Builders I specialize in studying, built structures along them."
Zha-Ying smiled, "Precisely! Besides being very beautiful you are also learned. The ley lines have always existed. The cataclysm that resulted in our current dilemma has reawakened them with a vengeance. Magical power flows through them like a river and can be drawn from them as well. From time-to-time, dimensional openings appear and that is how you and I arrived here. It brought you more than 600-years into your future"
Donna felt dumbfounded. "Everything I know and love is just ... gone," she said.
"If afraid so," responded the lizard mage.
He went on to describe how the cataclysm that nearly destroyed Earth was caused by many nexus points opening at once. A new dark age followed, as the Rifts War was fought. Humanity reached the brink of extinction as aliens and monstrosities flooded through the dimensional openings. One of the last great series of rifts caused much of Palladium to be pulled to Earth. Elves, dwarves and many others came to this planet and thus have had to fight for their rightful place.
"Why have you had to fight,' asked Donna.
"Because we were seen as the invaders by the humans. We are D-Bees, a slur for dimensional Beings. Just like you."
"I'm a D-Bee," asked Donna shocked.
"You are worse than that," said the Lizard Mage, "You're a D-Bee human -- one from another time. Your seen as weak and useless by society at large. A parasite that should be crushed out of existence. But that will not be a true assessment."
'Why," said Donna now truly curious.
"That my dear, brings us back to our original conversation," said Zha-Ying, smiling.
*****
Wind Runner reached the top of the hill just after midnight. Amid the missile craters there were two bodies. In his mind's eye, he saw an aura of life that illuminated faintly. It was barely alive. He could sense no life from the other. The aura of magic came from a piece of clothing and the sensation of magic also came from whoever was alive.
Just as he was beginning to move forward, in his mind he heard, "Wind Runner! We've got company headed your way and fast."
It was Pink. Finally she decides to check-in. "Pink, where the fuck have you been? You sure took your sweet time letting us know where you've been," he telepathically screamed at her.
"Sorry about that, big boy. I was checking all the crash sites, to see if anything could be salvaged. Zilch. There's not much left," came the reply.
"Who's here besides us," Wind Runner asked her.
