Free Inherited War 3: Retaliation by Eric McMeins Page A

“was my favorite place to sit and watch the people I helped mold. It always made for a grand entrance, to come boiling out of the clouds with the light from my clothing shining like the sun.” He had a slight smile on his face as he remembered the feeling of control he felt and the awe from the humans he spoke with.
    “Now onto the real reason we came here. We must prepare you to enter Cole’s mind and fight whatever it is that is controlling his actions.” In a blink, they were off the clouds and standing on firm ground. They were facing each other about three feet apart and in the middle of a great grassy plain. It was warm, and felt like the spring to Sky. Gavreal had an intense look on his face.
    “The most powerful weapon you will posses in another’s mind is distraction. If you can keep Cole’s mind distracted, you have won the first battle. You know him best, what distracts him the most?” Gavreal asked.
    Sky stifled a small laugh. Gavreal gave her a questioning look.
    “Breasts, he can’t keep his mind off them sometimes. Mine, I mean. It seems a similar preoccupation with most human males. Not with mine for most men, but in general.” Sky had a slight twinkle in her eye as she spoke.
    “Good, then I suggest you play up to that. Your body here is what you make of it. Change it to suit your purpose,” Gavreal said.
    Sky thought for a moment and closed her eyes to concentrate. Slowly her chest grew bigger, not enormous but bigger and rounder. She narrowed her waist and widened her hips slightly to make her body shape symmetrical.
    “There, how is that?” she asked.
    “If you don’t know I cannot answer. Your form is not attractive to me in any shape, I prefer my kind.”
    “Fine,” she spat out too quickly, “this is fine.”
    “Good, now we begin.” He suddenly spread his wings wide. The quick movement startled Sky and she took an involuntary step backwards. “It works both ways; the one who you will be contending with will also be looking to distract you. I do not know what you will face once you enter Cole’s mind but the other will seek to distract and control you.  Cole’s mind is a dark place right now, that much I saw when I tried to link to him in the hanger. Whatever is inside him is slowly twisting and corrupting him. What is hidden is what you will be fighting, and you must remain in control of yourself at all times. I believe that there is enough of Cole left free that his mind will subconsciously try to protect you—use this to your advantage. Take risks and leaps of faith, but you must never physically hurt or destroy anything in his mind, except when you find the other.”
    “I understand, I think,” she replied.
    “Then let us begin. We start first with control and shaping techniques.” For the next several hours, Gavreal instructed Sky on the things she needed to know to wage an effective war on the unknown entity in Cole’s mind. Finally, after showing her how to break her connection with his mind, Sky felt her own mind drawing her back in. She opened her eyes to the black room on the base. She was still in the globe of water with Gavreal, and he still had his hands on her face and right breast. Slowly he released her.
    “You have done well,” he said. “Tomorrow we will attempt it without the water. Each day we will remove a step in the calming process until you can link to me without touching me. You will need to be far from Cole when we attempt to enter his mind, and it will be easier if you can accomplish that before he arrives. For now, return to your home, rest, and eat. Tomorrow will be longer.” He exited the globe and pulled Sky after him. Giving her a gentle shove, he sent her flying to the door and followed with his wings beating softly.
     
    Thalo watched from the observer’s gallery as the Nixa Administrators slowly filled the empty seats of the great meeting hall. One by one, they arrived and moved to their traditional seats. The last to arrive, of