SORCEROUS SIGNALS
Written by Michell Plested / Artwork by Holly Eddy
Stolen Immortality























The girl lay manacled to the stone slab, eyes closed, golden tresses spread out around to her head like a
halo. The skin at her wrists and ankles was torn red and raw and a trickle of blood stained the corners of
her mouth. The stone, looking like some crude, ancient altar, was bathed in a circle of light that shone
down the single shaft into the cave.

A man stood in the shadows staring intently at the girl. Frowning, he glanced at the cave’s entrance and
then at her, unconsciously rubbing his hands together.

“Is that it?” The girl jerked at the sound of his voice.

She opened blue eyes and glared at him. “What do you want with me, wizard?” Her voice was a dry,
desert rasp.

He snorted. “I want the daughter of a god to put up more of a fight. You’ve barely screamed at all!”

She looked puzzled. “You…want me to scream? Aren’t you afraid my father will hear and come to destroy
you?”

“Afraid he’ll come? Girl, I’m afraid he won’t.” He laughed. “You are here as bait.”

“Only a fool craves death at the hand of a god.”

“Then I am no fool for it is life I crave. Eternal life.” There was a far-away look in his eyes. “Ever since I
was a boy, I dreamed of living forever.” He stepped out of the shadows to look down at her. “I have
made it my life’s work to find the answer to immortality.”

Curiosity overcame her fear. “And what is it? What is the answer?”

His eyes glinted under craggy brows. “The gods, girl. They possess immortality. To become immortal, I
must get it from one of them.”

“My father would never grant you immortality after you imprisoned me!”

His laugh was harsh. “Grant? No! But I will be taking, not be asking.”

Clearly the old man had lost his mind. The girl screamed until her voice broke.

“There you go,” the wizard said, nodding in approval. “I knew you had more fight left in you.”

She lay panting. “You’re insane! My father will kill you for this.”

“He will try, but he will fail. I know your father’s nature. I will take what I want from him.”

The light in the cave dimmed and the wizard stepped back away from the table. He smiled and wove a
spell of invisibility.

A brilliant beam of light flashed into the cave, briefly illuminating what looked like thousands of mirrors
set into the cave walls. The light flared and died to be replaced by a glowing male figure dressed all in
white.

The girl strained at her bonds. “Father!”

Her shackles fell free at a glance from Him. “Daughter, what is the meaning of this?” Small bits of debris
fell at the sound of his voice.

She sat up rubbing her wrists gingerly. “A wizard seeking your immortality captured me and brought me
here.”

The god smiled, even white teeth gleaming. “And where is this puny wizard who would steal from a god.”

The wizard reappeared “I am here, and you are trapped despite your boasting.” The entrance of the cave
slammed shut.

“You think me powerless, Wizard? You think a bit of earth and rock can prevent your destruction?” The
god grew larger and brighter and the air sizzled with heat.

The wizard laughed and the louder he laughed, the angrier, larger and brighter the god became. The girl
writhed and screamed. Her skin blistered and peeled like parchment. With a final shriek, she burst into
flame and flashed into ash. Still the god burned brighter and hotter.

The wizard stood and watched, not so much as a bead of sweat on his brow. “Resist if you must, but
you cannot escape my trap.”

The god slammed into the cave walls and door with a roar. He attacked the wizard and bounced off an
invisible shield. He struggled for hours.

A final, intense flash of light and heat and the god crumpled to the ground, shrinking. “Wizard, what
have you done?”

“I took your power,” The wizard stepped forward. “I absorbed the energy you expended.”

“But, how?” The god grew smaller by the moment.

“I used your weaknesses to build a trap to capture you and cut you off from the source of your power. A
simple spell gave the power you used to me.”

“All of my power?” The god choked off a fading laugh. “Then you took my weaknesses too. You are
trapped just as I am.”

The wizard smiled. “One of my servants will release me soon enough. Then I will command your
worshippers to conquer the world.”

“Command my worshippers?” The god’s voice was barely a whisper. “You may have taken more than you
bargained for. And what will you do now?”

“And now, I will live forever,” the wizard said. He stepped on the former god with a crunch.

His veins pulsed with power. The plan succeeded!

The servant opened the cave and he emerged, luxuriating in the power. The world lay within his grasp.
His army would conquer it all!

Who to conquer first? Something tugged at his mind. He opened himself to the defeated god’s
worshippers.

A storm of minds assailed him, demanding, begging, forcing him to send rain, bless crops and answer
every petty desire. Each effort to take control was rebuked. Every attempt to hide he was found. He
belonged to the mob. Servitude to the masses awaited him for all eternity.

The new god wept.
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Michell (Mike) Plested is a writer, blogger and podcaster. He has
written five books to date, which he is actively looking to get
published, and several short stories in the Science Fiction, Fantasy,
Horror and YA Adventure genres. His writing podcast, 'Get
Published' was a finalist in the 2009 Parsec Awards and he is
currently writing and producing a Science Fiction Comedy podcast
called GalaxyBillies.