Storymania - Destination Starlight by Nathaniel A Miller

Destination Starlight (7)
Nathaniel A Miller

Stone went personally, to where the student once lived, in N. San Jose, reporting his death, and the discovery of his remains. His parents and brother were upset, distressed, and overwhelmed by the news. However, they were also relieved that someone had found him despite he was dead.

“Why was he at Eastridge area anyway?” The detective asked, and they peered at him.

“He went there for some sort of gathering for a Bulletin Board.” His parent said, “I didn’t want him to go, but he said he would be alright.”

“Synerchat BBS…” His brother added. “Who the hell would do such a thing? And how did he die?”

“He was dismembered, probably to hide the remains and hope animals that live in the creek would finish off the rest of them.” The Detective replied, “There are pieces missing, but otherwise the body is mostly whole. It is the worst massacre I have ever seen in the twenty years on the force.”

He grimaced at them, shaking his head.

“You have my sincerest condolences for you and your family here.” The detective said, “I will personally be in touch if we get the dirt bag who committed the crime and I will be investigating the cards we found for DeAnza College, a store in Eastridge, and the on-line site with the FBI. I want the dirt bag that did this.”

The BBS site had been contacted by the FBI, and Joe was at his house when they showed up at his door. The site was shutdown and the members questioned all over the valley about their fellow member.

Joe was first and he sat in the little room, as others around him from the BBS stood or sat with him. They were all stunned by the pictures of their fellow member’s massacre by the FBI. The blood and gore had shaken them all up, many of them looking away from the pictures. Over the next few hours, they were questioned, but they all had proven an alibi that cleared them of any wrongdoing for their death of their fellow member.

Joe and the others had all under lie detection, had informed the FBI that they had seen him alive and collaborated that he was at the restaurant. They had also seen him leave two hours later, and after a check by many of them, had found him on the west side of the mall where he had entered a shop there. The last place they had seen him alive before he had disappeared. They did indicate that many of them did not like the young man, but he acted like an ass on the system, and often brought it to himself.

They were still suspects but the FBI and authorities moved on to the group known as the "DeAnza Rat pack" on the sprawling campus of DeAnza College. As the group sat together, they looked up as Police from Cupertino, San Jose Police, and the FBI showed up at the college. As they walked in, they walked toward the group with the security chief Ben who worked on the campus. The group looked up as the Police surrounded them with the Feds.

“Attention!” Ben shouted, “Everyone please clear this area and relocate with your personal stuff to the main dining room. The Fireside is now closed, in regards to a criminal investigation. If you are not involved or knew the victim, a student named Nathaniel Miller, found murdered yesterday in the East side San Jose, you are excused.”

There was a low gasp by the people in the room as many gathered their stuff and quickly exited. There was a low murmur as the ones who tried to enter were promptly stopped and turned away. Ben grimaced at the questioning look by Mouse, Robert and the others, motioning the table to stay. The group Nathaniel hung out with was startled by the information. Ben knew the group and Nathaniel hung out with them, seeing him sitting with them many times. Many others who were not on campus were brought to the college, and ushered into the Fireside Lounge at the dismay of Klaus who ran the Student Campus Center.

“W-What’s going on?” Mouse stammered, “Nathaniel was murdered?”

“Not till the room is locked down.” Ben said shortly as the officers stood outside with agents. The doors were closed and guarded.

They were promptly told about their fellow student, that he was murdered, and dismembered, his body found in a creek on the East Side of San Jose. They went through a prompt questioning, after an astonished yelp by the group echoed the room. The group all told the truth when questioned and told them the last time they had seen him alive was a month ago, here on campus. He had not been heard from in that time. They did not know what had happened, other that their friend had vanished and not shown up for classes on campus.

The suspicion was murder and the BBS members were still the primary suspects. Even though they had a strong alibi, having admitted seeing him alive and well when he left the restaurant, over two months ago, also having followed him into the mall but had lost track of him inside a store by Sears and Roebucks™.

The store was investigated, and during the whole time, the BBS members and the missing student had been in the games. They indicated that he had vanished without a trace, and the staff told the authorities that he could not have left without logging out as the gateway was monitored, and would sound an alarm if someone did not swipe their card. All the doors for emergency exits were examined and it was seen they were unopened, neither were any tampered with.

The shop promptly was cleared of suspicion for foul play by the authorities, the security tapes showing him entering the many games. The games, according to staff were checked nightly after closing and there was nowhere to evade the search. There was no explanation for his disappearance. The shop was thoroughly searched, all the freestanding large lockers, but also finding his stuff in a smaller one that showed he had been here. It had not been touched, by the look of it for many weeks.

What perplexed the authorities that there was no indication of murder weapons used on Nathaniel's body giving them a clue or anything in the tapes that showed the suspect had forcefully exited him from the store. It plainly was a mystery how he ended up in the gully, a quarter of a mile away from the Mall, and killed in the manner without anyone seeing him leave.

A day or so later, Mimi and the "DeAnza Rat" pack sat in glum silence in the Fireside Lounge of De Anza College, thinking of Nathaniel who by now was well known across the college for his death among the student population. The group was totally blown away by the death and struck hard by the impact it made upon them. There was unrest and unease by the student population in the DeAnza/Foothills College District, and other colleges for the death. Rumors of his death circulated the area all-wondering if any of them were next.

“Damn.” Mimi murmured, wiping her eyes, as she began to weep, half expecting her friend to enter the lounge with a smile on his face. However, there were only silent memories, an open place at the table where he usually sat and many questions of who was responsible for his death.

“Why would anyone kill such a nice person like Nathaniel?” Mimi asked herself, “It makes no sense. He had nothing that anyone would want, even though sometimes he was unmanageable with his temper. I wish and hope someone finds who killed him and puts him away in the same manner as they did to him.”

Just as Mimi was thinking this, at the same moment, that a large group of Synerchat BBS members all gathered together too, all just as confused as Mimi and the others. It was hard to believe for them that their fellow member was gone, and that someone had stooped to killing him. Nevertheless, it had happened and he really was dead. They were all suspects by the authorities, despite their alibi that indicated they had seen him alive, and confirmed by the shop they were there looking for their friend, taking up a membership to enter the games.

Joe’s mind was in turmoil as were the others, knowing they were all innocent of the allegations of the fellow member’s murder but there was very little evidence that supported it otherwise. As Nathaniel’s college friend sat at the head of the large table at a local restaurant, he did so his mind was a whirl of thought and questions as he thought of his college buddy from the same school in which he graduated with not too long ago.

“This is so strange.” Joe thought, glancing at the glum expressions of the group around him, seeing the pensive look of Mike, Monte, Cheshire, and even Chelle his girlfriend who had joined him on a weekday.

“I can’t believe he’s actually gone.” Joe said sharply, “But who is responsible for this. It is not like him to go off with someone though, even by force, and to be killed the way he had been. That’s no way to go out, that’s for sure.”

“You know, Joe.” Mike said, “I just had a stupid thought. There is very little evidence to support the Feds murder suspicion of one of us doing it. Maybe he didn’t die, and is hiding out some place.”

“That’s true.” Joe replied formally, “They said he, his body, was identified by his state ID, and by the mutilated face from the head that was found. However, it was shown to be his body, what was left of it. His body was totally dismembered and chopped and hacked into pieces though, a very cruel death.”

“How could they test anything against such violence like that?” Chelle asked with a breaking voice, filled with emotion.

“I don’t know honey.” Joe replied, shaking his head, “Whoever killed him was inhuman to him and should be punished.”

“Jesus, what a way to go…”

“I know I didn’t like him.” Chelle admitted, “But now, I am truly sorry.”

“So am I.” Monte added, shaking his head silently.

“As we all are.” Mike said, “I just hate to say it, someone took things a little too far.”

A sigh sounded the table, as the group sat there, wondering about the fate of the fellow member. No one else had anything to add, as both groups, in the two places, one group at the Eastridge Restaurant for the Synerchatters and at DeAnza for Mimi and the others. They just sat there in silence with still too many questions and no answers.

Mouse, sitting on DeAnza’s campus wondered how the parents of Nathaniel, his brother, even his family in general were taking this. Like them, they were just as confused as they were and had little comfort by the find of the remains of Nathaniel. They wanted answers, and demanded for the capture of the person who did this, where there was no one responsible. No one knew it had been by the pillars of time and space that had claimed him, that had returned his remains of humanity to his own century.

A funeral happened a few days later, and there the DeAnza people, Synerchatters, family all stood around the closed canister in which they contained his ashes. A brief service was performed where a few words were spoken and the container removed to be scattered in a place of his family’s choosing. His story was all over the news and many people that the young man had touched gasped at the information. The classmates in the east has gasped openly at the news reports and all gathered as many as they could, getting in touch to talk and remember their friend who had graced them with his company, and all, in three places, realized quickly that he truly was gone.

Meanwhile, back in the fourteenth century, Rijiin stood on the threshold of a wooded clearing with Terrill. As the newly transformed elf held the blade, he parried Terrill’s strike as an echo of the blades striking each other echoed through the forest. Many times, they circled and exchanged strikes, but Rijiin at the end, each time found the blade at his throat.

“Again…” Terrill said, as Rijiin stood up and took his place across from his friend. “Watch your stars, and feel your energy flowing.”

Terrill charged as the elves clashed, circling as Rijiin struggled to focus on the starlight that burned clear and cold in the darkness. He let the blade and sliced the air, the blade whipping through the air, just missing Terrill who easily dodged. The newly transforming elf relied on his strength, the training from Aikido and the motions he learned while training in the future to help him. He succeeded to parry many times, hardly attacking the elf.

Terrill hardly was breathing by the efforts. Rijiin found himself pouring with sweat and wondering how Terrill actually was doing it. The newly transformed elf grit his teeth as the blade seemed to get heavier with each passing minute and he lowered it slightly, the blade knocked free and Terrill’s blade at his throat.

“Again…!” Terrill instructed, “Watch your stars and watch the images. They can help you in battle and concentrate, utilize and feel the energy. Allow it to flow and will not be so draining.”

“Aye…” Rijiin growled, as he stood ready, holding his blade down at his knee. Rijiin’s opponent charged and the newly transformed elf linked quickly to the starlight, as feints, images of battle. He rapidly deflected each blow, and Terrill backed up a step, a grin on his face. They circled as more blows echoed the clearing and Rijiin rolled despite it, using everything he had learned from the martial arts thus far. He relied on his agility and youth, but after a moment ended up with the same result, the wooden blade at his throat.

“Try it again!” Terrill coached, “You must keep a vision of the starlight. It will save you.” He said as he nodded to raise the blade. “Let yourself feel the energy and stop relying on what you know from before.”

Both circled, and their blows echoed and many times Rijiin made Terrill back up a couple of steps when Rijiin focused upon the starlight that seemed to be draining him of strength. He blocked two more blows and he stepped aside letting the blade expend into the open air. Terrill grimaced at the motion. The newly transformed elf crumpled, gasping for breath and he gritted his teeth again, focusing on the starlight, barely having time to recover as Terrill charged.

Rijiin pivoted to deflect the blade partially and staggered slightly. He shook his head, as a look of anger appeared on his fair features.

“I’ll show you a thing or two, damn it.” Rijiin thought, as he raised the blade, motioning for Terrill to come.

His opponent moved in and Rijiin parried, and dodged. The newly transformed elf parried and locked the blade behind him, and Terrill frowned at the move. When his new friend broke the lock, Rijiin unleashed, the blade moving toward Terrill’s throat. The elf had dropped to one knee as the blade whistled over his head, at a forty-five degree angle, and pivoting a moment later, Rijiin’s blade was at his throat.

“Enough!” Terrill said with a tone of fear in his voice, “Well done but a very unorthodox and reckless move Rijiin. By the lady, what was that move?”

“It is a kill move.” Rijiin said, lowering the blade and taking Terrill’s arm as he helped him to his feet.

“I know elves do not kill.” Rijiin said formally, “But this is a move that I learned can help win a fight, if you have no choice. At the point I had against you, I really had no choice.”

“There are always choices, just trust in yourself, skill, and the starlight.” Terrill reminded him, “But let’s not ever allow one to be in a position to use that move again.”

Rijiin nodded.

“Come, practice the dance motions.” Terrill instructed, “Make sure you are familiar with them, they will also save your life.”

The newly transformed elf moved along side of Terrill, mimicking the motions, fluid and easy. His Aikido training paid off, from the future, where it covered sword, spear, and open hand. Rijiin was no stranger to the forms of the martial arts. When he finished, Terrill nodded in gruff approval.

“You still are a little shaky.” He said, “Continue to do them, and do them without anger, and relax more as you do them. Also, do not slouch. I will not allow you to slouch like a human.”

Rijiin immediately straightened, and the elf nodded.

“Come let us return you to Saint Brigid.” Terrill suggested, and Rijiin, still with his steel blade at his side, walked with his new relative toward the road. A few minutes, they reached the gate. Rijiin turned as Terrill placed his hand on his shoulder.

“We will continue this tomorrow. Rest and refresh.” He said, “You are doing very well.”

“Thanks Terrill.” Rijiin said, bowing formally to him, “I’ll see you then.”

Rijiin climbed the gate, and on the top, he jumped, flipping in mid air to land on his feet.

Terrill had gasped seeing the motion, and stared at him in wonder for a moment before turning to head to the woods. Rijiin stood alone on the street for just a moment before walking with silent steps in the dim light toward the home of Kay and the church in the middle of the village. This time Kay had been waiting for him.

“Rijiin…” He said, rising slowly from his chair, and the elf turned, grimacing at the young priest.

“Kay.” He replied solemnly, standing at the door.

“I just wanted to check on you.” The priest said formally, “You have been coming in late every night. Is everything alright?”

“Fine Kay…” The elf replied, “Be at peace. I am better than ever. Do not be too distressed, it is for the better what is happening to me. I have found a new path and a new people; despite they are not of the human race.”

The elf stared at the youthful face of Kay in silence. He sensed the youth’s apprehension for the troubling ordeal, having to watch him transform into something that was no longer human. He had sensed and read the priest’s thoughts as he had stood there.

“It has to be done like this.” The elf replied, having read the youth’s thoughts and bowing formally, “I come from another place, another existence, far away, if not another time. I will not lie to you, I did not belong here but I now do. A lot has changed for me since my arrival to this place, with a terrible end that could have been my fate.”

The priest gasped at the mention of time.

“H-how…?” The priest gasped, “That’s not possible.”

“I was brought through a portal in the forest, and have come from the twentieth century.” He explained, “I come from a future, from your stand-point has not been written yet. A modern world that is more advanced than you will ever know.”

Kay was looking at, if not staring in wonder at Rijiin, a fair folk who had not looked as he did now when he arrived in Saint Brigid, and had changed a lot in the time he now had been here.

“I was wounded and found by Mirya and Terrill, unthinkably ending up in Hypperex, and stabbed by soldiers when I thought I was still in the future in a simulated scenario, only to realize it was real. Their magic changed me, and healed me, giving this second chance. I am stuck here though, Kay. I can never return there.”

“Oh my god…” The priest said, “That’s insane…”

“It’s the truth.” Rijiin said, “I thought you would like to know, at least have understanding. I realize that time travel is a concept that is way beyond understanding of people from this time. Nevertheless, it is fact, far in the future. You just have to trust me what I say is truth.”

“I appreciate your honesty.” Kay said and the elf grimaced.

“Don’t repeat that to anyone, it stays between us.” He said, “I don’t belong here in Saint Brigid or this time, I know that or in the future, I am not sure where I belong with this new path I walk.”

The young priest gasped loudly.

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