FANFIC ADDENDUMS TO CHAPTER 9

ON FINDING THE HEADLESS BODY OF BAXTER PIERCE

Chapter 9 finds the human female bounty hunter, Baxter Pierce, attempting to capture King Ru'Athari (roo-A[TH]-ah-[R]dEE), the elf formerly known as Prince Nuada. Having been transported to Birmagast, the land now under the rule of Silverlance, by the sister of the late King Balor, Lanïany (LAH-n[i]-AH-nee), Pierce, armed with a .357 revolver, confronts the King and is beheaded. He orders her remains and weapon transported back to earth.

**********

The headless body of Baxter Pierce has been found by the local police and taken to the Medical Examiner.

Captain: "OK, so where was the body found?"

Detective 1: "In the at Lincoln Center area, in New York, around 4 am."

Captain: "Any ID?"

Detective 1: "Didn't need any. We know who she was."

Captain: "Don't tell me she was a cop."

Detective 2: "No, she was a member of that group of women crime fighters."

Detective 3: "Oh, the ones that call themselves the Albino Brigade?"

Detective 2: "Yeah, that's them. A couple of years ago, they decided to track down that Albino serial killer. The vic's name's Baxter. Not sure about the last name. She's been up here getting information from time to time. Looks like the Albino got her first."

Captain: "How'd she die?"

Detective 1: "She didn't exactly die, captain. She was murdered."

Captain: "How?"

Detective 1: "Same as all the others; beheaded. Something went right through her like she was made of butter. Like I said, we've seen it before...plenty of times."

Detective 2: "Yeah, but we haven't seen it lately. For a few years, we saw it daily. Then, all of a sudden, it stopped."

Captain: "You thinkin' it's the same perp?"

Detective 2: "It has to be. This maniac slices right through bone, with no hesitation or sawing."

Detective 3: "Gotta be strong to pull that off."

Detective 4: "The blade ain't no joke neither. "

Captain: "Did anybody ever see him?"

Detective 2: "No one's ever been able to get a good look at him. They just described him as about 6'1", slender and Albino. Some say he looks to be about 40, others say 30. They never got close enough to be sure. Anybody who tried, didn't live long enough to tell."

Captain: "When did this reign of terror begin?"

Detective 1: "Well, chief, that's the thing. This case has been investigated for over 200 years. We have archived cases that indicate the same weapon, the same eye witness accounts, and a few have heard him yell, "filthy human" or "we will not fade".

Captain: "So, he's not just a killer, but a deranged killer. But, nobody lives over 200 years. It must be a copy cat."

Detective 4: "What, like a copy-cat club, or a terror organization that's still in operation after more than 200 years? Not likely. Anyways, it can't be. There were facts about the cases that were not released to the public."

Detective 1: "And too, sometimes there was more than one killer. In hundreds of cases, multiple bodies were left at the scene. It's like there was some kind of battle."

Captain: "All beheaded?"

Detective 1: "No, but all killed with the same kind of weapon."

Captain: "Nobody's ever been shot or beaten?"

Detective 1: "Nope, always with some kind of blade."

Captain: "There's never been foot prints or blood?"

Detective 1: "Well, on a battlefield, it's hard to know one footprint from another. And blood would have been useless back in the day. There were no forensic specialists back then, at least not ones that left enough clues that tell us very much. We haven't seen those battlefield cases in our lifetime. All we get is maybe one or two bodies left at the scene."

Captain: "When exactly are we talkin' about here?"

Detective 2: "The earliest records in the American archives are from 1809. And from the amount of detail in all the reports, it seems they'd been strugglin' with it for some time before that."

Detective 3: "And, the reports are not just from America. The same sightings, the same kind of wounds, have been reported all over the world; France – from around 1715, Germany – the mid 1800's, and the UK – during the early 1700's. The earliest American research into the cases, stopped in 1952."

Captain: "Have any of these murders taken place since 1952?"

Detective 2: "Sure, plenty. But a big Albino, born 40 years before the 1700's, and was still alive and on the loose in 1950, was a little hard to swallow. The investigations took on a sci-fi feel, and nobody took them seriously anymore. Everybody started treating it like an urban legend."

Captain: "Well, no urban legend sliced through that woman's cervical vertebrae. It wasn't a ghost, or elves either. We've got ourselves a real live killer out there, and he might be gearing up for another run. Go talk to that Albino Brigade group. Find out where this Baxter was headed or when and where she was last seen alive. Maybe we can luck into a lead. Oh, and find out what the medical examiner comes up with."

All Detectives: "Right, cap'n.

************

THE GLAMOUR OF THE PRINCE

Following up on their investigation into the murder of the bounty hunter, Baxter Pierce, detectives questioned the all-female quasi vigilante group, calling themselves the Albino Brigade. This was a group of women who had set themselves the task of finding and bringing to justice a sword wielding killer known as The Big Albino. This so called albino had been sought for hundreds of years, according to the archived records of worldwide law enforcement agencies.

Brigade Major: Is it true that it’s her; is it Baxter?

Detective 1: Yes, m’am. A family member came down and identified the body.

Brigade Major: The fuck?! How could this happen?

Detective 1: When did you last see Ms. Pierce?

Brigade Major: About a week and a half ago. She was sick all last week, so I didn’t bother her. There was a neighbor, a Miss Mary, taking care of her.

Detective 2: Did you get the last name of this neighbor lady?

Brigade Major: No, I didn’t think to.

Brigade Captain: Jones. Her last name was Jones.

NOTE:

(Baxter Pierce, had unwittingly fallen in with a shady character known by the conveniently common name of Mary Jones. This name was adopted as a pseudonym to conceal the individual’s true elven identity. Mary Jones had no wish to be known by her true elf name, for she planned to remain anonymous throughout the undertaking of a treasonous crime she had hatched. In reality, she was Lanïany (LAH-n[i]-AH-nee), the evil aunt of Prince Nuada, the royal elf who had come to be known by humans as The Big Albino.)

Detective 1: Did this Mary Jones live in the same building?

Brigade Captain: It didn’t seem like it. I was over there once, and she came in with a coat on. You wouldn’t need a coat if you were coming from inside the building. But I couldn’t say for sure.

Detective 2: Did you get a sense that she was a nurse or something like that?

Brigade Captain: Naw, it was just a chicken soup kind of care. No meds that I could see.

Detective 2: What was the nature of Ms. Pierce’s illness?

Brigade Major: It seemed like a virus thing. I couldn’t say how bad it got.

Brigade Captain: We were just waitin’ for her to get better.

Brigade Sergeant: Is it true she was decapitated?

Detective 2: I’m sorry m’am, the case is still being investigated and we can’t give out any details yet.

Brigade Major: It doesn’t matter. We’re all pretty sure how she was killed and who killed her.

Brigade Sergeant: If she’d found him, why would she confront him alone? Why wouldn’t she tell the rest of us what she knew?

Brigade Captain: You know Baxter. She was always independent. Always ready to take on the world.

Brigade Sergeant: But why would she do something like that in her condition?

Brigade Major: Detective, is there anything you can tell us? You can keep all the facts hidden as much as you want, but you’ll never get him. Between your work load and the albino’s skill at striking without warning, you’ll never get him. Tell us what you know and let us try.

**********

Lanïany’s brother, King Balor, had been accidently killed by his son, Nuada, who then abandoned Earth for the peace and safety of his home world, peopled by ethereal and magical beings. Despite his deadly tragic act, the pale Prince was still next in line for his father’s throne, for elf law is more complex than human law, especially among elven royal classes.

Lanïany, harbored deep feelings of resentment toward the Prince. She felt his crown should have been hers from the beginning, for she was elder to her brother, Balor, and in direct line for the throne upon the abdication of their father. Failing to foresee the doomed outcome of her malicious plan, she resolved to do whatever was necessary to secure her birthright, which meant the total annihilation of Prince Nuada and his twin sister, Princess Nuala.

Toward that end, she systematically and slowly drugged Baxter Pierce, the doomed member of  over the course of a week to avoid attracting suspicion. No strangeness was to be connected to Lanïany’s covert operations. It was necessary for Baxter’s slow decline to be seen as a common human ailment.

When Lanïany had sufficiently incapacitated the human, she decided to, at last, make her move. With the assistance of drugs and elf magic, the old elf female easily convinced the disoriented Baxter Pierce to accompany her to a fictitious location, with the purpose of administering a cure for the woman’s so called malady.

Careful to adroitly gain possession of the bounty hunter’s weapon, a .357 Magnum Automatic, the deceiver led her victim to a secluded area in a thick suburban wood. Under cover of darkness, she proceeded to employ more elf magic to charm into existence, a portal to the distant universe where they would come to the traditional Bethmooran home of the now King Ru’Athari.

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Within an hour of their arrival at the royal elven family’s palatial home, the young woman had regained consciousness, and found herself lying on a lush upholstered chaise lounge. She and the lounge were positioned in the middle of a vast stone room. Without moving or rising, she allowed her eyes to wander cautiously around the room.

There were huge wall hangings with scenes of great battles expertly embroidered on them, shot through with fine golden threads. Glowing marble carvings of strange faces jutted out from the walls around the room. These were the likenesses of elven royalty that had lived and ruled centuries beyond the abilities of human science to reckon. The high ceiling was decorated with many panels of elaborately carved animal motifs, each one framed with miniature sparkling ceramic tiles.

She had no recollection of how she had arrived at such a lavish place. The last thing she remembered was Mary...’yes, that was it,’ she thought. Mary took her away somewhere for treatment. Baxter had to admit the treatment must have been successful, for she felt as good as she had ever felt; as though she had never been ill.

Suddenly, she was aware of a slight shuffling sound in the room, out of her line of vision. She slowly raised her head to see a strange individual looking over at her and smiling ominously. It was obviously female, and looked much like the jutting marble faces on the walls.

“No you are not dead, human,” the female said. “You are very much alive, and though it will not be easy, I shall try to keep you that way.”

Recognizing the voice, a confused Baxter asked, “Mary Jones?”

“For you, and for my work on Earth,” answered Lanïany, “yes, I was Mary Jones. My true name is Princess Lanïany.”

“Princess? Princess of where?” asked Baxter, slowly rising from the lounge. “What is this place? And what exactly are you? I’ve never seen anybody like you before.”

“Really? Never? Think beyond your nose, human.”

Baxter Pierce prided herself in remembering names and faces. She was sure that if she had met a creature such as this one, she would have recalled it. But for the dark eyes and lips, the female looked like an albino. The only albino with these features, in Baxter’s memory, was The Big Albino she and her friends had been chasing for years. She wondered if this person was related to him, and if so, why had they allowed her to live.

“OK,” she finally said, “I’m gonna hazard a guess and say you’re a relative of that albino killer.”

“Correct. I am his aunt, and you will refer to him as His Royal Majesty, the King,” Lanïany spat, “for he has recently been crowned supreme monarch of this place.”

“King? Oh please, he’s just a maniac serial killer,” Baxter chuckled with contempt. “So where is he, this King...King who?”

“His name is Nuada...or was” Lanïany answered.

“Yeah, whatever,” Baxter replied, waving her hand dismissively. “So? Where is he? Where am I for that matter? And why am I here?”

“You do not need to know ALL these things, human,” was the answer. “All you need to know is that I intend to put my nephew in your hands. You may do with him what you like – take him back to Earth or end him here; that is not my concern.”

“Whoa, lemme get this straight,” the woman began, “you won’t tell me who you are, what you are or where I am, but you brought me here to pop this guy for you? And what do you mean by ‘take him back to Earth’? Are you trying to tell me that we’re not on Earth? And why do you keep calling me ‘human’? And another thing...”

“Too many questions,” Lanïany impatiently interrupted. “Do you want him or not?”

“Oh man, this is some crazy shit right here, but I’ll play along for awhile,” continued the bounty hunter suspiciously.

“That is well, since you have no choice in the matter. Either you do as I say, or you perish here.”

“I got a feelin’ I won’t be perishing alone,” Baxter threatened, “’cause I’m tellin’ you right now, you’re steppin’ in some deep shit too.” Suddenly, something occurred to her, “Wai, wai, wait! If this stuff is true, that Prince or King of yours is pretty handy with a blade. What am I supposed to end him with or even hope to capture him with?”

Producing the .357 Magnum from a cabinet in the corner of the room, Lanïany approached the human. “I thought you might need this,” she smiled, handing the weapon to her guest. “You would not have stood a chance without it.”

“Ahh, sweet.” Upon inspection, Baxter was pleased to see that the weapon was fully loaded exactly as it had been. She could not think why her captor would so unwisely hand her a loaded gun. The pale creature obviously believed her fantasy.

“To answer your question,” Lanïany began, “His Majesty is not in the palace at this time, but he is sure to return, and you must be at the ready, for as you so crudely observed, both our lives will be forfeit if you are not.”

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HERE IS TOLD THE ACCOUNT OF THE BEHEADINNG

Upon King Ru’Athari's (roo-A[TH]-ah-[R]dEE) return to the palace after his visit with Lord Winque, the keen elven sense of smell immediately detected the foul odor of the human, Baxter Pierce. His evil aunt, Lanïany knew he would, and tried unsuccessfully to mask the pungent scent by filling the place with heavily spiced incense. Even if the human had been elf, the warrior’s heightened senses would have detected her offensive aroma still. Following his sensitive nose, the King quietly arrived at the door of the room in which the human was waiting.

Horrified to think that a human was on his world and in his palace, he stood reeling with anger. He wondered if there were more of the vile creatures abroad in the land. He puzzled how she had come to be there. Clearly, she must have come through a portal, but how could she have managed it?

When he had had enough of puzzling, he decided to approach the human creature. Having observed the .357 Magnum being fondled by the woman, he was careful to avoid a frontal attack. If he were to use elf magic to alter his appearance, he could take her by surprise. He considered several human physical options, and settled on one most akin to his own physical appearance.

When the transition had completed to his satisfaction, he presented himself to a surprised Baxter Pierce. His countenance was very beautiful, indeed, for the King knew human females were eternally preoccupied with physical appearance.

The royal elf had created dazzling baby-blue eyes, a bright toothy smile, dripping with warmth and kindness. He further fashioned short cropped, fine yellow hair, exposing a tattoo of the Brahman symbol, “OM” at the back and base of his uncovered neck. With the addition of a neatly trimmed three-day beard, the entire facial effect was at once sensitive and masculine. The slim, tight physique suggested a powerful and rugged specimen.

Offering a kind hand of welcome to the human, the King glided smoothly toward the intruder, forcing an arresting smile.

“Hello, I’m Luke,” he said, with a slight inquisitive tilt of his head. “I haven’t seen you around before.”

“Yeah, I’m Baxter,” she answered, accepting his hand. As expected, she was obviously impressed with the striking vision standing before her.

“We don’t get many visitors here,” the King slyly stated. “How did you find this place?”

“I had help,” answered Baxter. “This strange looking woman calling herself...Lanini or somethin’ like that, brought me. She says we’re not on Earth, but won’t tell me where she thinks we are. I have no idea how she got me here. She must’ve slipped me a mickey,” she chuckled, still struck with the handsome illusion.

“Why did she bring you here?”

“Apparently to wait for some King. She says he’s the one runnin’ around Earth killin’ people, and I’m here to bring him in. She says she wants to be rid of him, dead or alive. Personally, I think she’s a nut and I’m ready to get outta here...if I knew where here was.”

Feigning curiosity, His Majesty took the Magnum from her limp hand. He asked, smiling down at her seductively, “Is this what you will use to capture this murderous King?”

“If I can manage to keep him at a distance, yes. Otherwise, I’m pretty much done for.”

Suddenly, the King stepped closer to her, holding the Magnum at his back. For a fleeting moment, he allowed his true countenance to appear to the human. Baxter was not entirely sure what she had seen. The effect was that of a subliminal flash before her enchanted eyes. She found herself overwhelmed by a paralyzing sense of fear that she could not explain. She stood mesmerized, only inches away from the beautiful Luke. Looking deep into his eyes, she thought she could see flecks of yellow or gold dancing in the clear blue orbs.

Without warning, the King flung the Magnum far across the room. It ricocheted off the stone wall and fell loudly upon the floor. Shaken back to reality, Baxter ran to retrieve the weapon. She angrily turned back to scold Luke, but he was no longer in the room. She wondered how he had gotten out so quickly, and without a sound.

As she stood scanning the room for him, she became aware of a pointed metal object being held steadily against her spine. She whirled around to see His Royal Majesty, King Ru’Athari, now in his true form. He was glaring angrily down at her with the golden, red hot eyes of complete and utter hatred and contempt.

To her surprise, he spoke with a voice she recognized as Luke’s. “I am afraid you are done for, human,” he warned a stunned and speechless Baxter, throwing her own words back at her.

As she attempted to raise the .357 Magnum, the King struck her arm with his razor sharp blade, opening a large bloody gash just above her wrist. She clamped her eyes tightly shut in reaction to the pain, but quickly regained her composure. She attempted to transfer the weapon to her other hand, preparing once again to fire. But, once again the King had disappeared seemingly into thin air. This time she knew he must be in the room...but where.

As her panic grew, she had the sensation of being in a darkened room, unable to find a light switch. Without warning, the same metal object whirred through the air past her face. So sharp was its blade, and so quick was its master, she did not realize she had been wounded. She felt her warm blood trickle down her cheek, but still no sign of her adversary.

A sudden sharp pain to the back of her knee, sent her crumpling to the floor, as Ru’Athari materialized towering above her. His twisted dark lips, and blazing golden eyes choked her with fear.

“How dare you,” growled the King between clinched teeth. “You dare to come here...to my home...my last refuge? You stalk me still, though I abandoned your dark and dying Earth long ago. I take no further pains to destroy your kind, for you clearly do a better job of it than I. If you think I will allow the same fate to be visited upon this world and my people, THEN THINK NO FURTHER.”

With that, he lifted his weapon high above his head, and before Baxter could raise her voice in protest, his blade glinted briefly, and made a swooping sound on its downward trajectory toward his victim’s neck. It sliced easily through her already bloody wrist, as she held up her hand in vain hope of defending herself. The spear continued along its bloody path, neatly hewing off the head of the bounty hunter, Baxter Pierce. Her remains and weapon were unceremoniously deposited on a backstreet in New York City.

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SEE MAP OF BIRMAGAST, THE ROYAL KINGDOM:fav.me/d4oowip

NUADA'S MOM OLD QUEEN:melalina.deviantart.com/art/QU…

NUADA'S MOM YOUNG PRINCESS:fav.me/d4pjtz6

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LINKS TO THE ORIGINAL EPISODES

TEA FOR TWO - PART 1 here: melalina.deviantart.com/art/Fa…

NOBLE VISITORS - PART 2 here: fav.me/d489ym4

CONFESSIONS AND MEETINGS - PART 3 here: melalina.deviantart.com/art/Fa…

THE DEAL, THE CONFRONTATION - PART 4 here: fav.me/d4hyzas

OLD FRIENDS AND THE CROWNING - PART 5 here: melalina.deviantart.com/art/Fa…

WATERFALL, FAIRIES AND MURDER - PART 6 here: melalina.deviantart.com/art/FA…

HELL TO PAY - PART 7 here: fav.me/d527sp2

EXILE, ROYAL DEBATE, PROPOSALS - PART 8 here: fav.me/d5do9p5

VISITS, OLD FRIENDS, BAXTER PIERCE - PART 9 here: fav.me/d5k5kub

CRIME, PUNISHMENT, MAGIC SPELLS - PART 10 here:fav.me/d5n3p6v

SEARCHES, CONFESSIONS, IMPOSTORS - PART 11 here: fav.me/d60z0mq

NEW LIFE - PART 12 here:fav.me/d7c8ovx

DECISIONS, SECRETS - PART 13 here: fav.me/d7fgnin

THE FINAL SEARCH - PART 14 here: FAN FICTION, Part XIV

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MORE NUADA FANFICs

JOURNAL OF ENCOUNTERS WITH NUADA - here: fav.me/d5ktfii

PRINCE NUADA'S ARLANNA: melalina.deviantart.com/art/Fa…

*******************FAVORITE NUADA LIT:

ORCHID: www.fanfiction.net/s/4415802/1…

SURRENDER II: HUNGER:www.fanfiction.net/s/7697578/1…

UNBIDDENwww.fanfiction.net/s/4575744/1…

DRAGON-CURSED: www.fanfiction.net/s/7923510/2…