A Matter of Dark Matter

By David B. Corder 

Cal Ravenwood would have killed for a cigarette. Much to his chagrin, he was trying to quit. Not so much for health reasons, but because nicotine and the use of magic didn’t mix well. It was one of the unspoken laws of the Dark Matter, the entity from which all magic was born. Which was a travesty, because it would have been the perfect thing to warm him up in the dourness of the evening. A storm had barraged the Isle of Lewis off the coast of Scotland, and though it had subsided, the sludge-black sky threatened to release another deluge. Dragon-like growls rolled across the earth, and the air was heavy with the scent of rain.

Though it was dark, wizards like Cal had no trouble making out the large shapes lurking in the gloom ahead. The Calanais Standing Stones stood in a somber circle, faceless giants silent in prayer. There was one form among them, much smaller, moving within the shadows.

“Don’t tell me you’re here to ruin the party,” the silhouette said as Cal approached.

Ah. So she was the source of the storm.

Cal shook his head, a grim smile on his lips. “I’m in no mood for a party tonight.”

The silhouette stepped closer and Cal’s eyes adjusted. The woman was on the edge of petite, with gray eyes that bored into Cal. A breeze lifted her yellow hair from her shoulders, carrying to Cal the aroma of ozone.

“I’m not here to fight you, Kay,” Cal said, holding his hands up in deference. “I just want to talk. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Oh, I know exactly what I’m doing,” she said. “Once I have the Dark Matter, I will turn the tide of war. With it, we can control all magic and those who wield it. Your side will lose.”

Cal stroked his mustache in consternation. “That’s a nice theory. Except that its power is beyond you.”

Kay gazed at the stones. “Be a good boy and tell me where it is.”

“How about I don’t?”

She held up one hand, giving it a lazy glance. Blue sparks flashed and danced across her fingertips.  “I don’t mind killing you. I’m sure I can figure out how to find it. And you’re not going to keep me from it.”

Cal was blinded by the lightning that she launched from her palm. Fortunately, he had already been preparing for the onslaught and melted into shadow. The voracious blue energy sliced through the dissipating shreds of black mist where he had stood but a moment before.

He appeared on top of one of the stones, crouching. No doubt, some archaeologist would have had a fit if they saw him treating the ancient structure like a jungle gym. “You missed,” he taunted.

Kay’s eyes flicked to him, unperturbed as more splinters of energy formed in her hand. “Come down, little bird.”

Another streak of lighting soared at Cal. He vanished, then reappeared several yards away by one of the stones. Kay reacted quickly, arcing lightning toward him. He gasped and barely twisted out of the way as it sparked by. Kay’s magic connected with the stone. Cal was thrown to the ground as the explosion scattered debris around him.

Too fast, he thought.

Cal got up, dusting rubble off his jacket. Kay approached him, the air about her buzzing with energy. Cal could feel his hair standing up straight, could almost taste the electricity.

“You’ve gotten stronger,” he said.

“You haven’t,” she replied. Her eyes were icy in the flickering luminescence of her magic.

“You want to bet?” He clenched his fists tightly and there was a howling sound like a hundred wounded ghosts. Kay’s eyes widened as multiple tendrils of shadow swirled around her. They closed in on her, their great writhing forms wrapping around her wrists and ankles, restraining her.

Cal flashed a toothy grin. “Got you.”

His smile fell as she pierced him with a threatening gaze. “Now, Cal. You should know better than to underestimate me.”

Kay reared her head back and screamed. Lightning poured out of her, shredding through the shadows that clung to her, freeing her. Cal watched in awe as her palm shot up and a great bolt of energy streaked toward him.

Cal barely had time to coalesce the shadows in front of him, focusing to make them as solid as possible. Darkness and light clashed against one another like wrathful gods. Cal’s shadows absorbed the energy, but just barely. It took all his concentration to stave off Kay’s attack, and the effort drained him tremendously. The two magics dissipated in a flurry of sparks. Kay was panting heavily.

That little escape trick took a lot out of her, Cal realized.

“Come now, Kay,” Cal said. “Let’s be candid with one another. We’re both tired. We’ve already committed the defacement of a historical landmark. Can’t we just find a pub somewhere and talk this over?”

Kay’s expression didn’t change. “Too late for that.” She reached out with a hand, tiny sparks flickering inside her palm. Then something erupted from her belly, scarlet with blood.

Cal grinned. Checkmate.

Cal had molded shadow into a blade while he had been talking, willing it to stab Kay from behind.  She looked down in horror, her face paling as she fell to her knees. She sprawled out on the ground, the shadow vanishing.

Cal sighed and straightened his jacket. He looked around at the stones looming over him. “It’s not like she gave me a choice,” he said to them.

The stones didn’t respond. He approached one and knelt before it, placing his hand on the grass. Releasing a tiny bit of magic, he removed the protective enchantment. The grass withered away into the dirt. The dirt stirred as something emerged from it. It was a small wooden chest, engraved with ancient symbols.

It was time to move the Dark Matter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David B. Corder loves to read and write all sorts of stories, though he has found that he has a certain talent for tales that deal with the dark and fantastical.  A middle school English teacher in South Carolina, he loves playing heavy metal on guitar or running a Dungeons and Dragons game with his nerdy friends.

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Author Website