The Light Warrior Files
Chapter 1, Part 7: The Stranger
By Chris Ward
With a knowing smile, the Dark Lady stood and walked gracefully toward the kitchen, where
she held a whispered conversation with Builder. As this was going on, Ishmael caught my
eye. “I can’t speak for your girl, but the fact is I don’t even need to. I recommend coming
completely clean with her. She may just surprise you.”
Muttering, mostly to myself, as Builder approached carrying yet another torture device, I
grumbled, “If she stays around at all, after I explain things to her, I’ll be surprised.” Looking
over at Builder, followed by a lightly smiling Lady, I raised my voice a little, “And what,
exactly, is that thing supposed to do?”
He chuckled at my expression, and started laying it out, attaching several wires and leads
to the computer and cart the Lady had been pushing behind him. “If I’m going to build you a
device tailored toward concealing your ability from the snoopers hidden in your place, it
would help if I knew what I was disguising and hiding. That’s what this is for.”
After he finished the final connections, he proceeded to connect the varied appurtenances
to different areas of my body. Most of them were fairly obvious. There was a heart monitor,
and an EEG and EKG hookup. There was a retina scanner as well, although it was attached
to what appeared to have started life out as a pair of wire-frame glasses. When he slipped
them on he commented that the set included a camera for recording pupil dilation as well
as eye color.
When he set out a pair of cuffs, one long enough to mostly cover my forearm, I demanded
an explanation. With a detached air, he explained as he attached the last pieces to my left
arm. “The longest one encases most of your forearm. It contains, of course, the standard
blood pressure cuff. However, it also includes 3 small needles for blood testing. They test
your blood sugar, your blood chemistry, and then run tests for a variety of other
distinctions in your blood.
“The smaller cuff attaches to your upper arm. It is designed with several sensors which test
your biochemistry, you bioelectric field and your biomagnetic field. It also has other
sensors which test small skin samples for a variety of reasons, and one sensor whose sole
job is to sample your sweat and skin moisture for variations.” When he connected the last
closure, he stepped back to the computer. After tapping out what appeared to be several
commands, he went into a flurry of typing. To this day, I doubt I could have followed it even
had I been able to see the screen.
Finally, he told me to sit still and act normally for a couple minutes while it took what he
termed the “Body Normal” measurements. I tried, but couldn’t help wincing when the
needles went in my forearm. After about five minutes he looked up from the computer
monitor and said, “Now, I would like you to start using every aspect of your ability, one at a
time, except for any destructive variants you may have. Hold the version until I tell you that
it’s okay, so I can run the tests each time.”
When I got nods from both the Lady and Ishmael, I started going through my paces. I started
by turning myself invisible, actively bending the light so that it flowed around me. When
Builder gave me the go ahead, I straightened the light.
“Ishmael? I hate to do this, but I need your eyes for a minute or two.”
With a puzzled look on his face, he asked, “What for?”
Finally it was my turn to chuckle. “It’s nothing major. There is an aspect of my ability that
allows me to temporarily blind an opponent. I can’t really demonstrate it on myself, so I
need someone else- and Builder needs them.” Although he was reluctant, he nodded. With
a moment’s concentration, I stopped the light from entering his retinas, causing immediate
blindness. When the word came from Builder, I gave his sight back.
I couldn’t help laughing when he took a shuddering breath and stared at me in horror.
Shamefaced at first, he started chuckling after a moment or two. “Damn, man. No wonder
you’re the Warrior, none of our abilities could even approximate something like that.”
I suddenly realized that someone had turned the lights back on, probably when the Lady
had gone to speak with Builder. “I’m going to need the lights out for this next bit. Both of
the next demonstrations allow me to see in the dark.” The Lady rose and turned off the
switch by the door. The room was immediately plunged into darkness. “Now, Lady, if you’ll
wait a moment, I’ll light your path.” Calling my ability up, I gathered what little light filtered
through the loft around my hand. Raising my right hand, I brightened the light until
everybody could see clearly. As soon as Builder got the readings input, I turned off the
light and allowed my eyes to adjust to the darkness, turning what little light was left in the
room into my eyes so that I could see as clearly as if it were dusk or dawn.
Again, I got the okay from Builder. I looked over at the Dark Lady who was still standing by
the light switch. “Could you turn the light back on, please? And, do you have a flashlight
handy?”
After she turned the lights back on, Ishmael reached down into a pocket in the side of his
chair, and brought out a small light. Tossing it over to me, he asked, “Will this work?”
Looking at it quickly, I decided it would do. Turning it on, I stared right into it, gradually
damping out the level of light I was receiving, until I could clearly see the bulb. When
Builder got what he needed from that display, I turned off the light and tossed it back to
Ishmael, who put it away. Closing my eyes, I shifted my vision into the ultraviolet range.
Opening them again, I proceeded to look around for several minutes, until Builder
indicated he was ready. I closed my eyes again, shifting back to the so-called visible
spectrum and, after a couple seconds, shifted into the infrared. When I opened them again,
I made the same circuit of the room. When Builder gave me the okay, I was just about to
close my eyes, when I caught a glimpse of a shape standing in the doorway. I also heard the
sound of a body making a startled shift to my side. Given the softness of the sound, I
assumed it came from the Lady. That, coupled with the he simple facts that I had seen
nothing until just now, indicated that something strange was going on.
Shifting my head a little more, I centered the figure in my altered sight. Although I was
unable to make out details, infrared is good for many things but not that kind of sight, I was
able to see that he was tall, if not the size of Ishmael. I couldn’t make out anything else, but
I didn’t need to. Instead, I raised my hand and sent a shaft of hard light into his shoulder. It
was neither hard nor hot enough to cause real damage, but it hurt him.
“Bloody hell! That sound, complete with a British accent, came from the shape as he
staggered and grabbed the shoulder.
Ignoring the sound of Ishmael leaping to his feet, I stood up and leveled my hand again.
“You have a choice, my friend. Either you tell me what the hell you’re doing here, or the
next one turns you from a rooster to a hen.” Just to prove that I was serious, I sent a beam
of light between his slightly spread legs. “That’s the only warning you get.”
“Jesus! How the hell are you seeing me, mate? I’m invisible. Nobody sees me!”
Chapter 1, Part 7: The Stranger
By Chris Ward
With a knowing smile, the Dark Lady stood and walked gracefully toward the kitchen, where
she held a whispered conversation with Builder. As this was going on, Ishmael caught my
eye. “I can’t speak for your girl, but the fact is I don’t even need to. I recommend coming
completely clean with her. She may just surprise you.”
Muttering, mostly to myself, as Builder approached carrying yet another torture device, I
grumbled, “If she stays around at all, after I explain things to her, I’ll be surprised.” Looking
over at Builder, followed by a lightly smiling Lady, I raised my voice a little, “And what,
exactly, is that thing supposed to do?”
He chuckled at my expression, and started laying it out, attaching several wires and leads
to the computer and cart the Lady had been pushing behind him. “If I’m going to build you a
device tailored toward concealing your ability from the snoopers hidden in your place, it
would help if I knew what I was disguising and hiding. That’s what this is for.”
After he finished the final connections, he proceeded to connect the varied appurtenances
to different areas of my body. Most of them were fairly obvious. There was a heart monitor,
and an EEG and EKG hookup. There was a retina scanner as well, although it was attached
to what appeared to have started life out as a pair of wire-frame glasses. When he slipped
them on he commented that the set included a camera for recording pupil dilation as well
as eye color.
When he set out a pair of cuffs, one long enough to mostly cover my forearm, I demanded
an explanation. With a detached air, he explained as he attached the last pieces to my left
arm. “The longest one encases most of your forearm. It contains, of course, the standard
blood pressure cuff. However, it also includes 3 small needles for blood testing. They test
your blood sugar, your blood chemistry, and then run tests for a variety of other
distinctions in your blood.
“The smaller cuff attaches to your upper arm. It is designed with several sensors which test
your biochemistry, you bioelectric field and your biomagnetic field. It also has other
sensors which test small skin samples for a variety of reasons, and one sensor whose sole
job is to sample your sweat and skin moisture for variations.” When he connected the last
closure, he stepped back to the computer. After tapping out what appeared to be several
commands, he went into a flurry of typing. To this day, I doubt I could have followed it even
had I been able to see the screen.
Finally, he told me to sit still and act normally for a couple minutes while it took what he
termed the “Body Normal” measurements. I tried, but couldn’t help wincing when the
needles went in my forearm. After about five minutes he looked up from the computer
monitor and said, “Now, I would like you to start using every aspect of your ability, one at a
time, except for any destructive variants you may have. Hold the version until I tell you that
it’s okay, so I can run the tests each time.”
When I got nods from both the Lady and Ishmael, I started going through my paces. I started
by turning myself invisible, actively bending the light so that it flowed around me. When
Builder gave me the go ahead, I straightened the light.
“Ishmael? I hate to do this, but I need your eyes for a minute or two.”
With a puzzled look on his face, he asked, “What for?”
Finally it was my turn to chuckle. “It’s nothing major. There is an aspect of my ability that
allows me to temporarily blind an opponent. I can’t really demonstrate it on myself, so I
need someone else- and Builder needs them.” Although he was reluctant, he nodded. With
a moment’s concentration, I stopped the light from entering his retinas, causing immediate
blindness. When the word came from Builder, I gave his sight back.
I couldn’t help laughing when he took a shuddering breath and stared at me in horror.
Shamefaced at first, he started chuckling after a moment or two. “Damn, man. No wonder
you’re the Warrior, none of our abilities could even approximate something like that.”
I suddenly realized that someone had turned the lights back on, probably when the Lady
had gone to speak with Builder. “I’m going to need the lights out for this next bit. Both of
the next demonstrations allow me to see in the dark.” The Lady rose and turned off the
switch by the door. The room was immediately plunged into darkness. “Now, Lady, if you’ll
wait a moment, I’ll light your path.” Calling my ability up, I gathered what little light filtered
through the loft around my hand. Raising my right hand, I brightened the light until
everybody could see clearly. As soon as Builder got the readings input, I turned off the
light and allowed my eyes to adjust to the darkness, turning what little light was left in the
room into my eyes so that I could see as clearly as if it were dusk or dawn.
Again, I got the okay from Builder. I looked over at the Dark Lady who was still standing by
the light switch. “Could you turn the light back on, please? And, do you have a flashlight
handy?”
After she turned the lights back on, Ishmael reached down into a pocket in the side of his
chair, and brought out a small light. Tossing it over to me, he asked, “Will this work?”
Looking at it quickly, I decided it would do. Turning it on, I stared right into it, gradually
damping out the level of light I was receiving, until I could clearly see the bulb. When
Builder got what he needed from that display, I turned off the light and tossed it back to
Ishmael, who put it away. Closing my eyes, I shifted my vision into the ultraviolet range.
Opening them again, I proceeded to look around for several minutes, until Builder
indicated he was ready. I closed my eyes again, shifting back to the so-called visible
spectrum and, after a couple seconds, shifted into the infrared. When I opened them again,
I made the same circuit of the room. When Builder gave me the okay, I was just about to
close my eyes, when I caught a glimpse of a shape standing in the doorway. I also heard the
sound of a body making a startled shift to my side. Given the softness of the sound, I
assumed it came from the Lady. That, coupled with the he simple facts that I had seen
nothing until just now, indicated that something strange was going on.
Shifting my head a little more, I centered the figure in my altered sight. Although I was
unable to make out details, infrared is good for many things but not that kind of sight, I was
able to see that he was tall, if not the size of Ishmael. I couldn’t make out anything else, but
I didn’t need to. Instead, I raised my hand and sent a shaft of hard light into his shoulder. It
was neither hard nor hot enough to cause real damage, but it hurt him.
“Bloody hell! That sound, complete with a British accent, came from the shape as he
staggered and grabbed the shoulder.
Ignoring the sound of Ishmael leaping to his feet, I stood up and leveled my hand again.
“You have a choice, my friend. Either you tell me what the hell you’re doing here, or the
next one turns you from a rooster to a hen.” Just to prove that I was serious, I sent a beam
of light between his slightly spread legs. “That’s the only warning you get.”
“Jesus! How the hell are you seeing me, mate? I’m invisible. Nobody sees me!”
