Sean M Hogan [Hogan - The Marauder

The Marauder

The Mirror Wars,

Episode One

Sean M. Hogan

The Marauder

Copyright 2017 by Sean M. Hogan.

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For information contact :

http://seanmichaelhogan.weebly.com/

Book Formatting by Derek Murphy @Creativindie

Cover design from Captblack76 | Dreamstime.com

ISBN:

ASIN: B073N7QF93

First Edition: July 2017

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

A dark, sinister shadow looms over the galaxy. A mysterious tyrant, who hides his face behind a skull mask, has plunged the seven worlds into darkness. Only a fallen warrior queen, donning a purple cloak and wielding an enchanted sword, stands in his way.

Throughout the universe, Michelle Lionmane wages a secret war against the vile forces of the Black Sun. She fights for a future already lost, yet in a dire time without hope she struggles on. She is a slayer of monsters and demons, an assassin of dark lords and bloodthirsty despots, and a champion for the weak and helpless.

She is the Marauder.

The Maiden and the Cowboy

Michelle prowled the black overgrown highway cloaked in deep purple, slinking between two endless rows of abandoned cars. Most of the vehicles were nothing more than skeleton husks of empty rusted frames. Though a few still harbored their passengers, now shriveled up corpses with hollow eye sockets, their grimacing skulls resting against the dashboards and steering wheels. There were bodies scattered along the road as well, most curled into fetal positions or still desperately clutching their loved ones. Her left hand never strayed far from the hilt of her broadsword as she advanced, her pale gray eyes scanning over the bodies for the slightest movement. Even a modern graveyard carried dangers and the dead rarely rested for long.

Darkness shrouds this vile place, a voice spoke, high-pitched and monstrously inhuman.

Michelle raised her head, brushed the loose strands of blonde hair from her eyes, and poked her purple hood up from her face. I can see.

Swirling storm clouds blanketed the crimson sky, lightning and thunder raged in the distance, raining ash and snow.

Where are we? asked the voice.

Earth. She stopped at a corroded license plate laying in a pothole. Frowning, she knelt down to pick up the plate and examine it. She brushed off a layer of snow and ash. Some letters were still legible: I, the heart symbol, N, and Y. Just outside of New York City, or whats left of it. Its gotten worse since our last visit.

She rose to her feet and set her sights ahead. A weathered George Washington Bridge stretched on over a frozen Hudson River toward a decaying city.

Be wary, said the voice. Danger is near.

She tossed the plate aside. Isnt it always?

We mean it. Eyes alert. Ears trained. Something is coming.

Then Michelle heard itthe shuffling of feet behind her. She spun to meet the source, unsheathing her sword and taking a fighting stance. Something is already here.

Out from the shadows of the rusted cars, a Doberman stalked forward. The mutated purebred hopped onto the hood of a former Porsche and fixed its unnatural yellow glowing eyes on Michelle.

She inched her feet apart, widening her stance. Nice doggy.

The Doberman growled, parting its fangs as hot white breath leaked up from its jaws.

She sighed. Why couldnt you have been a poodle?

The dogs head split apart like the blooming of a tulip, but instead of petals unfolding there were just countless rows of needle-sharp teeth. A long spiny tongue slithered out from its throat hole before it let out a high-pitched shriek.

The corpses in the cars around Michelle started to stir. Their hollow eyes lit up with beams of yellow light.

It calls to them, said the voice. And the dead listen.

The ghouls moaned as they picked themselves up and out of the cars, lurching toward Michelle.

I gathered as much, she replied, taking one ghouls head off with a swing of her blade.

More ghouls lumbered her direction, threatening to box her in.

Should we run or fight? asked the voice.

Both sound nice about now. She sliced through a few ghouls, hacking them to pieces as she made her dash to the bridge.

She was stopped by a furious gust of cold wind that blasted a couple of the cars in front of her aside like toys.

The wind swirled into a twister, thick mist pouring out.

Michelle shielded her eyes with her forearm. What now?

The wind slowed to reveal a masked phantom figure hovering above the road. The Wraiths long pale kimono flapped in the breeze. A simple, bone white mask with slanted eyeholes concealed her face. She leered down at Michelle and let loose a cackle.

Run, child, said the Wraith. Run from the light. For the darkness hunts, tonight. And we hunger for your flesh.

Youre not on my list, said Michelle, thrusting her blade at her foe, but you can leave your name and number and Ill get back to you as soon as the next available spot opens up.

A rogue ghoul attempted a sneak attack while Michelles back was turned. She sent it flying back with a swift kick, knocking down a few more corpses as it crashed through the gathering horde.

Dont be rude, gentlemen, she snapped back over her shoulder. Ladies first.

The Wraith conjured a scythe in her right hand from the swirling air. She raised her left hand, exposing a tattoo of a black sun.

Michelle gritted her teeth. So, youre one of the Chosen.

Marauder, the Wraith bellowed, her black stringy hair whirling wildly in the wind. My master has sent me to bring back your head.

Oh? Well, maybe Ill bring him yours instead. Michelle held out her sword. The steel lit up with glorious blue light. Her eyes glowed and her cape flapped as the magical aura shrouded her body. Ill even do him the courtesy of gift wrapping it with a purple bow.

A speeding shadow flickered over her as the mutated Doberman lunged for her. She spun to meet it, catching the torso with her sword and severing the lower half from the body. But this did little to stop the momentum of the top half, the part with the sharp teeth.

The beast knocked her flat on her back, pinning her arms with its two front legs. Talons shot out of its paws and embedded into the asphalt, ensnaring her wrists.

Michelle struggled to reach her swordwhich had slipped from her grasp from the jolt of the fallbut came up inches too short. What did I just say?

The Dobermans head split apart again, raining down a spray of green acid as its long, viper-like tongue wiggled in the air.

She shifted her head just in time to dodge a stray squirt of acid. This is why Im a cat person.

The Wraith hovered above with her scythe raised high, laughing wickedly. Yes, good, my pet. Hold her still while I retrieve the head.

Can we eat her? asked the voice.

Quiet, Michelle snapped.

Our hunger grows. It has been too long since our last meal. We must feast.

Then the throbbing pain started up, shooting pure agony straight from her bandaged left hand. She let a holler escape then bit down on her lip, muffling the rest. Shut up or Ill cut you off and feed you to the dog. Her left hand twitched like mad, the fingers twisting on their own accord.