Fiction Contest Results and First entry

Well, it has been a while, but the fiction contest is over. This one was the longest contest we have had to date. While we had fewer entries, they were all well done and showed the extra time given was used wisely. I can say that this contest was one of the hardest to judge simply because of the quality. Picking the top three proved to be nearly impossible. I spent a whole day putting thought into my choices. Thank you to everyone who entered.

That said, we do have a top three stories. Those three will be the last three posted. The other entries will be posted in random order. If yours is first, it doesn't mean you took last place. And for our first entry...

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With great Power...

By Krystal Fae 

Another day, another staff meeting...

Krystal was sitting at the conference table in the Sentinel office, as a personal alert came over her BADGE wrist comm.

Gar's voice sounded from the speaker... "Agent Fae, there seems to be a debris-related disturbance in the Bursa area... Director Nova would like you on the scene, ASAP..."

Krys tapped her wristband, "Acknowledged... Fae, out..."

Krystal glanced at the Editor, who nodded and she began to gather her things.

Chaz leaned near and touched Krystal's arm, intending a 'so sorry-not really' type remark, but Krystal had already begun her teleport (Displacement) and Chaz's touch occurred at the precise instant of dematerialization... he was unwittingly transported as well.

As Krystal was clearing the remainder of her Bearclaw from her throat... she'd lately been getting what she called 'bamf'-sick... she heard a more masculine gagging sound near-by.

"Chaz! What are YOU doing here?!", she exclaimed.

"Losing my breakfast, at the moment...", he wheezed.

"That usually happens, the first time one teleports... I meant... oh, never mind.", said Krystal.

"I have work to do... take this...", she hands him a quartz crystal on a slim silver band, "... and try to stay out of the way... it will produce an Energy Bubble field around you... just visualize a bubble."

"... And don't wander off too far...", she finished as she hurried to the BADGE tent.

"Yes, mother..." he muttered.

A few moments later, Krystal enters the BADGE tent... "What's up, EB?"

"Nova thinks Jinn might have a hidden lair around here... somewhere... he was here for ages, and he might have been powerless, but he wasn't stupid.", EB replied.

"True... Wher-", Krystal was interrupted mid-query.

Krystal was receiving a telepathic cry for help, coming from the ring she had given Chaz a short time before. She located the position and was quickly there.

Chaz, wielding a staff with surprising dexterity, if little actual skill, was surrounded by what appeared to be a cult group dedicated to Jinn.

Calling up the power of ages past, she froze the cultists in place like the sudden onset of an Ice Age.

Chaz looked up from his recent opponent, gave a sigh of relief, straightened his stance, and walked over to join Krystal.

"Why didn't you use the bubble?", she asked.

"I forgot.", Chaz muttered with a sheepish grin.

Chaz thought to himself, unaware that Krystal hears him, "...and I'm a grown man, I can handle myself..."