Eyes lit up. Fellow countryman? Could get home soon?!
Door burst open. In came strange... people? Stared confused at raccoon holding wooden figure, bare-chested tattooed man, brown-haired goateed guy dragging bound blue robot woman.
"From Earth?! Really?! I'm Peter! Peter Quill! American! You?! Been in space decades—no countrymen since!" Star-Lord said enthusiastically, eyes shining. Look at hair, skin, clothing. Definitely Earth! No doubt!
"Um, Gemini Black. British, living in America." Answered carefully. Group looked dangerous.
"Quick question—caught in spatial rift. What year's Earth now? Know?" Asked again.
Star-Lord scratched head. "Let's see. Year I left plus space time... uh, not wrong, should be 2015 or 2016! Yeah! Right!"
Nearly sighed relief. Good—not decades. Year max. Acceptable!
"Tell me Earth's like now? Was young when left. Years since!" Said eagerly. Shoved Nebula at Drax, pulled wall chair down.
Gamora covered face, smacked Star-Lord's head. "Now the time?! Your countryman just came through rift! Shouldn't rest?!"
Turned warmly. "Hello. Guardians of the Galaxy. I'm Gamora, Zehoberei. Big guy's Drax—won't say planet. Raccoon's Rocket, escaped experiment. Wooden guy's Groot, Flora colossus Planet X. Blue's my sister, cyborg. Last one you know—countryman Peter Quill. Calls himself Star-Lord."
Forcefully introduced everyone, ignoring Rocket's protests.
"Said earlier—hire us for Earth? We take energy. All energy!" Smiled. "Or rare items. Have any, we'll appraise. For Star-Lord's sake, won't cheat."
Silent awhile. No options. Fish on board. In space, even if could kill everyone, couldn't get home alone. For countryman's sake, trust temporarily!
Looked around crowded room. "Talking here?"
"Don't need rest? Follow me. Talk up front. More space, see universe better." Smiled, grabbed Rocket and Star-Lord, glared at Drax. Everyone followed out.
Got off bed, straightened clothes, followed to cockpit.
Looking outside, abandoned hostage idea. Imperius worked well, but home wouldn't happen quick. Long-term built resistance. Plus aliens—who knew if curse worked? Stick to trading.
Sat at table, pulled box from bag, opened. Colorful potions caught attention.
"What're these? Viruses?" Rocket looked awed at test tubes. Back as test subject, suffered plenty!
Glanced. "Potions. Um, Earth specialties. Healing injuries, treating souls, Veritaserum—three drops make someone answer everything."
Gamora looked at Star-Lord disdainfully. "Why no Earth specialties?"
Star-Lord confused. Why never heard?!
Smiled slightly. "Probably doesn't know. We're minority. Called wizards. Don't interact with regular people."
Star-Lord's expression horrified. "Ride brooms?! Eat children kind?!"
Face darkened. "You eat children! Whole family eats children!"
Gamora asked, "Where read wizards eat children?"
Backed up horrified. "Fairy tales! Every tale growing up said wizards eat children!"
Turned away. Didn't want deal with Star-Lord. "Can't verify effects. How prove?"
Frowned. Healing needs injuries. Treating souls needs damage. Everyone looked fine. How prove?
"Think this counts." Nebula quietly extended hand. Restraints rubbed wrist raw.
Looked at abrasion. Mouth twitched. Honestly, if hadn't mentioned, would heal anyway!
Nothing else. Make do. Selected Dittany, dripped one drop on wrist.
White smoke rose. Nebula frowned. Everyone crowded around. Smoke cleared. Scrape gone. Gamora rubbed hard—confirmed healed. Satisfied.
"Can trade. How much?" Asked.
Silently pulled out Dittany. "Only this. But back Earth, make plenty. Enough to bathe."
Pulled virtual screen, calculated. "Bottle like this—200 universal currency. Taking you Earth needs nearly hundred jump points. Energy cost converts about 1 million credits. Or more."
After calculating, turned screen. "Can provide potions worth 1 million?"
Sighed. Home expensive! No wonder Jade Emperor gave much! All travel money?!
"More than one kind. Also this." Pulled test tube. Golden liquid swirled with starlight.
"This bottle's one dose. Felix Felicis. One sip—Lady Luck's favor whole day!" Looked at Gamora. "On Earth, one bottle buys nearly 100 Dittany—that injury potion."
"Sure?" Narrowed eyes.
Shrugged. "Course. But rare. Brewing takes six months. Don't have much stock."
Thought, added, "Know you don't believe. So drinking this myself. You observe. Everything I do—blessed by Lady Luck."
Uncapped, tilted head back, poured golden potion in mouth.
Immediately shivered. Looking at curious people, grabbed Groot, stuffed in pocket. Under shocked gazes, found seat, sat. "Help with seatbelt. Thanks." Said calmly.
Gamora stepped forward, fastened belt. Asked hesitantly, "Something wrong with potion? According to flight, won't reach jump point another 30 minutes."
Looked at her. "Think you'd better sit down quick too."
Words fell. Alarms blared.
Everyone ran to positions.
Star-Lord looked radar. "Why Sovereign ships catching up?"
Drax spread hands. "Maybe Rocket stole batteries?"
Rocket protested. "Hey! What saying?!"
Drax corrected. "Right, didn't steal. So weird—why chase?"
Now everyone knew. Rocket stole batteries.
Before Star-Lord spoke, Sovereign ships attacked. Could only maneuver escape.
Guardians dodged, constantly bickering.
Throughout, silently clutched Groot, sat quietly without word.
Only when passed quantum asteroids, made jump, ship smoking about to crash—decisively unbuckled. Waved wand, yanked Drax back. Using all magic, activated ring. Cloud mist enveloped ship, slowly lowered to forest.
Next, drank magic potion, started fires. Soon everyone stood before half-destroyed ship. As they blamed each other, efficiently tied everyone, gagged, piled, covered with Cloak. Cast Disillusionment, pulled jade pendant from bracelet, hung around neck.
"Shh! Best not make sound!" Warned.
Guardians saw ship approaching—fell silent. Already proved luck potion. Better obey!
Soon oval ship that helped fight Sovereign landed beside wreck. Door opened. Two figures emerged.
"Where? Ship here. Why no one?" Man looking like older Star-Lord frowned.
Beside him—girl with antennae. Antennae twitched. Glanced Gemini's direction surprised. "Think might've left?"
"Looks like completion waits. Definitely haven't left planet. Go find, good girl. I'll wait ship for news. Don't disappoint." Man smiled, patted shoulder, returned ship. Soon left. Only girl standing timidly.
While later, light beam shone down, enveloping girl. "Looks really not here. Small flyer for you. Scour planet. Find them!"
"Yes, Ego." Girl timid. Motorcycle-sized flyer descended. Sky fell quiet.
Canceled charm, felt around, pulled Cloak, folded, put away. Untied Guardians rolled in ball.
"Hey! What for?!" Star-Lord confused.
Shrugged. "Man gave bad feeling. Instinct said don't let find you. Girl—though standing together, instinct says can win over."
"Me?! What I have someone destroying fleets wants?" Bewildered.
Started pulling things. "Ask girl. Think knows something."
Girl looked more frightened, practically curling, but stood quietly without leaving.
Star-Lord coughed, approached carefree. Before spoke, girl started crying. Scared him back to ship. Refused go near. Gamora took over, led girl aside.
Dug ages, finally found—flying carpet not seen forever. But looking at numbers, sighed. Pulled broom, tied carpet and broom with rope.
Gamora's talk ended. Already green skin looked greener. Before could share intel, started calling. "Everyone on! Need leave!"
Looking at carpet floating shin-height no protection, mouths twitched. But seeing determination, carefully climbed on, sat gingerly, clutched tassels.
Mounted broom, turned to bewildered girl. "You have flyer. Just follow."
Without waiting answer, kicked off hard. String of screams—shot into sky.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📚 BOOK COMPLETED ON PATREON!📚
This story has reached its conclusion on my Patreon!
🔥 Full story available now
💎 Exclusive bonus content & early access to new books
👉 Join my Patreon community today!
[✨patreon.com/DarkGolds]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━