《Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification》 Chapter 0 - Hunter Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 0 ___________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 0 - "Hunter" ___________________ April 24, 1886 Pridon ___________________ Skilled warriors have weapons. So do brave hunters. Feral Beasts too have fangs and claws, much like weapons. Weapons forged for the express purpose of killing their target. William also possess a weapon. One that performs it''s purpose exceedingly well. His enemies had weapons as well though, and they are far more numerous than he was. His full name is... "Hunter" said a female voice from behind him. The tall man turned his head towards her. What he saw was a voluptuous lady wearing a red gown and carrying a bag that looked heavy standing beneath the shade of a tree a few feet away from him. "Who are you and why do you know that name?" His voice was stern and serious, but betrayed no emotion. "What do you mean? Does the word ''Hunter'' mean anything special?" She said coquettishly. "Stop playing stupid. It doesn''t suit you." ''The Crown is so secretive about the Book so much so that information about the Book is known only to a select few high ranking members of the Court, and the Mages themselves. If this woman knows my Title, then she must also know about the Book, so she has to be either a noble trusted by the Crown, a Mage like myself or a Mage''s associate.'' "Who are you really?" ''She has black hair and skin, she doesn''t look like she''s among the Court of Pridon. Her clothes look nice, but aren''t really all that expensive. She''s either not rich, or she''s pretending to be less affluent than she really is....if I could take a guess on her age, she''ll be in her early twenties..not married I see, no ring. She doesn''t appear to be wearing any other ornament other that her cheap-looking earrings and that pendant hanging from her neck. Wait! It appears to be a time piece. What a good-looking make it is.....so good that it can''t be normal. On closer inspection with my Eyes, the truth is revealed. It isn''t normal. I see. Magic, huh?'' ''She must be Clock.'' William concluded. "Are you done staring?"The woman asked frowning. ''She seems upset, I wonder why?'' "Oh..well, sorry. It''s just that, you''re so beautiful" ''If she discovers that I know her Title, the ritual of the Book dictates that the deed be done. I''m not in the mood for this, I have far more pressing matters to attend to. She doesn''t look like she''s about to attack me either.Regardless, I shouldn''t let my guard down. She''s already spoken my Title though. I''m worried.'' "Thanks for the compliment.. even though it''s very boring." "I don''t understand what you mean by boring" "I''m just saying that''s not a proper way to flatter a lady" "I wasn''t trying to do that.." "You were just giving an excuse for staring at me?" Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. "What is wrong with that?" "You tell me, you apologized." ''Is she always so impossible? You came here to say something, so just say it and get out already!'' William approached her, avoiding thorns and thick bushes to reach her. "Fine, I will introduce myself, my name is William Sharpside. Fair lady, would you be so kind as to give me your name?" He said this while standing right infront of her, facing her and almost bowing his head. "I''m not exactly fair, and I''m not a queen either, Mr.prince. Drop the act, so we can get to business." ''Says the person who has been wasting my time from the start.'' He was angry, but he let her speak. "The Crown has a message for you. The Seer has realised the existence of two souls fated to join. These two, bearing the Title of Quill and Crow shall come from the town of Weidson. Right now, they are still there. No more results can be provided on their abilities or Power." "Fated, huh? So no matter what, they will join the Ritual. I certainly feel sorry for them." "So do I. By the way, I''m not ready to fight you, Hunter. That''s why I''m hiding my identity." "And you''re doing quite the good job" "Thanks, finally a proper complement!" She looked quite happy. ''I was being sarcastic you fool! I meant the opposite of what I said! Your pendant is right in the open. It''s obvious!'' "You''re exactly who they say you are. For a moment, I thought you aren''t, but you''re quite the gentleman." ''And you''re quite the idiot. I''m nowhere close to being a real gentleman...I''m.... I''m being too distracted, I have to focus on what''s important. Why did the Crown give me this information. And even more importantly, how did she find me?'' "How did the Crown contact you?" "She sent a proxy. Told me she could kill me with a single word and sent me on my way to find you. Said she would know if I disobeyed her. Strangely, I believed." ''The Seer must have some kind of surveyance magic. Damn, I just don''t have a better name for it. The Seer must be capable of tracking my and her location. The Crown probably sent her here because she''s the closest to my current location, and they aren''t ready to waste resources on swift motion magic. The Crown is just as persuasive as always.'' "Thanks for the information, I''ll be on my way now!" "Wait, it should be obvious, right?" "Your Title, no no it''s well hidden. In fact it''s the most closely guarded secret I have ever encountered. Of course I don''t know it" "I''m not talking about that. You really love to talk, don''t you? I''m talking about what the Crown wants you to do." "I understand... I have to go to Weidson and eliminate the threats the moment they pop up.The problem is I don''t know who they are" "But you''re Hunter though. You are too good at finding people, especially enemies you can cut down." "You are right. But I need more information on my would-be targets." "I knew you''d agree. You''re afraid of the Crown too.." "Don''t call it fear, William Sharpside fears no man..or woman...You could say, I''m vary wary of someone who can kill men without even standing up from that throne of hers. Now, I''m assuming you have more to say?" "Yes. Their names start with J and L respectively. Both are commoners and J is an aspiring novelist, while L is a pianist, both of them are related. Oh, I almost forgot, there are actually three Mages in that city, or rather there will be when the other two awaken." "Which mage is it?" "It''s either Beast or Sword. Those are the only ones unaccounted for by the Crown." ''Sword is most likely Ein. I don''t want to face him, crossing swords with him is a pain. On the other hand, Beast is just who I want to kill. It''s a monster that deserves nothing but suffering and death for the tragedies it has caused.'' "Why is the information on the fated so cryptic?" "I don''t know. It''s probably restrictions on Seer''s abilities. Or divination is probably just obscure like that. Anyways, that''s all the information I have to give you. I''ve done my part now.. Time to go home." "Wait... You shouldn''t go at this time of the night. It''s almost midnight. Come on, let''s spend the night in the town" "That''s, exactly what I wanted to do, minus the ''let¡¯s'' part. There are a few nice inns here in Rimus. You should get going towards Weidson, if you start your journey now, you''ll get there in about two days." "What if I say, I''m too tired to go travelling across the nation throughout the night." "You don''t look tired. Also, you''re supposed to have night vision amongst your list of abilities, travelling at night is convenient for you." "Ok. I just remembered something. I have an important matter to attend to. Now that I think about it, you should join me." "What kind of important matter?" William kept silent, and instead of making his way towards Rimus, he went deeper into the woods. Clock grumbled, but followed. The woods were much more lively at night, than in the day. The owls were making their usual noises, the rats were far more active, and all the nocturnal animals were busy. Throughout their breif journey into the woods, Clock was complaining on how cold it was, and how the insects were eating her alive. William, for the most part, just ignored her. ''Is this the first time she''s gone hiking?'' "I don''t need noise, okay. If you make too much, you''ll wake it up" William spoke quietly. Her face went pale. ".....What do yo mean by ''IT''?" She whispered almost inaudibly. "To clarify, my little damsel-in-distress, I speak of a monster when i say the word ''It''."William was amused. "I will kill you for dragging me into this when all of this is over.." "That''s if you live long enough to get the chance..." Clock went silent. William almost laughed. ''There it is.'' Ever since he became Hunter, his eyes had become far more sensitive. He also gained the ability to see in the dark, and see much further to the distance than a common man. His Eyes move and follow his enemies, so he cannot lose sight of them. His Ears can detect truth from lies. His hands can wield any weapon made for killing animals, and body was strong enough to let him walk, run or climb for days, without pausing or stopping to rest, as long as he is on a hunt for prey. These abilities expend Power, though. The greatest improvement to him however, was his spellcasting ability- his Knowledge. William stopped abruptly. In front of him lay a massive beast that appeared to be a two-headed lion. It was sleeping peacefully. "Meet my friend Lion!" "Stop talking so loud, it''s going to wake up" Clock cried quietly. "It sleeps like a log. It won''t wake up even if I was clapping and stomping my feet." "You lied to me." "People lie to get what they want, it''s not personal. I just wanted you to shut up...Oh and, I don''t remember actually lying to you, it''s just a misunderstanding on your part" William smiled at her. She shrinked back in disgust. "You sicken me." "Thanks." William proceeded to crouch infront of the beast, producing his dagger from his jacket. He slit the fiend''s two throats one by one and watched it flail around for a few seconds before going limp and dying. "Rune of blood, flesh and bone, in exchange for Power, connect my words to the spirits of blood,flesh and bone and command them to strengthen my body with the spell known as"(These words were not spoken in English but in the Words of magic no one other that Mages and Spirits could understand.) William paused for a second to catch his breath, as a complex symbol drawn on his chest beforehand, hidden by his clothes, started to glow deep crimson. "Muscular enchantment- Strength of 10 men"(Words of magic) The glowing stopped. There was no noticeable change in William''s body though. The hunter wasted no time standing around after casting his spell. He effortlessly hauled the carcass of the fallen beast and balanced it on his shoulder with his left hand for support. "That''s done." William smirked as he turned to look at Clock. "Why did you drag me along then?" ''Why does she keep on saying that. Well, I guess I owe her an explanation.'' "It was for your protection. It should be past 12 already, the full moon is out. The REAL danger still lurks within these woods and I can''t let you roam free." "You''re not making any sense. What do you mean by real danger. And how are you protecting me" ''I have to explain everything, it seems.'' "As far as you are with me, the Wolf will avoid you and go it''s own way. It''s afraid of me, okay?" "A damned werewolf is afraid of you?" She didn''t sound convinced. "Yes. He is. Now, I''m done with this, let''s head over to the town, shall we?" The two of them went on their way towards Rimus. ______________________ Jordan E. Middlesworth Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 1 ________________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 1 - "Jordan E. Middlesworth" _______________________ The Beast rests in Weidson, watching and waiting for who to devour ~ Words of Seer after a successful divination. Performed on the 22 April, 1886 in Pridon central city, with materials provided by the Crown, and under heavy surveillance. _________________ April 27, 1886 Weidson town, Pridon. _________________ 16:05 Within the busy Saem street in Weidson town, the bakery was booming as always. After all, school children were back from summer school, many working class men and women had returned from work, and they had the money to spend on donuts and bread. Middlesworth''s bakery had so many loyal customers who always came back after a purchase. It was the most popular bakery in Weidson town, because their baked meals was simply delicious. "What captures the soul of this bakery?" Jordan said to himself, as he stood outside the bakery, looking at the people as they milled in to the establishment. "Or is it the hearts of the people that are entranced by the food and drink being served to them?" Jordan- an 17 year old - was shorter than most of his age mates, and had abnormally long brown hair,which he loved to braid or plait into neat patterns. He had always been called the odd bird, because he stood out from his peers as the strangest of them all. There were many reasons why he was seen as different. For one, he actually enjoyed reading as a child, and didn''t go out as often as others. He spent most of his days, holed up in either his room or the town library, with nothing but his books for company. That was how he grew up, to be the person he was now... Or at least that was what other people knew. "My ideas aren''t good enough, I''ll have to rethink the entire concept. Maybe I don''t need to write something that deep." The dark clouds gathered over the town, and it wasn''t long before a sudden intense rain started to fall down from the sky. Droplets of water started to fall on his body. As he turned to enter the bakery, his clothes felt damp with rain. ''My good jacket.'' Jordan dashed into his father''s bakery, but stopped running when he was inside and sheltered from the pouring rain. He was already too late, his clothes were soaked through. "What was I thinking about? Ahem ...the heart of... no was it the soul?" "Jordan" "Huh..."Jordan responded. He turned to the right, to see his father Llyod middlesworth staring at him. Llyod was a fat man with thick cheeks, a plump nose, brown hair and, usually a warm smile. Currently however, the man wore a scowl instead. "What were you doing oustide! We have customers to attend to!" "I''m, umm.. well, you said I should get a job, since I am not a child anymore, so I.." "So you went out and lazed about?" "No one was hiring! And I wasn''t lazing about, I was brainstorming for my book." "What the heck does that mean!" "I was....you know, collating my thoughts and ...umm. finding inspiration." "For the last time, Jordan, writing storybooks is not a job! Get a job, or work here in the bakery. End of discussion." Llyod stormed off to help Risa handle the customers. Jordan reluctantly followed, dodging the people who were waiting for the rain, as well as those who were waiting for both the rain and their cake. He took position behind the counter, and started taking orders from the people in the not-so-orderly line. He got bored very quickly. The smell of sweat was annoying. ''The winter had long since passed by, they should have bathed, why didn''t they bathe!'' This wasn''t what he wanted. Jordan wanted a job that required less contact with other human beings. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Serving people. Dealing with people. Talking to people. To Jordan, it was all hassle. It was tiring, and it was boring. In a few moments, he decided he had had enough. He waited for a chance when his father had gone inside to bake, and his step-mother wasn''t looking. And then he sneaked into his room, closed the door and heaved a sigh of relief. He was free. He opened up his journal and flipped through the pages. October 1882. Hi journal. It''s me again. I asked someone out today. Yep, same as always. It seems it might take awhile for the ladies to notice my handsome. Yeah, I know I''m kidding myself. I don''t really look all that attractive. At all. Skipped. Hi, again journal. Is there a difference with you and a diary, i might have to look it up at the library.. Skipped. Hi, journal/probably diary. I have a confession to make. I believe...now hold on, don''t judge me okay? I believe I might have gone mad. What did I say about not judging me. Come on, journal quit laughing at me, it''s mean. Fine you don''t want to believe me, go ahead, I''ll change the subject! Skipped, very quickly this time, passed a few more pages at a time. August 1884. Journal. Lisa is driving me crazy. She turned my world upside down the moment her mother went ahead and got married to my dad- what do the ladies even see in him. Now we''re supposed to be siblings. The other day, Lisa tried to burn you because I accidentally stepped on dolly-her favorite doll, could you believe the name? It''s so shitty- and she almost succeeded in killing you! Umm, not that you''re alive to begin with, but I like to talk as if you are. Skipped a whole lot of burnt and scratched pages. April 1886. Journal. I''ve had enough of this girl. She pretends to be a cute, innocent little pre-teen but she''s really a monster. Tonight, I promise I''ll strangle her to death... Wow, I went crazy there. Of course I''m not strangling my kid sister to death. I love her, kinda. Now, away from the Lisa topic. Over to the book. I am absolutely going to make something phenomenal with this novel. I''ll prove to that old man who calls himself my father that I''m in no way a lazy good for nothing loner with issues. I will be successful, have a hot girlfriend and be rich enough to buy my own train..... Wow, I went crazy again. Of course I don''t have any real issues, neither do I really want a girlfriend.... I''m signing out for now, journal. The world is a vast and beautiful place...wait am I really writing my draft here. I must be stupid... Goodbye for real now, journal. Empty pages. Jordan was smiling as he read the last part, and then he dipped the quill in ink and started writing a new entry. To The one and only journal of Jordan middesworth. I made a mistake with my last entry. I really do want that train. Yeah I know, no one can by a train here in Pridon. The Crown controls the entire railway system. Doesn''t mean I can''t dream! I might really kill Lisa today. She''s...not really done something yet. Wow, new record, for a whole day, she hasn''t messed with me once. It looks like after so many years I have finally become someone she can respect. No.. I really haven''t. She''s been a bit distant these days. She has friends and all after all. By the way school isn''t in session, save for summer school that is for kids without brains, I mean good grades. Lisa isn''t like that. I guess she''s been a bit more out going. Turned 13 last week... What is with me? Why am I behaving like that''s a bad thing? Yeah, I have to quit smoking. Maybe It''s making my head... y''know what, journal? I''ll say goodbye for now. Jordan dropped the quill, with a frown. He looked at the clock in his room. 16:44 Jordan lay down on his bed, and started thinking about the book he wanted to write. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise of sone one''s hand against the wooden door of Jordan''s room. Alarmed, he jumped up from the bed and went to the door to spy through the little hole. The man he saw through the door hole, was a very tall man with a black long coat, and long black hair. The man had a stern look on his face as well as a few ghastly scars. Under the coat, he appeared to be wearing a white shirt, and brown trousers. Jordan had never met the man in his life. "I know you are there, Jordan Elyas Middlesworth. You shall henceforth know me as Mr. William. I have come to visit you" Who in the world is this freak? "Usually, visitors stay in the sitting room...please go there." "I''m sorry, I was under the impression that you didn''t have a drawing room." "We don''t." "Well, you use a living room without paintings, huh? Boring." "Not boring, normal. We''re not rich enough to afford that" "Is that so? Well pardon my wrong doing. But I want to see you face to face, and I think your room will suffice, do would you be kind as to open the door?" "I need to rest, sorry come back some other time." ''I don''t need wierdos around me right now. He looks like he''s at least 12 years older than me. What does he want? Is he one of those creeps who target boys? A gay stalker? Does that even exist?'' "I guess we''ll see each other some other time, then. Sorry to disturb you." William was turning around to leave when he stopped abruptly. "Oh, I almost forgot. Do not say a word to your family about my coming here. They don''t know, and things might get complicated if they do. Goodbye, quill." And the man left. ''What the bloody hell was that?'' Jordan slumped back unto his bed, and laid there for a while. Soon enough, his father almost knocked down the door after discovering that he skipped work. Jordan frowned, as he got up from the bed to deal with what ensued afterwards. _______________ 22:03 ''Lisa just came back home. Dad and Mom scolded her, but they aren''t nearly as angry at her than they were at me.'' "I''m just glad you''re okay honey, we were so worried about you" The woman hugged Lisa who was soaked wet from the down pour she apparently fought her way through. ''It seems as though her mother didn''t see it, but I think there are marks on Lisa''s shirt, as if it was torn and stitched back by someone who didn''t know what they were doing. I''m not a creep, I promise, but...why would her clothes be torn up, I mean her excuse was going to the library, right. Where did she really go, and what.... I was thinking of telling mom and Dad about it a minute ago when I just saw it...but I''ve changed my mind now. I''ll ask her myself, and find out what really is going on, then I''ll share the story with our parents. I''m a good elder brother, aren''t I?'' These were the words Jordan wrote on his journal that night. He added it to his most recent journal entry. Then he made sure that Risa and Llyod were in their rooms sleeping. Next, he knocked on Lisa''s door. It was already open so he let himself in. "Where did you really go?" "What are you talking about?" Lisa was still awake. She had flipped from her fake sleeping position and answered him instantly. ''She is still pretending....'' "Your shirt, the one you wore when you came back, why was it torn up?" "It''s none of your business..." "What do you mean It''s none of my business. I''m your brother..." Jordan paused. "It''s not a big deal. You''re making it sound so important. My shirt got torn up because I ran into something sharp on the way home, I stopped by at the tailor''s to stitch it back up." "Somehow, I don''t completely believe you." "Why! I''m in a really bad mood, okay? Just leave me alone." "I...did something else happen? I know you''re lying to me. We''ve lived under the same roof for 5 years now. I know when you''re not sincere." "What do you think happened? You must have some kind of idea, right?" "What makes you think that?" "You''re insisting that something bad happened to me. Something I would hide from you, mom and dad." "Did something happen?" "There you go. The same question again. It''s almost like you want something to have happened. Now get out of my room so I can sleep." "Lisa..." "Get the hell out of here!" She screamed, brimming with anger. It was a kind of anger he had never seen on her face before. She wasn''t just angry. She looked sad. Somehow guilty too. Jordan took a step back. He didn''t know what to say. "I''m sorry. So.. sorry... I just can''t.... I can''t tell you right now." "I get it, I think. Just.. open up on your own time, okay. Tell me what happened whenever you''re ready. I''ll be right here, okay?" "No. You don''t understand. I want to tell you. I wanted to say something. But I can''t because...I just can''t, okay. Don''t expect me to say anything else. Just forget about it. And let me..." Tears were streaming out of her eyes. "Just let me sleep." Jordan decided it was best to leave her alone. So he left her room. However, he didn''t realize that that would be the final conversation between the two of them. By the next morning , she was dead. ____________________ Descent into insanity Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 2 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 2 - "Descent into insanity" __________________ There is a void beyond the depths of human understanding. A chasm of ignorance. An empty well of oblivion that is covered with what humans could use to explain it. All futile though, after all, how can the sane grasp the understanding of that which is so profound, that their previous knowledge established as true becomes worthless. Indeed the wise are fools, holding on to facts, when they stand before the unexplained and unexplainable only fools and mad men can comprehend~ Words of Philosopher. He said those words on the 3rd of March 1875, right before his execution which was ordered by The Crown. __________________ April 28, 1886 Weidson, Pridon __________________ Jordan''s eyes opened up. He looked at the clock. 6:48 He couldn''t endure all the chatter and clatter that was going on outside his room. He couldn''t sleep in. The young man decided to get up and stretch. ''Lisa is probably acting out again'' While tidying his room, Jordan looked back to the events of the previous night. How Lisa acted strangely, and the events leading up to getting kicked out of her room. Soon, Jordan was done with his work. He proceeded to leave his room. The moment he opened the door, he saw Risa who was coincidentally about to open the door to his room. She didn''t say a word to him and marched inside. ''What''s going on?'' "Jordan, have you seen Lisa ?" "No, I just woke up, maybe she''s in her room." "She isn''t." Risa looked worried. She quickly scrambled out of the room leaving Jordan confused. Then it hit Jordan. ''Lisa is ..'' No. Jordan refused to believe that Lisa was missing. He left the room and started searching for her alongside Risa and Llyod. They searched for several minutes. Around the house, in the bakery that was built into the house. They took the search outside too. They asked the neighbours. But at the end of it all, their search was futile. Jordan had to believe the truth that was clear before his eyes. Lisa was missing. The bakery was temporarily closed. The family was sitting in the living room, tired after their fruitless search. ''I guess there''s no point in keeping anything from them.'' Jordan thought as he looked at the worried looks of Lloyd and Risa. He explained what had transpired between him and Lisa the previous day. The fact that she was hiding something important from them seemed to only make Risa more worried. However, Lloyd appeared to be angry at Lisa for some reason. Jordan left the living room, so he couldn''t hear the conversation that ensued. He was thoroughly exhausted after the search, and decided to retire to his room. Before he could reach his room, he heard a knock on the door to the house (not the bakery. The house and the bakery are divided into two, but are in fact the same building.). Jordan went to open the door, half-expecting it to be Lisa. He was wrong of course. It was a familiar face though, local sheriff Shaun Howard. He was a short, white muscular man with red hair, a mustache, and sideburns. Mr. Howard wore a long face as he stepped into the house. "We found her, Mr.Middlesworth." Why would he look so down, while saying such good news. Maybe... it''s not really good news. "Where is she?" Risa interrogated. Lloyd put his hand on hers. "She''s dead." Jordan was speechless. So was the entire family for a while, before the good policeman elaborated. "She was found unconscious on the beneath the hill on the outskirts of town. We suspect it to be murder. She was dumped where someone wouldn''t easily find her. One of our men, Sammy heard some gunshots around that area sometime in the night, and took his sweet time relaxing doing god knows what before he finally went to check it out in the morning. Poor girl was already gone, and the shooters were of course nowhere to be found, by the time our people showed up."The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Mr. Howard paused for a while. Risa was in tears. Lloyd was trying to console her. Jordan was stiff, not really moving or saying anything, his mouth twitching ever so slightly. "My condolences..." Howard said before getting up, and leaving. ''She''s really dead..I did nothing after what she said last night..I might as well have killed her. It was my fault...Lisa...'' ____________ 14:26 Jordan was still stunned. He was lying on his back in his room still thinking. Earlier that day, His father and mother had went to see Lisa''s body. She still had her wavy blonde hair and petite nose.... ''Whoever killed her deserves to die.'' Jordan remembered her cute smile and suddenly his anguish turned to rage. ''Whoever they are, they deserve to suffer and die'' Cursing them didn''t change anything. They were still out there, free as they could be after doing such a horrible thing. Mr. Howard promised over the phone that they will do whatever it takes to find out who did it, and bring them to justice. The police actually tried. They searched our house, but found no signs of breaking in. Nobody had broken into the house. And the door and windows were locked. Every single one of them. The only explanation was that Lisa herself left the house. And proof that she did was there obvious. The door could be locked from the outside. And the keys were somewhere they weren''t before- they were right in front of the house door. The best explanation for these facts was that Lisa took the key, left the house, locked the door, and slided the key through the bottom of the door. But does that mean that Lisa willingly sneaked out to go and die? ''No. That''s stupid. Something must be wrong with my head...'' Then, the other option was that someone knocked on the door at two am in the morning, and Lisa was the only one awake for some reason, and she saw it fit to open the door for her would-be killer. ''No. She wouldn''t have known. And she''s not stupid enough to do that.'' "Who, could possibly have killed such a sweet and innocent girl.." ''William.'' Somehow, that name kept coming up in Jordan''s head. ''It''s stupid. I shouldn''t be like this. There''s no way that strange man had anything to do with this.'' As he thought that, he realized that that man had slipped into their house from the bakery unnoticed. The same man, had explicitly told Jordan not to tell his family about his ''visit''. And to top it off, the man knew Jordan''s full name. Jordan knew that these weren''t enough grounds for suspicion. He knew he was acting crazy. He knew it made no sense to blame a stranger...but he still couldn''t stop thinking about him. About how his eyes were fierce, how his back was slumped, how his face was hardened and his hands seemed strong. His body had reeked of blood. Mr. William could be... Jordan covered his face with a pillow. Even now, not a single tear had left his eyes. It felt unreal, like a dream. He wanted to believe it didn''t happen. But it did. He wasn''t waking up to reality, this is reality. _______________ 17:08 Jordan was out running. He didn''t work on his book all day, neither did he help with the bakery. The bakery wasn''t even open after all. Risa was too shaken to bake anything, Lloyd decided to rest too. Jordan ran for awhile, until he heard his name. It was a voice he had only ever heard once. ''William'' "Mr.William" Jordan said as he looked at the man. He tried his best not to inject any indignation into that sentence, but failed woefully. "Jordan. It''s nice to see you again. Could we talk for a minute?" "Yes..we could." Jordan stood there awkwardly as William turned to move. It took a moment for him to realise he was meant to follow. The two of them walked for a few moments in silence. It seemed that William was moving away from the road. The man headed towards the less-populated part of town. It wasn''t far from where Jordan was running. ''Is he going to kill me too?'' Jordan could have stopped following him, and just walked away. But he was curious. He wanted to know what this man was trying to talk about. After making sure no one was watching them, Mr.William stopped. So did Jordan. "I see. You blame me for the death of your step-sister Lisa." Jordan was stunned once again. ''How does he know that?'' "Don''t worry, there''s no need to feel guilty about blaming me. Indeed even I don''t understand why you think that, I believe the heart of a man can be an enigma sometimes." "How.." "You want to find out who did this?" "Yes...I do." Jordan responded. "I know." William took out a cigar, and lighted it. "Huh?" "I know who killed her, and I helped them do it." He smoked before he continued. "So yes, your gut isn''t wrong. I am responsible for her death." Jordan could not express the depths of his anger in words. He could only stare at William with intense hatred.. Jordan didn''t know when he rushed to attack the bastard, without thinking it through first. He didn''t succeed in touching him. William, suddenly a few steps away, was grinning. "Weak.. It seems I won''t have a hard time getting rid of you." Jordan panted. ''I''m tired just from that? I need to work out more often'' ''What am I thinking about! My sister''s killer is right in front of me. He confessed to his crimes....no. He didn''t kill her. He help someone else in killing her.'' "Who did it. And Why?" ''Since he''s talking I might as well press him for more information...'' "What are you doing, Jordan? You can''t possibly think I''ll tell you that now will I? I honestly didn''t see this coming. Our conversation shouldn''t have gone this way. I extend my sincere condolences for the tragic death of your..." "Shut up! You helped kill her. It''s your fault!" "Of course. That doesn''t mean I can''t be sorry about it. It was tragic indeed. But enough of that, let''s talk about the matter at hand. You asked me who killed her, right? I''ll tell you. It was the Queen. The Queen of Pridon ordered her death." "What kind of sick joke is this!" The tall man took another puff of smoke, before responding. Jordan fought the urge to smack him in the face, and run away. "The Queen killed her because she had to. Again, it was a tragedy. It would be great if you see the Queen yourself and ask her directly, you''ll get the full story. If you want to, I can take you to her, but I don''t guarantee your safety." He was smiling. The monster was smiling as he said that. ''I hate him.'' "What kind of.." Then Jordan took the time to think about it. ''What if he''s saying the truth. It''s absurd, but I''m only blaming him now, on the assumption that his words are true. I don''t know the Queen personally. But on the other hand, why should I trust the words of a stranger who might have killed my sister?He could have made up the entire story just to taunt me.'' William''s face went serious. "You want proof. You can''t believe me without evidence... Well, there is no evidence. None other than magic. Yes. It was magic. The Book of magic is evidence that a Mage killed her." "The what?" Jordan was sick of this. This man was just spouting one lie after the other. First, he wanted Jordan to believe that the Queen of Pridon killed his sister. Now he''s saying it has to do with magic. ''There is no such thing as magic! I don''t believe in that nonsense because it doesn''t make sense. Good non-fiction books about science do not in any way mention magic! The fact that he just had to say magic discredits everything else he had said. He''s lying to me.'' "You don''t believe in magic. Then how am I understanding your thoughts? How do I know what''s going on in your head?" "You...must be a very good judge of character." "How did I enter your house without anybody spotting me?" "You are very good at sneaking around." "How did Lisa get captured?" "She must have left the house herself, there is evidence that proves that." "Staged evidence to throw off the police.. I''m done with you, young man. You won''t believe it until you see it... Go to the hill on the outskirts of town. You''ll see a cave, or rather what remains of it. Blood as well as huge claw marks are all over. Those marks couldn''t possibly have been made by a bear or any normal animal. It could only be explained as a work of magic." "I don''t believe a word of what you say. If you''re not going to kill me now, I''m going to report everything you say to the police." "You almost sound like you want to die." "I don''t care anymore." "You''re lying. I know. Anyways, when you are willing to sate your curiosity, climb to the top of the hill. It''s huge, it will take some strength, but you can do it. There you should find an abandoned shack. It would only be there if you come alone. Open the door and you will find the Queen, eventually. She''ll most likely try to kill you." ''Why. Why am I still listening to him?'' "Good luck. I really hope you survive. Oh and I can''t kill you. See, you''re Fated to become a Mage. No matter what, it will happen. It''s not really possible for anyone to change fate, so you will become a Mage, Jordan. My attacks wouldn''t work on you until you do. Fate will continue to intervene to make sure you don''t die until you reach the Book of Magic. Trust me, I''ve tried to kill one of you Fated. I kinda failed." He sounded so warm and friendly. "Well, goodbye Quill. My Title is Hunter, by the way. According to the Oath of the Book of Magic, next time we meet we shall be enemies." ___________________ Descent into insanity II Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 3 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 3 - "Descent into insanity II" __________________ "My sincere apologies, Master Vlad." "What is the matter?" "It appears some humans have stumbled upon the truth of our existence." "Is that a problem?" "No sire. It''s just that.." "It makes no difference whether they know we exist or not. There is no threat to us whatsoever, only a bigger threat to them." ~Common conversation between A vampire lord and his demonic servant, conducted in The Ancient Castle sometime in the 1500''s. __________________ April 29,1886. Weidson, Pridon __________________ 19:00 It was a Thursday evening. The streets of Weidson were nearly empty, save for a few children and their parents who were moving quickly towards the tent at the far eastern corner of town. Thursdays were the days the circus came to town. These particular travelling band of performers usually make trips around the entire Flintshire Region, but they only stopped in Weidson on Thursdays. But Jordan wasn''t going to the circus. ''The little Mountain'' was on the southwestern part of town. It took a fewmoments of trekking on foot for Jordan to get there. When he did get there he was shocked at the place''s transformation. The hill on the southwestern outskirts of Weidson was popularly referred to by the people who lived around it as ''the little Mountain'' due to it''s size and structure. It was big green and quite a sight to behold... Now, it is ugly, stained with an abnormal amount of blood and a sickening pungent odour has invested itself into the once glorious hills surroundings. "Ugly huh? Our very own little mountain could now be more accurately described as the bloody hill of horrors." A gruffy old man with an exotic accent spoke to Jordan. Jordan looked towards the speaker, and opted not to respond. Hopefully the stranger took the hint and walked away. He looked at the hilltop from the ground, seeing no house or structure of any kind. Without hesitation, Jordan started the climb upwards. ''I have to know'' ''Things have to make sense'' The seething rage within Jordan''s heart was almost completely overshadowed by his fear and his curiosity. The young man embarked on the journey to the heart of the chaos that had encroached his otherwise peaceful life, in search for answers. And he was determined to make sense of it all. Why was Lisa murdered? What is this Book of Magic that William spoke of? But alas, the most pressing question Elyas middlesworth had on his mind, was none of those. It was a question of if he would survive the ordeal that lay ahead. ''William said the queen would try to kill me. But he also said I''m immortal until I achieve my destiny - or rather that was how I remember it. So, should I really be doing this? Isn''t going here and ''becoming a Mage'' according to William going make it possible for them to kill me?'' Jordan had had a similar conversation with himself a day before, just after his talk with William. He wanted answers as soon as possible,but he couldn''t bring himself to climb up the hill at that time. He felt as though it meant he had accepted and believed that killer''s words- meaning he believed in magic.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. But he convinced himself to go, telling himself that the real reason he was going was to disprove the mad man''s ramblings as the untruth that they are. The plan was that after proving him wrong, he would report what had transpired between them to the police, and in the end William would be behind bars- where he belonged. Jordan made sure to prepare, in case there were ruffians and thugs on the hill who were sent there by Williams to finish the job. He brought with him a bag containing a knife, a rope, a small pistol- stolen from Lloyd''s desk- his quill and ink, and his journal. The knife and pistol in case things went down to a fight and the rope for restraining the potential criminals. His writing materials served no other purpose than to be there for him to draw and write notes on whatever or whoever he found there. Soon, the young man had reached the top of the hill. "I''m here." Jordan wasn''t too surprised when he saw nothing at the top of the hill. He was only glad and relieved. He was happy because this ''magic'' did not exist- meaning he was right, and relieved because there was no threat to his life whatsoever... He turned to leave, cursing himself under his breath for even climbing up there in the first place. "Who the bloody hell are you?" Jordan yelled. Standing at the top of the hill was the old man from earlier. As the man opened his mouth to speak, suddenly there was a flash of crimson light that nearly blinded his eyes. As Jordan opened his eyes, he saw the same old man collapsed on the floor, in a pool of his own blood. Without even having a moment to process what he saw, his body was suddenly grabbed. Dark arms got hold of his arms and his legs. He was desperately flailing around, trying to break free from their grip, as his body was dragged in through some kind of door, and dropped on the floor. The shadowy arms disappeared into the shadows, leaving Jordan confused. "Was that..." ''No. Those hands might have been people. Yes, some ruffians carried me and dropped me inside this building....that doesn''t explain the red light and the wounded man, I don''t remember hearing a gunshot, or any noise for that matter...'' The more Jordan thought about it, the more the truth became obscure and unclear. He almost entertained the idea of something supernatural being the cause, but he didn''t even finish the thought before changing his mind. He resigned to focus on what he can see now, and what he saw was an old decrepit passageway. On both sides of the corridor, there were doors and windows. Upon inspection of those windows, Jordan discovered that they were all tightly shut, and through them he saw nothing but a deep crimson light coming into the room. There was apparently nothing outside. "Wow, ''magical'' indeed." Jordan dismissed that thought for later, and resumed his inspection. Journal, I have been abducted and brought into a mysterious corridor. I am not sure if I''ll survive. The door behind me with a label of "WEIDSON" is locked, and no matter what I do, it doesn''t open up. I''m in quite the predicament, aren''t I? I haven''t given up hope yet. The curious corridor seems to hold all sorts of secrets. The window for one, ushers in crimson light, which lights up the corridor. It seems the night outside is so overshadowed by the light, that I don''t see anything else when I look outside. If I listen closely I hear strange whispers. The words are indecipherable, but I know some people are saying something. I think it might be latin. The same phrase is repeated over and over. The other doors, are labelled with names of famous towns in Pridon, and a few less popular ones. "CENTRAL CITY" was there. So was "TOPIS" and "BRIARBROOK". Even "BRADLEY" was there.I tried to open the doors just now, not one of them budged. Isn''t that curious? Honestly, I know I''m not stupid. The evidence is there. Since,the WEIDSON door obviously leads back to Weidson, the other doors should lead to those respective towns. But It doesn''t make any sense. What? Am I meant to just turn off my brain and believe it''s some kind of magic? No! I won''t. Even if I don''t have a proper answer for what I''m seeing and hearing, I will continue to try..to find one. Signing out for the moment, I just saw some strange symbol, across the room, thanks for listening to me rant like that, Journal. You''re a true friend. Jordan closed the Journal, and moved towards the symbol. The symbol was in the other end of the corridor, opposite the CENTRAL CITY door. Unsurprisingly, it was also crimson red. But it appeared to be real blood. The blood was used to paint a strange symbol, bounded with a circle, housing straight lines inside which formed a simple pentagram. Outside and within the pentagram, at certain places, there were smaller symbols that Jordan couldn''t identify. He stretched his hands forward, and touched the symbol, feeling the smooth texture of the dried blood on his skin. He quickly removed his hands. ''When I touched it, it seems as though those voices increased in tempo,...and something was calling for me..'' ''Yeah, now I''m the one not making any sense? Nothing was ''calling'' for me. I didn''t even hear my name!'' Not too long after, there was a loud noise, followed by the creaking sound, of an old door opening up. Jordan''s head shot towards the direction of the noises. The CENTRAL CITY door was open ajar. And three men, clad in military attire and armed with a blunderbuss each, were marching forward towards the other end of the corridor. The soldiers were marching towards Jordan. Jordan groped inside his bag until his hand got hold of his pistol. The moment the soldiers saw a pistol in the boy''s hand, they thought it best to halt and point their guns at Jordan.One of them spoke, while the others kept silent. "Who are you and why are you here?" The soldiers'' voice was loud and intimidating. Jordan wasn''t prepared for this. "..." Jordan was speechless. He opened his mouth, but not a single word came out. He was staring at the soldiers and their huge guns, pointed at him and he realized that in the presence of these men, with superior skills and training, his gun might as well have been a banana. "Who are you!" The voice was louder this time. Whoever these people were, they were pissed. ''What do I do? Do I shoot? Will that help? But then again,do I want to just shoot a soldier. Why am i not saying anything.. there''s no point either way, this place isn''t where I should be...If I tell them I was dragged in here, will they understand?'' "He''s not saying anything, Ross. I think we should kill him. After all, he must have seen the symbols." "You''re right. The Queen''s direct orders were to terminate any and all intruders. Too bad it''s a kid." "We have to kill him." Jordan barely had a moment to think, before hearing the loudest noise he had ever heard in his life. And then there was a feeling of intense pain from his right hand as the bullet had successfully hit it''s mark. Jordan''s hand was bleeding away, and his pistol was across the room. Jordan screamed in pain. The soldier on the left reloaded his gun and aimed at Jordan''s head. "Don''t miss this time." "I didn''t miss before, cap." Throwing his body to the ground, Jordan attempted to dodge the bullet. It was a success. The bullet landed on the wall, narrowly missing the symbol, and completely missing it''s target-Jordan. "Now, I missed." The soldier reloaded and pointed the gun at Jordan again. He walked closer, keeping the gun trained on him. Jordan was once again paralysed with fear. "I won''t miss again." ''He was fooling around! I don''t stand a chance... I''m..... I''m going to die!'' The man aimed his gun properly. ''I am going to die'' Jordan remembered the symbol, that was now right above his head as he lay awkwardly on the floor.The pain from his right arm was disturbing his thoughts. ''Magic...'' Jordan looked up towards the symbol, his hands stretched upwards, his eyes pleading. "Help me, please.." The soldier stopped, confused. "Please.." Jordan didn''t know who he was talking to, or why he was saying that, but those were the only words that managed to come out of his mouth, before Ross had enough and pulled the trigger. __________________ The Book of Magic 29th April, 1886 Page 7 A vague shape resembling that of a man was suspended with thick strong bronze chains wrapped around his hands, feet and part of his torso. Around the ''Man'' there was a golden-white glow, coming from the surroundings. The being that was locked up stirred all of a sudden. "I can''t have that." It said with it''s sinister voice. And then it grinned. __________________ Book of magic Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 4 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 4- "Book of magic" __________________ The curses sealed within it, along with all the unspeakable horrors locked alongside them did not hold a candle to the newest one. This one had enough Power to completely subjugate every single one of them, and that is exactly what it did. They all cried out in pain, centuries later, where it seems that the humans have finally come in contact with this entity, and they were the ones to suffer as their Power- their very soul- was sucked away from them, to be fed to the very humans who sealed them away. They cried out and cursed the day that demon was born-if ever he was- and fought back with all of their being. They failed. "Huh.. It appears that they call this the Book of Magic...well, to them, that it shall be." ~ ???? 1851, Book of Magic , Pridon. ____________________ "Let your blood become one with mine." Jordan''s hand seemed to move on it''s own, eventually touching the symbol, with his bloody right hand. The blood that had gusshed pit of his wrist, came in contact with the dried blood of the symbol. Then the symbol glowed with great intensity. The light enveloped around Jordan, and time itself appeared to be suspended. Jordan''s heart was racing, as he felt himself falling down, the world around him shattering to accommodate his travel. As the world shattered, it gave way to darkness. Pitch black darkness. He felt as though he would continue to fall forever, but soon, he felt solid ground beneath his feet. The world was still black. "You can open your eyes now, Human." Jordan''s eyes opened up. ''When did I.... What is'' "Do not try to understand. All will make sense in due time" Jordan took the time to gaze upon whoever was talking to him. It appeared to be a man, held tightly by bronze chains. These chains suspended the man in mid air, some being connected to the ground while others stretching out into the sky.. The sky wasn''t normal either. It had a golden white ambience to it, and looking at it felt like looking into the sun. "But it''s night-time." Jordan was once again speechless. He was also confused on how those words were the ones coming out of his mouth. He had several more important questions to ask, and something so stupid and inconsequential was the first thing he asked. He couldn''t comprehend the depths of how comfused he was. His mind continued to attempt to come up with answers, but it failed at every turn. Jordan had no choice but to come into terms with the fact that magic is beyond his understanding. "Are you done staring, child?" "Yes. I''m ready for answers. First we question,who are you?" "You see the guise of skin, flesh and bone. This aids our conversation, as having you too shooken wouldn''t facilitate negotiations. Let me begin by introducing myself. I am the being that was sealed within this book almost a thousand years ago. I am hope." "Hope?Book?" "You are not even uttering complete sentences. I am hope, as well as ambition, goals, dreams, visions, plans and schemes...in the simplest understanding I am want. And I am desire." "Alright, let''s just say I believe you. What the hell did you mean by book?" The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "I suggest you refrain from saying hell, mortal. You have never been there, you do not even know what it means. The Book I spoke of is the book of Magic. We are inside of it." "I''m inside a book?" ''I am actually inside a book!!!'' "Is it too surprising?" "No. Not really." "Then ask, so that you may learn." "What exactly are you?What can you do? And why are you locked up like that?" "I am an incarnation of desire. I am capable of taking whatever I want by force and I want the world. I was locked up here by human mages because of those exact reasons." "That''s...helpful. So why am I here?" The man stirred a bit, and then smiled. "You don''t want to know more?" "I don''t need to. Yes, it doesn''t make any sense. But I''m starting to think, it cannot make sense. My head hurts if I think about it too much. I guess, I''ve given up." "Fool. Jordan Middesworth, what if I tell you now, that I can give you all the Knowledge you require, and then even this world of magic shall be comprehensible by even you?" "Knowledge? If you can tell me, then just tell me, damnit!" "It comes at a price. As all worthy things do." "How much?" The ''man'' laughed, hard and long. He laughed as though he had heard the funniest thing in the world. "I do not ask for your paper and rocks, child. I''m taking about your blood, and your soul." "I don''t really get it" Jordan shrugged. He felt as though nothing could really faze him anymore after all he''s been through so far. "If you agree, I could grant you the Power to perform magic, and teach you how." "Yes." "That was quick." "If I''m going to die, I''ll rather die with the feeling that I''ve finally understood the universe.I have no choice in the matter, you''re my only hope." "The soldiers, right?" "How do you know what''s going on?" "I have eight connections with the outside world. It makes it much easier to sense whatsoever is happening. It would be more effective when you and I form the Pact necessary for you to obtain the Power and Knowledge you seek. But you will pay the price for what you obtain from me." "So, now that I''ve agreed, does it mean I''ve sold my soul? How does that work? Am I dead now or what?" Desire smiled. Jordan believed that just might have been the creepiest smile he had ever seen. "You are not dead. But you will be soon, Jordan Middesworth. Remember, death is the end of life. You can only see and talk and think because you are alive. When you are dead, you can do none of that." "Then what can I do when I die?" "You''re so certain... Child, I do not have an answer for that, because I have never been dead, nor would I ever be, inasmuch as the universe remains the way it is." Jordan paused to think. ''Do I really believe in magic now?Why? It could be that this is all a dream, umm.. a nightmare. Yes. If this was just a nightmare, and I''m really just lying on my bed resting, then everything might make sense- the pain from the shooting, was a wake-up call if anything, but I don''t want to think too much. It could be that the pain is just my hand hitting something hard in my room, and I''m still in the dream world interpreting it as a gunshot. .....Is that what I want to believe?'' Jordan looked at the lofty figure that was the shape of a human, but had no facial features whatsoever. Or any other features rather than arms legs, a torso, a groin and a head. Whenever it spoke, the mouth appeared to morph out of the face, it wasn''t even a good imitation- it was imperfect and it was messed up. He wondered to himself how he was so calm while talking to such a thing. ''Yes. Maybe I want to believe in magic.'' The existence laughed hoarsely. "Let us begin. You have only been capable of seeing me in this form, because your soul has been partially summoned into this dimension. You were summoned against your will, and because of that, I lost some of my power, as more chains wrapped themselves around me. To make things right, I will give you an iota of my Power as your own, and I swear to always supply you with Power via my connection with you. Henceforth to you shall speak the words of magic as you desire, and a sanctuary shall be built in the world of spirits for your soul, using my Power, the combined Power of the Book of Magic, and my very flesh and bones. In accordance to the Ancient tenents of wisdom, you shall choose a Name, that shall be your own and belong to no-one else. This special name represents your sanctuary''s position in the spirit world. It also represents your Self- who you are or your identity and your Path as in who you want to be. You may choose a name now, but only one fits you completely." "And what''s that one?" "Quill. An instrument of writing." "Well, I guess I''m choosing the one that''s best for me." "You shall now be known as Quill. The thing that writes. That which etches upon the fabric of existence, that which creates worlds enclosed beyond the realms of reality, seek freedom from the world in which you belong and embrace the world beyond your comprehension. Quill, you will repeat these words after me: ''I forsake my humanity, and accept the power that is granted me.''" "I forsake my humanity and accept the power that is granted to me." "It is done. The Power is yours. As Quill, you will be capable of inscribing ink upon any surface of your desire, without possessing a writing material, and without physically interacting with the said object in any way. Know that this is a Blessing, granted alongside a Curse. You shall seek out the Power you desire, the complete Power and Understanding of magic. But you shall only find it after paying the price." "What is the price? My soul?" "No. If you lose your soul, you will lose your Self, and you will not exist. All you have to do to obtain my full Power, and the full Knowledge of magic, is to kill every other Mage, whose Powers come from me, you must swear to kill them the moment you know their Name or Title as they might call it." "But you said you wanted my soul?" "That indeed, is the second option. But as I said before, losing your soul to me, means only I exist in your body, not you." "Well, then I''m choosing the first option then. I swear to.. whatever you said." "It is not too difficult if you ask me. Once you obtain the Full Powers of magic, your true desires shall be met...Jordan, you shall become.." "A god. That''s the only thing I could call it. If I have the powers to do whatever I wanted, doesn''t that make me a god..but then again, how did a god get locked up, like you did?" "That one, is a tale I have long since forgotten." "Final question. What do you gain fron this?" "Sharp. You are becoming quite the fine Mage already. I shall tell you. I gain amusement from watching you fight against each other, seeing your clever schemes and how they end up crashing down or rising up and achieving their goals. It is quite entertaining for someone who is trapped and hardly able to do anything...Also, I want to escape. And I believe breaking out all my Power is the only way I can be free from my trap. If I am without my Power, I will still find joy in that I am alive. Simply put, if one of you nine Mages wins the battle, the book of magic imprisoning me shall be broken, and the Powers inside shall belong to the winning Mage. Also, I will be free to roam the outside world, after being reborn with a weak human body. All in all, if you win, you shall obtain become a god, all you have to do, is kill the other Mages, obtain the physical copy of the Book of Magic, and soak it in the blood of your enemies. That is all." ''And I already hate them, so It''s even easier for me. These people killed my sister for some stupid reason I don''t care for, now I will get my revenge.'' Jordan smiled. For the first time in days, he smiled. "Oh, and do not doubt my words, Quill. I have not the luxury of telling a lie. One of these bounds is stopping me. The world you see around you is proof that all I speak of is truth. You will remember all I have said, and you will feel the incomplete Knowledge I have directly imparted into your mind. It is yours along with the Power. Now, return to the world that begot you, and conquer your enemies with my Power." And Jordan opened his eyes, back in the corridor. He was still smiling. ______________ Words and works of magic Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 5 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 5- "Words and works of magic" __________________ The green putrid-smelling liquid inside the cauldron bubbled. The interior of the dark cottage where a witch was brewing a potion was lit only by light from the stove, and the light green steam coming out from the open cauldron. The door was wide open, and someone had come inside. This person - a middle-aged man- walked up to the witch. "What kind of a potion is that?" The man asked, smiling. The witch cackled unevenly. She coughed a bit, before she replied. "A wicked one." ~ The witches'' guide to malicious magic. ( Date unknown.) ___________________ April 29th,1886. The Crimson Corridor, Pridon? ____________________ "I''ve sold my soul for power." Jordan was still grinning after saying that. He knew well enough that that wasn''t what happened. But to him, it felt just like it. He felt better that he ever had in ages. His wound- the one on his wrist fron the gunshot- was gone. Only a small scar remained. Jordan was curious as to what caused it, but it wasn''t as important to him as what he had done and said a few moments ago. "I''ve sold my soul to some demon for power.." The soldiers were backing up. Or rather, most of the soldiers were retreating. Ross stayed, pointing his gun at Jordan but not firing. "Ross, I think we should stay away from that one. You saw the glowing lights coming from the symbol, right?" "Yes sir." Ross still positioned his weapon at Jordan. Jordan wasn''t flinching. He was only acting confident over the assumption that now he has magical powers, a common gun couldn''t defeat him. But as he thought that, rational mindedness, common sense and doubt started to creep into his mind. ''I''m not Fated anymore, now that I have achieved my destiny. I can die. And Desire said I will die soon...That fucking bullet can kill me!'' His brows started to sweat. "Sergeant Ross, you did see him disappear right before you fired your gun, and then reappear a minute ago, right?" "Yes sir. Permission to shoot, sir?" "Ross, Are you a retard? That boy is a wizard! We can''t predict what he would do next. He''s just like the Queen!" The third soldier- a bit plump- who hid behind their captain, warned. Jordan''s ears twitched as he picked up that bit of information. ''The Queen is a Mage. Good to know. It makes sense now why she has anything to do with all this. It also makes sense why she''ll be trying to kill me.'' ''But Lisa''s death doesn''t make sense. The queen is here, somewhere. If I could take down, or escape these guys preferably via not getting shot again, I''ll track her down, and demand answers. That''s the plan.'' ''After doing that, then I kill her.'' Jordan remembered all that Desire said, without even trying to memorize it. He remembered that his main magic ability as Quill involves inscribing ink on surfaces- like a regular quill.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. From the depths of his Knowledge- information forcefully inputted to his brain by the demon or god of Desire - he could find instructions on using one''s Name/ Title spell. ''If I imagine writing it, and I focus on it, it''s written. This is pretty useless in a combat situation like this one- when this trigger-happy soldier is armed and ready to end my life.But It''ll do for little notes. Jordan focused on it. He held his quill- It was easier that way apparently -and visualised writing the words on his mind in his Journal. There was no glowing, no special indication that what he imagined was written down. But when he searched his bag, and opened his Journal, he found out that all he focused on, and wanted to Write - his thoughts about the queen- were written down as he wanted it. He couldn''t help but smile, again. Ross fired the gun.. Jordan instantly remembered his situation. The pain in his stomach forced him to. Jordan screamed in pain. He fell down on his knees, keeled over, blood oozing out of his gut. ''Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.'' ''Why am I so f*cking stupid! Playing around with magic, as if I''m a kid with a new toy.'' Ross reloaded. "It seems even wizards can bleed. Well, then again your hand bled before. How much extra life do you have, wizard?" ''I have to get my act together. I''m not immortal. I can get hurt. I can die. I have to f*cking focus.'' The sharp pangs of pain were messing with his thoughts, but he still managed to concoct a plan. He believed that he had what it took to at least escape in one piece. All this mental gymnastics happened during the brief moment before Ross fired again. Jordan''s plan involved ignoring the pain. But he discovered that that was impossible. The pain from his newest gunshot wound was fresh, and just as painful. It was his right foot, exactly at the ankle. Jordan squealed. Ross smiled. His captain frowned. "I get the feeling that you''re enjoying this, Sergeant Ross." "Oh golly! What gave that away?" He fired again. Then he reloaded his gun and fired again. Particularly aiming at non-vital spots on Jordan''s body, so that the poor boy would remain alive to feel all the pain and suffering. At this point, Jordan was barely conscious. He could hardly remember anything from his plan, all he thought of was the pain. ''It hurts'' "This is too much." "You were the one who said we could kill him, right cap?" "Just shoot him in the head already. End it." "But it''s just begun. It''s not every day I get live targets for practice. Also, sir if I may add, this young man is a magician. He''s one of the main reasons why this whole nation is going to shit, tell me why making him suffer doesn''t benefit us." "It doesn''t benefit anybody." "It does. I helps to show an example for anyone who dares to cross the Queen. Also, it''s fun." "You''re sick." Ross was reloading his gun, as he replied. "I know, that''s why I joined the army. To have fun killing people." Jordan tapped into his Knowledge, desperately searching for some kind of healing magic. He found what he was searching for. ''Please work.'' And then he recited it with the Words of Magic -language of the spirits- under his breath. "Spirits of blood, flesh and bone, fill me with your substance, and by the authority of the book of magic, feed on my broken parts, while replacing them with new ones forged by your Power all in exchange for Power greater than that which you possess."(Words of Magic) While reciting it, he extended his power to Quill, to draw the spell diagram on his chest, using his blood as the ink. "Body replacement." The spell was complete, and the spell diagram shone with Power. He felt the presence of the ''spirits'' around his body. He couldn''t explain how that feeling was. It wasn''t exactly pleasant. But it was something he had never felt before. He also felt even more excruciating pain from the healing, that he did from the actual injuries. He forced himself to ignore it. He didn''t succeed. "Aaaaah!!!" Jordan yelled. Ross frowned. "Would you look at that. Soft red light coming from his chest. It''s hard to spot from over here, since he has his chest downwards. But he''s actually glowing. Which means, it''s a good idea to do this." He said those words as he positioned his gun again, waiting. The captain didn''t respond to him. Soon, Jordan could feel his body slowly coming back to normal. The pain stopped abruptly, and he was left gasping. Ross didn''t show it, but he was wary of magic. For all he knew, the red light could mean anything, he didn''t want to take any chances by interrupting whatever spell he was casting. The moment the light stopped glowing, Ross would pull the trigger. But this time, Jordan was ready. ''Magic symbol - explode'' ''A spell casted without the need for chants. Not a command to spirits or a request. But a force that gathers spirits of fire and heat in one particular location, and instantly releases them and all the accumulated momentum in a explosion when the symbol changes in a certain way. The main weakness of the spell is the diagram having to be drawn on the target. Thankfully Quill can draw things alot faster that I normally can. I just have to think.'' ''Now!'' Jordan held his quill up and literally screamed the spell in his mind. The symbol drew itself with Jordan''s blood on Ross'' hand. "Hope you can regenerate!" In the split second before Ross pulled the trigger, his right hand exploded. Now it was his turn to scream. "Shit, shit, shit, shit" Ross repeated over and over again. The captain readied his gun. But he was also too late, The symbol was drawn on his chest. The explode magic symbol was drawn on all their chests. Jordan picked himself up, and tried to look intimidating. "You should think twice before shooting at me." Jordan watched their response. "You see.. the kid''s a demon!" "Shut up, Calvin. You''re a full grown man, act like one!" "Shit,shit, shit.." The Captain frowned. "What do you want?" "The Queen, where is she?" "I''m sorry, I can''t tell you." "But, I could kill you." Jordan bluffed. Killing someone- even a stranger - felt wrong to him. Of course, when it comes to people like Hunter and the Queen, that''s a different story. To Jordan, anyone who would murder a child didn''t qualify as a human being. "If you can, go ahead. It''s not possible for me, or any of us for that matter to tell you exactly where she is." "Why?" "She made us swear. We can''t disobey her, because of her magic." Somehow, something about the way he said it made Jordan believe him. "Thanks. Really. I''ll just keep those things on you. The fire spirits shouldn''t hurt you unless I release them from the diagram. And I''m not doing so unless you try to hurt me. Rest assured, once I''m safe from you, those things will be gone." "That''s fair enough." The Mage didn''t hang around. He left the scene, heading towards the only open door - the one marked CENTRAL CITY. "Central is the capital of Pridon. That''s where the queen should be." Jordan felt like he wasn''t ready. ''It would be stupid to just rush in without a plan.'' He decided that his best option would be learning spells, by focusing on his Knowledge. And that was exactly what he did. He started committing spells to memory, but he soon discovered that there were too many spells to completely remember at once. He decided to write them down using Quill- turning his journal into some kind of spellbook. It was exhausting labour, and after about half an hour of that he still hadn''t written down up to 1/100th of the spells in his Knowledge. ''If this is just a small part of what magic is, then what''s the full thing?'' Jordan rearranged the spells in his spellbook/Journal manipulating the ink using Quill. He made sure to classify the spells according to their uses so that it was easier to use later. But he still thought he wasn''t ready. ''I could just stay here, and learn as many spells as I can. But I think staying here may pose it''s own risks." He looked at the door marked WEIDSON one last time. ''There is no going back at this point. Full dive down the rabbit hole'' And then he walked through the portal/door into CENTRAL CITY. _________________ Meanwhile, at that moment, In Central city, Pridon. "Seer, you predicted this as well, didn''t you?" "Yes, ma''am." "Then did you see the outcome, will he survive? "I didn''t sir. Whether he lives or dies is a future that would require more resources to look into" "Then don''t do it,then." "What shall I do, your Majesty?" "Nothing. I shall send a small servant to deal with him. We''ll guage his strength and see if he can be useful." __________________ Quills Spellbook Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Interlude __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 5?- "Quill''s Spellbook." __________________ Journal entry. 29th April, 1886. Around 8:00 in the evening (not sure). Dear Journal. Sorry for using you as a test earlier. Hope you don''t mind it too much. Oh, you don''t mind it at all since it''s a break from the norm? Great! I''m gonna start writing in a lot of spells on you. You''re gonna be my very own spell book. Yeah, I know. I used to say magic sucked, but the fact that it saved my life kinda changed my view on things. The world is a vast place, filled with all sorts of things and people. Of course a few things may not make sense, but that''s because of my limited view as a person. I believe now, that even if things don''t completely make sense to me now, to someone, with a better view it''ll make sense completely. I''m rambling again, aren''t I? Well, without no further ado, let''s begin! __________________ CATEGORY 1 Attack spells ~ spells I can use primarily or exclusively to hurt or threaten my enemies. Stars (*) are written on the ones I think are seriously badass. Okay.... let''s go. Explode- [Diagram] No words of magic required. Description -Force fire and heat spirits to gather, and then after some pressure has been built up, release the binds keeping them in the circle, and watch a small explosion manifest. Magic energy(Power) consumption - Not really much. Only feeding energy to the spell diagram when I draw it, and when I release it. Extra utility: If I hold it for long enough without releasing the energy, the force builds up and the explosion becomes that much bigger. Risk: The longer I hold it in, the more Power I expend by doing so. If I''m not careful, It could blow up in my face. Remark- Really convenient. Not really badass. Fire cannon (explosive force, whatever! it''s the same thing!)*The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. [Diagram] Words of magic required for extra fire power, otherwise, no need for em. Description - Force fire and heat spirts to gather, and create a channel using spirit Power to guide the spirits to their target. The conflagration of fire is already ignited as the spirits pass through the channel, and the spirits gather more and more as they move towards target. So it looks like a steady stream of fire that continues to grow becoming a full fledged 8ft diameter fireball at its highest, and a 2ft diameter at the lowest. Anyways, It''s really big! Power consumption: 2x as much as explode. It takes more Power to create the channel. Extra utility: When I can, it might be possible to divide the channels to attack more than one target. I could also curve the channels. Risk: self-explanatory. It''s a huge amount of fire, what else can it do. Remark: Badass. Might take a while of practicing to learn how to do it right, but still. Badass. Smasher(The ancient book of magic had a shitty naming sense. They called it ''Force Hammer'' in my Knowledge. Who does that?) [Diagram] Words of magic needed. Description: command spirits to forge a blunt weapon, made out of something called ''Force''(look it up later!)that applies pressure on it''s targets on contact, with respect to the Power fed to it. Power consumption: Relative to how much force I want to swing around. Extra utility: I really don''t know yet. Risk: might end up smashing myself? Unlikely. Almost zero risk. Remark: not really explodey fun badass, but useful in a normal way. Main problem is the chanting( Damn, I hate it.) CATEGORY 2 - Defensive spells ~ spells I can use primarily or exclusively to protect myself from attacks like gunshots and the like. Construct Wall. [Diagram] Words of magic not required- but enhances the spell. Description: force or command earth spirits to gather and form a wall. That''s it. Power consumption - Very low. Extra utility: I can use it to smash people. I could technically build whatever I want, but the starting point is a wall. Risk: none. Remark: Might need some practice to get the building part right, but after a while , It wouldn''t be Construct Wall anymore. Hehehe. Barrier (They called it Force Shield) [Diagram] Words of magic really needed. Description: Those Force spirits(see Smasher) will create a protective shell that resists and diminishes force. I can still be hurt, but not nearly as much. Power consumption: Low. Extra utility: The Barrier could be covering multiple people or even objects. Risk: none. Remark: An invisible shield is just what I need next time I''m going up against a gun man. The force reduction would be so much, that he might as well have thrown the bullet at me. CATEGORY 3 - Regenerative spells (Arguably the most useful. Not that I plan on getting hurt to begin with.)~ like the others it''s self explanatory. Body part replacement. [Diagram] Words of magic needed. Description: Petition to spirits of blood, flesh and bone to eat me, and replace my body parts with copies constructed by them. Power consumption: High. Extra utility: None. Really, it''s a high end spell that is kind of like a trade, you get something, you give something more. In this case, I''m bartering body parts. Risk: Incredibly high risk of outright death. Don''t use it when vital organs are wounded. Replacing my heart will be tricky- I''ll have to use some other spell to stay alive while the spirits are forging a replacement. Replacing my brain- impossible. Remark: I''ll only use it when I don''t have a choice on the matter- when I''ll die if I don''t. Rejuvenation.* [Diagram] Description: Force the smallest lesser spirits of life (soul) to gather and send their force into my body. Power consumption: Mid- tier. Not high, not low. Extra utility: I could rejuvenate other people. Risk: None. The spirits of life are pretty much harmless at the lowest tiers. Remark: Might be the best healing spell here. Doesn''t replace body parts, but it quickens natural regeneration, and boosts my stamina. I tried it a moment ago, and I felt pretty good after wards. The only problem is the power consumption- but it''s not that high. CATEGORY 4 - Utility spells( spells with all sorts of abilities, that are useful out of battle too) Umbrella (They called it "Sheild of the Elements")* No chant. [Diagram] Description: cause the spirits of protection to create a protective barrier around me that protects me from mild weather conditions. Rain, heat from the sun, cold, none of that affects me as far as I don''t want it to. Power consumption: low. Extra utility: None. Risk: Not really. Remark: Fun, and useful. Magical hand ("The invisible hand") Must chant. Description: Craft an invisible arm, that can pick and drop objects like a normal hand would, And is capable of accepting or rejecting some objects (passing through them). This is done by making a petition to the higher spirits of Choice and Ambition, and small spirits of forging and Force. Power consumption: It''s only high for every second the hand is being used, no big deal.(sarcasm here.) Extra utility:It could do a whole bunch of different things, I can''t even begin to explain it. I mean I can, but I won''t. Risk: None. Remark:Pact with The god/demon of Desire makes things easier, kinda. Still incredibly ineffective. Use only when it''s necessary. Inscribe.(It doesn''t exactly count as a spell, but it''s something.) [Diagram] Description: Extend Quill''s Power to take in and manipulate text. Power consumption: Insignificant. Extra utility: It''s what I''m using now. Risk:none. Remark: Nice. ________________________ Till next time, Journal. Bye. Yours Sincerely, Jordan Elyas Middlesworth. ________________________ Quill Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 6 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 6- "Quill" __________________ "Success and failure are viewed differently by different people. Maybe that is why the line between winning and losing isn''t a straight one. ......Those who chase success at all costs, never tread a straight path." ~ Wisdom of the Insane by The Philosopher,1873. ____________________ April 29th, Pridon. Central city ____________________ 20:12 The door closed shut, just as Jordan walked through. He looked around, discovered that he was indoors somewhere, in a spacious and luxurious room. It had large chairs and sofas with pillows. The general theme was white and gold. The windows were shut, but the curtains in front of them weren''t. However, the room was well lit, with expensive looking chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and so many torches. There was a pleasant aroma in the air, one that was also a little intoxicating. Also, the room was devoid of people. There appeared to be no one there, apart from Jordan. Which made him all the more shocked, when he suddenly heard a voice. "We were expecting you, Jordan Middesworth." It was a female voice. An older lady, with a fine accent, and perfect intonation. She was better at speaking English than his former school teacher. "I guess I was expecting you too." ''Who the heck is ''we''? I''m not prepared to fight two Mages. Is that even possible- for more than one mage to work together? I''m being paranoid. There is no conclusive proof that I have more than one enemy.'' It was a male voice this time, they didn''t waste time in shattering Jordan''s hopes of this fight being easy. "I believe my Queen meant that you made us wait, which is quite appalling, considering your position." ''What is he even talking about? At least now I''m completely sure that that was the queen. I was sure before, though.'' "I did not mind it. Infact I would have been glad if you had spent a bit more time preparing yourself." "You are too kind, your Majesty." The female voice -the queen- laughed. "Indeed I am, my friend. Indeed I am." ''What was so funny?'' Jordan had had enough. "I''m sick and tired of this useless chatter. Let''s get down to business, already. If I remember right, according to the rules, if both of us have announced our Names or Titles, we have to fight to the death. Come on! My Title as Mage is Quill. Tell me yours and let''s begin." "Or are you scared?" The voices remained silent. "You don''t understand the true power of magic. I''m practically unstoppable.." "The words that stem from your mouth are false." Jordan closed his mouth. He was surprised as to how her words had so much impact on him. Her voice sounded serious, with so much intensity, she almost sounded angry. "You speak as though you have power. It might be my duty to show you what Unstoppable truly means." "Ma''am...that wasn''t the plan." He sounded a bit scared. Jordan was shaking. He couldn''t explain why. "Do you have any second thoughts? You must have some regrets, you should have trained more. You should have prepared more, right?" A chill went down his spine. "I will tell you the sad truth. You will never stand a chance against me, regardless of how much you delve into the works of magic, how much you learn and master, no matter how much power you learn to control or skills you hone.. You will never defeat me." Jordan was shook to his core. He truly believed every word that came out of her lips. He understood it.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ''Her word is law.'' Shakily, he responded. "Umm..maybe we could.." "I accept your challenge, Quill. My title is Crown. In your own words, let us begin." She laughed once more, mocking Quill. Somehow, Jordan couldn''t manage to be infuriated by that. The moment her laughing stopped, something hit the front door of the room. Something started to bang, loudly on the walls, as if demanding attention. As Jordan turned towards the source of the disturbance, the entire segment collapsed. An entire wall segment, as long and as high as the room was - easily more than 12ft - collapsed as an entity that took up 1/8th of the room smashed it''s way through. This thing, looked like a statue. A great big moving staue made out of steel. "No. It''s not a statue. It is more like a suit of armour, worn by knights in the olden days, but it''s much bigger." Jordan felt like an ant. He didn''t waste anymore time, he started running and preparing a plan of attack. ''I made her angry. So she must be using her full power against me -or at least she''s serious about killing me now. This thing isn''t her weakest summon. I''d wager it''s probably among the strongest. I know hom much stronger she is now... And I must confess, Crown, you''re weak after all..'' Broken furniture, glass shards, etc were flying all over the room as the Summon bulldozed through the room. Jordan managed to spot and pick a wooden stick whilst running. Jordan continued to run, but the giant armour was faster, and was catching up to him. However, Jordan had already begun the chant for a spell. "Spirits of fire, converge on my command, and follow the path I lay out.." The young man dodged several falling pieces of rock, as the roof was falling apart, because the armour summon was taller than the ceiling and was tearing it apart with his head, without even trying. Jordan swallowed, as he turned back to look at the thing, holding the stick and pointing it at the thing. ''A channel for Power. A straight line. Come on, work!'' "..that leads to my target. Fire Cannon." A roughly cylindrical torrent of fire projected out from the makeshift wand, landing on it''s huge target- the Crown''s summon. The fire started to increase in size,width and intensity. Jordan could ''feel'' more and more fire elemental spirits gathering together and bolstering the effects of the spell. The thing continued to advance, not even slowing down, while the blast of fire, that was now almost as large as the Armour itself appeared to do nothing to it. Jordan cursed, and ended the spell, using Quill/Inscribe to erase the diagram drawn on the ground. He turned his back and started running, but he was too late, the thing had suddenly decided to leap across the room to attack Jordan using it''s abnormally huge sword. Quill managed to dodge by releasing dozens of Explode spell diagrams he had already Written on the statue using ink this time. Unlike the previous spell, this one was effective. The force of the explosions that have been building up for quite a while, managed to push the hulking armour and its gigantic sword more than a few meters away. It only managed to slow the contraption down , but that was more than enough for Quill to draw another spell diagram, inside the armour this time. "Construct Wall" And the earth spirits gathered inside of the thing''s armour, sculpting a solid rock within the joints, eventually halting it''s movement, right infront of Jordan. "It worked!" Jordan almost jumped. He had realised that though the Summon was fuelled by magic, it must''ve had joints linking the rigid metal plates together. It did. The construct spell was still in effect, and Quill was manipulating the spell diagram and sculpting the earth within the Summon to properly impede it''s movement, in all of its limbs. When he was done, he stood back and stared at the 13ft tall Giant of an armour, that moved on it''s own and carried a sword- completely defeated and helpless. He grinned ''I wasn''t expecting it to be this easy.'' ''My new spells work splendidly.'' "Fire cannon didn''t work at all, though. Was there some kind of magic protecting it from fire?" Jordan thought aloud. Suddenly the armour Summon started to vibrate. Jordan began to panic, unsure whether to start casting the wall, or attacking. He managed to do none of those. The vibrations increased in frequency rapidly until, the solid rock holding the plates and blocking the joints, crumbled, and the Armour Summon lunged at Quill once again. Quill wanted to Write explode spells, but he didn''t have enough time to give the spells more momentum. He decided to cast a barrier (Shield of Force) between himself and the Summon. A line of ink and a translucent white rectangular wall stood between Jordan and his enemy. However, the Armour simply ran through the barrier and smashed Jordan across the room, causing his body to break through quite a few chairs and tables and useless decorations, before slamming his back on the wall and slipping down to the floor. His back slick with blood. All the while, Jordan''s entire body was covered by a thin layer of translucent white magic. ''The barrier reduces force by more than 1/2. So without that spell,what magnitude of force was it about to crush me with?'' Not a second later, a large metal object flew through the air. Jordan didn''t get a second to catch his breath, because the thing''s sword found it''s way to his body. His scrawny body prevented him from dodging completely. Hence, the sword ended up piercing through his left shoulder and lodging itself into the wall. Effectively pinning Jordan''s body to the wall at the right of the room. Jordan screamed in agony and terror. The Crown and the Seer were silent. Tears streamed out of his eyes,. Blood pumpped out of the open wound. He was still reeling from the shock when the thing kicked the sword deeper into his body, piercing through flesh and bone as if it was made out of butter. He cried out again. The thing then proceeded to extract the sword from Jordan''s body, in one swift motion causing him to shout again. He fell faced down to the floor, hitting his head and almost losing consciousness. The intense pain brought him back to reality. "Why .." he managed to say. ''I am a man. I''ve been shot more than 12 times today, I got through it. I can survive this. I have magic....'' The Automated Armour did not give him time to rest, swinging the sword down. However, Jordan only had to think about it, to cause the explosion spell to force the sword out of the Automated Armor''s hands. He prepared this trick, whilst flying across the room a moment ago, believing that the Barrier would protect him from the worst of the thing''s attacks without its sword. And if it decided to go and retrieve the sword, that would give him time to formulate another plan. The thing stood still this time. Its helmet- with hollow spaces where its eyes would have been- appeared as though it was looking at Jordan. Watching him. After a moment, it turned it''s back and began to retreat. ''Why is it doing that?'' Jordan decided it was best to open his mouth and begin the chant for Body replacement. However, he soon realised that that was a huge mistake. The thing instantly turned back and kicked Jordan into the air, knocking the wind out of him. While he was in mid air, he quickly casted Barrier, but that wasn''t nearly enough to protect him from the Automated Armor''s brutal assault. Jordan was punched, kicked, and tossed around the room, until he ended up, lying face-up nearly covered in blood. The Barrier spell was still active. The thing started to crush Jordan''s chest, with it''s right foot. Jordan couldn''t scream. He couldn''t breathe. He felt his ribs breaking apart one by one. ''I am going to die.'' ''What was I thinking, challenging Her?'' ''I was never a fighter to begin with.'' ''I just wanted to win'' ''I''ve run out of Power. I still have a few tricks I didn''t use, but it wouldn''t make a difference now. Because I am going to die.'' Who said you were going to die, Jordan? It was the demon''s voice. Time seened to stand still for them, allowing the demon and the Mage to speak privately, in the confines of Jordan''s mind. You''re interesting. So I will give you some advice, in exchange for a favour later. A favour you must repay. Now then, Do you want to live?¡¯ ''...Yes, I do. I want to win.'' Good. I must first make it clear to you. You do not stand a chance at winning as you are. Because you are not Quill. ''..what?'' You still call yourself Jordan, do you not? You see yourself as Jordan Middesworth. But in order for you to survive this and have a sliver of a chance at winning, you must become Quill, so that Jordan Middesworth might die. ''...'' Have you ever heard of the ship of Theseus? The more of yourself you lose, the less of yourself you are. You have only lost a small part of your humanity. If you would win this battle, you must first lose it all. The demon chuckled. ''Thanks for the advice.'' Don''t thank me, it comes at a price. Also, never hold any grand Ideas that I am favouring you. I am not. I''m simply capitalising on your intense desire to win.. The demon''s voice gradually faded away towards the end of that sentence. The world was normal again. And Jordan was about to get crushed to death... But He refused to lose. No matter what it would take, he didn''t want to be a loser. He wanted to prove to the The Crown, to alk his enemies, and to everyone , that he wasn''t weak. He never cared for the name of Jordan Middesworth anyways. Subconsciously, he had communicated his innermost feeling and thoughts, through his writing. The spirits had seen his runes, and read his heart through them. They had asked him the same question the demon had asked. "No. I''M NOT DYING YET!" Blood poured out of his mouth as he forced his lungs to breathe out and say that. He didn''t know where the power came from. He didn''t care. He wanted to win. He stood up, forcing the thing''s body to lose balance and fall. And then he kicked the thing across the room. Soft crimson light was emerging from his body. ''Spirits of blood, flesh and bone?'' He instinctively knew it wasn''t just them. There were other Greater Spirits at play, who had heard his desperate cry for help, and were ready to give him the power he needed...for a price. Instantly summoning the Hammer of Force without chanting, Quill smashed the thing repeatedly, until it was damaged beyond repair. It stopped moving. He won. It was only then, that the young mage fell to the ground, his clothes soaked with his own blood, his head facing upwards. He wasn''t Jordan anymore. Not inside. He was Quill. ________________ "The boy might prove useful after all." "To think he would damage one of your Knights." ".... He shall have his revenge for his sister''s murder." "You don''t mean...Hunter?" "Hunter wasn''t the man that landed the killing blow. But it wouldn''t matter to Quill. He will tear him apart." ".. Should I See if It would work?" "No. I am sure about it. This boy is not ordinary." ___________________ Birdsong Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 7 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 7- "Birdsong" __________________ The Eldritch Horror stood before the weak child, who was obviously terrified. "Are you afraid?" "No. I was just tired of standing still, so I started running." "...." __________________ April 27, 1886 Weidson, Pridon ________________ Mid-afternoon, the Pub in East side of Weidson. 13th Dale Street. A young man, wearing a brown suit, sat infront of the piano, touched the keys with his hands moment, and then smiled. ''It''s the same as before.'' The audience was eager to listen. And then he was ready to play. Without wasting any more time, he began. The steady rhythm of his fingers dancing around the piano was simply breathtaking to listen to. As the tempo of the music increased, the cheers from the audience was louder still. He was happy, doing this. It was something he was good at. "Lancaster Speindel, I presume." This voice seemed to have originated from behind him. It was a man''s voice. "Don''t respond, It might cause a stir. Just listen to me." Lancaster did as the mysterious man said. He focused on his piano, whilst listening to the man''s words. "My name is William Sharpside. I''m also referred to as ''Hunter'', and I am here to take your life" ''Is that all?'' "I''m surprised. You don''t look scared in the slightest." Lancaster shaked his head. "We''ll talk outside, okay? Goodbye for now." And he heard footsteps, indicating that the man had walked away. Lancaster heaved a sigh of relief. He hated distractions while he was playing the piano. It was difficult to focus on it, when someone was breathing over your neck and spitting nonsense. He had had such an experience before, and it wasn''t a pleasant one for him. ''Enough of that! I''m playing the piano!'' So he continued to play a bunch of songs, until the audience dispersed, and he had to leave. His fingers were tired too. The young musician left the pub, late in the afternoon. As he was leaving, he saw a tall man wearing a black trenchcoat and a black hat. This man had visible scars all over his face, which could have been handsome otherwise. "Come over here so we can talk" The voice from earlier. William Sharpside. Lancaster obeyed silently. The two of them walked together in silence. Soon, they were in a dark corner between two buildings. "What did you want to talk about?" Lancaster said, smiling. ''This man must be a fan of my work. But It''s absolutely not acceptable to start disrupting me because of that. And he also speaks of ''taking my life''.Only he must know what he meant by that.'' "I want to kill you." ''That''s a bit more explicit. Sounds as though he has a few issues up in his head.'' "I really want to kill you. I''m not joking about it. But the thing is, I''m not sure if I can." ''he has completely gone off the deep end. He must be mad.'' "You think I am mad?" "Why do you want to kill me?" "You need to die now, so you don''t suffer and then die later. You are Fated to become a Mage. And in doing so, you will lose your humanity. You will join a battle to the death, of your own free will.."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "I won''t." "Huh? But It''s set in stone. It will happen no matter what." "Even if what you''re saying is true, in such a scenario I would never agree of my own free will. Do you know why? It''s because It sounds like commitment." Lancaster paused, then continued. "Sure, the prospect of magic being real is fun, but not if I am going to start fighting to the death. That sounds complicated." ''No way magic could be real anyways, but I''ll really be glad if it was. Magic powers could mean a lot of interesting things to do. At least it will be better than doing nothing.'' "Well, if that''s how you think, I don''t really need to tell you anything else- or anything at all for that matter. Let''s get on with the killing." William brought out a small pistol from his pants, and pointed it expertly at Lancaster''s forehead. He was serious. "I want to know, if Fate can somehow stop me from pulling the trigger and ending your life." Lancaster realised that he was in mortal danger. Instead of shivering in fear, Lancaster was shaking from excitement. "You would really kill me?" Lancaster wasted no time in grabbing hold of William''s wrist, twisting it so hard that he let go of the gun. William, sensing the danger coming his way, jumped backwards almost instantly. The pianist''s leg was stretched out, in the place where William''s groin had been. "Ho ho ho. You''re fast, old man." "I''m not old. Also, how do you know how to fight?" Lancaster straightened his legs, and kicked the gun further away from William. "I learnt some things awhile back. It was fun." William frowned. "That wasn''t what I meant." "I know. But I''m not just going to spit out my entire history to a guy I just met, especially one that''s trying to kill me." Lancaster was still excited. ''It''s been so long, since I had a real fight.'' "I must say, I never expected this." "What were you expecting?" "A weakling, like your cousin." ''how the hell does he know I have a weakling cousin?'' "Magic, Lancaster. Magic." "What do you mean by magic." "I mean unbelievable, unexplainable power. I could give you a demonstration, then you''ll understand." ''A demonstration of magic?'' "I will show you, if you''ll watch. Later tomorrow, I will visit you and teach you what magic is." "That sounds really interesting. You know what, I''ll be waiting for you, William." The man smiled. And then he left, walking away. So did Lancaster. He walked as though it was a normal day. Because it was. _________________ April 27,Pridon. 13:34 ________________ Lancaster lay on his bed, thinking. ''Magic. If magic existed, then....'' The small house comprised of a bed,a stove, and some kitchen things a table, a lamp, a telephone and his piano. His only possession as of that moment. The walls and floors were rented. So was the roof. It was how he liked it. But, it wouldn''t hurt to change things up, once in a while. Infact, he looked forward to it. ''then I must have magic. I mean a whole new experience not many people have explored. It just might be fun.'' ''But reality always comes knocking. He''s never late. Telling you that such a thing is impossible. F*cking rules.'' "You are indeed a mystery to me, Lancaster." It was William again. He climbed through the window, like a theif. ''And I didn''t hear him come in.'' Lancaster practically jumped out of his bed. "Nice to see you again, stranger!" "You know I''m not a stranger." William said. He was frowning as he pointed the palms of his hands towards the young pianist. There were symbols drawn on his palms. They looked occultic. "You want it to be real, don''t you?" Lancaster had never thought about it that way. But when he did, he realised that it was true. He wanted magic to be real. The tall man''s hands lit up with a green light. As he moved his hands, the wind started to blow with so much intensity, that Lancaster felt shaken by it. William focused his hands towards a window. The windows shattered as the winds furiously attacked it. "Is that enough for you?" William''s hands stopped glowing. "Yes. It is." Lancaster couldn''t stop smiling. He had seen it with his own two eyes. Magic was real. "Do I have to make a pact with a demon?" "Yes." "Then no. I''m not becoming a Magician." Lancaster rejected him almost instantly. ''It''s not worth it.'' "The pact isn''t bad." "What about the killing you talked about? You know, the battle to the death?" "It can''t be helped. You''ll have to do it." "I won''t. No matter how cool this magic thing is, It''s not fun and games if my life is on the line. I don''t really want magic that much any ways." William looked sad. "I guess, this time, I''ll just kill you... You see boy, Fate decrees that you will be a mage. You''re destined to become a mage. Hence, you won''t possibly die before achieving your destiny. That''s not how it works. According to what is now common knowledge among mages, if you - A fated- must die, it must be a part of your destiny being actualised, or after you have accomplished your destiny." "That''s strange and messed up." "Yes it is. That is why, whether you want to or not, you will become a mage." "No I won''t. This whole Fate thing annoys me even more! I do whatever I want, and I don''t want to be some slave!" "Who said anything about slavery?" "You said I would be forced, against my will to become a mage. But enough of that. I guess I''m immortal until I become a mage, right? "That sounds like it... But that''s not what I said." Lancaster laughed. "Immortality huh. Let''s test it." He walked across the room, away from William. "What do you mean?" Hunter asked. "Shoot me." "Huh?" "I said, shoot me. Test if this Fate can be challenged. Let''s see if I live or die. This time, I''m too far away to intercept your gun before you fire, and it''s not like I can dodge bullets." "You''re serious. Very well, then." William produced a shotgun. An old hunting gun. And then he fired. "You missed." "I have eyes, too." William fired again. "You missed again, gunslinger." ''I don''t believe it'' William thought.''How did I miss. When ever I focus my mind on Hunting, and I fire a bullet with my Eyes on the target I never miss.'' "I will try again." And so William continued to try, over and over again, missing by just a hair every single time. ''Is this the intervention of fate?'' William thought. "I''m out of bullets. So I think I''ll try a knife." Lancaster grinned. "Come at me." William attacked, stabbing into the boy''s arm, drawing blood. "I wonder, why bullets wouldn''t work on you, but a simple knife will." The young man laughed a bit, not even looking a little bit concerned about the pain in his upper arm. "I guess I already have magic, don''t I?" "Magic?" "It''s a trick, using powerful magnets to change the trajectory of your bullets. It''s quite useful. And as fate would have it, your bullets are made of steel. I wonder why?" "You''re not only physically powerful, and good at fighting. You''re also talented, at the piano, and at this- whatever this is." "You''re not really good at praising people." "You sound just like someone I know, minus the nagging." "Your wife?" "No,not yet. Anyways, I wasn''t trying to praise you. I was just stating the facts. You are strong and unpredictable, Lancaster." "So?" William removed the knife. Lancaster didn''t flinch. "So, I think you would make an excellent mage. Too bad, I''m going to kill you." "Again with the killing, dude. I love my life, I don''t need death." Hunter turned his back to Lancaster. "Do you love your piano?" "No. I like playing, but I don''t love it. I can do without it." "Do you love your house?" "I guess not." Hunter smiled. It was ugly. "I have prepared your funeral pyres. I hope it suits your exotic tastes, Lancaster." Lancaster''s eyes widened. "Fire?" "You''re smart, let''s see if Fate would intervene." Then he jumped over the window, closing it. Lancaster tried to open it, but was somehow incapable of doing so. Soon, a young man could be seen sprinting out of a burning building, only escaping the explosion by the skin of his tooth. "I thought you weren''t afraid of death." Hunter smirked, looking down at Lancaster''s charred body. "I love my life, and nothing else." "Interesting thing to say. So you are afraid." "I''m not." Lancaster hauled himself up, and stared at his adversary. "I won''t try to kill you anymore. I want you to be a Mage too much. I expect great things from you." "Why?" "Because you''re not normal. You don''t seem to have any real definitive goal. You just exist. You don''t worry about the future. You love your life as it is now, but you don''t fear death, or danger. Instead, you''re excited about it. You ....are you even human?" "That''s a stretch. Are any of those traits something humans can''t possess?" "You''re right. I didn''t think. The real question I wanted to ask was; do you want to remain human? I mean, there must be a reason why you have dedicated your life to the pursuit of nothing. Doing whatever pleases you, learning whatever you fancy. If you had the chance to do the exact same thing, but on a much larger scale, won''t you accept?" "I don''t have a choice, if I say no, you could kill me. I will be a mage, because I want to. Quick question though. What''s the deal with the battle to the death?" "The war between the Mages proves who is worthy to obtain the full power and Knowledge and Understanding of magic. It''s a fight that must happen. It''s a fight I detest." "I love fights. Alright then. I''ll join your little magic club. And then I''ll master this thing called magic. And I will reject the competition altogether." "How? When you get a taste of Magic, you will want more." "I will beat as many as I can to their senses, and make them let me live the way I want " "Crow..." "What the hell does that mean?" "Your cousin, he looks and sounds much weaker in comparison to you. But he has a spirit that refuses to back down. I wonder..." "Rambling huh? You really have lost it. So, how do I get magic?" "I''ll show you. Also, on an unrelated note, I might have caused the death of your cousin Lisa." "I don''t care." "Right. You don''t love anybody, almost forgot about that." Lancaster grinned , once more. ''This will be fun.'' However, William had something different on his mind. ''I don''t understand him at all. Why is he like this? What really goes on in his head. I have too little information to understand, and too much information to stop thinking about it. I will solve this puzzle, and then I will kill you.'' ___________________ Migration Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 8 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 8- "Migration" __________________ When the winter came, those birds decided to take the long trip, towards a place where they could be warm. One bird-a strange one- was too lazy to take the trip, so he made the warmth of spring come to him. _________________ April 28, 1886, Pridon. _______________ Book of Magic. "Lancaster Speindel, you have agreed to the tenets of the oath, now tell me the Title you prefer." ''It''s every bit as fantastical as I had imagined. But this guy talks wierd. I wonder why Will calls him a demon? He hardly looks like one, and when I asked him, he said he was more like a god, than a demon...'' "Which one....I can''t really decide. What''s the importance of having a Title ? Can''t I be a Mage without it?" The chained ''man'' simply laughed. "No. Your Name/Title signifies where you stand and where your Sanctuary is in the spirit world." "You do realise that I don''t understand sh*t, right?" Lancaster''s facial expression was blank, his hands behind his back. He was still wearing his favourite Green suit, wearing black leather boots, and his favourite hat. "I shall explain. The Sanctuary is a home for your soul, as you shall be initiated into the world of spirits, you shall need a safe place, and a base of operations. Spell casting usually involves the act of communication with the denizens of the spirit realm. You''re spirit would either move towards who you are communicating with or you will summon them to you. Either ways, No normal spirit can encroach on someone''s Sanctuary. Hence, you will be safe from harm from most." "The Title please. The relationship between the Title and the Sanctuary. And how the hell does it affect my use of magic?" "Your Title is related to your Sanctuary as it''s the location. Spirits close to your Title are the easiest ones for you to contact. Hence it is much easier to conjure spells related to your Title. Also, your Title grants you special abilities unique to you, that may or may not give you an advantage in the coming battles. Is that enough for you?" "Hardly. But I hate wasting time. I choose...Bird." "Why is that?" "What''s really good about magic, other than the power to fly?" "You...have quite the character. Very well then. But I must say, Crow is more suited to you." ''So that''s what Willy meant! He called me Crow once, and I didn''t get it. Maybe it''s related to all of this Fate nonsense.'' "Crow sounds like garbage. But tell me first what it can do." "The Title of Crow, will grant you the power to curse. It would include most of the benefits of Bird, and the curse of the Crow." "Curse... No wonder. That son of a dame wants me cursed." "Pardon, son of a dame is not as insultive as you make it sound." "I know. Can you tell me about some more Titles?" "You don''t need that information. I have given you too much already. I will not divulge any more." ''Nice one. I see why they call you a demon, now.'' "Give me Bird you numbskull! I''m not going to let ''Fate'' decide for me." "You have the guts to insult me. You have my respect, Bird. Now the ritual is complete. I have imparted Knowledge into you, and given you some of my Power. If you have any more questions..." "Alright. So tell me, is it true that Will is really just 25, and Clock is some hot black lady? I didn''t really believe it when he said it, and I need your input to be sure." "What use do you have for this information?"The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "Not much. Just curious." "I can tell you. But It would cost you your..." "Not happening. Now I''m completely sure you''re a demon." The thing laughed. Lancaster smiled. "This demon will visit you once in a while, and we shall have a little chat then." And then the world around him disintegtated and Lancaster was once again standing Infront of the symbol in the Crimson Corridor. William was smoking while standing, resting his back on the wall. Only the two of them were present in the Corridor. "Now you''re free to kill me, right?" "Yes, I am. But I was thinking we could make a temporary truce, so that Quill joins the game first. I want to end him, before you." "Alright. Temporary truce." William got up from the wall. "The Crown will want you dead, though. We talked about this before. Are you ready?" "Of course I am." ''I know exactly what I can do. I might not have learnt any spells yet, but I can escape if I needed to.'' William walked towards the door marked CENTRAL CITY. "Open it." "Alright." Standing infront of the door, Bird forced it open, not with raw strength, but with magical ability. The moment the door swung open, Lancaster was face to face with the queen of Pridon, who looked at him with impunity. Lancaster returned that look, and got comfortable on one of the chairs. Apart from the queen, there was also some strange looking man wearing a cloak covering most of his facial features, and the rest of his body. "You have been given the opportunity to see the face of the queen of this kingdom. Bow your head and show your respect at once." "What the heck is wrong with you. Man, you sound like some kind of puppet." "How dare you.." The queen looked at the cloaked man and he kept quiet. "I want to make an agreement with you, Bird. We want you to leave your Sanctuary in the spirit world, and change your Title to Crow. In exchange for doing so, we will leave you alone for one month, as long as you don''t attack myself and my people." "With all due respect ma''am, I''m not doing that." "If you agree to my request, you will not be harmed in any way." Lancaster got up. "What will you gain from me doing that?" "You will be at a disadvantage when the one month period is over, and then you''ll be easy pickings. Also, for the period of one month we have one less Mage to worry about." "You''re going to try to beat me, if I don''t agree, right? All of you are so similar, using your powers to force people to obey you." The queen was silent. "What''s special about Crow? Why do all of you keep telling me that I have to be Crow?" "Because that Title has the most synergy with your soul. And without that Title, you will never reach your full potential. You must understand, you are weaker without it." Lancaster was surprised. ''If I would be weaker then, it''ll be a good thing for her. She should be happy.....unless me being powerful somehow serves her purposes better.'' "Why make this deal with me? Why not just kill me and end it completely. I mean I can die, right? Fate isn''t protecting me anymore." "I see you have been well sensitised. I might as well tell you the second reason. I want you to kill the Mages for me. I''ll rather my enemies kill each other, than actually wasting energy and getting into the fight. Kill as many as you can, and for every Mage you kill, you will be granted an additional one month of peace between us." "That sounds peachy." ''Agreeing with her was never the plan. Why am I doing this? Could it be that I really believe she can kill me...'' "I assume you have agreed." "Yes." "Let us shake hands, as a sign to the spirits that you have agreed." ''Damnit! Why? I don''t want this! Two life changing promises in one day! That''s way too much!'' The young man walked towards the queen, who stood up and stretch her hand towards him. Lancaster still shaked her hand. "It''s done, You shall take your leave, Bird. You have until five days to change your Title, if you don''t do it, the deal is off." Bird nodded his head. ''Now for the fun part.'' He focused on hos Title, drawing Power from within, and activating his magic. Lancaster feet left the ground. He started to fly about 2 feet above the floor. The cloaked man- William calked him Seer- was jeering at Lancaster as he took flew away. "Make sure to hit your head on the way out." "Shut up!" _____________ ''Life has gotten a lot more complicated. But...'' The gentle melody produced from the keys of the piano was soothing to hear. ''I can still do this.'' The pianist smiled. He continued to play. ''Jordan Middesworth is going to be Quill. Hunter said that.. It doesn''t matter though. I don''t exactly have to kill him.. After I become Crow, in the one month that follows, I''ll have fun with this power.'' ''I don''t care about this war. Neither do I give two f*cks about the Book of Magic. All that matters to me, is my own life, and my happiness.'' ''That''s the only thing in this world I''m ready to devote to.'' ''Never again will I see that happen.'' ''Why am I even thinking about that. I''m playing.'' The tone of the song,that was once upbeat and happy, suddenly went down and moody. ''Mother.'' He stopped. Lancaster cleaned off the sweat from his brow, using a handkerchief. He discovered that his eyes were damp. ''Tears..'' He cleaned then off as well, waving to the audience that was getting annoyed. "It''s alright, I''ll continue." And so he continued to play. The music lifted up his heart once more, as he buried his feelings once more. _____________ April 29,1886. Weidson, Pridon ____________ Lancaster was in the woods close to the Screaming Woods of Rimus. A complicated symbol was drawn underneath his feet. He started to chant. "Spirits of wind and the skies, converge and heed the call of Bird, your good friend, and do me a small favour in exchange for Power, and a more enriched relationship. Combine your powers to for ma sharp blade, an cut my target in two."(Words of Magic) He pointed his hands towars a tree. "Wind scythe." And the tree , almost instantly fell. "It worked. And there wasn''t as much of a big hit to my Power as there was with the original spell." ''So once you understand the Words of Magic, you can change spells to suit your tastes. Also, It seems that I can offer Power as well as friendship to spirits instead of Power. I wonder what else I can offer.'' ''My Knowledge allows me to access information on so many different spells of different categories. The Bird is quite knowledgeable indeed. But how is Crow any better?'' "Might as well check it out." You want to do it. You want to become Crow, right? I''ll help you. I will not build a new Sanctuary for you, that isn''t easy. Instead, you''ll build a new one yourself. "How?" Must I teach you? You''re carving a new path, greatly removed from the Mages of now, and the Mages of centuries ago. I cannot tell you what you should do. It has never been done before. "Building a new Sanctuary?" No. Living without a Sanctuary. You wish to change your Title, right? Doing so, is the same as destroying yourself, and picking up the pieces and then using those pieces to rebuild yourself in a different manner. For a while, you will not be fully whole. "There''s no easy way to do this, huh." Once you destroy your Sanctuary, not only will you lose some of yourself, you will also lose your main connection to the spirit world. Sure you will not return to being innocent, but magic spells will be harder to perform. And this makes the rebuilding several times more difficult. Your soul will also be fragile, and easily attacked and violated by the spirits. Lancaster scratched his head. "It sounds dangerous." It is. But, you might survive, if you hold on to something. "Pardon?" What I mean by holding on, is being around a Mage, and hiding with them for protection. "So If I''m going to do this, I''ll need the Crown, right? This is what she was trying to do. She''ll make me vulnerable and make me rely on her?" No, you could rely on some one else...I gave you some good advice. "You''re a bit dense, demon. You didn''t ask me for anything when you gave me the information for free." You are very right ''Before I make my move, I need a Mage for protection huh? What if I don''t destroy the Sanctuary?'' What if you do what? "You can read my mind?" The young man was genuinely shocked,but he relaxed in a moment. "I want to carry the Sanctuary along with me, on my journey to Crow." Hehehehe! That has also never been done! You must be the strangest Mage I have ever Initiated. It might be possible still. But you must first obtain enough Power to uproot your Sanctuary, and carry it as you fly. "I''ll try that then. No way I''m becoming some parasite." And then the young Mage began outlining his plans to become Crow. ____________________ Migration II Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 9 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 9- "Migration II" __________________ The cold winter breeze was chilling for the bird who was left behind. Even when cuddling up in his warm nest, he could not find warmth. He was restless, and angry. He was the one who refused to fly away. When asked about it, the bird responded. "I''m okay. See, just as I said, the warmth of spring has come to me." And he sounded like a mad bird indeed. ________________ Quill. 29th April, 1886. Somewhere that might have been Pridon Castle, at some point in time. _________________ The young man lay on the cold hard floor, which was now warm with his blood. ''I won'' He was barely conscious. His body was broken, but was being repaired by Beings greater than his understanding. He believed that, in a short time, he will be capable of getting up. In such a state, he could not move. He was effectively paralysed. ''But I won.'' The young man was also unable to hear. The force of getting repeatedly slammed around by a thing more than twice his size and weight was enough to burst his eardrums. His internal organs were crushed, many bones broken, and he couldn''t breathe. He was weak, and tired. But he couldn''t sleep. He wondered how he was still alive. ''Ah. The spirits. That''s why.'' His broken body continued repair itself, slowly and painlessly. He wondered if he could feel pain after what just happened- whatever it was. ''I can''t fudging understand- for the life of me- what they''re doing to me. I mean Body replacement spells are quick and painful. This is slow and numbing..'' Journal, my good friend. Please tell me what their doing. You don''t know either? Come on journal!'' An inconsequential amount of Power was required to Write on Journal. As it turned out, Quill wasn''t completely dry. ''Well, If you really don''t know then I think we can put our heads together, and think about it. I remember going all ''Jordan isn''t my name anymore!'' and ''I''m not going to die'' or something like that. Then I thrashed that tin can like it was nothing. And then instead of going all ''I''m Quill, mwahaha.'', I just stood there for a second saying nothing, before falling down. Now I''m lying in a pool of my own blood, weak, tired and useless for some reason.'' ''But I won, right?'' The biting pain, all over his body came back. He had no choice but to endure the agony, and think happy thoughts. Journal, I kicked butt out there, didn''t I? I know I wasn''t weak. What''s the matter? Why the long face? We won.. He thought back to the fight, in shock. We didn''t win. The b*tch is still breathing. I didn''t even touch her. I only broke one of her toys.. Yes, I''m making it sound wierd. The pain might be messing up with my brain. As he thought about his brain, a pounding headache afflicted him. ''Damn you stupid spirits! Can''t you just heal me faster? Why am I lying here doing nothing! Why can''t I just get up and end this fight! Why am I still so weak, after everything! Why?'' Quill shifted on the ground. He had finally regained some muscle power. He tried to get up, he failed and the pain came in full force. ''shit.'' Journal, Am I really this pathetic? What did you say? I''m not? But I am. After getting through those soldiers, and going head to head with whatever the queen bitch of Pridon sent to me, I''m left with nothing. I don''t have any strength left to even back up my words- all my big talk about defeating the Crown. About how she''s weak.. Quill tried again. It was as though his body was screaming at him. He stopped trying, wondering why he even tried in the first place. He could hear the noise of his heart beating. Apparently, his ears were fixed. Journal, Am I going mad? Yes, I''ve asked you this question before, but It was only a joke back then. Now I''m asking for real. Tell me. Did I make an stupid decisions? Was I reckless? What was I trying to accomplish, Journal? Why am I here, now?If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ''You don''t know. Same goes for me. But I do know that I''m here now because I underestimated The Crown. I shouldn''t have even picked a fight with her. But then, what was the alternative, rolling over and dying? If I went back home, would it stop her from sending people to kill me, just like she did with Lisa? Or maybe I should''ve bowed down to her, and hoped she won''t kill me? ''No. There wasn''t an alternative, do there''s no use blaming myself. No point. It happened, because it happened.'' ''What about the fight with the thing. Could I have run away, that time I trapped it with my earth spell? Could I have run to... No. I''m thinking in circles like a fool. Again, there''s no point in recollecting all that. I''ve failed. That''s all there is to it.'' The pain was ever present, but by now it had reduced to a managable degree. ''I have to think in terms of what I need to do NOW. Right now, Journal, I''m getting up, and going to confront the Queen. There is no other path, no other direction for me to go. I have to win. If I''m not enough, I''ll just sacrifice more.'' He got up from the pool of blood. He had to force his body to move. His appendages felt foreign. Like he was making a puppet move, rather than his own body. He still felt the pain though. It sucked. ''Would I always have to do this? No. I''ll get used to getting up like this soon enough. What, Journal? You''re saying I shouldn''t get used to this? But I''m pathetic and useless and I''ll probably find myself in the same position again. No, you''re talking crap there Journal.'' He attempted to open his mouth. It felt as though his lips were sewed together. His jaw was stiff. He succeeded though. "Damn you! Crown!" "Watch your mouth, peasant! You are in the presence of the sovereign of Pridon. Bow your head and show your respect." The queen and her lapdog were sitting on some undamaged chairs in the room, facing Quill as he was getting up. "We waited patiently for your recovery. I have other matters to attend to, so I will make this quick. You will kill a Mage. Inexchange for doing so, you will get one month of non-agression between us. I will not attempt to kill you in any way, neither will I send someone to. As long as you do not do the same. Agreed?" ''What?'' ''Journal, what is this snake talking about? I''m here to kill *you ! Alright. I guess I''m going overboard again. I need to get a grip...'' ''Maybe this is a good move to make. Maybe I could be the snake, coiling around her, waiting for the right time to strike. I''ll play along first, but then I''ll show my fangs later. One month, is enough time for me to immerse my self in Magic, and obtain enough power to really be a part of this war. Big problem is that I have to kill a Mage first. How am I going to do that.'' "Also, you have seven days to make that happen. You have a period of seven days to kill another Mage, if you don''t, then our deal is off and I can and will continue our fight. Also, you are forbidden from attempting to kill Seer, that is impossible for you to do anyways." She paused for a second and then continued. "For every extra Mage you kill, you will be awarded another month of peace between us. Do you agree?" ''Only seven days huh. That complicates things. Seven days, is way too small for me to kill Mage. If I''m guessing all of them are as strong as her... But they''re not. It could be, that I might have a chance of doing this. Yes, I might just do it, and if I do, I''ll be helping myself, more than her...'' "Yes." "Let''s shake hands, as a proof of our agreement to the spirits of fairness and judgement." "Okay." Quill touched the queen''s hand. It was soft and... ''What kind of thoughts are popping up in my head, Journal? She''s twice my age and my enemy. I must be mad.'' "It is done. Now get out of my sight." ''See,what the hell did you expect, brain? She''s heartless.'' He managed to stumble his way away from her- his muscles were still strange- and he eventually reached the Door. "Quill! Use this!" A small metal object flew across the room, towards Quill. He panicked, thinking it must be a weapon. He couldn''t dodge- the sudden movement spiked up the pain and he stood, stuck. The small object bonced off his back, falling to the ground. ''It''s a key. It''s just a small key, Journal. I''m that crazy already.'' He had to bend down, and turn around completely to pick it up. Slowly and carefully, that was exactly what he did. Picking up the keys, he inserted it into the keyhole in the door. It was difficult to open, but he did it eventually. He continued the brutal labour of just moving out of the room and closing the door. When he was sure he was far from the Door , and away from earshot, he screamed. "Why am I so damn pathetic!" _______________ Bird. 29th April, 1886. Outskirts of Screaming Woods, Weidson. ________________ Lancaster closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. He had done this before- during his training several years back. He didn''t think he would need this useless bullshit again. "Bird." ''All I need to do in order to enter the spirit realm is transfer my consciousness across worlds by connecting to an anchor in the spirit realm. That anchor is my Title. I have to focus on it, with all my being and I''ll crossover.'' ''But it''s easier because I''m bird. Flying around is my specialty.'' Just as he had expected, magic was getting even more interesting. It was getting more dangerous too, but that couldn''t be helped. ''Danger has it''s own charm.'' He connected his mind to his Title, and let go of his body. While looking through his Knowledge in the process of this ritual, he stumbled upon two words he was unfamiliar with. ''What the hell is a soul?'' ''It is the person. It is the being. It is all that makes you, you. It is all that you are.'' ''Then what''s a spirit?'' ''It''s the essence of who you are, minus your body. It''s more than just your consciousness, but it is your memories, and your habits and your hopes and dreams. All that makes you who you are, minus your body.'' ''Then what am I doing now, demon?'' ''You are sending your consciousness across from your soul, to a portion of it- your spirit.'' ''This makes sense to you, right?'' There was no response. ''You imp!'' ''Do you even know what an imp is?'' ''I guess not, but it must be an insult to you.'' Bird felt it, when he had arrived. For one, there wasn''t any grass poking his feet, the smell of animal dung was gone, and so was all the sounds that came with the forest. He opened his eyes. Taking in the new sight. Nothing. There was nothing. ''You are two hasty, Mage. The journey to the spirit world is a long one. You must completely resonate with your spirit...Where you are right now, can only be called the Abyss.'' ''And what is that?'' ''It is the endless chasm that stands between the human world and the spirit world. It stretches far and wide, but in terms of height it has no beginning or end. If you decided to fly upwards, you will never reach the top, and if you fly downwards, you will never reach the bottom.'' ''I''m guessing all I need to do is move forward, using my spirit again?'' ''Yes. It is your spirit here, not your soul. Your spirit has created an imaginary body for your Self(or consciousness) so that you would not feel lost, and lose your connection, returning back to your real body. But this fake body is made out of Power, hence if you run out, you will return to your body instantly.'' "Bird." He focused once more, anchoring his spirit to his Title. He didn''t feel as though he was moving at all. ''You have arrived at your Sanctuary, Bird.'' ''And you helped me every step of the way.'' ''Do not even try that. You know that I am reducing your Power for every second I''m with you.'' ''Yes, I do.'' Lancaster looked around. He saw a small living room. It was his house. It was just his house. His family''s house. "Where you expecting something else, Mage?" ''Yes. This isn''t as fantastical as I expected.'' He looked towards the door, and thought of going outside and looking around. ''Go outside and you die. Malignant spirits will eat you.'' "What do I do then?" ''Go outside.'' Lancaster smiled. Danger is fun, until it gets real. ''No thanks. I''ll stay here and look through my Knowledge, see what kind of spells I can get.'' ''You must confront it, though. It''s there, waiting for you at Crow''s location.'' ''What is it?'' ''The darkness, Bird. The darkness that lurks within you. It has attached itself to your ideal Title, and gained Power from it. Unless you defeat it, this trip would have been a waste of time and Power '' ''Who have I not defeated?'' ''Hmm, let me think- the other Mages; Hunter, The Crown..'' ''Please stop, I get the point.'' Lancaster reasoned about it for awhile. ''What kind of darkness are you talking about? I don''t have anything like that inside me. You must be mistaken.'' ''It is the thing you fear, Lancaster. It is what eats you inside..'' ''Enough! I''m not feeding you Power for you talk rubbish.'' ''Power that I gave to you, Power that I continue to give to you as per our contract?'' Lancaster stopped talking to the demon. "All I need to do is become Crow, and I''ll have all the time I need to have fun with this.." And then he spent about two hours immersed in his Knowledge. It was easier to connect to it in the spirit world, so he learnt more spells in less time. The spells he learnt were the ones he thought were most useful for his current situation and of course the ones that were the most fun. "I could still have more fun, but my Power is at about half left, right?" ''Yes, that is true.'' "It''s time to go outside, then." Lancaster walked towards his door and pushed it open. What he saw on the other side left him speechless. There were thousands of ''Things''- that could barely be called ''people''. These things came in different sizes and shapes, some humanoid and some not. They were floating around, some flickering like an old light bulb, and others just teleporting from one location to another. It was magnificent and fascinating. It was also mystifying to watch. Most of all, it was fun. ''Welcome to the spirit world, Bird. It''s time to face the darkness.'' ___________________ Darkness Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 10 _________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 10- "Darkness." __________________ Let''s talk about a man. Within his soul, there were said to be two forces of equal magnitude, vying for supremacy. They were the forces of light and darkness. Which one will win? Does it matter? - An extract from Wisdom of the Insane by The Philosopher. __________________ Unknown time and date. Bird, Spirit world. _____________________ Lancaster took a deep breath. He wondered why he even tried. His lungs were fake and there really wasn''t anything to breathe in. There was no air. Only something else that Lancaster couldn''t understand. There were all sorts of sounds though. He wondered how that was possible. ''But then it''s magic.'' He smiled. The noises were made by the magnificent but diverse life forms which were shuffling their feet, outright flying, floating, or even teleporting their way across a barren world, with no trees, grass or sort of plant life. There was only a strange glowing white light, emanating from the ground and the skies. The spirits gathered around the Sanctuary, once they noticed the occupant was outside. They did not move any closer, but decided to chat amongst themselves, using strange languages, Lancaster couldn''t understand. "Why are they just staring?" They are wary of us. They know that no Mage would be stupid enough to just walk out of their sanctuary. They fear me, as well. "Because of what you are?" No, It''s because I''m also unfamiliar. Many of the spirits here that are large enough to have a mind of their own have never seen anything like me before. They do not - And cannot- have an accurate read of my strength, or abilities. "I want to understand what each an every one of these spirits are, how they came to be and what they can do. Just tell me everything, oh great god of desire." ''That information isn''t really useful right now. And frankly, I don''t know everything.'' Lancaster was almost irritated. Almost. After all, who could be irritated, when they have the view of the lifetime. "So you''re telling me that the Knowledge is a lie?" ''No. I mean that there cannot possibly be such a thing as omniscient. That''s preposterous. I can make you nearly infinitely powerful, and give you knowledge you would never have been able to learnt in a 1000 lifetimes, but I can''t make you know everything about the world of magic. Sure, If you have somehow won the battle, you could have the Knowledge of every single Magical being in my time - before I was locked up - but not the new ones that have sprouted up afterwards. The universe is endless, only because it continues to grow.'' "We can hear them, so can they hear us?" They can hear, but cannot understand. Same reason why you can''t understand what they are saying to one another. Words of Magic, however are universal for all who reside or are connected to the spirit world. Simply put, if you use the words of magic, you can communicate with them. ''Good to know. But that means I''ll have to learn a few more words if I want to talk to these guys..'' Lancaster had learnt to modify spells by learning the meaning of some of the Words of Magic and adding, or subtracting from the spell to make it more potent. When he had tried it, a few hours ago, It had worked splendidly.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ''So tell me, what''s next? I really want to get this thing over with so that I can sit and smell the flowers- if you know what I mean.'' The next step on your journey, is lifting your Sanctuary- I mean, it is what we had agreed on. All you have to do, is call a few spirits to help you do It. Negotiations would be more direct now that you are fully immersed in the spirit world. "Spirits of strength?" Well, yes that might work. "What''s the best option?" Kill yourself and put an end to your misery before it begins. "F*ck you, demon" Such a pity. To think you would really treat me with an iota of respect. After finally calling me a god.. The Mage scoffed and returned to his Sanctuary. While he was there, he immersed himself within his studies of his Knowledge, learning the Words of Magic in greater detail. He also took some time to explore his Sanctuary. The demon didn''t forget to warn him about the Power he was expending every moment he was there. Coming outside after a short period of time, confident and prepared was the young Mage. The surrounding spirits moved even closer, seeing that the Mage didn''t attack, and harbouring doubts about his strength. The lesser ones followed mindlessly ofcourse. Lancaster focused his spirit -this was easy- and then he started to glow. ''No need for runes this time.'' "Spirits of Birds and winds gather around me, and grant me the ability to make myself as well as other things fly, effortlessly. In exchange for a small measure of Power as well as my friendship, please perform this task for me. As long as we are friends, I shall choose to use your Power as frequently as I need to."(Words of Magic). ''Come on, work. This isn''t even an established spell, it''s just something I made up just now.'' The spirit stood, confused. Many of them hadn''t heard of such a spell before. For better or worse, the spirits he summoned still answered the call. Mysterious glowing birds and a chilling wind arrived close to Lancaster. ''It worked!'' "It''s only you guys huh?" "Human. We do not understand what you mean by friendship. The only relationship we have ever established with your kind, is that of slavery. If we might answer your request, explain to us what you mean by Friendship."(Words of magic). Apparently, the spirits could talk back. It was the Bird spirits, the biggest one was the one who spoke. It was a raven. "Friendship in this case would mean a bond of... Friendliness. We behave alright to each other, we agree not to fight, and we might support each other, but only once in a long time. I could use your particular services whenever I need to, and in exchange I will help you with some Power- no questions asked if I want to. Also, I have prepared a chart for how much favours you would have to refuse to end our alliance, as well as how much I would refuse. If you want us to be friends for a long time, don''t mess with me."(Words of Magic). ''It took me so long to learn some of those words. I''m not even sure I said them right. It was nice though.'' The raven replied. "If you have a written contract, let us read through it that we might come to an agreement."(Words of Magic). ''I''m glad. I''m actually negotiating with spirits..'' He gave them a folded piece of paper. When exploring his house earlier, he had found paper and books that were the exact copy of what was in the real world. He tore out a fresh page and made the chart and written contract for the spirits, in case they asked for it. The raven told the Mage to drop it down, which he did. The birds took a good look at it, and agreed to his proposal. Lancaster nodded his head. As it appeared, the wind spirits had also accepted. Now all that was left, was causing the Sanctuary to take to the skies. "Now fly, sanctuary of Bird!"(Words of Magic). Lancaster improvised by commanding the building to fly. His little friends did their part to make it easier. A great wind took hold of the Sanctuary and forced it upwards. The birds did their part by causing some kind of wings to sprout out from the Sanctuary. "My house has wings! Who on earth could say their house had wings!" The house went upwards. "Alright. Could you make it follow me?"(Words of Magic). "Yes."(Words of magic). Lancaster was elated. His plans were working out flawlessly. He too, focusing on his anchor- his Title- flew upwards as well. He wasn''t just floating half an inch above the ground. This was the first time, he had ever flew this high. Lancaster screamed in joy. "Yesss!" You know it would all come crashing down in the worst possible way, right? "Stop it, demon." I am just telling you the truth, like I always do. The winds lifting this thing upwards are unstable. Also, now you have established your power, how do you think the other spirits will react? "You tell me." The weaker ones will usually float away. The stronger ones will devour you. Lancaster, whilst still in flight towards the Crow and with the house/Sanctuary still flying along behind him was preparing a defensive spell. "Spirits of protection and Aegis. Grant me peace and security from all those who wish to harm me, by preparing a wall of Power around me, that my enemies shall not come near me, unless they can overcome the measure of power I offer up here. Protective shield!" (Words of Magic). Lancaster''s Power dropped by another 1/10th. Now he had only 2/10th of his Power left. ''Is that good enough for you?'' You are not doing it for me. You are doing it for yourself. Ask yourself instead, ''am I really safe''? Lancaster decided to ignore him...or it. The path towards the Crow was charted beforehand, and Lancaster had already memorised the Journey. Although, seeing it for himself in the spirit world, felt a lot more difficult. ''Your defence was quite flimsy, young Mage. What were you trying to accomplish?''(Words of Magic) spoken from the mouth of a being that was invisible and untouchable. "What are you?" Lancaster had forgotten to use the words of magic. Realising that he wasn''t understood, he repeated his earlier statement. "What are you?"(Words of magic). "I do not answer to you, human." ~Words of Magic. "Come on. I thought negotiation was worth something here. I guess they''re fools every where, who think they can brute their way through anything." "Wind scythe him, my friendly spirits of winds and skies!" And a sharp gust of wind as sharp as an actual blade pierced through the space where the mysterious being was talking from. Nothing happened. "Human. Surrender your soul to me!" ~ Words of Magic. "Not happening." Lancaster''s Power had already reduced below 1/10th from all the flying, spells and from Mr.demon who was tagging along. It was only a short stretch before he reached the Crow. He decided, it time to change things up. Lancaster opened his door, quickly entered inside,and locked it. "I''m safe in the Sanctuary, right?" Yes, you are. I thought I didn''t need to tell you that. "I wasted valuable time and Power having fun. But It was alright, because it was fun. Thanks a lot for not giving me such vital information when I needed it the most.'' You''re welcome. The house had stopped in mid air. "Friends, continue to push the building towards the East."~ Words of Magic. And that was what they did. In only a few moments, they had arrived above their destination. "Crow." Now all that is left to do, is land on top of it and connect your soul to the new Title, while simultaneously, forsaking the old one. Not very difficult, considering what we have faced so far. Oh. Also, your darkness and pain and all that has effectively taken over the Title of Crow. This is because, in your mind, it reflects what you left behind, the past that you are trying to escape from. I believe, I have already explained it enough. "Stop. There is no darkness. I''m just a normal guy." You have some Power to spare, why don''t you go ahead and connect your spirit to it. "I''ve already begun. Crow." Lancaster, felt his very being being dragged along, downwards into the position of Crow. His spirit fell through the floor and into the emptiness that was Crow. He started to see flashes of his past. His mother''s screams as he stabbed her ... Lancaster opened his eyes hastily, disconnecting himself from the spirit world. Having trouble? "Get out of my sight!" Suit yourself. And then the demon receded back into the Book of Magic. _______________ Homecoming Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 11 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 11- "Homecoming." __________________ Since ancient times, the Mages had partook in an act known only to them as the practice. This practice could also be referred to- by those who could not understand it- as magic, sorcery or witchcraft. The practice involved rituals, that had to be performed at particular times, and sacrifices that must be exact and the same. The practice of magic, had been tied to culture, and tradition, as well as religion. But at first, in it''s purest form, it involved communication with the Otherworldly entities known as spirits. Was the practice good, or was it evil? Could it simply be explained, or categorised? In the purest, truest form, magic is a perversion of innocence, through the initiation of communication and trade between worlds. But did it matter to them that they could not go back? Were they sad that they would never be normal, and innocent again? Even if it meant losing themselves on the path towards understanding the endless universe and understanding the enigma known as magic, A Mage is willing to do it. Even if it meant society will treat him with scorn and hatred wherever he goes, A Mage must be prepared. Such is the life of a genuine Mage. ~ The Ideal Mage, 1171.(Abridged. Translated to current English). A book that was burnt to ash the moment the Sanctuary of Light got wind of it, and all it''s writers were burned at the stake for they were seen as heretics. ____________ April 30,1886. Weidson. ____________ 12:45 ''I''m home. I''m finally home.'' Quill was standing in front of his house in Weidson contemplating on how he would approach his family. ''Mom, Dad, I''ve disappeared ever since because I''m a magician now. It''s a thing.. I sold my soul, so I''m not even your son anymore...'' Journal, we both know that there''s no way I''m saying that. ''What do I say then. Should I just lie to them? Tell them that I just...'' Quill shaked his head. ''No. I''ve only been gone for a few hours. I left the bakery at seven, and I didn''t tell them where I was going. It''s simple. Without lying to them, I could just say that I stayed out at someone''s place.'' He was already pacing around in circles. ''No. It won''t work. It doesn''t explain why I came back at this time of the night...or I could really stay out at a friend''s place till morning. Oh, too bad I don''t exactly have any friends. And William is out for my blood..'' Journal, more than anything, what I want to do right now, is just sleep. I want to hop on that bed, close my eyes, and leave them like that till it''s sunrise. I just want this day to end. But I have to do this right. ''Spells.'' Quill was out of Power, and though it was being replenished by Desire, it was minuscule that he could not even cast Inscribe. Spells to somehow warp their memories were out of the question. ''So the only choice I have is making up a story. I''ll lie to them.''This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Jordan had never lied to his father, or his step-mother. But Quill wasn''t Jordan. ''I can do this.'' Once he believed that his story was straight, he knocked on the front door. The Middlesworth bakery was built into the side of the house. Infact it was a part of the house building, and one could go in from the bakery into the house and vice versa. The house was built like this for convenience. It wasn''t the only house-workplace in the town, but it was built differently. There were three doors in total. One in the front door of the house, one in the left of the house, at the building''s left side, leading into the bakery and finally one back door. Quill knocked again. The door opened up, and Quill saw his step-mother Risa standing in front of him. "Jordan. Where the heck have you been?" "I got abducted. The thing is, I kinda escaped from there because of... some other stuff." ''It was kind of the truth. After all, those shadowy arms did abduct me, and threw me into the Crimson Corridor. It''s almost the same thing.'' ''It was a compromise. I''m still not ready to outright lie to them just yet. Maybe I''m a bit more Jordan than I thought.'' "Come in." Risa didn''t look happy, but she was relieved. ''Which meant she had been worried. Which makes complete sense since she''s my mother...'' She closed the door after Jordan had entered the living room, and locked it. Then she sat down and stared at Quill''s nervous face. "Tell me everything." Before Quill could concoct a believable tale to tell her, that was also somewhat true, he heard a voice, from the corner of the room. "What are you doing still alive, Jordan? I ought to kill you." Quill''s face snapped towards the direction of his father''s voice, ready to defend himself.. ''It''s just my dad. It''s not a Mage. No demons here.'' "You''re afraid? Come on, grow up." Llyod wore his signature warm smile. He was glad that Jordan had went out, believing that he had finally joined his peers in whatever they were doing. The fat man walked towards his son. "Now tell me, where have you really been?" Quill swallowed his saliva. A quick glance at Risa, told him that she didn''t believe his kidnapping story either. Quill was afraid and confused. He didn''t know what to say, or how go say it. He didn''t want all this, he wanted sleep. It wasn''t that he was physically sleepy, it was because he was mentally exhausted. "I was strolling around town, working on my book." ''Straight up lie. And I don''t feel bad about it at all. Somehow I''m just angry at him for forcing me to do this. I just want to rest.'' "Till midnight?" Llyod sounded disappointed somehow. Quill wondered why. ''Did he know I was lying to him? I bet he did. He''s pretending to believe me, but he''s even more curious as to where I was and what I was doing..'' ''If I was Lisa, It would have been much easier.... Lisa.. ''I can''t stand to lie to them.It feels fake and wrong. I feel fake and wrong.'' But I did it anyways because I had to. There was not other option that could''ve convinced them. I guess I really am not Jordan Middesworth anymore. Their son would never lie to them. ''Is that is? Was that all I sacrificed? I really don''t think so. But I still feel like myself..'' The young man nodded his head- telling them that that was all he did. After that, he quickly retreated to his room, not responding when Risa called his name. ''I have to know. What really is different about me? What did I lose to get that Power?'' The young man sat down on his bed pondering about it. Soon, he felt a surge of Power welling up inside him, and a quiet voice whispered in his ears. You lost some of yourself. Quill. ''Demon.'' Yes, it''s me. Because of your wonderful exhibition earlier today, I''m willing to answer your question for free. You have lost Jordan Middesworth. Exactly how much you lost of him, depends on your view of your self. What you did earlier, was cut off all you saw as excess - hindrances to your growth and victory - and replace them with spirits. Simply put - you have invited otherworldly entities Into your body and Sanctuary, and given them ownership over most of your soul by destroying most of the parts you owned yourself. Do you understand now? ''No, I don''t. It doesn''t explain why I''m still me.'' That''s because you did not let go completely. Somewhere, deep within you, lies the love for your imperfections. You want to remain the same and that affected your unconscious spell. So all you really sold out there was your name. ''So I''m alright.'' Quill was ready to relax. The name of a Mage holds a lot of Power. You might want to reclaim your Name from them, or else this is the path you wish to take, Quill? ''In a magic perspective, what did I lose from destroying my name and inviting those things to take it''s place?'' You lost a name, but gained a new one. You lost the right to call yourself Jordan Middesworth. You lost the ability to use that name in a spell. That''s all. ''Then what was that about a Mage''s name having Power?'' I was referring to family names. The thing called Power is transferred from generation to generation. Also, the spirits who were allies to a Mage, would be allies to his children. And the spirits who were enemies to a Mage, would be enemies to his children. In the context of what I was saying, I was assuming that you were eventually going to store Power in your name, like other Mages usually do. There is a name for no-names like you, it''s the Blighted. Those who allow cursed and evil spirits control their bodies and souls. They lose a portion of their Power every moment, this Power feeds the parasitic spirits. They also lose their minds once in a while, on the spirits whim. You are indeed lucky that no one particular spirit holds full Authority over you, otherwise let''s just say that you would be under far more pain. So, do you want to remain Blighted? ''Blightedness sounds like a curse. It probably is. And I don''t like this.'' ''I was stupid back then, just sending in any spirit. I don''t want this.'' So you want to cast out the Blight? You can do so in two ways. Option one- you destroy the Blights as well as more of your soul that they have latched unto. This is the easiest option, but it''s also the most painful. It will involve a complete annihilation of your body and it usually results in death. Option two- you force each individual spirit into a corner and seal it away somewhere, doing so for ever other spirit, one by one, until they are all rounded up and locked up somewhere inside you. If you do this, you get to keep their abilities without the hassle that comes with being possessed. What''s your choice? ''The second one...why are you being helpful all of a sudden.'' I don''t understand you. Was I not ''helpful'' before? By the way, this knowledge already exists in your Knowledge. If you had time to take a look, you''ll have known all of this. Also, I gained a bit more of myself thanks to your desperation earlier, so I am showing my gratitude. "What about the name?" Quill wanted to be careful this time. He couldn''t afford to make the exact same mistakes again. He wanted to be a better Mage. ''Your original name belongs to the spirits now. And I''m not talking about the ones inside you. If yoy want it back, you must petition to higher forces and trade it for something of equal or greater value. That is the only way.'' Quill was ready to do whatever it would take to improve. Then he would face his enemies again. Journal, we didn''t win at all last time. I won''t count that as a win. Especially if it wasn''t completely me doing it. I want to win because I''m that good, not because I''m desperate. And I''m going to try, Journal. I will leave it to you to decide how you will do it. Good night, Blighted One. This time, Quill decided it was time to write, not using Inscribe or Write, but using a regular quill. As he got to work checking his Knowledge and writing down what he was going to do, he forgot about his sleep altogether. _________________ Companion Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 12 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 12- "Companion." __________________ The brilliant sunlight illuminated the beautiful sunny day. Emeralda was at the terrace again, still annoyed and weeping. The old wise sage walked towards her with a warm welcoming smile. "Life is sometimes a lonely journey. It''s good to spend it with other people." Emeralda turned to look at the elder. She quickly cleaned her tears. "What if you hate other people?" The old sage smiled wider. "Then learn to love. Life will be a lot less difficult that way." ~ An extract from the Mushroom. The tale written- but not completed- by Jordan E. Middlesworth who unfortunately has no friends. _________________ April 30, 1886. 9:00 ______________ The Middlesworths were still mourning the death of Lisa. But the bakery had to open - it had been two days already after all. After spending most of the night planning for the ritual to regain his name and his Sanctuary, Quill wasn''t well rested when he woke up the next morning. But he believed he was ready. It was finally another day. '' Today, I''ll deal with all my biggest problems at once. My inner demons as well as my worst enemies. '' ''...Maybe not the latter one, but I have to kill Hunter sooner rather than later. I have seven days to get it done. I have to try..'' "Jordan, we have customers to attend to. Freshen up , get your lazy arse up here and get to work!" "I''m coming, dad." Quill reluctantly got up from the bed. He stretched his stubby legs, and moved towards his wardrobe to pick up some clothes. '' I''ll go with the brown T-shirt. It''s my best one. '' Jordan Middlesworth. Jordan Middlesworth. Jordan Middlesworth. "What are you?" You responded. But that isn''t your name. "What the hell are you?" ''Obviously not the demon. Must be one of those parasitic spirits - my inner ''demons'' - that''s trying to possess me or something. Thankfully, I have a rune or two for situations like this.'' Quill quickly inscribed the words of magic meaning - Will. Power. Mind - upon his chest. It glowed for a moment as Quill recited the chant. "Spirits of the mind, grant me willforce and strength of the mind in exchange for Power, and under the authority of the book of magic." The spirit''s voice faded away. And it was done. The simple spell consumed ? of his Power, but conveniently forced the parasites away to continue to be bound for a short period of time. Quill had realized that the spirits attempted to possess him like that in regular intervals - the moment they obtain enough Power to do so. And since he unconsciously supplies them with Power every moment, he had eventually calculated the timing of their attacks. ''The last failed attempt at possession was six hours and twenty five minutes ago. So it takes them about six hours to charge up a mental attack. I have to be prepared to chant this spell every six hours. No problem.'' You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ''After all, it''s not as if I''m actually using Power for anything else, right?'' "Jordan!" "Coming, mom." Quill felt as though it was pointless. What was the point of doing day to day chores when his life was on the line, and every moment he could use to improve himself counted towards his eventual victory or death? Will selling a few loafs of bread to a few people purge the evil spirits living inside him? Would it kill the bastards that killed his sister? ''No. It wouldn''t. So it''s a waste of time.'' But he believed he had to do it. ''To make sure that my family doesn''t get mixed up in this mayhem, I have to hide it from them.'' Quill brushed his teeth. While he did so, he imagined how his life would have been without magic. ''It would have been boring as usual. I would still be working on my novel, my life would''nt be under threat. Come to think of it, maybe Lisa wouldn''t be gone...'' ''No. I shouldn''t think like that. It''s not magic''s fault, it''s just power. Lisa died because of The Crown and Hunter. They killed her...'' He rinsed his mouth, and began to rinse the rest of his face with water. ''But why? The question keeps coming up over and over again in my head.'' ''Why would anyone do such a thing. Brutally murdering an innocent little girl for no reason, other than some bullshit magic. Unbeknownst to him, tears had started to stream out from his eyes. "You''re thinking about Lisa, aren''t you?" Risa''s voice startled him. "Umm..yes." "You have this angry look on your face, but you are crying." "I guess I am." "You haven''t cried, since the day she died...I think it''s a good thing that you can let out your emotions." ''You''re not letting out anything though. You''re putting up an act, trying to sound as if you don''t miss her. But you do, and you should. Stop acting brave infront of me...'' Quill didn''t know what to do. He left the bathroom, and went to the bakery. "Jordan, Stop stinking up the place and go and bathe." Lloyd ordered. ''I don''t have time to spend on thinking about magic. For now, I''ll focus on what''s most important- washing the dishes and serving the customers. Maybe I''ll take the afternoon break to handle the problem that may or may not kill me at any time..'' Yes, Yes. As if it was that easy. ___________ Meanwhile, Still in Weidson. ____________ "Lancaster Speindel. You are a genius." He stared at his mirror amd what stared back was a white lanky twenty-four year old with blonde hair and brown eyes. "But you''re lost. Your soul is still floating above Crow, not quite landing there. The Sanctuary is doing the same and your little friends are sucking away your magic Power once in a while - leaving you with almost nothing." "What do you do?" He continued to stare at his mirror as if he wasn''t looking at himself but was seeing someone else. "Simple question. Simple answer. I fight." Have you gone mad, Bird? "Get lost, demon. I don''t need you." What if I don''t want to get lost? What if I want to stay and watch my Powerful wizards fight, and you just so happened to be the third most interesting of all of them. "Third. Just third?" Yes. What were you expecting? You haven''t exactly made any big moves. Your Title switch was nonsense that didn''t work out. Your encounter with other Mages was fruitless because for some reason they do not want to kill you yet..and you are not willing to kill them either, are you, young man? "How many times do I have to tell you to get lost!" No more. No #1 appears to be cooking up something interesting. "Interesting how? And who is.." Goodbye.... Lancaster slammed his fist against the mirror, cracking it a little. "Trashy demon." The pianist stood up and walked across his new one-roon apartment. After Hunter burned his old house, he had to rent a new one. Some of the locals called what Hunter did an unfortunate accident, while others openly blamed it on Lancaster''s laid-back, lackadaisical attitude. Lancaster grabbed his green jacket and strolled out as if nothing had ever happened. As he left, some of his neighbours where giving him strange looks. "Isn''t that the man whose house burnt to ash yesterday." "Yeah. It''s him. He lost everything. Poor guy." "You are right about that. He is a poor person, if I''ve ever seen one. My nephew who lives near his former house said he overheard his conversation with his landlord. As it turned out, he could barely pay for his rent before. Now after burning the old woman''s house, he runs away without even paying anything. I''m completely sure he''s going to get kicked out from this house.." "And that won''t be the first time that happened.." "What a useless person.." They continued to chatter. ''Do they know I can hear them? Yes. Do they have no shame? Ofcourse they don''t.'' Lancaster took a look at his palms. ''If they knew I could break their necks without breaking a sweat, wouldn''t they stop this? If they realised that I could use fantastical powers to curse them to death, would they continue this rubbish?'' He clenched his fists, and then shaked his head. He didn''t have time to waste on trash like them. ''I have to fight. That is what I have to do. If I want this nonsense to end, I have to put in the effort.'' ''The main problem is... how?'' While he trekked to his job at the dreamer''s alehouse in Dale''s, he took the time to think. ''At first, the demon told me was to latch myself on to someone. To find another Mage for support while on the journey to Crow, while somehow figuring out the building of the new Sanctuary on my own. This time though, I won''t need a new Sanctuary since I already have one. If I find a Mage support, All I''ll need at that point is a spell that can help me destroy the darkness residing in Crow.'' ''The plan is ~ step one. Find and dominate/control a Mage, so as to fix the Power problem. As far as I have an extra supply of Power from another Mage, it shouldn''t be too possible to keep Sanctuary flying. I could try landing on somewhere else other than Crow, but Knowledge says it might be difficult to ever get to Crow again, with such a messed up connection. So the only option is the one I am going for.'' ''Step two. Discover and learn - or craft - a spell that can dispell the darkness inside Crow.'' ''Step three,kill Mage to buy some time from Crown, so I have more time to figure out how to skip this whole battle, so I get to enjoy magic.'' ''Alright. I think I can do it.'' By the time he had reached his work place, he had already oulined the steps he had to take to fix his problem. ''This is work. I hate doing this. But I have to.'' He strolled into the pub, waving his co-workers and getting comfortable at his seat in front of the piano. Lancaster had been working as a musician for the pub ever since the first day he played for them two years ago and they had loved him. The audience''s approval and the prospect of earning an actual living out of doing what he lived, made it sound like a nice decision to work there. He had long since changed his mind. ''Routines, and rules. I hate them both.'' "I need a drink." The waitress dropped a mug of ale for him, smiling. "Thanks." ''I genuinely mean that. I hardly ever do. A free drink, is one of the greatest things anyone could give me.'' "No problem." And she walked away while Lancaster stared at her. Then he picked up his mug and started drinking. ''Now. Which Mage can I go after. Hunter is out since he''s too powerful. Just by being around him, I could feel that beating him would prove to be a problem. So the only option...is a Mage weaker than me. The problem is : which Mage is less powerful than I am? I don''t really know any other Mages apart from Hunter, Crown, Seer and Clock - because Hunter talked about her..'' After Slamming the mug on the table, and grinning at Annabelle aa she picked up the mug, without asking for anything, Lancaster stretched his fingers, and started playing. As he did so, he forgot about magic again, opting to simply enjoy the moment. I will give you a good target, If you will do I favour for me, anytime I ask. ''Why is it that you turn up at such a convenient moment.'' I can''t help it. It''s the art of temptation;give them exactly what they want most. Bonus points if its what they think they want most. ''You sound like a human.'' Now you notice? ''I agree. Give me information on my weak Mage.'' Quill. He is 17 years old and he is your cousin Jordan. ''My cousin is a Mage?'' Is it too surprising? ''No. I''m not that excited. Thanks for the information. Now leave my head.'' I have a few more things I could tell you. ''Don''t want it.'' Okay. ''Quill. I think we might become friends. I''ll stick to the plan though...'' ____________________ Companion II Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 13 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 13- "Companion II" __________________ There was once a tale of a never-ending battle. A silent war, waged with words. The fighters seemed very much like close friends, but beyond the surface they were worst enemies. This is the second worst type of battle one could ever be involved in, because the brawlers wage a hidden war against their enemies, and none could know where and when the other would strike. The worst kind of battle however, is a war upon oneself. That is the most difficult. ~ Philosopher, during his battle with The Beast, the goblins and the siren both summoned by the Crown. At that time Philosopher had chose to work with Beast to defeat the others knowing that he would have to challenge Beast later. 1874. __________________ 30 April,1886. Weidson. Middlesworth Bakery. __________________ "Quill." "What''s that?" Lloyd asked. His brows were furrowed. Quill repeated himself, whispering this time. His eyes were shut tight. "Quill." ''The spirit world. The ritual performed to enter the spirit world as detailed in my Knowledge involves connecting my consiousness to my Title by saying it with intent and focus. It says I only have to say it twice or thrice, but this is the third time I''ve said it, and nothing has happened. This is getting embarrassing..'' ''Good thing dad doesn''t have a clue what I''m doing. I''m really not good at this.'' ''If only it was a simple diagram, of words of magic I could write to go there.'' Journal don''t judge me, okay? I need some help here. Do you think I''m doing it wrong? "Jordan, what''s going on?" ''Focus... Quill you fool! I have to focus on it. Forget everything else and try to connect myself to it. The problem is I''m thinking too much. I just have to stop thinking...'' "...Quill." "Jordan!" "Quill." Lloyd had had enough. He stomped towards Jordan, and slapped him on the head. "What is wrong with you?" Quill tried to hold back his laughter. Lloyd looked visibly angry. But to Quill it was very humorous seeing the plump man drag his big body around and scream with such emotion. ''I''m not being focused enough!'' "What''s funny?" ''Dad. It''s your fault I have to do this. You''re the who just had to order me to stay here in the counter for the rest of the day, selling muffins. I''m supposed to have a break. In less than two hours, I''ll probably get possessed by a spirit If I don''t cast my spell. And I can''t cast anything with all the customers staring.'' ''So I''ve resorted to going to the spirit world. My body will remain here, so it''ll look as though I just fell unconscious. Maybe this wasn''t a good idea though. Now I think about it, I could''ve just went to the bathroom, and ''fainted'' there...'' ''But this is more fun.'' ''It''s the closest thing to bragging about my magic. At least some people will realise I''m different. Maybe showing them a full on spell is stupid, but with the spirit migration ritual there wouldn''t be any special lights or blasts of energy.'' "Quill." Risa had come out of the inner roon. She took a glace at Quill and raised her eyebrow at Lloyd. "What''s wrong with Jordan?" She asked to make it obvious. "I don''t know. He''s just closing his eyes and saying the same words over and over again. He''s being a brat." "Maybe he''s praying?" "Can''t be. He''s not a believer of Tyr. He must be doing this to annoy me."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Quill. Quill. Quill." The writing mage felt something peculiar in his heart. A strange sensation, unlike no other. "I''m about to get there." "What are you even talking about!" ''Quill. Quill. Quill. Quill. Quill.'' Lloyd held his son by his shoulders and shook him thoroughly. The sensation grew stronger. He stopped feeling anything from his skin and the rest of his body. The quiet whispers in his head grew louder all of a sudden. ''Quill. Quill. Quill.'' Quill stopped hearing. His perception of up or down felt messed up. At that moment, he felt as though he was spinning around, while standing still and stiff. His body was being pulled at and he was losing feeling in all parts of his body. It was so fascinating. ''Interdimensional travel.'' "Greetings, Quill. Would you be kind as to let me into your Sanctuary? You see I''m a fellow Mage." ''Who the heck is this person'' "My name is Lancaster. I will not mention my Title, unless we come into an agreement. Come on. It won''t be a waste of your time." "Alright. I''m done with the act, Jordan. Just let me in so we can talk." ''Lancaster? I haven''t heard from him for quite a long time. To think he''ll be a Mage..'' "Did you kill Lisa?" "What kind of question is that? One of the Crown''s people killed her. Now shut up and let me in." "How? I don''t even know where I am." "You''re in the Abyss. Continue to drag yourself there. When you arrive at the Sanctuary, open the door." ''The Abyss?'' "Don''t stop thinking about your Title. Immerse yourself in it. If you don''t, you might get swallowed up by the abyss." ''What?'' "You owe me. You''re not even trying anymore." ''That jerk. I am trying as hard as I can!'' A spirit, floating aimlessly within a sea of nothingness was suddenly grabbed by a powerful force, dragging him away. Alarmed at the sudden pull, spirit attempted to escape the flow. But it was inevitable. It was carried away towards the spirit world. SPIRIT WORLD. Opening his eyes, Quill was overwhelmed by the countless new sensations he was feeling. ''I think I''ve been reborn..'' "Get real. We''re in the spirit world." He jumped back when he saw Lancaster. "What''s wrong?" "I''m uhh..A little scared..how the.." "How am I here? I opened the Door myself. It''s one of the only benefits of my Title, other than flying. Now quit pissing your pants and focus on the situation. There are six spirits inside this Sanctuary. And now you''re here, they''ll be hell bent on destroying you." "..so how did you become a Mage?" "Does that matter? I wasted my precious Power to open that door, so I could help you, and you''re wasting my time too. Exactly how much of a loser are you?" ''I hate the way he''s saying it. But he''s right. I have to get my act together. I''m not a pushover. I came here for business after all.'' Quill started by Inscibing a complex diagram on the floor. "They won''t attack until they have enough Power. And they don''t... they''re also fighting each other. It''ll make supressing them a lot easier." "You plan on just supressing them?" "I want to make it so they don''t have a will of their own anymore. I want to make their Power and their abilities become mine..." "You want to trap them... okay. But you won''t get your name back." ''How does he know that?'' "I don''t plan on it. I''ll craft a new Name from their abilities. I''ve already thought it through." "Good. Then I''m not working with a complete loser." Lancaster grinned. "How long till the spirits get out? I''m itching for a fight." ''Who says that kind of thing?'' "About two hours. Enough time to cast a spell to trap them." All the spell diagrams had been drawn by then. There were six in number. They were drawn in a circle. Each diagram was a circle with a concentric circle inside, and a square bounding the inner circle. Within the inner circle, there was an equilateral triangle whose points were at the circumference. Several strange symbols that resembled a stars were inside, surrounding the inner circle. Nothing was inside the triangle. ''Inscribed flawlessly.'' "You need a more accurate way of measuring Power." "Why so?" "You can feel it, but you know it''s not precise. I can give you that if you agree to help me. It''s pretty simple." "You''re family, and you just saved my life. You don''t need to exchange anything for my support. I''m here whenever you need me." ''Yeah. I wasn''t there for Lisa though and I made the same promise to her...'' "...." "Why are you so silent?" "I didn''t expect you to be this stupid. We''re supposed to be fighting to the death...but I really don''t want to win this fight in the first place. Hand shake? I hear the spirits love it." Quill stretched his right hand towards Lancaster''s stretched out hand. Their hands touched and then their palms connected. And they shaked hands. "Our deal is sealed. We''re allies, for as long as we''re both willing to be." Quill smiled. "...so, what exactly do you need help in?" "Power. I want you to transfer Power to me on a daily basis. There''s a spell for that. Also, I guess there''s safety in numbers. The Crown is working with Seer for a reason." "Alright. You''ll be helping me too. I... really don''t have anyone to talk to about this stuff..." Quill blushed, scratching his head. "Stop being wierd.. here''s the spell you need to measure your Power." Then he tossed a small box to the boy. Quill caught it, almost dropping it. ''It''s heavy.'' "It''s an old chronometer. It has been enchanted by yours truly to be capable of measuring how much Power a soul has access to. Insert a drop of your blood into the clock inside. It''ll spin and tell you your Power level rather than the time." ''That''s nice.'' "When did you make it?" "Today. While I was at work. Now try it out." ''It only took him a day? Those Enchantments in the Knowledge take a lot of time. That''s why I didn''t learn a single one of them.'' Quill bit his finger and winced. A small drop of blood cane out. He opened the box and let the blood drip from his hand, into the enchanted chronometer. It started to grow red and then the colour suddenly changed to golden. "Nice light show... wait a moment..It just came to me. How can you take things to the spirit world?" "Why did you think you couldn''t? As far as you have a home in the real world, an exact replica is made in the spirit world. My home is my old house, where I lived with my parents. Yours is this one. See, a replica of whatever is infused with a part of one''s soul is a part of their Sanctuary. What I just gave to you appeared in my Sanctuary after I made it." "How did you talk to me earlier? How did.." "Look, Quill." He turned his eyes to the box sitting on his hands. It wasn''t glowing anymore. The chronometer''s hands were spinning and spinning around in circles for a few seconds until they stopped at 1:06. "That''s 1.1. Quite low, if you ask me." "What does 1.1 mean?" "If the measure of Power capacity of a human being is 12, then any number on the clock is a fraction of that. If it was exactly 12, that is complete Power, as much as your soul can take- as much as the demon gives. The demon replenishes about 12 every hour. It''ll take two hours for them to gain enough energy to fight back, according to you. But exactly how much energy do they need?" "What''s the point of these numbers?" "You really are dumb, Quill. We need the numbers to be absolutely sure about what we''re doing. Now, use your head here. If we seal one of them now, will they have enough Power to fight back?" "I don''t know." "Then try, and we''ll measure your magic afterwards and figure something out." ''This guy is on another level. How did he figure out how to do that? Is his Knowledge more innovative than mine?....Well, it''s Lancaster. He''s always been better than me. He''s always been good at everything.'' Quill frowned, before he began to chant, saying words of magic he had memorized last night. "Spirits of chains and bondage,wrap yourself aroud my target and do not let them go. In exchange for your work, I shall repay you with Power and if the strength of target surpasses the Power I offer, you may leave without any trouble." A green light shone brightly, coming from Quill''s hands. Quill held the power, but did not target anything. So the light stayed on his hands. ''Time for multi-casting. I spent hours studying my Knowledge for this. I bet even you can''t do it, Lancaster!'' A complex symbol appeared to be drawn on the air itself, above Quill''s head. "Parasitic spirit, sleeping inside me, appear before me as I give you Authority to do so. If I subdue you, you shall relenquish your will, and If you subdue me you shall inherit my soul." "Here you are, already learnt the Words of Magic too, huh. Good for you." ''He said ''too''? Does he mean he''s also learnt it?'' A crimson red smoke appeared from somewhere in the bakery/Sanctuary. This smoke formed into the shape of a human, and then transmuted into something resembling a human male. This man had crimson eyes and dark hair. He also possessed black wings that resembled that of a bat. Lancaster couldn''t stop staring, the moment he saw the spirit. Quill couldn''t stop trembling. ''Now you are summoning me, child. You really want to test my patience. There is no need to use the Words of Magic on me. Even though I was a spirit, I have been changed by your lack of a name. I have had access to many of your memories. And now I believe I have mastered your modern human tongue.'' ''That''s wonderful. Cause I really don''t know that many Words.'' Quill scratched his head, still shaking involuntarily. ''This guy is strong.'' ''I shall announce myself as you Mages do. I am a Vampire. My name is Vlad Sinclair. I was once the Lord of the Ancient Castle of Vampires, now I am the lord of the local Spirits of blood, flesh and bone. Prepare yourself, human. I will do whatever it takes to take your soul. _______________ Vampiric Odyssey Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Interlude __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 13?- "Vampiric Odyssey." __________________ Blood rained from the crimson skies, each droplet heavy with the weight of the tormented souls and their immense agony and suffering. He stood within the embrace of the bloody rain, his arms stretched wide as the torrent of trauma poured down on him. ''Yes. Pain. More pain. Pain is the evidence of life. Blood is the essence of life.'' ''And life is full of suffering.'' He smiled, basking in the agony of thousands, not only in joy and gladness, but in reverence. _______________ 11th September,1508. Ancient Castle of Europe, Pridon. ______________ In a dark crypt underneath the Castle, where several fallen vampires slept, a ritual of infernal magic had just been undertaken. "Sire, the ritual has been completed. Lord Dracula has been put to rest." A male demonoid bowed before a Vampire. The demonoid had small horns on his head, and a tail with a pointed end. He also possessed fangs not unlike those of a Vampire, and had a pale red skin. He was dressed in clothes fitting a butler in the 16th century. "Good work, . You have done well, Iadis. My legacy as the new lord of vampires shall now commence." The muscular vampire replied. He wore a lavish black robe, with golden trims. He also carried a small silver rapier. "Oh you arrogant newborn. You believe that a mere tiefling''s sorcery is capable of withstanding my power?" "Even If you sent a genuine demon, they would never kill me." Vincent Vlad Sinclair was gobsmacked. The ''dead'' Vampire broke out of his silver tomb, and flew towards the vampire that ordered his death. Vincent didn''t dodge. Dracula landed inches away from him, and put his hand on Vlad''s left shoulder. "My blood gave you life. Now you return my benevolence with..." "Death, Dracula. Death. That is all I wish upon you." Vincent interrupted. He appeared to be calm and collected, a feat not many were capable of, when standing in the presence of the god of vampires. ''The imprudence...'' Dracula thought. Dracula was silent, his hands softly touching the other Vampire''s shoulder. Iadis was trembling. "I have lived for this. The day you die. I have killed for this, and I have bled for this. I will not rest, even if it means I may have to die for this." "Tell me. For what reason do you defy me?" "I stand in your presence only because I have proven my worth to you. And I did so, because I wanted you dead. My name is Vincent, not Vlad. The name you gave me, is meaningless to me. All that matters to me, is seeing your end." "Would you shed tears for me, friend?" "Tears! What tears? I only met you because I wanted you dead. I was a human warrior - A high Paladin of the Sanctuary of the Light. And I only let you find my bleeding corpse, so you could change me and so I could enter your castle as one of your own." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "But the humans you fought for, you still fight for them?" "No. I have killed so many of my brethren, that I do not have the right to identify with them. My soul shall be sent to the innermost depths of purgatory where it belongs... But that is a fate we both share, don''t we, Lord of Vampires?" "You still believe in the Creed of Tyr?" "I believe in Justice for the innocent and Woe to the wicked. And for that belief, for that love the humans had gave me, for the Creed, I shall take your life. Dracula!" Vincent drew and pointed his sword at Dracula''s neck, with such speed that it appeared to be done in one single movement. "You have learnt nothing from me, child. As far as one has power they decide what is right or wrong...The humans you care for so much have gone against their own rules time and time again. A vast majority of them are vile and savage beings who would do anything to sate their unholy hungers. Another portion of them are fakes and liars who are far worse than some demons. Only such a small group of them holds these ideals you cling so tightly to." "But they exist! Because they exist they have hope! They are just ones among them. Because they are just and innocent they do not deserve the suffering and pain you inflict on them! You abduct thousands and kill them, drinking their blood as if it is some kind of wine. You slaughter them- not for sustenance- but for your amusement alone! Now what difference lies between you and the depraved humans who are crushed under your feet?" Veins bulged out of Dracula''s forehead. He crushed Vincent''s shoulder, prompting a scream from him. "This is the difference! The difference between us and the humans is our strength! Our power sets us apart!" Vincent gritted his teeth, enduring the pain and pushing his rapier into Dracula''s neck. The silver sword connected with Dracula''s skin, but did not draw blood. It was only on his skin for a fraction of a second, because the Vampire lord had stepped out of the rapiers way, using his fist to smash the other Vampire across the tomb. His sword fell off his hand as he flew due to the impact of Dracula''s attack. Dracula kicked the sword as he advanced towards Vincent. "You''re slower, Dracula." Vincent managed to say, coughing a mouthful of blood. His internal organs were crushed under his lord''s power. When he got close enough, Dracula jumped forward across the room, landing on Vincent,and pinning him down to the ground. He began to crush his neck with one hand, while keeping him pinned down under the weight of his other arm and legs. "And you must be weaker still. Human? No. That is impossible." Dracula release his grip of Vincent neck. The smaller vampire attempted to wriggle away from his master''s hold, he was unable to. "I decided even though my transgressions as an unholy parasite are great, I could have some reduction on Tyr''s punishment if I died a human rather than a Vampire. Alas, the new sorcery has not yet brought forth results. I have greatly reduced my Vampiric abilities, but they are still there." "So you willingly reduce your power, for the love of humanity? Of worthless humanity?" Vincent kept silent. He was still dauntless. "You were undeserving of my care, Vincent." Dracula pierced through the vampire''s chest, using only his right hand. Vincent screamed, as Dracula groped inside his chest, before pulling out his heart. In the corner, not far from their battle, Iadis screamed. "Lord Vincent!" The door to the crypt burst open with a loud dull clang. A squad of Vampire Knights marched in, a female Vampire leading them. She was dressed in a long black dress that hugged her tightly accentuating her figure, wearing with high heels studded with gold and her neck was also adourned with jewelry. Dracula held Vincent''s heart in the palm of his hand, turning his head to look at his wife. "Let him go, my love." "For what reason do you interfere with this worm''s execution? You know what he was planning, don''t you?" The female sighed. The knights exchanged glances with each other. "I only recently got wind of his plans. It appears that Claus and Leon speak the truth. Vincent had planned to destroy the entire Castle after he is made the new lord. He would attempt to kill all the vampires using a powerful alchemical weapon known as ''The chalice of the sun''. In the process, he would kill himself." Vincent couldn''t speak. He could only scream in agony. "Great reason for me to end him, like he so desperately wanted to end me." "I believe that will not work, my love. The chalice of the sun, will be activated the moment he dies. It is tied to his soul. If you take his life now, you might unknowingly doom the entire Vampire race. Please stay your anger." Dracula bit his lips with his fangs, drawing out blood. He let the blood drop on Vincent''s chest, which started to glow crimson immediately afterwards. The vampire lord got up from his apprentice''s body, and turned towards his wife. "Aurora, I told you not to come out from my chamber, at this time of the night. You have begun to disobey me as well. Listening to the words of That Brute Leon and the jester Claus." "My love, It is not like that, there are.." The Vampire lord touched her lips with his hand, stroking her hair with his other hand. "But Count, there are others here." She blushed. ''Aurora is still young. She was barely eighteen when I took her from her village and into the Castle. It has been only a century since that day. Now she is growing into a fine lady. And she is my beloved queen.'' "Shall we not kiss when my servants are in our presence? Tis my Castle after all. It is our Castle." He held her close and kissed her lips. Suddenly though, the Vampire lord''s expression changed from that of bliss, to that of pain and shock. A dagger had been pierced through his heart, by none other than his love Aurora. He let go of her immediately. But the damage was still done. "You trained me well, my love." "Who knew the great Lord of Vampires could be killed by the blow of a woman? Indeed the world isn''t as it seems." A knight laughed. He was shorter and skinnier than the rest. "Claus?" Dracula exclaimed. He wasn''t standing as tall as he normally did. The 8ft tall vampire lord, was bent down, with his back arching downwards. Blood poured out of his wound. He didn''t look disturbed by it. "Your tyrannical reign has come to an end, oh great Lord Dracula." Leon mocked. He had pulled off the heavy helmet, veiling his face. He had a bigger build than most Vampires. He was big, and he was muscular, but he was usually insulted for his brazenness. "In case you have not realised it, my love, there is no ''chalice of the light'' anywhere near this Castle. The dagger I used on you, is one blessed by the sacriment of Tyr. It is one of your greatest weaknesses...You see, my love , we just so believe that a king with a soul deserves the throne far more than you." Dracula''s face hardened. "You not only wish to take my Castle and my life but even my woman. Vincent!" Vincent stood up, with a broad smile across his cheeks. "You promised me, that I would inherit your Castle. But If Aurora had given birth to your son -which she would soon enough- you would never fulfil your promise." Vincent paused for a moment, and then continued. "This Castle never belonged to you, Dracula. It was just one of the other things you pillaged and plundered from the humans you slaughtered. I do not have any grand illusions as to where I stand in Tyr''s eyes. But I know now, that the only way to die as a human, is to continue my research using the Castle." Aurora rolled her eyes as Vincent continued his monologue. ''They are familiar with each other...so I was right.'' "You see, I was researching into the source of your powers, and to do that, I even required human sacrifices. But I did not dismay as I committed atrocity after atrocity. It was necessary to change my soul." Dracula held his chest, trying to command his blood to go back in. His body betrayed him. To his dismay, even more blood poured out of the wound. "Where are your ideals now?" He managed to say, his voice trembling. The Ruler of Vampires was trembling. Dracula fell on the ground, weak. Blood dripped from his open wound, forming a pool of blood. He attempted to get up, but was but was unable to. He was only capable of wriggling around like a worm. "They were lost forever the moment I became an undying blood-sucking demon." _________________ Rain Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 14 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 14- "Rain." __________________ The time for battle has arrived. This is not the time for asides. What is the point for all this conversation? The truth is, there is only one reason, that sounds right. They are too scared to fight. ~ Anon. __________________ Quill. Spirit world. __________________ "I shall announce myself as you Mages do. I am a Vampire. My name is Vlad Sinclair. I was once the Lord of the Ancient Castle of Vampires, now I am the lord of the local Spirits of blood, flesh and bone. Prepare yourself, human. I will do whatever it takes to obtain your soul." "Bind!" Quill yelled, pointing his hands towards Vlad. The green light from his hands increased in intensity and enveloped around his target. However these lights were gone in an instant, replaced with thick metal chains. These chains twisted and bent themselves around him the moment they were conjured. In an instant, Vlad was tightly bound in several chains. "It appears that you had sorcery prepared for me, human. I was expecting that." "Quill, be careful. Get ready with a defensive spell!" "Why would I need that?" The Vampire suddenly began to levetate, moving the chains along with him. His wings didn''t even move- he didn''t need them to fly. ''There are certain benefits that come with being a vampire. And I believe there are even more benefits that come with being human. However, I like to think I have the best of both worlds.'' "Fire Cannon!" Bird/Crow, holding up a card with the accurate drawing of the ''FIRE CANNON'' diagram, pointed the card towards the Vampire. The tiny fire spirits burst forth from the card and compounded to form a wide blast of fire that collided with the Vampire''s face. Before Vlad could touch the ground, Lancaster held his cousin''s hand, and dragged him along, running deeper into the house. "Why are we running?" "We have to regain our Power. We''ve bought some time. Vampires like most undead, have a weakness to fire." "How the heck do you know that?" "Books." "For the love of.." There was a massive crash behind them. The two continued to run. "What weakness to fire?" The two mages had entered into the house side of the Sanctuary. They ran along the corridor, until Quill pulled Lancaster into his room and closed the door. "How much magic do I have now?" "Use the magic meter." Lancaster smiled. He wasn''t at all worried that the binding failed to keep Vlad locked up. "What kind of a name is that?" There was a loud bang on the door. Quill swallowed. He wasted no time in dripping blood from his earlier wound unto the ''magic meter''. "0.7, we don''t have nearly enough to bind all the others, but you could cast the spell again." "Why can''t you just bind the things yourself." "They''re your spirits, not mine. Also.. "You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Lancaster was interrupted by the door collapsing on the ground. Quill activated his barrier spell, drawing the diagram at the nick of time, to protect both of them. His blood, fom his finger was still dripping into the magic-meter. "0.5 now." Lancaster commented. Vlad walked into the room, shakles completely gone. "I am surprised at how weak your binding spell was. Were you waiting to be at your weakest before trying to bind me?" "I just had to sell bread!" "What are you even talking about?" The Vampire raised one of his feet at an angle of almost 90 degrees.... and the next moment he appeared to have vanished. One moment he was standing at the door, the next moment, he was halfway across the room, still in the exact same pose, with his foot connecting with Quill''s head. The attack sounded more like a gunshot than a kick, bit it was even louder. The sheer force sent the young Mage flying across the room, breaking through the walls and landing outside the building. "What.." Vlad leg was still stretched out, the exact same way. His boots were now stained with Quill''s blood, though. Lancaster started casting a spell under his breath. He did not move from his spot behind the Vampire. Outside, the rain had started to fall heavily. Thunder was clasping violently, raindrops filling the desolate spirit world with water that had a pungent odour. "What is this.." ''Everything is... swirling.'' Quill couldn''t get up. He could barely think clearly, but he was sure that he was still conscious. ''If I lose consciousness, I''ll return to the real world.'' He told himself, and endured the pain from his head. He convinced himself that the damage was not real, and that he had nothing to fear. Then he focused his mind and casted rejuvenation- a lower class healing spell. ''I was right, this is the best healing spell. I''m feeling better already. The question is, what was that? And how am I still alive?'' "You''re stupid, Quill. Healing yourself is futile. Keep your magic, and let me keep him busy while your Power replenishes." ''Nice one. Calling the guy who just got his skull cracked by some Ancient vampire spirit stupid. Great going there, oh supportive partner.'' Quill decided to do as Lancaster had said, only casting ''Umbrella'' to sheild himself from the sudden rain. ''Does this rain mean something. Sadness, pain maybe?'' Quill couldn''t tell. He added it to his Journal as one of the things he would figure out later. And then he got up, and started running away from his room''s direction, into the pouring rain. ''You said you could keep him busy, Lancaster. I trust you.'' ''There might be far more spirits outside, but it seems Mr.Vampire doesn''t want to come out here. I''ll be safe, if I take the long route around the house, and into the bakery.'' __________________ That moment, Spirit world replica of Jordan Middlesworth''s bedroom, Quill''s Sanctuary, Quill. ___________________ Lancaster got into a fighting stance, with his legs stretched wide and his arms in fists. ''I remember all the spells I''ve played with so far, I''m sure I can handle him till Quill gets enough Power to properly bind him.'' Lancaster thought. The Vampire rushed to attack him with a regular punch. The vampire''s fist flew through the air, but somehow did not connect with it''s target. Lancaster ran towards his enemy, and when he was close enough, he delivered a kick directly to the Vampire''s groin. He jumped backwards the moment he felt his foot connecting with steel. ''I wonder, what kind of things that vampire has in there..'' Lancaster thought. Lancaster continued to walk backwards, moving away from the Vampire while keeping his eyes on him. "How are you still putting up a fight, mage? You shouldn''t be capable of dodging my attacks." "I didn''t dodge. You missed." Vlad''s eyebrows twitched. "Mouthing off to me, human?" "Honestly, you talk as if you''re really strong, but you don''t have much power. I mean, it took you some time just to break through some weak binding spell. You had to fly to get around it earlier and chase us..." "You are right." "Huh?" ''"I am weak. But my weakness is my strength." Vlad pulled out his rapier from it''s sheath and pointed it''s tip at the direction of Crow''s neck. "You know, right now I cannot be any more confused. But then again, I don''t really give a damn." Vlad appeared to have vanished, and reappeared across the room, with the rapier piercing Lancaster''s neck. There was no blood. "You see, young Mage. My strength is my weakness, and my weakness is my strength. But I also have a strength that counts as a strength and a weakness that constitutes a weakness." "So you have four strengths and four weaknesses, got it." Lancaster''s voice came from behind Vlad. Vlad''s pupils dilated. "It''s a puppet spell. You stabbed fake Lancaster. Fake Lancaster here does whatever real Lancaster wants. Oh, and I took your blood sensing to account and masked my puppet with my scent. And I now have no scent! Wow, Isn''t magic magical?" "Why are you telling me?" "Why, you started it. Also, It''s fun." Lancaster grinned. ''0.2 left for me. My friends are still keeping the Sanctuary over Crow, so I could have some of Crow''s abilities while keeping my connection to Bird.. It''s time to rely on abilities rather than exotic spells.'' "Well, I will search for Quill, I have no time to waste on you." ''Why did I waste so much on that useless fire spell!'' Lancaster ran towards Vlad again, who swiped his sword at the Mage. He missed yet again, and Lancaster managed to touch Vlads chest with his right hand. ''Curse. Minor calamity.'' Vlad was visibly shocked. He stopped breathing, and looked down at Lancaster, mustering enough strength to smash the mage away from him. Lancaster flew across the room, but managed to catch himself in mid air using Flight. "What kind of magic did you just use on me?" "I''m sorry, that is a secret...You see, there are certain things I possess that make me stronger, that also make me weaker. We''re very alike!" "Don''t you dare mock me!" Vlad pointed his rapier at Lancaster''s chest and got in his special stance. He moved with lightning speed, instantly appearing in front of Lancaster, and stabbing through his neck. But Lancaster did not dodge, he instead ran through Vlad''s attack, with the rapier running through his neck. Lancaster landed in front of Vlad again, and the Vampire jumped back almost instantly, avoiding the Mage. There was no wound on Lancaster''s neck. "Your sorcery is very interesting. No casting, no glowing lights?" "It''s a magical ability, belonging to me by virtue of the location of my Sanctuary, and my previous Sanctuary''s location still granting me powers. I doubt you would understand." Vlad was silent, as he sheathed his rapier. "Oh and it''s magic not sorcery, vampire." ''Quill must have regained some of his Power by now. I trust that with my magic -meter, he can discern what time he would come here and seal this spirit. "I smell the boy. My focus is him, not you." "And might I ask, why you want to take over his body so bad?" "If I do so, I get the chance to take back what belongs to me. And die as a human, as I have yearned for, for so long. Now, leave my presence, before any of the other spirits obtain enough energy to face Quill." "I''m sorry, but I won''t do that." "Well, I believe that I must end this." Vlad''s spirit started to grow crimson. His wings fluttered open and his muscles tensed and then expanded. Lancaster prepared himself with a combat stance again. "My name is Vincent Vlad Sinclair. And I command all spirits of blood, flesh and bone, to reinforce my body with greater Vampiric power. Now!" ''Even spirits have spells huh. There''s a lot more I don''t know.'' Lancaster smirked. Vlad vanished again, Lancaster tried to jump, sensing the danger, but it didn''t prevent Vlad''s hand fron grabbing his throat. "I don''t know what kind of sorcery you used before, but I''m guessing you cannot use it anymore, human." ''Free Movement isn''t working. He''s restricting me using what could only be called a curse....I see now. Draining away my blood while touching me, using those wierd crimson spirits to corrupt my life energy. I can''t breathe either. Damn, he''s good.'' ''He didn''t even know what I was doing.'' Vlad continued to crush Lancaster''s neck with a single hand. He couldn''t cry out in pain, but there were tears running down Lancaster''s cheeks. ''I''ve run out of tricks. Quill, where the heck are you?'' The transformed Vampire continued to siphon away Lancaster''s blood, until he didn''t have anymore. At that point, he was tossed into the ground. He landed hard, the sound of a bone dislocating ringed in the air. ''It''s not my real body. This is a fake one created for my existence in the spirit world... I''m not dying.'' Lancaster said to himself. He still couldn''t breathe. The Vampire, noticing that Lancaster was still alive, moved in to finish the job. ''I tried, Quill. But I''m not ready to die for you. I love my life far more than that.'' ''Lancaster'' he thought. Lancaster''s spirit body flickered and vanished off the face of the spirit realm. ______________ Downpour Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 15 __________________ Opening Arc- "Crow and Quill" Chapter 15- "Downpour" __________________ Whenever the rain falls, it nourishes the growing plants and animals, giving them life, life that comes from above. The rain could also take away life, coming in a storm that calls forth a flood. Wiping out thousands of lives and leaving lands desolate and uninhabitable. Now it''s time to call forth the rain. I don''t know whether it would be a small shower, or a terrible storm. Let the rain fall, and wash away the blood stains on the battlefield. Let the rain fall, and hide my tears from my enemies. So I can win. ___________________ Spirit world. ___________________ Quill stood in the rain, sheilded from the downpour by a blanket of energy summoned from the Umbrella spell. ''This is familiar. Sudden rain, right outside the bakery....'' Quill remembered the day everything changed, and his expression stiffened. He clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth. "I still want to win." ''Win, huh? How will you do that, when you are siding with your enemy?'' "Demon." ''I wonder when you all unanimously agreed to call me that.'' "What are you doing here? You didn''t come in when that Vampire was about to kill me..And you''re the cause of all of this." ''What did I do, Blighted One? I only gave you advice, it was your choice to take it, or forget about it. We both know which path you chose.'' Quill shaked his head. "But you gave me magic." ''So your magic is now at fault?'' Quill shaked his head again. ''I''m wasting my time here. But then again, wasting time is the point. I have to save my magic, and if I want enough magic Power, I have to wait for this demon here to slowly give it to me.'' "Is there any way you could replenish my Power faster." You are asking me to favour you over the other Mages. Sure I love to poke fun, but giving you more Power faster isn''t fair. If you want advice though, I can help, for a price. "Why do you keep saying that! You still haven''t called in the favour from last time." ''It was not a favour. You are not too good at listening, blighted Mage. I shall order you whenever I want, against your will.'' "That wasn''t what you said!" I am a demon. That is what you call me. You should expect me to want your soul, more than anything else. Yes It was a favour, that was the exact language I used. But because I said it, it doesn''t mean I meant it. "...." Journal. I remember that I must have recorded what happened somewhere inside you, while all the Knowledge was going into my head. I didn''t? Ah well. But I''m sure that demon isn''t capable of lying. He told me that once. I''m sure about it. But he just lied just now. "If I ask you for more advice, I will owe you another favour. Is that it?" Yes. "..And somehow, I think something''s not right about that." Quill. I didn''t realise that you were becoming intelligent. You just realized that making deals with a demon god is not a good idea.. quite fascinating. Quill tried to ignore him, walking around the Sanctuary, while keeping close to it''s walls, touching one of them with his right hand. The wards. You are trying to allow the wards on the walls of the Sanctuary protect you from hungry spirits outside. But - free advice here - the kind of spirits hanging around your Sanctuary, ate not the type that will be stopped by the wards on the surface of it. Also, you have failed to realise a crucial detail. ''Which detail?'' Glad you asked. If you want to know, I would love a portion of your soul. Or a favour. ''A favour.'' ''Damn, all these demons are the same. They can''t have enough of ''soul''. Wait. What am I even thinking about? This shouldn''t be normal!'' There are spirits who are capable of entering, if you leave the door open. ''What kind of advice is that?'' The wall. That vampire broke open a wall, a space for evil spirits to come in and take what they want, then leave. Any kind of spirit can walk into your body through your Sanctuary, and do whatever they want with you. You are more than just Blighted now. You are a spiritual hotspot. Hundreds of spirits could walk into your Sanctuary and torment your soul, or do far more worse things that I won''t tell you about. Quill held his head with his right hand. ''What kind of messed up sh*t is this?'' ''What am I going to do?'' You have options, Mage. But don''t be desperate, or things might get worse. Also, you must be determined for a chance at things getting better. ''So what can I do?'' You have three options. Your first option is to flee and build a new Sanctuary. I don''t have to tell you how difficult that is.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ''Yes. Yes.'' The second option is suicide. You kill yourself and end your suffering. As your soul dies, the Sanctuary crumbles and the spirits are forced to leave. The spirits would be gone, but so will you. ''I don''t like where this is going. Three options? More like only one.'' The final option is the reparation of your Sanctuary. You must seal, or banish your spirits, while simultaneously fixing the wall. This is the only option you could take to banish the spirits that would probably not result in certain death. ''So, how?'' You chase away the spirits that are trespassing by drawing diagrams to ward them away. And you deal with the ones that have a right to be here by communicating with them, sealing them away, or outright dominating and defeating them. But to attempt any of that, you need Power. ''I know I''m asking you the same thing again. But please tell me how?'' Wait patiently, and don''t die while you do... Though there is one more option, but I know you will not agree. ''You knew I won''t agree with option 2.'' This one is different. You see, if you want Power, you could sacrifice part of your body to me, by saying my name, and the part you wish to offer up to me. ''Desire?'' That may be my Title, but not my name. My name is written in the book of magic and in your Knowledge. When you say, or Write down my name, and make the sacrifice, I will give you more Power than you can imagine. ''So that''s a spell, between us.'' Yes. That is exactly what it is. It''s demon magic. I eat your flesh, and I give you Power in exchange. The Power I will give you, is equal to the amount your body can handle. But you must give me a complete body part. A full arm, or an entire leg. Maybe the organ in between your legs, or one of your ears... The more vital it is, the better. ''...that is something I would never do... I''ll rely on Lancaster. He''s tough and really strong, he should have had a plan. When I meet him again, we''ll hash something out.'' Do whatever you want, Blighted one. The demon receded back into the book of magic, looking amused. Though his body''s form had disappeared, his voice still lingered in the air. Eventually, you will give me what I want. ''I won''t give you anything. I''ll win this fight, with Lancaster''s help.'' "I''ll go to Lisa''s room. It''s not far from mine, and I could easily step in and help out Lancaster." Quill said with a smile, and ran through the rain, towards the front door. Once reaching the front door to his Sanctuary, he was shocked to see Spirits hanging around, trying to get in. The strange spirits were dark, and wet. They looked like puddles of thick black mud, that was pulsating and had eyes somewhere. "Well, I''ll just ignore you." Quill attempted to move around it, but the spirit blocked his path. Journal, I don''t understand what I am seeing. And honestly, I don''t want to. I just want to go inside, is it so difficult? I want to die. ''Who said that?'' The Mage looks around, searching for the voice that said that. He couldn''t find anything. He opened up the door and walked into it, quickly boarding it up the second he was inside. He scrutinized every inch of what he could see of his ''living room'' before being completely sure that there were no spirits. He took another step, and then another. I want to die. "Why do I hear that?" Quill made a beeline for Lisa''s room. ''The house is eerily quiet. For every movement I make, I hear sounds, awkward sounds. Like shadows of things that might not exist. If it was only one that won''t be too bad. But it isn''t just one. There are so many different sounds, that just seem wierd. I know, something isn''t right. This is the spirit world. And there are supposed to be hundreds of spirits inside this Sanctuary. Why am I not seeing any of them? Are they invisible? Are they hiding? Well, as far as they ignore me, I have no reason not to do the same. Magic- meter says 3:45. I don''t know exactly how Lancaster calculates it, but I know that is more like three point something high, right? So It''s a lot more than before. But will it be able to seal Vlad? I''ll have to test it to find out. I still want to die. What is this, Journal? I Wrote those words on you just now. Why did I? What do they mean? What''s going on? Evil spirits? Come on! Show yourselves! I''m quaking in my boots, but I will fight you. I won''t back down. Why won''t I? I am weak. I don''t know what I''m saying. I don''t know who I am. How do I stand a chance against these odds. Hundreds of evil spirits, not just seven.... I couldn''t even face one. "You are muttering to yourself, boy." A lady''s tender voice, remarked. "What''s going on?" Quill saw who( or what) could have been the most beautiful lady he had ever saw. She was dressed in a tightly fitted red gown. And she had such a beautiful smile. "You are dying. That is what is going on. You cannot leave this kind of situation whole. It''s just not possible. But I want you whole though. I love you, ...." The words that came out of the lady''s mouth were distorted. She said a name, but no one other than herself could hear it. "What did you say..." ''She is a spirit. She has to be. I''ve got to run away.'' "I said that I loved you, ####." ''The heck is it talking about?'' "You don''t know more. But you must understand. The only way to survive, is to let me help you." ''That sounds like a good idea.'' Of course it is. ''No!'' Quill turned his head and then he saw hundreds of creepy skeletons and zombies. There wasn''t enough space for them on the floor so many of them were even standing ontop of others. Within the swarm of undead, a greater, bigger bone figure loomed. The ''woman'' behind him began to laugh hoarsely. Her angelic voice was gone and now it was replaced with something that haunts people''s nightmares. "You rejected me. But you can''t...That thing over there is legion. It is an undead army of grand multitude. Legions king was also summoned by you, so was I. You called us here, Mage. Nobody summons me, and just ignores me." "..." Quill was unable to speak. His lips were quivering. Journal, I just realized where that deathwish came from. It was from me. I want to die. "But Mage boy, the legion will kill you, and use your dead body to create a new soldier that will join their ranks. The vampires will suck you dry. The Gremlins would mess with your body and your house. The souleater will simply devour you. The Fey will curse you. And the imps would corrupt you, and then destroy you." "...Any difference with you?" "Oh, I will make sure to treat you properly. Like a proper succubus would, before taking your soul." Quill opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. "There is no resisting. No running away. Nowhere to hide. Thousands of other spirits have gathered together with the six Great spirits within you. Our armies, have arrived. You cannot possibly have a chance at eating your cake and having it. We gave you power, we kept you alive. Now you shall pay the price." The succubus started to advance towards him. He could finally see the horns on her head, and the fangs in her mouth. Her wings, made her look far less alluring- but only for a moment. Because the next moment, they were gone. "Lancaster!" Quill managed to scream. "Your friend is gone, boy!" Quill refused to listen, and ran to his room, finding the hole, and Vlad who was simply waiting. There were other vampires there too. "Hm. This one must be the Mage." "Let''s crush him." "Shut up, Leon. We don''t need to go all out. We let him break first, then we pick apart the left-overs. We have too much competition for his soul as it is. Joining the competition means we could lose and get nothing." "Lancaster! Where is Lancaster?" He left. He got up, and disappeared to his body. He deserted you. You know he left. You know you shouldn''t trust him. Just like you can hardly trust yourself. What do you see? What do you hear? How much could you really trust? What is real? Quill screamed and held on to the sides of his head. "That sounds nice and all, but I don''t want a broken, tainted body. The blood will be bitter." The female Vampire whined. "You''ll just have to manage it. We haven''t drank the blood of a Mage for a long time. There might still be Power left after the fey and all the are skeleton are done." "Claus, I wouldn''t bow my head to any of the others, and appear weak among them. We will join the battle, which means we should make our move." Quill bit his lips, and he let go of his head. "Ward." Ward spells and bind spells were the easiest to learn. Quill hardly had to study for an hour to do this. Diagrams that had been Drawn nearly instantly started to glow a bright white colour. These circles moved around the ground, and the shadows started to move back. ''The negativity is leaving me.'' You know it''s the truth. Your only ally has deserted you, left you to die. You have noone else, except for a demon that wants your soul. Don''t you realise. Fighting back is futile, stop resisting, and let us have you. Quill clenched his fist. Tears were streaming down his eyes. "Vlad, what are you doing stranding around. Let''s kill him!" "Don''t you dare touch my boy." The succubus was back, and behind her were so many succubi, that Quill couldn''t count. "That soul belongs to me." An eerie voice stated. "Quill honey, come over here." Claus jumped, carrying a huge axe. He swung the ax at Quill. But it didn''t reach him. "He he he. Vampires again." Small red things stood in the way. Quill ran. ''The madness is too much, I don''t want this.'' Then what do you want? Know well enough that it is unattainable. You have lost it, Quill. You are hearing voices in your head. Quill ran around the Sanctuary, seeing more and more spirits. Then he ended up in the bathroom. The door was opened slowly. "You can''t run from me forever, Mage boy." Quill stared at her, mentally exhausted. You want to fall for the succubus'' trap? Or do you still want to die. It is the easiest way. If you just die, then it will end. The pain you feel in your head. The deep emotions, that you don''t understand that are trying to take over you, will be incapable of doing so if you simply surrender. ''Lancaster left me. I''m running out of Power, for some reason, its 2:04 now. It''s not supposed to be that way.'' ''I want more Power. And I know what I have to do.'' " I want to win, not die." Death is the only you achieve victory against such foes. "I want to win!" Why? Why do you fight so hard? The succubus crossed the room reaching him. "Get out of his head, bitch. He''s mine." And then the woman in red kissed Quill. Who are you? Who are you really? ''...I don''t know.'' She continued to kiss him, caressing his head fondly. '' I don''t know who I am...'' You are lost, Quill. Then all of a sudden, just like the heavy rain came suddenly, memories started to replay in Quill''s mind. Jordan. Lisa. Risa. Dad. Journal, you know! Quill is not, and will never be my name! A name is only a worthless string of letters. I know exactly who I am! I''m Llyod Middlesworth''s son! Risa is my second mom! I was Lisa''s elder brother! I''m that wierd kid. The one that braids his hair! I write storybooks for fun! But I want to be successful! I want that train! I want a hot girlfriend, preferably not an old demon in disguise! I will say it again. I haven''t given up! I will not give up! I''m weak. I''m useless. Compared to others, I''m nothing! But I want to be something! I''ll do whatever it takes, to prove to everyone, that I''m not weak. I will prove to Dad, that I''m not a lazy boy that doesn''t want to work in the bakery! I''ll prove to my peers that I''m cool! I''ll prove to the Mages that I''m better than them. I''ll prove to the Crown that I''m not some insignificant ant! I''m a man. And I will not go back on my words! Even if I only wrote thm down, but never said them. All of you must understand, that I am not a pushover! Jordan Middesworth might not be my name, but it is exactly who I am! He pushed the succubus away. The demon was laughing. "Hope. Take one of my fingers." The book of magic opened up, wherever it was. The demon appeared behind Quill. The succubus was getting up. Her face contorted in rage. "You are sure about this, Quill." "Take it!" "Very well then." A surge of Power came out of him. ''I know. I know how it important it is. I didn''t know before. I didn''t understand. I thought I could cheat my way there. But I was wrong. There is no victory, that was won that way.... However this victory will be mine. I''m not relying on anything, other than Quill''s Power. I''m not going to desperately flail around like a weakling. Not anymore.'' The pain came as well. ''If this is the price I have to pay, then so be it.'' Words were spelled out on the wall using Inscribe. They were written on every wall, at the same time. They read: "Get out of my property!" In both english, and the words of magic. __________________ The hunting night Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 16 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 0- "The hunting night.." __________________ A wise man once said,"In this world, there are no enemies." The whole point of this book is to mock those fools who think they are wise. Sometimes timeless wisdom is not timeless at all. Neither does it count as wisdom. So you must understand that I disagree with him. Indeed, there are enemies lurking in the shadows, enemies among your allies, and enemies where you least expect them to be. ~ An extract from ''Wisdom of the insane'' by Philosopher. _________________ Flashback. Night of Lisa''s death. 27 April, 1886. Weidson town, Pridon. __________________ 18:41 The rain continued to shower. It was so heavy that no one was seen on that street moving around without an umbrella, except a small teenage girl and a tall man. The tall man was dressed in a black trenchcoat and was holding whar looked like a wooden stick on his right hand. ''He looks stupid.'' She thought as she walked. "Sword, don''t tell me you are here." The tall man shaked his head. The girl stopped. "Quit talking to yourself, mad man! What the heck are you even doing out in the rain?" The man shaked his head again. His facial expression was unclear. "I could ask you the same question, without insulting you." He dragged out each word a bit longer, as though he was teaching a toddler. The girl stomped her feet on the wet floor, irritated. "I''m here because, reasons!" "Well then, little girl, I am also here because of reasons. And I think my ..." "What did you just call me!! Apologize right now you piece of shit!" She interrupted. "What did I say?" The man was frowning. "You called me a little girl. Don''t you have eyes? I''m a full grown woman!" She stretched, trying to look taller. The tall man just laughed. "Of course you are." The man nodded his head. ''Why do I keep meeting the strangest people? First I met Margaret, Lancaster, now this one?'' William thought. He turned and started walking away, leaving the girl behind. She stomped her way away too. On the outskirts of Weidson, there were not that many houses. The streets only had two or three houses each. It was quiet too. The reason behind this scarcity of houses is the Queen''s policy. She had decreed that all of the houses around Weidson hill be demolished, for a project that shall soon commence. The townspeople speculate that it might be infrastructural development in the form of a new railway station. Lisa middlesworth - the teenage girl- didn''t believe it. After a while, they bumped together again. "Why are you following me! Creep!" "I''m just going to the same place as you. There shouldn''t be any problems." "It seems as if you''re following me!" "Where are you going?" "Not going to say." "I''m going to the Little mountain." "....same place." She admitted. "What are you going to do there? Shouldn''t you be going home? Why do you have to get into the rain without an umbrella? You could just go somewhere and wait it away." "I have to go there, or my life is over!" "What! There''s a threat to your life?" ''He looks genuinely concerned. Maybe he''s not so creepy after all.'' Lisa smiled but did not respond. Will approached her, and then carried her. "What do you think you are doing!" "I''ll help you get there faster. You''re soaked through. If you keep standing in the rain like a fool, you''ll catch a cold. Now tell me about the threat, is it a monster?" Lisa''s eyes widened. "Yes... It''s not like I believe in monsters or anything...but whatever I saw in there didn''t look human." "You''re terrified, aren''t you? Just from thinking about it. It must be a monster then. My name is William. I came here to hunt the monster." "..m-m-m my name is Lisa. And how did you know there was a monster there?" "Someone told me. Now, we''re almost there, Lisa. Don''t worry you''ll be safe. Your heart is beating too fast...If there is a monster there, why go there?" "I left something very important in there, I''ll be in trouble if I don''t get it back." "Oh, okay kid, here we are." The little mountain was as green as always. Lisa pointed towards a cave. "That''s were the monster is. That''s were I saw it. Please help me. I think what I left behind is with the monster." ''She''s very honest.'' William thought. William took her inside the cave and then dropped her. "You can hide from the rain here. I''ll go over and get my job done. " Then he held the handle of his sword, gripping it tightly. "Over there! The cave splits into two tunnels. Go to the one in the right! That were the thing is hiding! Get me back my necklace so I can get out of here!" William shaked his head for the third time that night. ''Do you have to be so noisy, little girl?'' The hunter did not run, he walked briskly towards his target. When he reached the split in the path, he took the right one. He found himself in a large cave room, big and huge.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. "Hey girl! Go and hide in the other room. I''ll feel better about things if you''re right behind me!" "Ok. But it''s not a room, It''s called a..." "Go!!!" ''I know now.'' Lisa walked towards the split. The moment Lisa turned her back to go to the left path, William turned to look at her. Freaked out, she turned around towards him. "What''s the matter?" She said nervously while walking backwards. William started towards her, walking slowly. For each step he took towards her, she took a step back. "Nothing, really. I just want us to drop the act..." His unsheathed sword scraped the floor as they moved. Lisa''s back touched the hard wall. The room to the left was tight and narrow, it was more like a small passageway, but it led to a dead end. "....Beast" William said, frowning. Though the expression on the rest of his face was mild, his eyes looked sinister. He looked at her like she wasn''t human, like she was some kind of animal. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Hunter''s sword lodged itself inside of her stomach, tearing up her shirt. "Ahhhhh." She screamed out in pain. William leaned towards her. "I am Hunter. But you knew that already, didn''t you? You lured me here, to the wide spacious cave out far away from any house, so you could kill me, am I right?" The girl was terrified, her face shifted in fear. Blood escaped her mouth. "Answer me!" He yelled at the top of his voice. She looked tired before, but the moment that statement was uttered, it was as though it hurt her far more than the blade. ".....yes. I am Beast." She whispered, sobbing. "You''re the monster that has killed so many innocent people, slaughtered and devoured them, and continued to grow stronger. You are my greatest enemy, and I''ve been searching for you since the day I discovered you existed. Ever since I heard of what you had done,and ever since I saw the carnage and agony you caused, I wanted you dead." "And to think you''re nothing but a kid. Disappointing." Lisa was still quietly sobbing. "What are you waiting for, monster!" William pulled his sword away, causing her to wail louder. Lisa fell on the floor, weak and bleeding away. She raised her head towards him, and closed her eyes, and then she said something. "Beast." The moment those words left her lips, a yellow light emerged from within her heart. Blood poured out of her eyes, nose and mouth, and viens appeared around her head. Lisa started to grow taller her flesh becoming wider and longer, her skin breaking open and blood pumping out of it. Her eyes bulged out of her face, her teeth and mouth grew bigger. Her teeth became fangs and her nails became claws. While this transformation was going on, she was screaming at the top of her voice, enduring the excruciating pain. And that wasn''t all. Her skin- or rather what remained of it - became black and rough. Her neck elongated a bit, and her back arched as though she had a hunch back. Lisa didn''t look human anymore. The bone structure was completely different from a human, it was more like some kind of bear/ wolf. As she transformed, the force of her body suddenly growing caused the small cavern to start to shake. At a certain height, her body was too big for the cavern. Her body grew into the walls and ceiling of the cave, and continued to grow. Before it did, hunter managed to escape by sprinting out with incredible speed. Turning around to look at the collapsed rocks and sheathing his sword, William readied his shotgun. "Get up! I know you''re not dead yet!" Hunter screamed to the pile of rocks. He was standing in the split, and with the left cavern collapsed, the rocks from the wall were piled up, crushing the towering figure that was Beast. ''This is my enemy. I don''t care if she''s a child.'' The Beast emerged from the rocks. It got down on all fours and stared at William with it''s red eyes. It salivated. ''If I hesitate, more people will die by it''s hands. It''s a tragedy, for such a child to go through such pain..but that''s why I have to make this quick, so she dies as soon as possible.'' It jumped, crossing two feet in a second, crashing on Hunter instantly. It started to push Hunter with the sheer force of its upper body. Pulling the trigger did nothing. ''I''ll just toss that away.'' Hunter was whisked away along with the beast, as it sprinted across the cave, scratching it''s claws against the walls. "Spirits of blood, flesh and bone. Scope out the physical ability of my enemy, and grant me the ability to overcome them with strength." ~WORDS OF MAGIC. "Supreme might." His body glowed with crimson light for a few seconds. And then his muscles bulged. His hands stretched out, pressing the thing''s chest, he stopped the Beast''s advance with his raw physical strength. But he wasn''t strong enough to push it back. "Ahhhhh!!!!" The thing screamed, opening it''s maw and snapping it at William. "You want to kill me before you eat me. But now you''re changing your mind huh? If you have one, that is. Finish the job, legendary beast." It opened it''s mouth, letting out it''s foul smell straight into his face. ''stinking beast.'' As William was being eaten, he managed to dodge the teeth, unsheath his sword, and slash it''s tongue. The huge fangs got close to biting into his head, but with supernatural speed, William jumped out of it''s mouth. Landing on his two feet, he pointed his sword at the Beast almost immediately after. The beast screamed as it tasted it''s own blood. In blind rage, it raised it''s right claws and attempted to slash Hunter. Hunter dodged in an instant, allowing the claws to smash into the bottom of the cave. It continued to smash at him, and Hunter continued to dodge every single time. "You''re not as fast as they say." He said while dodging. "Or maybe.." he avoided another attack. ".. you''re not even trying to hit me!" Hunter leapt into the air, using his massive sword to cleave out one of Beast''s ears. ''The girl.. It''s easy to think she is the one behind it all, it makes it easier to kill her, when I know she''s evil. But if she is barely in control of herself, how can I be sure? As of now, I See that her soul is desperately fighting her instincts. She''s trying as hard as she can, to make this easier for me..'' ''...I was never expecting this to be easy, though.'' The moment he landed, the Beast also fell on it''s back, writhing in pain. The force of Beast''s collapse, caused the entire hill to shake. It seemed as though it would fall apart. "I guess I have to leave, then." Hunter turned his back and ran as fast as he could. It was slower than before. ''The spirits of blood flesh and bone have left me. The runes burnt out, I can''t use that spell again in this fight.'' ''But I won''t need it.'' Beast got up from the collapsing cave, glowing with yellow energy. It simply smashed it''s way through with nothing but raw muscle power. The distance between the two closed up slowly, as Beast caught up with Hunter. Hunter managed to leave the cave, returning to the rain. "Rrroooarrr!!!" The Beast roared as it attempted to pounce on hunter. Of course, even without the extra speed, he was able to dodge in time. "So you are holding back, Beast! That is the singular biggest mistake you have ever made." Apart from the two of them, there was an old lady with an umbrella walking across the street. Hunter focused on his enemy. It was difficult to see in the rain, but Hunter''s blue eyes could see the ripples in the water puddles, and the ripples in the ground beneath them. It was all charges with whatever yellow energy the Beast was emitting. Something big was coming. The Beast stood still for once. Hunter got into a fighting stance, holding his sword with both hands. ''Who needs spells?'' Beast started to transform again. It got even bigger. ''How is it doing that?'' All of a sudden, it vanished. Following his target, Hunter''s eyes darted to the Beast''s new location. The old woman was gone. There was no scream. Beast''s teeth was stained with red blood. Now at 25 ft tall, the Beast bared it''s fangs at Hunter, looking down on him from up above. ''It looks as if Lisa''s mind has lost. The Beast is completely in control now ...I didn''t even see it move..'' ''The greatest ability the Beast possesses is not it''s speed. It''s the fighting instinct. It''s body is built for extreme combat, and even If it barely has any intelligence, it knows exactly how well to tear it''s prey apart.'' ''Very well, then. We may begin.'' Claws as huge as swords impaled Hunter at different parts of his body. ''Not wasting time, huh?'' "Gun." A loud bang was heard, the moment he completed the statement. And then the Beast''s arm was gone. Hunter was a few feet away, lying on the ground. He swiftly got back up. His wounds were completely closed. "That was an explosive, not a gun. It''s a clever little trick, All Mages have theirs....." Beast jumped to him again. This time, he managed to put his sword in between the claws and his body. He stil got sent flying across the street due to the momentum. William got up again. "I have a lot more tenacity than you think. You see, I heard you had super regeneration, so I went ahead and got my own." The beast screamed. It''s arm regenerated as well, albeit slower than Hunter. "Don''t worry. I didn''t lose my humanity completely. I''m still a human Mage. My body only heals because of a little enchanted item on my body. I won''t tell you where though. It''ll spoil the fun." The giant monster leaped towards it''s enemy again, this time it used it''s fangs. The huge teeth bit into his body. Fot the first time since the battle begun, William grit his teeth in pain. The massive jaw was crushing his shoulders and legs, and the fangs were lodged into his flesh. However, somehow he managed to move deeper into it''s mouth. By the time he entered the tongue, and he wasn''t getting hurt, his injuries became history. ''Let''s see if your insides heal any faster.'' "Gun." The force of the explosion sent him flying out of it''s mouth, breaking through the teeth and plummeting to the ground. Flipping in midair, he landed on his two feet, wounds closed completely. ''Third time using it. So I could''ve died three times already. Interesting.'' Beast was in far worse shape. It''s body was still healing visibly, but it''s chest, neck and head was almost entirely torn to pieces. The surprising fact was that it was still standing and regenerating after all of that. "Yes. You win. You''re far more tenacious than me." Hunter grinned as he produced his second gun from his bag. It was the only other weapon he had, other than his knives and sword. "This is the real hunting gun. It''s not a shotgun though. It''s of a special make. I call it the force gun. But you can call it whatever you want." He aimed it, and then he fired. A blast of white light connected with the Beast''s head. The Beast topped over, falling on it''s back and losing it''s entire head in the blast. ''You''re not a zombie, are you?'' It twitched. "Damn." ''This might take a while.'' _______________________ The big game Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 17 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 1- "The big game." __________________ There were several tomes of magic locked away in a secret compartment of the Ancient Library. The author of these books wanted to hide their identities, so they used only their initials to mark them. Many of these Mages had the same letter for their surnames, so initials like A.B were very common. However there was another reason why the initial were printed on the cover; it was a written form of magic to mark ownership. ~ An extract from "Proper Writing as a Mage" by J.M. __________________ 30 April, 1886. Quill. Spirit world. __________________ "What manner of madness would prompt someone to act as you have?" The succubus yelled. Her guise had started to break; she looked more like a demon than a young lady. "Do I have to f*cking repeat myself? Get out of my property!" Quill raised his voice. His hand was bleeding; his right pinky finger was missing. ''Damn these spirits!'' "Who''s property is it, young Mage?" A loud voice spoke. The sounds echoed around the entire Sanctuary like thunder. ''The souleater. It''s either that guy or the Lich making this racket.'' Quill shivered. ''It''s time to do this.'' "Mine. This Sanctuary belongs to me!" "Then who are you?" The voice asked. "I am Jordan Elyas Middlesworth, son of Lloyd Middlesworth and grandson of Arthur Middlesworth. Need I say more?" "You play a dangerous game, boy. Naming yourself with a Name that is not your own, in front of all the local Greater spirits. Do you not know who has inherited that Name? You will eventually have to face them in battle for what you have said today." ''I know that you numbskull! I know what I''m doing.'' The voice went silent.. "Can you all hear me? If you can''t, I''ve written it on all the walls so you can. My name is Jordan Elyas Middlesworth and I own my soul. I also own the Sanctuary. Whosoever inherits my soul will also inherit my sanctuary and my name. And all the woe that comes with it." There was a short awkward silence. ''Did they get it? Did it work?'' The succubus Lady laughed. "I hate the fact that you pushed me. But I love how daring you are,Quill. You really think you''ll survive this one?" "I''m not planning on surviving, I''m planning on winning." "Good luck, pretty boy!" Then the succubus turned around and strutted away. Jordan kept his eyes away from her, sighing when she was finally gone. ''Alright. It seems my plan is working. Now for all these other stupid pieces of soul what-not to get the heck out of here.'' Jordan stretched a bit, and walked out of the bathroom. ''I just kissed an evil spirit; I''m good. But then again, for the first lady to kiss me to be a two-faced demon kinda spells out what I''m lacking. I need a better haircut. Or maybe there''s a spell to make me more handsome.''Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Journal, what do you think? Yeah yeah. I know. She forced me to kiss her. It wasn''t romantic at all.. I think. The other spirits were already leaving. They were filling out of the Sanctuary. The Gremlins- the 2 to 3 ft tall red abominations -were the first to scram. The undead army simply vanished. The Fey- I didn''t even meet them, I only know about them because Mrs.Red dress told me- were gone. The moment the Greater spirits started to leave, the lesser ones followed. Now only the Vampires and the Imps remained. And they were also getting ready to leave. ''My plan has worked.'' "Hey Vlad! Didn''t you promise to do whatever you can to get my soul? Why, you aren''t even trying anymore." Quill taunted. Vlad and the other Vampires were already at the front door. "I want that cheeky kid dead." One of them said. Vlad turned around to look at Quill, then he pointed his rapier at him. "I will obtain your soul, or whatever is left of it after the gods have dealt with you. I do not break my promises.." ''Somehow, I have the peculiar feeling that he''s saying the truth. It''s just like it was the Crown saying this. Words of Power, huh.'' "...as it is not the way of a king." After that utterance, the vampire king left. And his followers trailed behind him. Some of them were hurling verbal insults at Quill. ''I don''t give a damn.'' For the first time, Quilk got a proper look at the fiends who were responsible for almost driving him insane. They looked like black children with horns. ''Kids?'' Yes we are. Do you have a problem? ''Wow, you can read my mind. Just like Desire.'' What were you expecting? We have psychic abilities, and we can manipulate minds. ''Can you guys, like umm have a spell with me, or something? Your power is dope.'' We almost drove you to suicide, no-name. I suggest you leave us alone. Also, we want nothing to do with you after what you just did. I reckon, no-one in their right mind would. ''You''re all saying the same thing at the same time. Are you all just duplicates or what?'' We are not obligated to answer. ''But you did?'' The child Imps sprouted out wings from their backs in unison and flew oit through the open door. ''Now not a single local spirit would enter my Sanctuary even though the door is wide open. They are just too scared. By claiming the name of Jordan Middesworth, I''ve stolen from the Higher spirits, the ones outside that have my name. These High spirits are even greater than the Greater spirits. According to the Knowledge, they''re pretty much gods.'' ''Now I have to fight that. The wrath of the gods.'' I know, Journal. I''m making the exact same mistake, aren''t I? First I sacrificed my name and got myself in this mess. In order to get out, I''m pissing off some really Powerful spirits which are far more powerful than what I was just struggling with. From the frying pan to the fire, am I right? But I''m doing it differently this time. I know what risks I''m taking, and I know what I''ve sacrificed to get here. And I know the consequences of what I''ve done. Last time I damned the consequences. But this time, I''m staring right into the consequences'' faces and spitting on it. And I don''t care. I will win: I''ll figure it out somehow.. Signing out for now, Journal. ''Finally I can do this.'' Jordan Elyas Middlesworth. Jordan grinned when he was done Inscribing that into his journal. Then he ran to his room and fished out his Journal. Jordan opened the Journal up to the latest entry. ''Magic. I sometimes forget how cool it is.'' "You must be having fun, Jordan?" A young man strolled in through the open door. He wore a green suit and a brown hat. . "Lancaster." "You said my name as if it was a curse. Are we enemies already?" "No. But why did you desert me? Why did you leave me alone?" "You sound... never mind. I had to leave the spirit world because I didn''t have enough Power to stay there. Oh..and I was about to die." Jordan looked shocked. "You were about to die?" "Yes. I don''t believe I ever agreed to die for you, Quill. We were never that close. I don''t suppose you would do the same for me either, and even if you would, I don''t give a crap." ''He''s not joking. Well, He was in mortal danger. It makes sense.'' Then he remembered what the demon had told him. He shook his head. "I just thought that you might have wanted me dead or something. Since, you know, we''re supposed to kill each other and all." "I haven''t tried to kill you yet. Although I was planning to kill you when you had stopped being useful to me. But I''ve changed my mind now." ''He wanted to kill me. His own cousin..'' "Why did you change your mind?" "It might be that Willy is rubbing off on me, but when I look at you, I get this feeling of excitement." ''Damn, they are both queer. I should''ve known!'' "I just can''t stop thinking about it. Quill, you are unpredictable. I want to understand why you are like this...and I want to see what''s going to happen next. Simply put, I want to witness the outcome of what you just did." ''Ahh, so he might not be gay. Whew. Those hipsters are strange as heck.'' "You don''t seem bothered about the fact that I was planning to kill you." Lancaster sat down and rested his back on Jordan''s chair. "I...am also trying to kill a bunch of strangers too. It''s not a good thing, but I have to do it, or they''ll just kill me... I mean you didn''t just plan to kill me because you knew I was Jordan. You planned to kill Quill, right?" Lancaster did not answer. He just started and grinned. He wiped the smile out of his face a moment later. "Any ways, I''m here to make our Agreement official. We''ll sign a spellbinding contract." Lancaster produced a folded paper from his pocket. "Write the details of the contract on it." Jordan took the paper from his hands and squinted at it. "There''s nothing written on it. You should write it yourself. You''ll learn better that way." "Yes, teacher." Jordan quipped. ''How the heck am I supposed to write something like this? I''m only used to writing storybooks and poems.'' Jordan picked up the quill anyways. "You can write it with your mind, right? Why are you holding a quill?" He dipped the quill in an inkpot just lying around in his room. "It helps the magic if I have ink. It helps the visualisation if I have a quill in my hand. It''s like I''m imagining myself writing it. So I.." "Enough. I don''t need you rambling. I need you working. Now write exactly what I say, alright. It makes things faster." ''But you said I have to write it myself. I guess I''ll learn from your example then, schoolteacher.'' "I, Lancaster Speindel will not kill you or attempt to put you in any kind of dangerous position that may be life threatening. I will not plan to do so, or conspire with your enemies to bring forth your downfall. Your death or failure will never be consciously directly or indirectly caused by me. All of these statements are valid until you say so or until all other Mages are dead or incapacitated. Under no circumstances am I to force or trick you into doing so. I will listen to you and do as you say as much as it is possible. I will willingly receive the death penalty if I breach the contract." "I really won''t tell you to kill me, man... And don''t you think the death penalty is a little bit extreme?" "Just write it." ''He told me to write this because he wants to trust him. He knows he messed up by admitting that he was trying to kill me, and now he''s making up for it. He must really need my help....but this is Lancaster! He''s like my brother! Why will he even think about killing me to begin with? Why?'' "Now do the same for yourself. Then draw two lines at the bottom so we can sign. Then all that''s left is the infusion of Power. Go on." Jordan did as he was told. "It''s done." ''Maybe his motive for doing this is to protect me. He doesn''t want things to get down to us killing each other. He''s a good guy..'' "Good. Now we can''t betray each other even if we tried to. Quill did I tell you that I was planning to tear this fight down? I don''t want to have to fight to the death, I just want to enjoy these magical powers. You will help me do that, right?" "That might be a problem, because I want to win this fight." Lancaster just laughed. ''What''s so funny?'' "We might as well get on with things. I''ll tell you all you need to know about me. You will do the same. Then we get to work. Does it sound good?" "Yeah, it does." ____________________ The big game II Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 18 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 2- "The big game II." __________________ The war begun long before anyone made the first move. It had started before the first gun was fired . The truth was that the war had begun when the idea was first conceived; when a nation or two agreed it was a good idea to fight against each other. Both of them making the lives of their citizens a living hell. However it was obvious which party was stronger. The war only begun because someone stood to gain something from it. The real question is..who? ~ Anon. _________________ 30 April, 1886. Quill. Spirit world. ________________ The two Mages were sitting in the Sanctuary''s version of Jordan''s bedroom. It looked almost exactly the same as the real one. The only exception was the lack of bird sounds outside, or the noise of people in the bakery. ''And the presence of Lancaster here, kinda ruins the spell that makes it look like my house. Lancaster has never been in my room before.'' Quill was sitting on his bed, while Crow/Bird was on an armchair to the right of the bed. "Jordan, I''ll go first. There''s a motive behind needing your Power every day. I have a problem. It isn''t nearly as bad as yours but I don''t exactly have a clear Title anymore." "What does that mean?" "It means if I don''t do something about it, I might die." ''He said it as if he was talking about the weather. How is he so calm?'' Jordan rested his head on his pillow, lying down on the bed. "I don''t really get it. But I don''t have to. You really don''t have to say all this, man." "Don''t call me ''man''. My name is Lancaster. The Title I had before was known as Bird. But I tried to change to Crow and now I''m in deep shit. The truth is; the Title of Crow should''ve been my Title from the start." "But you chose Bird?" "Yes, I did. After looking through the Knowledge properly, I now realise how much of an idiot I was back then. The Title of Crow is my soul''s original position in the spirit world. Moving your Sanctuary is straight-up impossible...." "Aren''t you so good at this ''explaining'' thing?" "You''re learning how to be sassy. Good. However, next time, don''t interrupt me." Lancaster stared at Jordan. There was no real emotion behind that stare. Jordan swallowed. ''Geez. It was only a joke.What the heck did I do to deserve a glare like that? This is why I hate people.'' "Yes sir." Quill replied respectfully. "...You should''ve understood by now that The Spirit world overlaps the material world. One of the Links between the two worlds are the Mages as they are capable of summoning spirits. However certain spirits are also capable of crossing over whenever they want to. But that''s not what I''m talking about. Quill, even before someone becomes a Mage, they already have a location in the spirit world that signifies who they are. My location was Crow, and so I should have chosen Crow. But I didn''t."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He paused. Jordan was looking right into his eyes, completely focused. He looked as though he wanted him to continue. Lancaster sighed. "Changing locations in the spirit world is the same as making a change in the fundamental aspects of one''s being. It''s a change in what something is. Transmogrification. Trying to do that, usually results in someone screwing themselves up. It results in death...but Mr.demon is okay with me dying, and did not say a word about this. Note that by ''Changing locations'' I really mean ''Changing the location of the Sanctuary.''. Me being in your Sanctuary now isn''t a change in who I am." "I didn''t know about that before." "Which means you haven''t been studying. Anyways, my choice was only made possible because of demon''s override. Desire gets what he want done. Even though he''s chained up, he''s still capable of using some of his powers. That''s the only reason why staying in Bird was an option. But when I took the Sanctuary to Crow, I discovered that there was a maelstrom of negative spirits hovering about it. Demon called it ''The Darkness.'' That darkness is preventing me fron landing my Sanctuary and completing the transition back to my actual location." "Ok." ''I still don''t get it. But, who cares? He doesn''t have to know that!'' "I''m assuming that you understand me up to this point. Because it''s going to get more difficult. I need your undivided attention... Whenever I enter the spirit world, my spirit is anchored to Bird, so I land on bird. I can''t anchor myself to Crow until my Sanctuary completely lands on Crow. That can''t happen until I defeat the Darkness. The spirits holding my Sanctuary up require lots of Power once in a while. That''s why I need Power." "Ok. But why don''t you just land the Sanctuary any where?" "That isn''t possible. It''ll be destroyed, and I''ll have to either drastically change who and what I am , or I die. Either option is the same as dying to me. The only safe place to land on is Crow." "How about Bird? You won''t have to change or die because of demon''s ability right?" "Not quite. The Sanctuary cannot land on the same location twice. My anchor to Bird is already fading. It''s not possible to turn back now, either I destroy the darkness or I bite the dust. Oh and did I tell you that the Crown gave me seven days to become Crow. If I don''t do it, I die." "So that''s what you need me for. I can help you with Power for your spirits and I can try to find a way to beat the Darkness." "Yes. The thing is, there are some advantages of my current position as a Mage without a rooted Sanctuary. I get half the abilities of both Titles. That is why I am already capable of using curse magic- you didn''t see me do it earlier, but I used it on Vlad. Also, I think this is the right time to tell you that I''m cursed." "We already know that. You''ve explained it enough." "No. It''s a side effect of hovering over Crow. I am unable to control it. The more I am around people the worse their luck becomes. It''s working on you as well. My luck is sometimes affected as well. It''s very annoying... But enough of that. Your problems are much more pronounced than that. You challenged the gods, right? I hope you live through it. I really want to know; what are you going to do next?" Jordan stared at the ceiling, thinking. ''Well, there''s only one thing to do. '' "I want to kill Hunter." "Why?" Lancaster raised an eyebrow. "I only have seven days to kill people too, our Queen put me up to it." ''It looks like both of us had a rough start because of the Crown. But It seems he''s much smarter than I am. He didn''t sacrifice his name, at least.'' "Why Hunter? Is it because if Lisa?" Lancaster questioned. ''He knows. How does he know?'' "You know...Then we must be on the same page. That monster killed my sister, so I want to kill him if I''m killing anyone." "... Hunter didn''t kill her. He said that he was responsible for her death." "Isn''t it the same thing? The world is better off without people like him. That is why I want him dead." Jordan yelled. There was an awkward silence between them. "Sorry about that. I shouldn''t have yelled at you for no reason." "It''s not a problem, little brother. If you want it so bad, I''ll kill him for you." Lancaster got up and began stretching his back. ''Talking about murder like it''s nothing...And he was planning on killing me before. He''s not even bothered by Lisa''s death. It''s like he doesn''t even care!'' "You..you have killed someone before, right?" Lancaster''s eyes widened for a moment. It was an expression of shock that Jordan had never seen on his cousin''s face. ''Why is he so disturbed by that?'' But his expression only lasted for a brief moment, and he was back to being aloof and expressionless. "Yes. I have. More than once. Killing people isn''t a problem for me, rest assured." ''Maybe he had a bad experience..'' "I''m the one who wants revenge. I will kill him, I just need you as backup." "No. You are a fool for underestimating him. Do not underestimate any Mage, alright. They have had the privilege to learn magic long before we do. And with experience comes strength.." "I get it. You yap too much nowadays.." Jordan covered his mouth after he said that. To his surprise, Lancaster didn''t seem to care. "We have to be careful. This is going to be our first official battle against a Mage as partners. Hunter didn''t look weak to me, and I can tell if someone is powerful. I believe he''s also trying to kill us as well. He may attack at any time. It might be tomorrow, or even today." Jordan nodded his head. "It''s settled then. I''ll come visit your house, and we''ll talk strategy there.." ''I have to ask him. I just can''t wait till later.'' "Why.. don''t you seem affected by Lisa''s death?" "That''s because I didn''t care about her." ''What? What kind of nonsense is he saying? Lancaster had always been stranger than me, but now he''s on a new level. He loved Lisa. Why is he saying that now..'' "It''s the truth, Jordan. I hardly know her. Really. Lisa was family, yes. But aside from that, she was almost a stranger to me. Would you care so much if a random person died?" "...but she''s your cousin. You played hide and seek with her 4 years ago. You were all grown up by then, but you still played with her. She was very happy, I remember that day so well...Why? Why would you call her a stranger?" There was yet another moment of silence. Quill was still panting from shouting so much. Lancaster looked amused. ''What is funny about this? What is wrong with you?'' "Are you joking, Jordan?" "Do I look like someone that will joke about his dead sister? I''m ready to kill someone to avenge her; of course I''m not joking!" The pianist straightened his expression. "Four years ago, I didn''t know her. You must''ve had a screw loose upstairs." The man said, pointing to his head. He started towards the door. "Jordan, get your head checked. Also, fix your wall when you can. Some spirits are stupid. Expect me by evening today, some time around four or five." Quill was speechless. His mouth was still open when Lancaster walked through the door, and took his leave. The door slammed shut and the sudden loud noise seemed to wake Jordan up from his discombobulation. "What the actual f*ck?" _____________________ Leaving for the battlefield Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 19 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 3- "Leaving for the battlefield." __________________ It was sunset. I stood out within the crowd for many reasons. One of them was my stature. Many of the Paladins were tall and muscular - even the women. The most important reason being that I wasn''t a paladin. "Where are you?" I searched for him, within the crowd of warriors getting ready to leave. "I''m right here, May." A voice from behind her whispered. Of course, I turned to meet him. "Arthur, I told you that wasn''t my name." "I know that." The full-armoured knight walked towards me. "I have to go." "I know.." I frowned. "I will return. Don''t worry about me." He said softly. But his words turned out to be lies. He didn''t come back. ~ Marianne Oersted''s diary. 1748. __________________ 30th April, 1886. Weidson, Pridon. __________________ 17:02 "Jordan!" The first face he saw when he opened his eyes was that of his father who looked beyond worried. Then as he turned his head to the side, he saw his step-mother Risa, and an unknown lady. ''Maybe a physician.'' Then the boy turned to the right. The face that stared back at him made him wake up completely from his lazy sleepiness. ''Why is she here? Veronica ..'' Journal. My heart is beating like crazy all of a sudden. I can''t take my eyes off her.. She''s so stunningly beautiful. Maybe not as much as that succubus, but...damn. Her green eyes look like gems. That silver blonde hair... it''s just too perfect.. I am a normal respectable young man, Journal. Don''t give me that look. I''m just appreciating her beauty. Yes, yes. I do that all the time. There was that time when I spent hours and hours writing about her on you, and then Lisa just burnt it all. Thinking about Lisa brought a frown to his smiling face. ''I don''t have time to fawn over her. I have to make arrangements to kill Hunter as soon as possible." "You''re alive. I was so worried about you." Risa said. "I''m glad you''re not dead, kid." Veronica was silent. But her expression said it all. ''She was also worried about me...'' Journal, does she like me? Yes, I know I''m jumping into conclusions here. We''re friends, kinda. Of course she''ll be affected if I almost die...I really want her to think I''m cool. Where the hell did that come from? I''m just Writing every stray thought right now, aren''t I? Silly me.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "It''s a miracle. There is no other explanation. His heart suddenly stopped beating. He wasn''t even breathing for a while. His finger.." "I think we shouldn''t scare him, after all he''s been through. You should know that more than I, doctor." "He''s a man, Risa. He can take it. No son of mine is a wuss. Doctor, tell him everything." ''What is wrong with you, dad? What if I am a wuss?'' Jordan got up easily, prompting shocked looks from all and sundry. "How...." The moment his feet touched the cold floor, Jordan''s eyes focused on the door. He arched his back, and then started to sprint with a determined look on his face. "Jordan!!" Lloyd screamed. "Don''t worry Mr.Middlesworth. I''ll catch him." Veronica assured before she ran after Jordan. The young Mage ran as fast as he could and burst open the door. He continued on with the same momentum. Some nurses, and other people in the hospital who saw him were either surprised or annoyed as he ran past them. ''This is stupid. I know this is stupid. But I''m still doing it anyways. Why? Is it because I don''t want to explain anything? I don''t have to, really. I could just say it was all a wierd illness, and they''ll probably believe me. Running right now means I know something I''m not telling them, and that''s just going to make them more worried.'' ''But what can I do? I can''t think straight. I don''t have what it takes to juggle everything I have on my plate right now- the spirit gods, the war of the Mages, Hunter, whatever demon''s up to... There''s just too many things to keep track of. And then Veronica just shows up all of a sudden. I have to go home, and lock my door. Hide from all of this...'' At this point, only a few moments were left till Jordan got out of the hospital. But it was at that moment that a certain girl''s footsteps started to catch up with his. Veronica and Jordan were running in the same direction, leading to the exit. "Jordan! What the heck are you doing?" ''Damn. I forgot that she was faster than me. To think I wouldn''t get better at running after spending an afternoon trying to escape from crazy spirits inside of my head... I even have f*cking magic and I still can''t beat her.'' The young lady ended up right behind Jordan, who suddenly lost his footing as her hands brushed against his back. ''Jordan. You fought a succubus. You resisted her charms. You can do this. Don''t make a complete fool of yourself, dammit!'' As he tumbled to the floor, his legs caught her foot and they both started to fall together. Jordan fell head first into the hospital floor, with Veronica on top of him. ''And you did it again.'' "Umm.. could you get up?" ''Weird, Jordan. You made it wierd.'' Veronica got up almost immediately. ''My head hurts...Is it from the fall, or all the overthinking?'' "Come on. You just can''t keep lying there." ''Oh yeah, I''m supposed to get up too. Kinda just thought the floor is a nice cool place to be. It''ll be even better if it just opened up and swallowed me.'' ''Why not, Journal? My hair must look like an old dead rat, my clothes are pretty damn sweaty - must smell bad and my fidgety behaviour is probably killing her. I''m hopeless.'' Jordan got up, dusting his clothes furiously. When he looked at her he saw her smile. Her pitying smile. "It''s nice to...umm..see you. After so long.." Jordan said, scratching his hair. "Likewise. Although, the whole hospital thing scared me. Are you alright?" ''Of course not!'' "Yeah... I''m okay." "Well. If you''re alright..." She raised her voice steadily. "Do you mind telling me why you just started running all of a sudden?" "Umm..." "Hey. Looks like your way isn''t working out, missy. I''ll handle the interrogation here." A voice from behind Veronica spoke out. "Yes, Mr. Middlesworth." She stepped out of his way. ''Oh no.'' "You must''ve gone and become a champion sprinter, Jordan. Am I right?" "Umm. No." "If you weren''t practicing for the Olympics what were you doing?" "Umm. I''m sorry." "I didn''t hear you." "I said I''m sorry!" Lloyd paused. He stared at his son with an unreadable expression. "You know, don''t you. It wasn''t just some kind of coincidence. You''re not nearly as surprised about this as you''re supposed to be...Those words you were chanting.. everything is connected, right?" ''How did he figure that out? Yeah, I know I was careless amd stupid about things, but I learnt how to be careless and stupid from him. My dad of all people should be the last person to figure that out.'' Jordan swallowed hard. "Answer me!" Lloyd pushed Jordan''s weak body against the wall. "Mr.Middlesworth, maybe that''s.." "..not enough. I have to beat some sense into him. I haven''t even started yet." ''Damn this man is annoying. If I say a word about Magic, I might introduce them to the world of spirits and magic- and they''ll be in danger. I''m not going to let you get involved in this.... I''ll win this fight on my own if I need to.'' ".." "You opened your mouth just now, do you want to say something or do you want me to gag you? You can''t possibly understand how worried we all were about you. And you want to go off on your own and keep everything to yourself?" ''Yeah. Lisa did the same thing, didn''t she? I get why you''re so mad. But, I won''t say anything..'' Risa had caught up. From the corner of his eyes, Jordan could see her tears. ''Mom...'' "From the moment you fell unconscious, we have been right beside you. We took you to the hospital, Jordan. And that quack told me you were dead. I couldn''t believe it, ofcourse. I fought them to check you myself. I saw it with my own two eyes, Jordan. Your heart had stopped. You didn''t have a pulse. You weren''t breathing anymore. All clear signs that you''ve died." He paused to catch his breath, then he continued. "I thought it was all over. Somehow, my only children were robbed from me.. but then you started shaking like crazy..and I thought that it was just my imagination." His voice was cracking. Tears went down his eyes as well. "...it wasn''t. It wasn''t my imagination. It wasn''t a hallucination. You were alive, somehow...and then I just held out hope that you''ll wake up, and we''ll all make sense if things.. and you did wake up.." "Lloyd, It''s enough." The woman stated. ".. Your f*cking finger simply disappeared, damnit. Blood poured out of the open wound. I saw you die, Jordan. And them I saw you come back in less than a minute. Then I thought I was seeing you die again." "Lloyd!" Risa shouted. "Why? Why won''t you say anything? I can see it in your stupid eyes! You know something you''re not telling me. You think it''s alright to just throw away your life?" Don''t say anything quill. If you do, you will put them in harm''s way. You don''t want them hurt, right? Then meet me outside. Leave the hospital as soon as possible. We need to discuss strategy.. Oh and know that till the end of this battle, this might be the last time you see them. Make sure to say your goodbyes. ''Lancaster'' Yes? ''Shut the f*ck up.'' What was that for? "Dad, I''m sorry." ''Not telling them is worse than lying to him. And he''ll see right through my lies... The only thing I can do is run. And doing that would hurt them even more.'' ''Is''nt there a spell for lying? A spell to make everything alright? A spell to stop me from making these stupid mistakes over and over again?'' ''No. There probably isn''t.'' "I can''t tell you anything. And...I just want you to know that.." ''Force hammer without incantation. It''s completely possible. I''ll use my blood as ink. Come on!'' The blue spiritual energy had been summoned into the material plane via the magic circle drawn on Jordan''s palm. The small magic circle gathered as many ''force'' spirits as possible on that brief instance, and then released it. The force spirits forged a magical item which appeared on Jordan''s right hand. Jordan swung his hand as though he was holding an invisible hammer. The force slammed into his father, sending him flying. "..I''ll be right back!" ''I''m not stupid enough to say goodbye, jerk. This isn''t a goodbye. I''m just handling some busines, that''s all. I''m taking care of the homicidal maniac that might''ve killed Lisa....And I won''t rest until he''s dead.. After I''m done with this little errand, I''ll be back home again.'' Yeah. I just smashed my dear dad across the room with an invisible magic hammer. Of course I did. We kinda love hitting each other.. Although he does most of the hitting most of the time. Jordan smiled and got into a stance, poised for running. "Lloyd! Jordan!" Those where the most embarrassing moments of my life. Now, Journal. I think it''s about time we get on with the action. After I''ve handled Hunter, I need to fix the situation with my family. But I doubt the spirit gods will let me take a breather. That won''t stop me, though. I''ll come back home, no matter what. Journal, I''m just Writing one awkward sentence after the other. But I mean it. Yours Sincerely, Jordan Elyas Middlesworth. Jordan then ran out the open door. He wasn''t looking back. __________________ War strategies Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 20 _______________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 4- "War strategies" _______________ The war council room was filled to the brim. All senior military commanders were present and so was the Sovereign of the nation. "Commander Reid, what do you think we should do?" "It''s too early." The middle aged man said while looking through the window. "This man is stupid. Who appointed him to be the commander of the southern division?" "I did." The king said with a thunderous voice. "Mr. Reid, give me your honest opinion. The enemy has us outnumbered and outmatched. Do we stand a chance?" Reid reasoned for a minute. "We should still try to access the situation. There has to be more intel we can sponge out that just might give us the advantage." ~ From the days of Edmund Sharpside. Pridon 1783. War of Gordon. _______________ April 30th, 1886. 15:21 _______________ Outside the hospital, a blonde musician was walking with his hands in his pockets. He whistled a tune in such an ''enthusiastic'' way that the most individuals went out of their way to avoid him. A young man with braids ran out of the hospital as though he was being chased by wild animals. Lancaster shrugged the moment their eyes met. "You made it, Quill." Jordan walked with Lancaster. They were both headed through the alleyway in between the hospital and the adjacent building. "Are you sure they''ll be okay?" The teenager said while looking at the hospital''s direction. "If they aren''t okay, then they''ll have to visit a doctor. Jordan, you don''t have to worry about your parents like that. At your age, they are still taking care of you more than you''re taking care of them. Don''t forget THEY are the adults, not you." ''I beg to differ. I''m almost 18 years old....And I don''t trust you, COUSIN.'' He rotated his head so he would be facing forward. Journal, I''m just going to play along with him for now. If it turns out that they really are in danger, then I''ll just have to do something about our little contract... "Where are we going?" "Temporary hideout. Somewhere Hunter can''t find us." "Why? I mean, we just decided to kill him. How would he have known about that?" "He wouldn''t. But he started this war before we did. According to the intel I''ve managed to piece together, he was sent here by the Crown to kill us. We were the target, but we couldn''t be killed until we became Mages." "And now we''re Mages he can complete his mission. I know...but why wait two days?" "He''ll wait until he had the perfect chance to attack." ''What does he mean by perfect chance? What chance is more perfect than being helpless in the spirit world with my physical body completely open to attack?'' "Why can''t he attack us right now?" "Humans...I mean, people." ''I''m officially confused.'' "It''s also the reason why he won''t attack your family. They are surrounded by people. The hospital has too many witnesses. If you suddenly drop dead, it won''t be pretty....the only chance he has to attack us is if we are alone, or if it''s the middle of the night."The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "I have a feeling your logic is flawed, teacher." The two of them had just crossed the road, towards Eich street, in the mid western region of Weidson. They were now in the open market place, where so many people were either busy rushing around, announcement their wares or just looking for what they came to buy. Jordan frowned as he entered the market. ''Well, if William hates being around so many people half as much as I do, Lancaster made a valid point.'' A small black dog crossed their path. Jordan stared at it for a moment, but Lancaster didn''t even give it a second glance. "I don''t think you really understood me. Jordan, if normal people got to know about magic it will complicate things for us. The Crown wants to keep the magic hidden as much as possible. I don''t think she is above killing innocent people if it means the secrets of magic and the demon, are kept secret." ''And we don''t want innocents dead either. It''s the same reason why I''m hiding this from my parents.'' The two of them took a detour around a cetain area of the market. "I''ll ask again. Where are we going?" ''I''ll keep him busy explaining things like this, while I formulate a plan. I can''t really trust Lancaster too much; I have to know what his intentions are. It''s obvious that he is Lancaster, but he''s not exactly the Lancaster I knew. Yes, four years is a long period of time...but he shouldn''t be this changed.'' Journal, I''m about to implement a plan that will help me figure out who this man really is.. I''ll simply ask him. What? It''s a stupid plan? Fine. I''ll ask him indirectly, and without him even realising a thing. It will be like making small talk, but I''ll try to extract as much information as possible from him. Yes. I''m the greatest, I know. What did you just say, Journal? I''m not? You''re joking. You know I''m the best. The mages were leaving the marketplace when Jordan had figured out what to say. "Do you remember, Lancaster? Back then when we used to run around the market causing mischief for people..." Lancaster gave Jordan a look. ''Hold on, Jordan. This guy isn''t who he says he is. You really shouldn''t be this scared. Deep breaths.. Happy thoughts.'' "I didn''t realise you were so nostalgic. It''s been more than ten years since those times, Jordan. I don''t remember most of it. And I don''t care." ''So he does remember. He remembers me, but completely forgot Lisa? Hmmm, let''s try something else. There was more than one memorable interaction between both of them. If he shows any signs of knowing it, then I''ll conclude he was lying earlier and that he''s probably just the same old Lancaster..'' A dog crossed their path again. It was barking at them like crazy for some reason before it left. ''It''s the same black dog from before.'' "Remember that time way back when we snuck into the woods at night?" "You pissed yourself. You were scared of ghosts and monsters. And you were thirteen." Lancaster almost laughed. He stopped himself from doing so, managing an awkward cough instead. ''And that was exactly four years and five months ago. You must''ve remembered that Lisa was there too.'' "It''s been so long. My memory is a bit hazy. Do you remember why we snuck out in the first place?" ''This is it. You have to mention Lisa here. There''s no way you could explain that if you don''t mention her. She was the one who lost dolly in there after all. She was the reason.'' Lancaster frowned. Damnit Journal! He''s on to us. He knows! "We have far more pressing matter than that, Quill. Remember, your life and the lives of your family members are at stake. My life included. Honestly, I want to catch up and reminisce with you...but not if it would jeopardize our plans." ''Great way to dodge the question again, my friend. You gave a nice logical reason for not answering a simple question. But then again, you are Lancaster.'' "But we can still talk. We have time.." "No, we don''t. We''ve arrived at the destination. Quill, welcome to our new temporary base of operations." It was an abandoned warehouse out in the southern end of Weidson. It wad also old and decrepit. There was this musty smell of rotten wood around it. Quill pulled a face. "What the heck is this?" "I''m not wasting my words." The other Mage simply pushed the wooden door. It took a moment for it to open, making an uncomfortable creaking noise as it turned. ''I have no choice. I''ll have to enter this dump.'' There were old wooden boxes inside the small wooden structure. A few other old things were scattered around. However, Jordan noticed that there was also a bag that did not look old to him. "Get comfortable, Quill. If things work out the way they should, we would start living here soon." Lancaster stated as he sat down on a huge barrel and turned around to face Jordan. Jordan wasn''t smiling. "Bloody hell we won''t." "We will. It''s time I give you the details on my plan." ''I''m not stopping you. Lecture away, teacher. Just know that when you''re done, I have a few words of my own to give you.'' "Hunter is too powerful for us to face in a fair fight. Also, our Power supply is greatly affected by my problem. We hardly have enough Power to fight him, and even if we did fight him at full strength I doubt we would stand a chance. I recognise power. And William has it in abundance." ''Nice one. Just keep on praising the enemy.'' Lancaster coughed, then he continued. "If we want to defeat him, we don''t need him to be in his element. We need to change the name of the game, and beat him when se have the advantage.. The game we will be playing today is ''hide and seek.'' It''s a common children''s game. You know the rules, right?" ''Hide and seek, huh? Interesting.'' "I know." "But we''re not using the normal rules. Instead, both of us are hiding and seeking at the same time. If we happen to find him before he finds us, we win the game. Though the same is true for him." "So we''re not only trying to hide from him, but we''re also trying to find him. Alright. That shouldn''t be impossible." "It isn''t. Infact, It''s far easier than fighting him head on." "Big problem though. How will a few wooden walls hide us from him?" "It will, if none of us have been here more than twice. We don''t have any strong ties to this place, so his special abilities are not going to instantly grab us out. We''re better off hiding here than anywhere else. If we hide in a crowd, he could eventually start to track our location. Also, I''ve made sure to prepare Wards that will defend this place by diverting people before they arrive. It should work on Hunter as well." ''Wow. I was really belittling him. He actually thought this through.'' "How did you manage to do all of this yourself? And send me that ''message'' too?" "I don''t have too much Power left. The ''message'' wasn''t a spell though. It works very much like how you travel across worlds using your Title. My ability as Bird- which I call free Movement - allows me to anchor my soul to specific location and drag myself to it. My ability also allows me to drag myself away from the material plane a bit, so I couldn''t be restricted by some of it''s laws. Hence, if I really wanted to, I could fly." ''Damn he''s lucky. A title like that is just...too overpowered.'' "...I used the same principle to craft a magic that allows me to talk to people over long distances. See, if I link myself to you, I could drag myself to your location. I could also drag you to mine. It takes Power to tug on the links like that, but thanks to our contract, that''s not a problem for me. All I had to do was say your name about a few times. And once I was connected, talking to you via mental connection became easy." ''I''m guessing he got something from Crow too. Let''s see if he''s willing to share.'' "I wonder what abilities you got from the Crow Title. You don''t exactly have it completely yet, but..." "Curses. I thought I told you before? Anyways, I curse people and things around me. When I told you that I wasn''t in control of it...it was a lie. The curse activates without my input, but I''ve discovered how to harness it''s power and activate it when I want to. I''m sorry I withholded such important information from you, I guess I subconsciously decided to hide things from you..." "Oh. And also, if I touch a particular body part of my enemy, I could localise the curse to that location. Say for instance I touched your eyes and you became blind for a few seconds." "You''ll also become blind as well, since the curse affects you too?" "Good student. You listen properly. Yes, It works that way. But, awhile ago I discovered how to delay my curses from activating. It''s part of the fact that I can bend the abilities of Bird so much. My Titles are very flexible in nature." ''Yes. Lancaster you are an absolute powerhouse. You''re also on my side for now, right?'' "Thanks for telling me so much." "Not informing you could prove detrimental to our plans.....You were unconscious for more than an hour after returning to your body, we have to find out why." "Yeah. How do we go about doing that?" Suddenly there was a loud continuous creaking sound. Jordan looked back to see the door fully open and a small black dog standing infront of it. ''It''s the same dog?'' __________________ Evil eye Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 21 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 5- "Evil eye" __________________ "There are those who use their words to place curses on their enemies and there are those who would rather just use their eyes." "Which one of them are you?" "Neither. Curses are for wimps who aren''t prepared to outright kill." ~ Exchange between the witch of the Heated Cauldron and one of her regular customers. An extract from "The Witches'' guide to malicious magic." __________________ Still 30th April, 1886. Weidson, Pridon. __________________ 6:43 PM Inside the small warehouse, Jordan was shaking in his boots. "That dog.... isn''t it the same one?" "What dog?" Lancaster''s gaze followed that of his cousin and landed on the black dog. The dog stayed at the front entrance, but it appeared to be watching them carefully. Quill was silent. "I... didn''t expect this." "Do you sense anything from it, Lan?" "No. It''s not a spirit. It''s just a dog. But It might''ve been sent by Hunter. The wards outside block magical beings , but they''re completely useless against a regular animal." ''And here I thought you were some kind of genius.'' "Umm... It''s not attacking. That''s good, right?" "It''s like you aren''t using your brain anymore. It can''t fight us, it won''t stand a chance. But I bet Hunter might have a way to follow this thing. Mr. Black here will most likely lead Hunter to us." "We can kill it, then." "Good luck at that. I don''t think William is so stupid to leave this thing without any protection whatsoever; I mean it might prove useful later. Also, killing it might trigger something. I see spell diagrams drawn on it''s body; they''re small but they''re there. It might be an explosive.." "I get it. Hunter must have countermeasures. Attacking it just might be exactly what he wants us to do. So we run?" "That''s the only good call you''ve made. We''ll try to lose it, see if we can secure a better location." All of a sudden, the dog started to bark viciously. It barked and barked, and Jordan could have sworn those eyes were full of bloodlust. "Umm, are we running yet?" "There''s no back door, Quill." "We''ll use the damn windows then." "No sudden movements, Quill. I think it would bite if you appear to be afraid of it." ''Sorry, dude. But I''m pretty sure this dog here doesn''t care. It already wants my flesh." The canine rushed towards Jordan. It''s movements were faster than ever any dog he had ever seen before and it''s eyes were fixed on it''s target. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Jordan was so scared he was petrified; stuck on that spot and unable to move. "Wake up! Jordan!" But Lancaster''s words were useless. The only thing that brought him back to his senses was the intense pain after the canine bit into his right calf. Blood gushed out of the wound and Quill''s eyes widened. ''Damn it hurts.... I''ve been shot before, I''m supposed to be a bit more tolerant to pain by now, right? Why does it still hurt so much?'' "Wind scythe." Lancaster spoke calmly. Jordan could barely understand what happened next. Everything felt like it was moving too fast. The dog became a blur of black, while Lancaster had summoned something that resembled green lightning. ''But lightning isn''t....oh, right. Magic.'' He was scooped up into his cousin''s arms, princess-style. "Are you alright?" "No." "Well, suck it up. You are a man, Jordan. Don''t complain about your problems." ''You just asked me, you numbskull!'' In Jordan''s vision, the room was still spinning. "What happened to the dog?" "I sliced it out of you. For some uncanny reason, it''s wounds healed up rather quickly. Hunter''s enchantments. We''re heading out, we''ll see if we can find a safer place." He could hear the dog growling behind them...or rather, beneath them. "What''s going on?" "You can''t tell? We''re flying." ''Flying? How? How are we not getting caught? No. That doesnt really matter. Let Lancaster have his secrets...The most important thing here is...I''m actually flying!!!'' The breeze brushed against his body, and his hair appeared to be billowing in the wind. ''I could get used to this.'' "I''m already running out of Power. Also, you bled out quite a bit back there. You''ll probably faint soon due to the blood loss. I''m going to land infront of a place with lots of people. Don''t worry, I''ll be careful so they don''t see us." The two wizards floated to the ground. The dog was hot in pursuit. "Inside the restaurant. That''s where we''re going. I''ll be dropping you. You''ll have to try to walk on your own. Use rejuvenation if you can''t, alright?" ''Why does he talk like he''s my mom? Eh. Doesn''t matter. I just flew like a bird today.'' The biting pain reminded him that it wasn''t a dream. It also reminded him that there was still a blood thirsty demonic black dog that wanted them dead. Crow landed on the ground with Quill cradled in his arms. The moment his feet touched the ground, he gently let go of Jordan who caught himself to avoid smashing a few bones on the journey to the ground. Jordan got up and followed Lancaster into the restaurant. The dog was right behind him. "We''re in. Now I guess it won''t attack us." Quill got busy Drawing the spell diagram for rejuvenation around the wound on his leg. When Jordan examined them, he discovered that the huge bite marks weren''t really clean. ''That dog will give me some kind of disease. Damn it. I haven''t learnt a spell that can cure diseases. I could use Body Replacement but I don''t want to deal with the spirits of blood, flesh and bone anymore. That damned vampire would probably screw me over anyways.'' The spell diagram shone with a soft white light. ''And my pain is gone.'' Lancaster stood Infront of his cousin, obstructing his wound from others. "You didn''t exactly have to use it now." The light exhausted. "I''m done. It''s not fully healed but I don''t feel too bad." The restaurant in the southern district of Weidson wasn''t too popular. There were many empty tables and there were only a few waiters to serve the not-too-eager customers. Lancaster boldly found a seat and sat down. Jordan decided to follow his lead. Their table was the one furthest from the door. As Jordan took his seat, he looked around to see the other customers. Then he took a glance at the waitress who was attending to the table opposite his own. "What are you doing, Jordan?" "Trying to be sure that I''m not in trouble." Lancaster raised a brow. In a moment, that waitress came over to their seat to serve them. Jordan hid under the table. "What would you like to eat?" She asked. "Let me see the menu, please." She nodded her head and walked away. Jordan''s head poked out from under the table. "Why are you hiding from her?" Lancaster smiled. "It''s Veronica. She''s a friend. If she sees me, it might complicate things." "Great reason. The dog is still outside. It''s head isn''t fully healed, so I guess it''s waiting to heal up completely first. It''s a good opportunity to figure out a way out of this situation. Are you listening?" Lancaster spoke quietly, urging Jordan to do the same. "Yes." "Alright. The problem we have now isn''t just that dog, but it''s master. I''m almost completely sure that Hunter sent that thing after us." "Almost?" "I''m not eliminating the possibility that it could be the mutt of some other Mage. Remember, all of them want us dead... Anyway, Hunter knows where we are thanks to the dog, and he''s probably on his way here. If that sentence was true, then it''s just a matter of time. The moment we leave the restaurant, we die." Jordan swallowed hard. "Don''t worry, I prepared an emergency plan just for this occasion. You remember that whole Anchoring thing? The way I can link myself to things by saying their names? What I want to do is close to being a spell. I just thought of it a moment ago while we were flying. It might be possible to incorporate the abilities from both my Titles." ''Is he getting even stronger now? Damn.'' "What I plan on doing is placing a curse on the dog that uproots it''s spiritual connection to me and places it on someone else. If my hunch is right, that technique is all we need to escape Hunter''s notice." "Wait, you can decide what kind of curse.." Jordan hid underneath the table again. "Here''s the menu." "Thanks." ''Why is she smiling at him like that? She doesn''t do that with all the other customers.'' "I think I''ll have two hamburgers and a nice cold glass of water." "Just water? Okay." She left. Jordan emerged again. "Why would you order so little?" "We aren''t here to eat. Now, I assume you were about to question me about my ability?" "How can you decide what kind of curse you can place on someone. I mean, you said that..." "I said that I can only localise the curse to a particular body part, right? I lied." "Why?" "I didn''t see the need to tell you. Now, I do. The more complicated the curse is, the more difficult it becomes to perform. As far as I make the words as simple as possible I can place a temporary curse on someone with my word of mouth. However, the curses backfire against me, and it is incredibly difficult to delay. Also, I have to take my time to spell out the curse using words of magic, and all of that makes it more like a spell than an ability." ''Why did he really lie to me? What''s he trying to accomplish? Why don''t I have any answers?'' "I''m going to connect to the dog''s Evil Eye and curse it to change target." "Evil eye?" "It''s a term I made up for the intent to harm someone, and the knowledge of the person''s current location. If we change the target, It would think someone else was who it was after, not us. Hunter would think that person was us, and then we could just walk away." "One problem. I don''t want to drag in innocent people into this." "The dog won''t kill them. The curse would only be active for around one minute - enough time for us to escape." ''I''m not sure about this plan.'' "I don''t know... maybe there''s another way?" "There may be. But do you know what it is?" "No." "Then it''s settled." ''Siccing an evil monster dog on innocent oblivious individuals. Great.'' Lancaster got up from his seat, gestured for Quill to remain seated. Then he walked to the door. Quill. There''s a problem. ''Whatever could you mean?'' I''m positive that Hunter is in the area. ''Okay, so...'' A loud gunshot noise was made. The front window shattered. Jordan. Are you alright? Jordan! _______________ "William Sharpside. Veronica Duncan." Lancaster paused for a moment. "Curse." _______________ The woods Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 22 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 6- "The woods." __________________ The demon that was sealed within the book of magic was not a fool. He knew exactly what he was doing. The evils knew he wasn''t, because fools never had the kind of power he possessed. "What do they want from me?" The demon god spoke. The abominable entities were too afraid to speak. They only shivered while their god chuckled. "Number two has been seriously wounded. Hunter...." ''I might be getting too involved in their battle. They are fighting over me after all. I will watch for now, and see how it plays out.'' ~ Book of Magic. ???? 30th April, 1886. ___________________ Entrance to the Screaming woods. In between Weidson and Rimus. __________________ "Wake up!" Jordan stirred a bit. His eyes slowly opened up, and he saw the aloof musician''s face staring at him from up above. He was lying down but he still felt the heat of the firewood burning close to him. "Good. You''re up." Lancaster held out his hand towards Jordan. ''Damn...what happened to me.'' Jordan took his hand. His cousin lifted him up. In the process, he felt a sudden pang of pain in his shoulder. ''I know this pain. It''s a bullet wound.'' Journal, why would I have a bullet wound? Yes yes. I probably got shot, right? It''s not funny? Okay. Shit, it hurts. My leg also hurts. It still hurts more than my leg. Journal, do you think I''m complaining too much? What? I should man up and just take it? That''s preposterous of you. I am in pain! Have you ever tried to endure a damned killer dog bite and a bullet to the shoulder in the same day? "Thanks." Jordan managed to speak, weakly. Shut up, Journal. ''Wait, am I going mad again?'' He paused to focus on his Title. Yes, Journal. Special technique to check the state of my Sanctuary. As far as I''m not ready to go there, I won''t. ....I think. He nodded his head. ''It''s all good. No evil spirits.'' The Middlesworth boy checked his left arm and saw the bandages around his shoulder. He looked up towards Lancaster. "You don''t need to thank me. The contract forbids me from letting you die, especially if it was my plan." "Thanks anyways...So who shot me?" "Hunter." ''Damn. Hunter shot me, huh? So that dog really was from Hunter?'' Journal, the bullet was from Hunter. I got shot by William shitside. How? Yes, I''m asking the wrong person about this. I should be asking Lancaster. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Lan..." "He shot you from outside the restaurant. Would have killed you if I didn''t push you at the last moment before the bullet hit. Tried to end you with another shot, but I cursed his Evil eye before he could. If turns out he shares eyes with his dog. After that, it was just a matter of walking out of the restaurant." "Nice explaination as always." ''I owe him. He just saved my life. I hate him less now.'' "Oh.. and I used your friend as the target. I knew her full name, so it wasn''t difficult." ''No. I still hate him.'' "Why? Why did you.." Lancaster relaxed his back on a tree, with a deadpan expression. "I just told you, Jordan. I knew her name. She was the only person nearby that I knew. Sure, I could have said hi to a random stranger but Hunter is not stupid. It was easier, and you might have been dead if I had delayed back then." "What about her, is she hurt? If she is, I will not forgive you." "If she died, she did so to save your life. She was shot, but I didn''t stay to watch." ''Why am I getting so worked up? I was prepared, wasn''t I? I was prepared to do anything if it meant winning the war. If Veronica got hurt, it''s as much my fault as it is Lancaster''s. I''m not crying about it, though... I can only hope she''s okay.'' Jordan still held his fist up towards Lancaster. His eyes were menacing. ''I still hate you.'' "Stop this pointless anger, Jordan. Let''s focus on the now. Now, we have fled to the Woods- the last place Hunter would come looking for us. We don''t have food, but we have a reasonable amount of Power. Our first priority is Keeping this place safe. I''ve handled that already, as you can see..." Looking around, Quill noticed the circle bounding the clearing area. It was drawn on the dirt ground, uneven, probably using a stick. He also saw smaller patterns drawn in regular intervals around the inside of the makeshift magic circle. "What spell is it?" There were tremors in his voice as he spoke. ''A barrier? A ward?'' "It''s a complex spell formation. If you don''t know what that meant, look it up in your Knowledge. For this particular spell formation, whenever it''s activated it would light up brightly to signal me. It would also temporarily mess with the Evil Eye of the one who activated it, effectively buying me enough time to deflect their evil eye to another target. It''s more than three spells in one. The three have different ..." ''He''s happy. He''s actually excited....'' "But who''s the target? My step-mother, my dad? Who are you going to kill next?" Jordan raised his voice, interrupting his partner. Lancaster remained silent for a few seconds. "It''s late. Hunter might attack. Wild animals might show up too. We should take turns to keep watch. You''re going first. Tap me in four hours, okay?" "What did you just say?" Lancaster closed his eyes, getting comfortable on the rough prickly bark of the tree. The smell of urine and blood was heavy. The winds were annoying, and the noises of rats, squirrels and other things hurrying around were not music to anyone''s ears. He still started to yawn a moment later. ''So calm and relaxed when so much shit is happening.'' The woods at night always felt scary to Jordan. The trees all around, looking almost exactly the same as if built to make it easier to get lost. The darkness, that may or may not hide deadly snakes or spiders. The noises of all the nocturnal animals waking up and prowling around some of them searching for prey, the smell.. There was also the fact that he was a long way away from anyone who could support him incase of danger from wild animals, because to him, Lancaster didn''t count as proper support. In truth, the greatest danger here wasn''t the animals, but the human beings... ''Hunter probably knows his way around the woods, he''ll kill us the moment he gets out of that weak curse trap thing. What was on that bastard''s head when he took me here?'' Jordan got a good look around the clearing. Apart from the tall bushes, there were a few bags and boxes. Upon closer inspection, he saw some scones tucked inside a bag. The other bags had all sorts of food items. ''He''s planning on staying here long? Do we really need this much food?'' The boxes didn''t have food inside. Instead, there were weapons and tools. From guns and knives to ropes, torches and matches. Even charcoal was in one of those boxes. Another one was full of dynamite. Close to the center there was a campfire, Lancaster lay on a tree facing it. I hate that guy. But he wasn''t always like this. Is he possessed? Was it the initiation ritual? ''I don''t get it. I don''t think I''ll get any kind of answer by just sitting here.'' Journal, what do you think I should do about this? About him? Should I break off the deal and kill him? No. I''m not a murderer. Yes, I''m planning to murder people to win the book of magic. But I don''t kill innocents....I don''t really kill anyone. So I won''t win then? I won''t obtain the full power of magic? ....After I get my revenge on William and The Crown, I could just ditch the war. I can decide to hide and lay low. Or become strong enough to completely defend myself against the others. That way, I could ignore the fight, and just focus on... What am I saying? Jordan held on to his chest tightly. I want to win. The thought of not doing it almost feels physically painful. I want to know what that much power feels like. I want to ... be god. I want to ... The young boy thought critically. He scratched his head. ''Lancaster is ruthless..'' He''s useful though. He is powerful after all. No, why am I thinking of him as ''useful''? As if he''s a tool.... Viewing sentient beings as though they were tools to be used, is infact the basis of all advanced magic. ''Demon?'' Yes. You must''ve recalled my voice, child. The figure if the chained ''man'' appeared behind Quill, whispering to his ear. "It''s not like I wanted to." ''Nice. Another shady character that never ceases to disappoint.'' You insult a god to his face? Lancaster is training you well, I see. "I don''t learn shit from that bastard." ... It seems as though there is something worrying you, boy. "It''s nothing." No. I feel your presence. It is different. There has to be something bothering you. What is it? ''Why would I say anything to him?'' "I thought you could read my mind?" I can. But you don''t want me to, don''t you. I could enter the deepest portions of your psyche if I wished to. It is not difficult at all. You''re weak-willed after all. "How do you have so much power, but you''re supposed to be locked up and sealed away? I mean you shouldn''t be able to move." The chains tying me to the book of magic and restricting my abilities weaken with evey new Mage I initiate. Eleven chains have already been broken. "So If you keep initiating people, you''ll eventually break out?" I can''t say. It''s a secret. ''F*ck you.'' Wow. Such vulgarity. Even in the confines of your thoughts, you still utter such foul nonsense. Where you not brought up well by your humble parents? "Just stop it. Why did you come here? You never just come to talk to me for no reason." Start killing. It''s several times easier to battle to the death when you are actually battling to the death. Don''t we worry too much about hurting innocents, be who you are. Go back to that single minded-focus. "Thanks but no thanks." Also. The spirit gods are not playing.. they are waiting for the perfect time to screw you over. ''Why is he telling me all this? Is he... actually just giving me advice? Is he on my side?'' I''m not. I believe it makes sense to aid a dying man. "You''re not making sense anymore." You will die soon, Jordan. The spirit gods want you dead. The moment you became a mage, the spirits of Order and the great Justice Tyr has been against you. Now, you have set the spirits presiding over magic against you. The spirits of Chaos want you dead. You see, Chaos was once my subordinate back in the day, I know exactly how he operates. He will kill you fast, and very soon when you least expect it. He thrives in the heat of the moment, where things don''t make any sense. That''s when he might strike and take back what belongs to him. "My name?" There is no negotiating with Chaos. Especially after what you did. ''So I''m screwed no matter what I do.'' No. You''re dead whatever you do. But I guess he might choose to torment you first. "How do I go about fighting something like you?" It''s impossible. You''re only able to exist in my presence because I''m chained up. If you stood in the presence of Tyr for example, you''ll become like a pebble. "I don''t care." What? Jordan shook his head. "I don''t give a pig''s shit about whatever this Chaos person thinks of me. I knew exactly what I was doing when I said it. I''m not afraid." Anyone else talking to you would think you had a plan, saying that. I know your heart though. You don''t. _______________ The woods II Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 23 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 7- "The woods II" __________________ "For what reason do you take up your sword?" The little boy made a funny face. "Well, it''s to be like you." His old man laughed. The king of Pridon actually laughed. It had been a long time since when he last heard that voice laugh. The last time he heard his father laugh like that was an event that had long since faded from the young prince''s memories. Since it was such a rare thing, the prince decided to laugh along with his father. They both laughed and laughed, until the king became sick of it- which was barely a moment later. "Do you know why I laughed, William?" "Why?" "Because you can never be like me. You are just too weak." ~From the days of William Sharpside son of King Edmund Sharpside II.( 1867, Pridon.) __________________ 1st May, 1886. East of Weidson. Pridon _________________ 02:49 AM He inhaled it in for a moment. Then he opened up his mouth, letting out a puff of smoke. "Dad, you were always a piece of shit." The woman to his right just stared at him with a confused expression. She held a sleeping black wolf in her arms. ''She looks cute like that....no, no. My head isn''t right. She''s still a monster.'' "Who the heck are you talking to?" "My dead dad. Forget about it. How''s the wolf?" The wolf had had its head teared up several times, although only two soul-link tags were used up during the fight. ''She died twice. Good thing Clock managed to buy Silvie some more time.'' "Okay enough. We can''t keep doing this though. You''ll have to get serious eventually." "Ahh..but they''re just kids. We can''t go all out on kids." "You literally killed the Beast. She was a kid." "I didn''t kill her." There was a brief awkward silence. "Anyways, I want to know mademoiselle, if you are up for a stroll in the woods. Just the two of us." "Why do you know French? And why the woods? What kind of date is that?" "So you will go with me." William smirked. "No. I won''t." ''She isn''t smiling. Lancaster was right, I don''t have a chance.'' ''But that doesn''t matter right now. Margaret is on my side. She''s working alongside me right now. There will always be plenty of times to try again.'' Margaret checked her pocket watch again. "You know, it''s strange that you check that thing all the time." ''She still thinks I don''t know her Title. Damn she''s stupid.''This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "Erm..." ''Before she finds an excuse, I''m just going to say this.'' "We could just exchange vows, shake hands and kiss. The demon says the spirits would accept that. And then we would be partners.." "Stop. It''s just the handshake, you fool. I know about that already. But I don''t want to." "Why?" ''Am I too ugly? It''s understandable that way. My body is generally disgusting, and I think I''ll get sick and die soon anyways. Doesn''t matter though.'' "It''s none of your business." Margaret barked at him. Silvie woke up and looked around curiously. Noticing that there wasn''t a threat anywhere, it simply went back to sleep. ''The girl sounds serious. I should stop.'' William took another puff of the cigarette before pointing to the forest not too far away from where they stood. "It''s not a date. It''s a hunt." "What?" He dropped his hand. "The stroll in the woods. We''re leaving Silvie at the base, so she can rest. Used too many spells on her..." Margaret stared blankly. "I wonder why you saw it as some kind of romantic date? Could it be that you''re fallen for me?" ''I know I said I should stop, but I can''t help it.'' "!!" Margaret stomped on the ground furiously. Apparently she was so pissed she couldn''t even put it in words. "Let''s go, before our prey escapes." Silvie jumped out of Margaret''s arms. It''s eyes were bloodshot as it sniffed around, alarmed. William quickly scooped it up and started to caress it''s fur. The canine calmed down in a moment. ''Quill called you a dog, honey. He''ll pay for insulting you.'' __________________ Outskirts of The Screaming Woods Pridon. __________________ Jordan sneezed. He wasn''t exactly cold, but he wrapped himself with a blanket. The demon was long since gone, but he was still wide awake. Even in the dead of night, he was capable of staying awake. How? He was busy. Jordan had spent hours of his life awake at odd hours of the night writing his books or reading. He had to do so, because he had to go to school and work at the bakery too. He was used to waking up or sleeping at irregular times, and though Risa always said it was bad for his health Jordan didn''t stop. Though he wasn''t writing his storybooks or doing late night schoolwork, he was still studying something completely different. Magic. Jordan took in massive amounts of information from his Knowledge, picking and choosing spells to learn and trying to get an understanding of exactly how magic works. He discovered that his Knowledge was very limited. The previous night, Jordan had also stayed awake to study magic. Back then he had focused on searching for a spell for binding spirits and learning the language of the spirits. This took him most of the night. He had also managed to learn a spell that chases spirits away, but he knew that there were only so many spells stored in the Knowledge. Now, he was sure. He had spent four hours combing through the Knowledge, Writing down every single spell inside. Now he had run out of spells; there were no more to write down. However, spells weren''t the only things he could learn from the Knowledge. ''The Knowledge differs from Mage to Mage. I have an incomplete Knowledge just like all the other Mages. I''m guessing the spells outlined in my version of the Knowledge are tailored to fit the types of spells I can cast easily. Which means the same for Lancaster. The Enchantments I have have nothing to do with measuring Power.'' That wasn''t the only thing he learnt from the Knowledge. The spirit gods are three in number. They are Light, Darkness and Chaos. They''re supposed to preside over matters of the spirit realm as it relates to the connection between worlds. Yes, there are other worlds. Hundreds of realms...My Knowledge doesn''t say anything about the beings that populate each realm or the kinds of things they can do. Nothing about why these realms exist in the first place, or how. But that''s not useful information. I know, Journal. The thing is- there is no more useful information in there. It''s all babble about building and creation magic. Nothing about how powerful the spirit gods are or what abilities they have. ''Useless..'' Jordan lay down flat on the grass. He stared at the skies for a minute, before turning his head around, and taking in his surroundings. His eyes drifted to the markings on the dirt. It was a special spell formation drew by Lancaster earlier. The wards were set up so they could detect animals too and so far they hadn''t been set off. ''Animals should have crossed it by now. Unless..'' Jordan stared at the runes. ''Those things probably had another function that Lancaster didn''t tell me, but I don''t have the skills to figure that out. Yes, drawing runes is supposed to be my specialty but somehow Lancaster is better than me at even that.'' ''Why is he so good at every thing?'' "I hate your guts, Lancaster! You''re nothing but a stupid idiot!" He yelled at the top of his voice. There were no replies. ''Just as I suspected.. The spell can block the animals from coming close to this place. It blocks ''evil eye'' or whatever Lancaster called it.'' Jordan checked his pocket watch. 2:55 AM It was steadily approaching the other Mage''s turn. ''If I heard him right, we''re rotating the watch. I''m tired of staying up so his sleepy ass can rest.'' He got up and stared at the boy''s smug face as he rested on the tree bark. "Lancaster!" "I''m already awake." "What? For how long?" "Long enough to hear you badmouthing me. Anyways, I guess it''s your turn to go to sleep, hater." ''Why?'' Jordan''s coughed a bit and then shook his head. "I''ll read a bit before I sleep." He said while unzipping his bag and taking out the journal. ''I didn''t spend time memorizing the spells. I just Wrote them down as I saw them in the words of Magic in the ''Ancient Books'' or the Knowledge. I''ll have to study my spell book to properly learn the spells.'' "Go to sleep, boy." ''Who''s boy?'' "I just told you that.." "Irrelevant. Go to sleep, now. I know you''ve healed your wounds but it''s stupid to be awake this late for no reason. Go to sleep!" Jordan kept quiet. ''I''m supposed to be his partner. We''re supposed to be working together...but then again, I don''t know what he knows. And I''m nowhere as powerful or as resourceful as he is. I''m just weak..I don''t even have the courage to talk back..'' Journal, I''m being a wimp again, right. I should implement operation insignificant question...I still want to find out his true identity, or why he''s like this...And I won''t come close to finding anything out if I remain a wimp. I''ll do it, Journal. I''ll challenge Lancaster. "No. I''ll read." "Okay then. I don''t care much about your health anyways. Just don''t kill yourself or go mad; it''ll be inefficient for me." ''What?'' _______________ 3:03 AM "It''s cold." Margaret shivered. She walked alongside William, as they navigated the Screaming Woods of Weidson. ''Looks like you didn''t dress for the occasion, miss sexy dress.'' "Yeah. It is. It''s also very familiar. It makes you remember the good old times, right? Back when we first met." "William, that was just last week!" Her eyes widened all of a sudden. A thick fur coat was placed over her. "What''s this?" "It''s a coat, what else? You''re cold, right? Take it and quit complaining. Don''t worry, I don''t need it." William grinned the moment he saw her smile. She looked away. "You know, back then I didn''t think you would be so..." "So?" Margaret frowned. "You really don''t want me to complement you." "Umm.. please go on, ma''am." "I didn''t think you could be so kind and...normal. You are killing people for a living, after all." ''When did she get that idea from?'' When she got nothing but silence from William, she cringed. "Umm...well, you are killing people to survive...I just thought you would be more heartless, that''s all." "There''s no such thing as heartless. If you don''t have a heart, then you''re dead." "That''s not what I meant." William grinned at her again. ''Ahh. I see. She took me for some cold blooded killer. Everybody''s mistaking me for Ein nowadays.'' "I''ve killed many people, woman. The thing is, most of the people I kill aren''t really people in my eyes. They''re more like wild animals." "Disrespecting the dead is wrong..." "Says the Sanctuary of Light. The dead were once living. The fact that they''re dead doesn''t suddenly make them gods. If I die, for example, tell me you won''t curse my grave." "All the respect I have for you has evaporated. I just might do that." "Ha ha ha ha! Good one!" Margaret shot him a look. "Oh.. you''re serious." He paused. "Alright my lady, I won''t insult them again. The point I was trying to get across was that I don''t enjoy killing. It''s not right. I only kill people when there''s no other option." "And there''s no other option other than killing these kids." ''I don''t get it. You agreed to help me kill them. Why now? Why do are you having second thoughts?'' "You and I know there isn''t. If we don''t kill them, someone else will. And If they don''t manage to kill them, these ''kids'' would commit murder anyways, because like me and you they''re damned if they do and damned if they don''t." She was still silent. ''It must be nice to be so.. normal. I fail to understand why she''s not like I am, especially after being a Mage for so long. Margaret, we are the evil ones. We''re wicked because we are. We got powers from a demon. There''s no way....'' ''There''s no way you''re still believing you could get out of this without blood on your hands.'' ___________ The woods III Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 24 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 8- "The woods III" __________________ "In this jungle there are always two kinds of animals. There are the predators and the prey. The ones who will eat and the ones that will be eaten. Those who would kill and those who would be killed. Which one of them are you?" ~ Lycan''s words to Hunter during their first meeting. His response: "Like moths to the flame, my prey dance to my hand...and to their deaths." _________________ 30th April, 1886. 23:41 Outside the Screaming Woods. _________________ "Beware" said the danger sign at the entrance to the woods. A short man stood before the sign, staring at it with an abnormal intensity. There was smoke billowing out of the woods at night. And when there was smoke there was usually a fire. This kind of smoke however , belonged to a campfire. Campfire meant people. And they weren''t far away. "The woods to the east are supposed to be off limits." These words have been said so many times they don''t need to be. The Screaming Woods, the long stretch of forest between Weidson and Rimus were known far and wide for the mysterious bone-chilling screams that could be heard from within at the dead of night. Nowadays the screaming woods have stopped ''screaming'', but the danger still remains. Whoever steps foot inside, doesn''t come out. "Strange things lurk inside this place. Many people don''t believe in them; and not too long ago, I was one of those people. Until these strange things start to happen in town, make you wonder...what the hell is going on?" "It wasn''t just the Bloody hill." Shaun turned to look at his deputy. Mrs.Reinhard. She wasn''t smiling back. Instead she looks worried. ''For my sanity? No. Worry about the city first.'' ''The city has changed. We didn''t just find that girl''s body, we found mutilated body parts of all sorts of people. At least twelve people died that night, they''re remains too bloody that they can''t be identified. They had families, and friends who will suffer too as they have passed. And that''s all just the beginning." ''There''s also these people.'' Shaun looked to his right, his eyes spotting three men dressed in military attire. These men were resting in different positions close to the woods, but outside it. One of them had a bandaged stump of an arm- his hand was probably lost in a battle, the man might''ve been a genuine war veteran. This veteran was sitting in a comfortable position on a bench to the side of the fence. However he didn''t look comfortable, instead he looked rather upset. Angry. ''I wonder why..'' Looking closely, under the dim moonlight, he saw what appeared to be some kind of mischievous grin on his face. It appeared that he wasn''t angry at all, more that that expression was either permanently plastered into his face, or he was just born with that kind of murderous glare. Either way, the end result was a strange cross between an expression of extreme anger and an expression of genuine delight. ''Masochist. He might not be a war veteran after all...'' To the left of the so-called veteran was someone who he could only call lazy. Shaun didn''t know the man, by any chance, but he looked so comfortable that he might''ve been at some swimming pool and he would still have the same expression on his face. No worries, no problems. He wasn''t even sitting down like normal people. No. He was almost lying down, using his hands to support his head and reclining to the bench. His legs weren''t touching the floor. His gun was rested on the side, far away from him.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. That stupid chubby soldier was smiling. And he even had a cigarette in his mouth and Shaun could''ve sworn that that silhouette he saw partially hidden behind him, was a bottle. Most likely wine. These were the kind of people Shaun despised the most. The kind of working class men who would sleep on the job. Thankfully, it seemed the party of military men were not complete nutcases. The thid member wasn''t sitting down, he was standing upright and looking at the smoke. "What is your rank again?" "It''s Captain. I''m nothing but a common captain, Sheriff. Nothing more." "But you''re not, and you know it. You''re company is of the highest rank. Why, you report directly to the queen, esteemed Captain of the Royal Knights Ferdinand Willford." "You know your stuff." "Why? Why are we gathered here?" "The strange things you were just rambling about. I''m a believer." The big man said as he flashed a smile. "What do you mean?" "Let''s just say, we have mission. And our mission involves whoever is inside that forest." Shaun looked confused after he said that. "What cap here means..." one of his subordinates interrupted."..is that the Queen said it''s okay to come here and kill him. So that''s what we''re doing." The sherrif took a good look at the military man. He had one of his arms bandaged in such away that he appeared to be missing a hand. "Ross, this isn''t the time or place for your stupidity. Relax." The trashy one said. "What are you calling stupidity, you swine!" Permanent scowl retorted. "The still act like children most of the time. It must be nice to be so young." Ferdinand thought aloud. ''What children are you talking about? They are both adult men. They are the Queen''s soldiers on top of that. They should have a sense of responsibility and..forget it. Maybe I''m the strange one here.'' His subordinates glanced at him for a moment and went back to trading insults. The two of them looked as though they were about to kill each other. And they probably would''ve tried if Ferdinand didn''t step in and pull them away from each other. "Your words don''t mean shit, Captain Ferdinand. The city is still crap, and trusting whatever people say has never been my mode of operations." "You want to see it? You want proof. But why?" "It''s all I ever do in those job; search for the truth, and handle weaker less competent subordinates who sometimes get the idea that they''re better than me. Keeping them in line is secondary, though." Ferdinand frowned and buttoned open his shirt. Inside was a complex voodoo symbol drawn with blood. ".. what am I looking at?" "The reason we''re here. You see, one of those ''things'' inside did this to me not long ago. I just want to wait for them to finish up whatever they came here for. It doesn''t matter who wins at the end, whoever''s left will be vulnerable to my gun." "I don''t suppose you can divulge more information?" "No, you don''t have the clearance to know the details, sherrif." ''That''s a detail in and of itself, captain. Thanks a lot for all this valuable information. I have now pieced together that assuming all your words are true- one or more supernatural thing is tied to this forest. These supernatural entities are freely able to move to and fro the woods. They are inside right now and this matter is of so much importance that even the Queen knows about this.'' ''No, the Queen is probably very involved in whatever is going on. And finally, these events are directly tied to the mutilations that happened on the 27th of April.'' ''Supernatural beings, Howard? Since when did you start believing in that?'' But the Captain had more to say. "Though, there was one thing the queen said we should tell you." ''A messenge for me in particular? They''ve been here for more than a few minutes, how forgetful is he?'' ''More importantly, why would the queen want to talk to me?'' "What is it?" "The Queen wanted you to know that, there will be blood." Ferdinand said it straight and simple. As if it was something he said all the time. __________________ 1:07 Inside the Screaming Woods. __________________ She wasn''t feeling okay. She was completely fine, health-wise. No kind of ailment or sickness was capable of bringing her down. It probably wasn''t something emotional either. It wasn''t something she had felt before so she didn''t understand it at all. But she wasn''t focused on what this feeling was. Instead she was trying to understand why this feeling was bothering her. Her of all people. The darkness didn''t bother her at all. The eyes that watched her every move, hidden in the shadows, weren''t the cause of that abnormal feeling. That kind of piercing, searching gaze was something she dealt with almost every day. From both humans and otherwise. Everybody seemed to have that idea about her. It was her image. They had different views on who she was- sometimes even *what she was- but they all had the same eyes. They all wanted or expected something from her. Some had wanted her to save them. Some blamed her for all their problems. Others simply looked up to her. A few even worshipped her. ''But this feeling was never present before.'' Fortunately, this feeling was accompanied by a familiar one. It was a sense she had honed to the near perfection, as not doing so would have cost her her very life. It was a sense of danger. Something or someone here could hurt her. "Valkyrie." The voice regarded her with awe. One of the pesky followers. Valkyrie wasn''t her name. It was just one of the many names other people called her by. "I can''t believe it''s really you... you''re one of the.." "Enough." The full grown woman gave her a look that practically screamed; ''She talked! She really talked!!'' The woman didn''t say that though. Her mouth was gaping wide and her eyes were... ''Unique. Those eyes aren''t normal. Golden...Her attire is that of a paladin, how did I not recognise it? Could she... could she be the source of that feeling?'' "My lady, I apologize for my rudeness." She bowed her head so much so that her waist made a ninety degree with her legs. Still bowing, the female paladin continued. "How can I be of any assistance to you?" "What are you doing here?" "Hunting demons, ma''am. The Wolves and the Mages, ma''am." She raised her head. She sounded like an overexcited teenage girl in love. ''But she isn''t.'' "What is your name and rank?" ''Not like I would know what those ranks mean. But this child piques my interest. I want to know more about her.'' "Ashley Greystone, ma''am. I am one of the Thirteen." ''The Thirteen. The highest rank? I understand that one at least. If memory serves me right, that means that she posseses a Blessed Name. But she appears to be in her twenties. She''s still young.'' "Ashley, you were sent here to kill the Mages?" ''The High priests had decreed that the purging would occur in the winter. Months from now. Could it be that those old men want it happening now?'' "My Lady, I was..." She looked and sounded guilty. "You weren''t sent here." "No ma''am. I just..wanted to." "You are under no obligation to tell me anything. Do whatever pleases you. I shall be on my way." ''It''s not her. She''s not the cause of the strange feeling. Something else is...'' Valkyrie turned her back to Ashley and started away. The darkness parted away as she walked, as if it was afraid of her. "Wait, my lady!" She turned around. "I...I think we should go together. My blessed sight allows me to see the innocent. There are seven innocent souls inside this forest, suffering unbelievable torture. Please help me." She was shaking. ''Fear?'' "I can''t do it alone, ma''am. The moment I stepped in here I realised that I was in over my head. The things that are inside are too powerful for me. But I can''t just leave either. We''re the only ones who can help those people.." ''She is... afraid.'' ''That strange feeling. I recognise it now. I sense it from others but I have never felt it myself.'' It was the feeling of dread. ''Why? What could I possibly be afraid of?'' The Valkyrie turned her head towards the direction of the fire. She felt something tingling in her bones. ''It''s that Mage.'' ________________ 4:02 Screaming Woods ________________ Lancaster was grinning. He was standing upright with his arms spread out. Jordan was tucked in his sleeping bag. Fast asleep. The campfire was still on. ''The stage is set, isn''t it? Demon?'' The time has not yet come. But yes, the odds appear to be in your favour. Also, I would appreciate it if you don''t refer to me as demon. It''s getting annoying. "I''ll keep that in mind." You''re having fun, right? "Yes, I''m thrilled." Don''t have too much fun now. ______________ Hide and seek I
The Vanquisher of Kings Erilaz, a royal warrior, fights in a war during which he witnesses a horrifying death that devastates him. With the support of his loyal friends, he starts to mend his broken spirit, but soon he finds himself facing yet another unsettling truth. Just as he begins to uncover the secrets behind this transformation, he realizes that it may already be too late for him to act... Meanwhile, the king of his planet makes a single mistake that calls into question all his plans and hopes, leading him to become increasingly paranoid. Dark Epic Sci-Fi (non-LitRPG) for fans of Game of Thrones, Dune, Warhammer
Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 25 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 9- "Hide and seek I" __________________ The child who stood within the darkness was grinning. He looked about four or five years old. "He''s doing it again!" A travelling spirit with the form of a finch passed through the darkness. It was curious as to what kind of Mage would decide to stay within such a gloomy place, without a Sanctuary. What is your name, child? "Ooh? You don''t know? My name is Lancaster." He said with childish glee. Okay child. Why are you so happy? Don''t you know what this place is? "I know. I know. It''s a place for the Lost. But that doesn''t matter! He''s doing it again! It''s about to happen!" What''s about to happen? "He''s about to cry!" ~ Spirit world. Beneath the Floating Sanctuary of Crow. ___________________ 1st May, 1886. Campfire. The Screaming Woods near Weidson, Pridon. ___________________ 4:03 AM The firewood was still burning and lighting up the clearing. The moon was mostly hidden behind the clouds but small rays of it''s light shone down on the forest. The moonlight wasn''t enough to illuminate the woods, as several tall trees partially obstructed the dim light that managed to brighten the area only a little bit. Jordan curled up close to the fire, eyes tightly closed. Lancaster walked to the fire, and squatted down. The sound of a dry branch cracking echoed in the area. Jordan rolled to his side, but did not get up. His cousin clapped his hands twice over his ears, but Jordan didn''t stir. Instead he remained still, his torso regularly moving ever so slightly, as a reminder that he was still alive and breathing. ''He''s still asleep.'' The musician grinned. He was still wearing his green suit and tie, but the suit was now dirty with mud and sand. He heard the noise of mosquitoes and other insects flying around him, but he didn''t respond to them. It was as though he didn''t even notice they were there. "The forest is full of fools. They don''t even know what''s coming to them. Oblivious idiots." You''ll have to tell them eventually. "Yes, I will. Jordan for one, will most likely discover it himself." And he''ll hate you even more....You do know that he hates you, right? "I got his girlfriend shot, of course he''ll hate me. He''ll get over it though, because he needs me." You might be right about that; he doesn''t stand a chance without your assistance. But remember that that sword cuts both ways. You need him. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Lancaster stretched his arms again and raised his head towards the sky. It was as dark as it was before. The moon was still bright, though. The noises of owls and other night animals were ever present. ''But not real.'' Quit bragging. "I have full right to gloat, thank you very much. After all the effort I poured into this." Effort? Don''t make me laugh. You didn''t sweat at all. You barely lost any Power. "I didn''t need Power. All I needed was knowledge. And who else would tell me all I needed to know other than my dear friends... Either way, I''ve essentially won the game before it even began." But you lied to your brother. "We''re cousins, not brothers. Also, lying to him was a given. I never harboured any delusions that he was my ally, he''s always been a tool. And isn''t it pointless to tell a tool about your master plan?" You broke your code. And, the contract.. "Was never legitimate. I simply wanted him to believe it was." Sly. "This is the perfect stage for me, demon. You should be happy, the War will end soon." How? "It''s the perfect stage because it''s exactly what I want. My enemy is all but weak and defenceless before me, and he''s still clueless. They know nothing! The woods are called the Screaming Woods for a reason. Not too long ago one could hear the scared screams of innocent people who just happened to wander into the woods. Little Jordan wasn''t wrong when he said there were monsters inside. The Monsters that call this place their home feed on the flesh of the timid and weak. Humans, animals, spirits, all of them fall prey to them and the biggest one- their leader- is unmatched." You don''t say.. "The game I''ve proposed is a game of hide and seek. Jordan and I don''t know where Hunter is exactly, but I know he must''ve figured things out by now, and since he has he ought to be in the forest with us. Which means that he would be after us." Continue. Or don''t you want me to know the details of your master plan? "You''re mocking me." You''re stating the obvious. "...As I was saying, It''s hide and seek. I''m calling it that because whoever finds the other person first will win." I don''t get it. The way you explained it; it sounds as though you''re trying to hide things from even me. I know your thoughts, you cannot hide things from me. "Yes. I was. You see, I omitted the fact that I rigged the game so I always win. You see, this little spell formation of mine is not meant to alert me. It''s meant to automatically activate the evil eye deflection curse on an already specified target. Hunter. "Who or whatsoever gets caught in Crow''s snare will face the wrath of Hunter for more than two minutes. Enough time for me to flee the area in a way hunter can''t guess where we''re going." This time, the demon was silent. The only noise that could be heard is the rustling of the bushes and the crackling of the fire. "What do you think, demon?" As I said earlier, things are working in your favour. But you overlooked the fact that Hunter could kill you from outside the range of your little spellcraft....I see, you didn''t. You didn''t overlook anything, Lancaster... Just the opposite, really. You were very meticulous in your planning. You know that Hunter could snipe you to death. "Yes, I do." Then why? Aren''t you afraid? Don''t you have a shred of dread for the kind of danger you are in? "I thought we knew each other, demon. You should know me far more than I know myself, shouldn''t you? The game is too boring if there aren''t any stakes. Safety nets are for weaklings." The demon shook his head. You''re insufferable. Like Jordan, you''ll die soon of you keep up this reckless behaviour. You say that your life is the only thing you care about, but I know you''re lying. To yourself. You desire death, don''t you? It was now Lancaster''s turn to be silent, refusing to respond to the demon. __________________ Near the center of the screaming woods Closer to Rimus than Weidson. _________________ 3:59 ''William Sharpside. That was his name, wasn''t it?'' The abnormally tall man was dressed in plain clothes. A tight black vest and black pants. He wore army boots and gloves around his hands. From his dressing alone, one wouldn''t suspect him of being a magician. There was nothing too abnormal about the way he was dressed. The only exception being his gloves, which on closed inspection reveals occultic diagrams painted in crimson. Then there was his unnaturally big bag. It was almost rectangular and it had straps so that he could carry it on his shoulders. The bag was almost as tall as him, so it looked awkward to see him slug it around as if it was full of feathers. Clock knew what was inside. And she knew that it wasn''t paper or feathers. It was weapons. A lot of weapons. So many that it felt like a waste to her. He had too many guns, knives, bows and swords and she was surprised that he managed to fit all of that inside that bag- no matter how big it was. "Stay close, Margaret. We''re approaching the shapeshifter''s den." Clock had tagged along with him because he was the most normal Mage she knew. Hunter wasn''t like The Crown or Seer. He wasn''t like Dagger either. He was different. But what exactly was different about him? The two of them made their way through the forest path exercising care not to looking to the sides, fixing their eyes ahead. It was something Hunter told her to do, and Margaret knew he was right, so she did as he said. "Remind me, where are we going?" "We''re going to meet the lord of this castle. Or rather the ring leader of this cult; whatever you wish to calll him. His name is Lycan and he''s the king of the beasts~ or so he is called." ''He talks at length about his adventures. But he never really says mych, about what''s happening now. He''s veering off course again'' "The king of beasts, here, is actually just a title. That werewolf isn''t an actual king." "I know, I get it. Why do you want to meet him?" "You don''t want to?" William chuckled. ''He''s hiding something.'' "It''s my play, Clock. You see, if we charge in towards him, I''m almost a hundred percent sure that they have a trap waiting for us. I mean, it''s so obvious; Going to the woods? Leaving their firewood on, so we can know exactly where their hiding? This is Lancaster at work. He''s the one who placed that curse on me before. The trap might be something related to that. Nonetheless, we can''t go and fight him head on. Especially when we haven''t received permission to do so." "Permission?" The two of them were interrupted by a sudden arrival. It was a teenage girl, dressed in tattered clothes. Her body looked battered. There where small claw marks all over her. Her abnormal silver hair was unkempt and her emerald green eyes were bloodshot. ''It''s the girl he shot!'' "A zombie, huh?" The girl staggered towards them, her leg dripping with blood. Before she could reach William, The man planted his foot in her chest, causing her to fall on her back and start to cough uncontrollably. "What do you mean by zombie? She''s not dead! I didn''t see her die! You shot her in the.." "Knee. I know. But you see, to me she can only be a zombie. Explain to me how an innocent would survive this deep into the Wolves'' territory. She should have been torn apart long ago." "Then why is she like this." "My best guess is that she''s a zombie. An undead corpse. If she isn''t...then that means she''s still alive." Veronica got up from the ground with her tired muscles and ran with all her might towards Hunter. It was as though she was trying to hurt him, but her eyes didn''t say that. Instead, her eyes looked tired and frustrated. "However zombies don''t move this fast." William continued, before using his fist to send her flying head first into the bushes. "So she''s alive? What are you doing to her?" "Relax. Even if she''s alive, she''s trapped in her own body. A powerful demonspawn has hijacked her body. She''s not attacking me of her free will. You see, these monsters aren''t just afraid of me. They hate me. And since they''re too chicken to fight me, they''ll send something else to do the job for them." ''I should have expected this. He always goes over the line, before I can fault him for it there''s always a perfectly good explanation for it waiting for me. Is he doing this on purpose?'' "But, you just said that they were werewolves right?" "No. Only the leader is a shapeshifting werewolf. There are different kinds of beasts living in these woods. Lycan is the king of beasts after all, not the king of werewolves." Veronica crawled up to her feet and lunged towards Hunter again. "What do we do? We can''t leave her like this. What happened to her was our fault.." Turning his head to face Clock, William effortlessly sidestepped Veronica''s attack. "No, it was my fault, Margaret. Your hands are clean. But I understand where your coming from. There''s only one way to take care of this kind of enemy." Margaret''s eyes widened. "Relax. I''m not going to kill her. You must''ve had some kind of bad experience with other Mages if you expect me to kill my way through every problem. I''m going to.." "Stop right there!" "The crazies are here." A young woman not much older than Clock marched towards them. She donned a dull chain mail armour with a white cape. The woman also carried a huge greatword on a single hand with moderate effort. "My name is Ashley. And In the name of the sovereign of justice Tyr I shall sever your demonic head from your body." __________________ Hide and seek II Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 26 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 10- "Hide and seek II" _________________ 4:08 AM "Demon? Please tell me, why isn''t Hunter here?" You sound cute. "Shut the f*ck up." Now you''re back. I was afraid I might have lost you there. Lancaster turned towards Desire and gave him a strange look. He was sweating profusely, so he pulled off his shirt. "Do you actually expect me to insult or disrespect you every time I open my mouth?" No. I expect you to bow down to me. "Tell me, where is Hunter?" He said while using his shirt as a fan. He had a straight face so no-one would easily know exactly how uncomfortable he was. I won''t. Rules dictate I don''t favour you. "Rules that you made." A familiar odour wafted into his nostrils. It was a stench he knew all too well. As this gas found its way into his body, he started a fit of coughing. "Fire." ''Why didn''t I realise it sooner. The woods are... burning.'' The demon smiled wide and said nothing more. ''You knew...'' _________________ Ist May, 1886. Screaming Woods, Closer to Rimus than Weidson, Pridon. _________________ 4:01 AM William Sharpside stood before the warrior with his chest out and his head held high. The lady still had her massive blade pointed to him, the tip just inches away from his neck. However, he wasn''t the one trembling in fear. His opponent had been standing still for a minute, perspiration flowing down her forehead. The once steady greatsword was now swaying from side to side ever so slightly as her hands and feet were shaking. "What kind of magic is this?" His companion stuttered. William didn''t utter a word in response. Instead, he dipped his right hand into his pocket and brought out a cigarette. Then, whilst standing infront of the paladin, he lit the cigarette and smoked it. Margaret''s head tilted from side to side as she took a quick glance at both of them, and then shook her head in confusion. "What is going on?" "You know, I could ask you the exact same question, Maggie. My opinion is that the poor little knight of justice is terrified. The problem with that theory is that I''m a little bit scared of her too. Her power is phenomenal. The sheer level of Power emanating from her eyes is not something you see every day, you know. And by her stance earlier, I know she must be skilled. So why? Why is this happening?" He took another puff of smoke and stared her in the face. "My name is not maggie!" "Come on. I am taunting you. Insulting you. Why aren''t you even responding to that? Could it be that..." "Could it be what?" Margaret was beyond confused. "Could it be that you''re deaf? Or you suddenly can''t fight?" The feral Veronica had recovered from the last attack and rushed in again. William watched carefully. The lady in armour swung her blade to left. The truth was, it actually appeared as though her hands moved on their own, as there was no change in her facial expression whatsoever. The massive greatsword found it''s way through Veronica''s neck, severing the head from the body, resulting in an ugly sight as the body twitched and twitched before collapsing on the floor near the severed head. All of that happened in only a moment. Now it was William''s turn to be shocked. He wasn''t particularly surprised at how easily her sword cut through flesh and bone as though it was paper nor was he surprised at the fact that the so-called heroes killed an innocent like it was nothing. No. William was surprised that whatever she did, she did so without changing her aura. Her presence remained completely the same.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ''No intent to kill. No rage. No emotion. Just power. Nothing but power.'' ''I can''t see anything at all. I can''t see into her thoughts. I can''t understand her.'' "There''s nothing to understand." She said with a deep voice. The petite female swung her sword again, slamming it on the ground to her right. Blood flowed down from the blade. There were strange black things inside the blood, Hunter couldn''t make out what they were. ''She spoke?'' "My Lady, The Valkyrie has took over my body. I was shaking because at that time, her mind hadn''t been fully integrated with my own. Now, you''ve given me all the time I needed. You know, for your reputation, you''re not nearly as perceptive." ''How can this be possible? What is this? What the heck is going on.'' Her voice deepened further, sounding more like a man''s voice than that of a woman. "There was no other way available for us to fight you Mages. My power alone is sufficient enough, but Ashley would be in danger if I had left her alone. This outcome is ideal. Now you do not need to fully comprehend my power, I doubt that you can. I will exterminate you now." For the first time since the battle with The Beast, William felt a cold chill go down his spine. ''For the first time in so long, I feel like prey. So this is what Sword meant. The heroes, huh.'' He shook his head. Suddenly he felt something on his head, his vision tilting as he saw his own headless corpse. Blood spattered around. "Six." "Bloody hell, that hurt." William gritted his teeth, his head and body completely fine. The Valkyrie/ Ashley tilted her head slightly in confusion. "Clock, In exactly thirty seconds, I want you to suspend a 10ft diameter area around me in time. Don''t worry, I''ll pay you back." "But they can hear us." "They can''t. They can read my mind though. Don''t worry, I have a way around that." Blood spattered on the ground again. His head flew out of his neck. "Five" William was completely whole again. No wound. The blood was still there, though. "Do you have to focus your soul on that spell to use it? Exactly what kind of sacrifice are you making?" The woman in chain mail asked. Then she continued. "No matter. You''re dead either way. All I have to do is kill you five more times." William raised his cigarette to his lips again. Before he could smoke, he suddenly felt the exact same pain in the exact same spot on his neck. The same move. "Four" "Now, I just have to kill you four more times." ''You know, you could just let me smoke in piece. Not like I''m running anywhere.'' William chuckled. He could almost feel his father watching him, and then shaking his head in disappointment. "You are just too weak."Edmund Sharpside''s voice echoed from beyond the grave. Rather than being dismayed, his smile only widened. ''This situation is almost impossible. Yet, I have hope.'' Tendrils emerged from the bloody remains of Veronica''s body, joining with the tendrils emerging from beneath her head. In a moment, her head reconnected with her body. Tears streamed from her eyes. The Valkyrie paid no heed to the monster, instead remained focused on William. The lady in armour who could move faster than the eye could see had a steady stance, and the soft expression on her face was replaced by an apathetic look. It was impossible to dodge. ''I still have hope, because I''m still human.'' "Three" "Two" "One" "Now!" Ashley''s eyes widened, but did not close. She stopped moving completely, not even trembling like before. The feral Veronica was still as well. So was the wind. "Thanks, Maggie." "Don''t thank me, just explain to me what just happened." "No time. Thirty seconds, right? I''ll make it short, while we move and while I cast my spell." "No chant?" "I''ll draw a diagram. Listen." William got moving. Margaret nodded her head. She held her timepiece tightly in her hand and followed behind William. "That woman lost all of her sensory abilities for the magical ability in her eyes. It''s not a spell. It''s some kind of magic, though. I think it grants her the ability to sense soul aura and adjust the frequency to match her target. She was capable of matching my intensity and essentially copying my perceptive abilities.." William picked up a long dead branch after they had walked for a few seconds. He started to use the branch to carve a mark on the ground as they walked. This time, he walked in a curve. "..I used them against her by splitting my consciousness or soul into two portions. I had the outer one that she could hear,or see or whatever. And the inner one that came up with a plan. Simple." "One problem though. Exactly how is that possible!" "You''re really asking that question?" "Which spell did you use?" "None. I didn''t use a spell or an ability. It''s all skill. Think of it as emptying your mind and then thinking two different things at the same time, granting the same level of attention to both so that they occupy half of your attention at all times. Then you can use a little ''magic'' to assign a name to each thought process and essentially split them into two separate entities. Except I only assigned a name to one of them - the inner soul." "You''re full of shit." "I can''t prove anything to you. But you do believe me, don''t you?" Margaret stayed silent with her eyes fixed on the timepiece. "Any ways, with Inner soul I came up with a plan to defeat her. Knowing my ability, I couldn''t avoid getting cut by her. From the first loss, I calculated her speed. She''s even faster than Beast. I also discovered that even if I told you to pause her in time, she could kill me seven times before thirty seconds could pass." William completed a circle and started drawing some more diagrams inside. "She''s free. She''ll be here any second now." "I guess I can''t finish my little story..." William tore his shirt off, revealing his scarred body. Then, without warning, he grabbed her close to him. Margaret looked away. The former prince only smirked, before closing his eyes. "Sun. Heart. Rock. Rage." The runes drawn all over his torso started to glow. "Cast my spell for me, no more words are necessary. Conflagration." Suddenly, everything in a two mile radius outside that small circle caught on fire. Huge pillars of fire rose up from the ground, consuming everything it came in contact with, and spreading. "You were reckless. Now it''s my turn." He said while staring at the direction of the campfire close to Weidson. "What is this! Who are you even talking to?" William stuck out his cigarette and lit it with the fire. Then he took a long smoke. Then he let it out. "Where do you want me to start?" "You know what? Don''t. I''ve had enough confusion for one night." "It''s morning, Maggie." "Would you quit doing that!" "I was at first talking to Crow. Lancaster told me exactly where they were- with that fire- but I refused to challenge them. I tried to get to the heart of the reason why he hasn''t been torn to shreds by the demonspawn in these woods. Before I could do that, I realised something, Clock. It was the general feel I got from the campfire area that gave it away. Unnatural fear associated with whatever is there. It''s me, Clock. I''m the afraid one. My bottled up fear and tension is artificially affecting others- the paladin for example. My fear is being harnessed by magic. Lancaster''s magic." Hunter looked at his hands. "Now I think about it, it''s not just my fear. He was practically able to shift my desire to hurt to another target, forcing me to shoot that girl instead of him. I think - And thanks to my abilities I''m usually right- that that boy has placed a dormant magic in me. This mark is capable of shifting my desire to hurt people and my fear, and localising it in a fixed area. The campsite. Whoever connects their minds to the campsite feels a bit of my fear...this probably isn''t the goal of the spell, or curse, but it''s doing it anyways. I doubt if even Lancaster knows what he''s doing. Any ways, I think it''s time to go and face him. We''ll end it all in a swift attack." "All we have to do is catch you, Lancaster. And this battle of yours would be over." He said to the skies. ________________ Saved by the fire Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 27 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 11- "Saved by the fire." _________________ The bloodstained forest suddenly sprung to life. The tortured souls of the innocent cried out in joy. Their oppressors shall soon be vanquished. The evil flame that rose up from grounds of the forest became the instrument of their salvation....As well as their annihilation. They are not dismayed though. Many of them have been in bondage for so long, that death felt like a blessing to them. Sure enough, in death they might find freedom..and peace. ~ Anon. __________________ ???? Pitch black darkness. That was all Jordan could see. For some reason, his eyes were shut tight. And he couldn''t open them up no matter how hard he tried. And he really tried. However, all of a sudden, his eyes opened up. He felt as though they had had a mind of their own. But at least, he finally saw something other than black. ''A person?'' The room wasn''t well-lit. Only a dim light coming from a small partially closed window was reaching the room. Jordan would have made a move to open the window. He was unable to move. He was just standing still, staring straight ahead as the silhouette of a person steadily walked towards him. When the figure reached the illuminated area of the room, Jordan finally got a glimpse of who it was. "Veronica?" The lady appeared crestfallen. She stared right at Quill with a disappointing glare. "Veronica.." Veronica continued to pace towards Jordan until she stopped right in front of him. Then she did the unexpected. She slapped him across the face. The moment her hand met his cheek, he felt a strange sensation all over his body. It was very uncomfortable, but it wasn''t pain. ''What is going on?'' He closed his eyes instinctively. When he opened them, he found himself in a bright area. So bright that he blinked several times to get used to it. A familiar looking girl scowled at him, and then walked away. "Why do you look so surprised? You got exactly what you deserved, Jordan." A familiar voice commented from his side. "Lancaster?" But it didn''t look like the Lancaster he knew now. ''Lancaster'' was a bit shorter than usual. And he didn''t have his earrings anymore. ''What''s going on?'' Jordan questioned in his head. He didn''t get an answer. ''Journal, I don''t know what''s happening? I can''t even use Inscribe right now. That probably means I''m not a Mage. Then what am I? Me from four years ago? Did I go back in time, or is this some kind of dream?'' ''More importantly, what did I do to make Veronica so angry at me?'' Jordan mulled it over in his head, before concluding that the best way to get answers was to ask questions.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "What did I do to her?" "What? You''re acting stupid. You must be really embarrassed..." Jordan just stared at him. He continued. "You kissed her." ''What?!! I kissed Veronica! How did that happen?'' "You seem to be in shock. Are you okay?" Lancaster asked. "Yeah. Yeah. I am." "Then let''s go." ''Wait a moment. Am I really dreaming, or is this reality? Maybe my entire life after this point was a dream? What a wierd thing to think...but this doesn''t feel like a dream. It really doesn''t.'' Jordan pinched himself. It hurt. ''Damn. It really isn''t a dream.'' Jordan and Lancaster trekked across town before finally finding themselves in their destination- The Middlesworth bakery. Jordan had interrogated Lancaster about what date it was and he had discovered that it was exactly four years ago. He was 13, and Lancaster was 20. On their way, He had made sure to get a good look at the town. It was Weidson. Just a bit different. For one, the barber on the 13th of Dale''s street wasn''t there. Instead, there was a pawn shop. Also, there weren''t as many phonebooths as there were in 1886.. ''It really is 1881.'' They walked to the door and Lancaster kicked it open. As usual, there were a throng of people, trying to have a slice of Lloyd''s bread.. Business was booming, exactly how Jordan remembered it. They had to push their way through the crowd of hungry customers inorder to get to the counter. On the other side was Risa who had her hands full trying to attend to the customers. She still managed to wave back at them with a smile, when Lancaster did the same to her. ''The bakery hasn''t been renovated yet. It''s still as small as it was when it was first built.'' Jordan pinched himself again. It still hurt. Lancaster jumped over the counter, and Jordan followed. The door on the other side was opened from the inside. Lloyd Middlesworth wore his warm smile again. Lancaster greeted him, but Jordan stood still, as though his feet were stuck to the ground. He saw it coming. He knew he would see her. He still cried. ''Lisa..'' Lisa was standing there, right next to Lloyd. She was smaller than he''d remembered, but it was her. She was alive. "Jordan, what''s wrong?" Lancaster asked. It was more than a bit jarring to see him sound so caring and empathetic. The sentence just made him break down even more. "Got something in your eye? You''re a bit too old to burst into tears like that. Get to work!" ''Lisa is alive... Lancaster isn''t a piece of shit..I kissed Veronica..and the bakery is much smaller.'' ''What happened! Why do I feel so... bad? Why? What''s wrong with me? I should be happy, right? I get to see Lisa again.'' Lisa walked towards him and kicked him in the foot. Then she marched off with a grin. "Jordan." "My foot." "Jordan?" "My foot hurts...It f*cking hurts. It hurts so bad." Jordan took a beeline for the door. He bumped into Lloyd, but continued to run until his head slammed against his door. Ignoring the pain, he grabbed the handle an yanked the door open, threw himself inside and closed the door shut. ''She''s dead. There''s no way any of this is real. It couldn''t be. I never kissed Veronica. No wait, I kinda remember something like that. But still. This isn''t real. It''s some kind of stange dream. Yeah. I''m dreaming.'' ''Journal. I can''t talk to you now. But if I could, I know exactly what I would have said. I don''t understand what''s going on with me. I''m supposed to be happy, right? Why is it, that seeing Lisa alive and well brings nothing but tears to my eyes. Not tears of joy really.'' It''s because, it finally feels real. ''What? Who the heck are you?'' Doesn''t matter. Stop thinking about me. Think about you. You''re also forgetting something. ''What am I forgetting? And who are you?'' There was no reply. He smashed his hand against the wall. He had managed to accidentally prick his skin on a sharp nail sticking out of the wooden wall. It was another thing he remembered from back then. Jordan''s hand bled into his desk. His old journal was still lying there. He moved to pick it up, but stopped before reaching it. ''It''ll be exactly the same. Just like it was back then. Another thing I remember.'' The boy turned to his right, seeing a mirror. His reflection was short, with long blonde hair that was well combed but not braided or styled in any way. His head was shaped differently. He wore a plain white shirt and black shorts. He touched his hair, then collapsed into his bed, lying on his back. He stared at the ceiling with a dejected expression. The war of the Mages. Hunter. Lancaster. None of that existed where he was now. ''I have to go back. I have to get back to the fight.'' You''re sad, aren''t you? "Who are you?" I''ve seen enough. I need to hear it from you, though. Do you really want to go back? "This world isn''t real, right? I want to go back to reality." What if I tell you that the word ''real'' can be relative. You could stay here, and live in peace and harmony with your family. You could get another chance. Lisa wouldn''t die this time. You might even get to pursue a relationship with Veronica. She isn''t dead either, you know. ''Veronica is..'' You forgot. You forgot that she got shot by Hunter. She''s probably dead now. And you know it was your fault. Almost the same thing happened to Lisa. I believe it was also your fault. ''It wasn''t!'' But it was. You believe it was. You try to escape the guilt, you try to push the blame onto other people. But you know deep inside you could have changed something. Now you have the chance, Jordan. "It isn''t real! It''s not! I...I want to get back to the fight. I won''t stand to live with cheap imitations of my family and friends. For one, My dad and mom are still alive and waiting for me. I''m going back to them, when I''m done with this. Now f*cking get me out of this!" You really do, huh? What if this was the last time you got to see them, Jordan? If I let you out, you will die. You know the odds are stacked against you. You know how impossible it is. Just give up, and rest. You know you want to. "Just shut up, and get me out of here!" Fine. You want reality? You want the truth? You''ll get it. __________________ 1st of May, 1886. Screaming Woods. Pridon. __________________ Jordan opened his eyes again, but regretted it the moment he did. His eyes burnt. But it wasn''t only his eyes. It was his entire body. ''It hurts..'' The heat was unbearable, and he could barely see anything. But that wasn''t the worst. No, it was the smoke. It was too much. Something grabbed hold of him, and dragged him across against his will. He tried to fight back, but he failed. Soon enough, Jordan realised exactly what was so hot. He trembled when he did. It was fire. His body was dragged out of the flames and into the air above. There was no doubt in his heart that that was magic. Finally out the fire, Jordan breathed in fresh air. His clothes were burnt, and his skin and flesh was charred. But he was alive, and feeling the wind around him. He was also flying again. He would never forget the feeling, no matter how uncomfortable it was right now. Tears found their way out of his eyes. "Jordan, wake up! Use body replacement and heal yourself. We almost died. Nod your head if you can hear me." ''It''s Lancaster. He''s behaving like a dick again. Good. I''m back.'' ________ Valkyrie and Lancaster Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 28 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 12- "Valkyrie and Lancaster." _________________ He stood at the top of a magnificent mountain, watching the world beneath him with a frown. "What''s wrong, Philosopher?" "Athena, the fact that you called me by that name. That is what''s wrong." "I don''t understand." "Most people never understand. They all continue to repeat the exact same mistakes over and over again. Even when they are reminded of their folly, the foolish hardly stray from their path." "Are you calling me a fool?" She snapped back. "Yes. I''ve deduced that that is exactly what you are." ~ Conversation between The Philosopher and Athena the Legendary Paladin. ________________ 1st of May, 1886. Screaming woods. Close to Weidson. Pridon. ________________ 4:10 "Jordan, wake up! Use body replacement and heal yourself. We almost died. Nod your head if you can hear me." He nodded. "Alright then.." "Lancaster? How exactly am I flying right now?" Jordan interrupted. Lancaster glared at him, visibly surprised by his companion''s newfound audacity. "I''m using the Magical hand spell to grab hold of you." ''The Magical hand spell? How does he know it? Is it one of the spells in his Knowledge?'' Jordan shook his head. He didn''t need to speculate. The culprit was right in front of him. "Isn''t that my spell?" Jordan raised his voice a bit. "I read your little diary. Is that a problem, Jordan?" He was smirking, but there was something about his expression that made Jordan want to run away. "No sir." "Don''t be so bothered. I skipped the personal bits. I couldn''t care less about your feelings. Now heal yourself." Jordan focused his mind on the Body Replacement spell. After spending hours combing through the Knowledge, he had discovered exactly what kind of Mage he was. His Title as Quill granted him spells related to creation and construction. Apart from being able to draw diagrams with Inscribe, he was also capable of doing something that he believed othet Mages couldn''t do. He could write Words of Magic. It didn''t sound like much, but what that actually meant was that he didn''t need to chant to cast any spell. Instead, he could write down the words and the spirits would still hear his command. Inscibe allowed him to write and draw as fast as he could think. Now he could cast practically any spell as fast as he could think about it.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. And that was exactly what he did here. "Spirits of blood, flesh and bone, fill me with your substance, and by the authority of the book of magic, feed on my broken parts, while replacing them with new ones forged by your Power all in exchange for Power greater than that which you possess." ~ written with the Words of Magic. Crimson light was emitted from his body. The mind-numbing pain returned not too soon after. Jordan''s body vibrated. ''It''s been a while, hasn''t it?'' Jordan gritted his teeth and endured the agony. He knew from experience that it would pass, but he still teared up after only a few seconds of it. ''It feels as if a dozen dogs are feasting on my flesh...My wounds are far less than before. Last time I used this spell, I was shot in the shoulder and had a huge chunk of my leg chewed up by that mutt. Now I''m only healing a few burns and it hurts so much. Is it the spirits trying to make things harder for me?'' He couldn''t know. All he knew was that his body hurt like hell; he was going through far more pain that he did with the original injury. "We don''t have time to spare, grab hold of my hand!" Jordan reached out and Lancaster held his hand. "Transfer Power to me." "I don''t have that much." "You''ve barely done anything with it, Jordan. Just give it." Jordan sighed. He focused his mind on Lancaster, with his eyes closed. This was a technique that was properly outlined in the Knowledge. All he had to do was form a connection with Lancaster and then specify exactly how much of his Power is being given away. ''half as per our contract.'' Jordan felt the energy leaving his body. Lancaster nodded his head and let go of Jordan''s hand, turning to his back in the same motion. "What''s behind us?" "The Wolves." "The what?" "You don''t need to know, you need to stay put, and let me fly. It''ll be helpful if you can figure out a spell that handles the fire." "Sure." "Just..don''t look back, Quill." ''Are you begging me to look back? Because telling me to do nothing is the same to me as daring me to do something. But you know that, don''t you?'' Jordan looked back, and he immediately regretted it. There were hundreds of horrific monsters of different shapes and sizes jumping around or actually flying after them. They were moving slowly, keeping their distance, but the sheer number was more than enough to send chills down his spine. Many of the beasts vaguely resembled some kind of canine, but they always had some kind of abnormal outgrowth or feature that made them intimidating in a way. There were wolves with claws the size of swords and fangs as huge as someone''s head. There were some beasts that did not have eyes or noses or ears. There were only mouths; huge maws that had devilish teeth and abnormally long tongues. There were also some monsters that looked identical to normal wolves, but had the wings of a bird and red eyes that shone in the darkness. Every single one of them looked like they were from a particularly horrible nightmare. And each and every one of these nightmarish creatures looked as though they were ready to tear them apart. Jordan swallowed and turned away from them. The two Mages were flying forward at a speed considerably faster than a horse. Jordan knew because he had a vague memory of riding one before, and he knew they weren''t nearly as fast as this. However, without looking back, he knew that the beasts were hot on their trail. "Okay, I have a plan!" Jordan screamed to get Lancaster''s attention. "What?" "I said I have a plan! Let go of me so I fall!" Lancaster didn''t waste any time. It almost made Jordan sad, knowing that his companion wouldn''t even flinch when being asked to abandon him... However, Jordan had stayed around Lancaster long enough to understand how he operates. Jordan plummeted down into the fire. However, before he could reach the roaring flames, he had casted a spell. Jordan Inscribed something on the air using his ink. It was a blank spell diagram, with words of magic written inside it. The words were: Jordan Elyas Middlesworth. All of a sudden, the fire parted to allow Jordan on the hard ground. Fortunately, he managed to cast a barrier to cushion his landing. Lancaster followed, but just flew downwards rather than switching off his Flight magic. However, before he could reach Jordan, the flames had already rose up and enveloped around the area. Bird/Crow still managed to fly through the fire to land beside Quill. "What do you think, it was a good idea, wasn''t it?" Jordan said, getting up from the floor. The flames had parted round Jordan in a circle about 4m in diameter. The wall of flames at the perimeter of this circle curved inwards and met at a point two meters above Jordan at the centre of the circle. Basically, there was a hemi-sphere around Jordan that wasn''t covered in flames and Lancaster had landed inside that hemi-sphere. "How did you do it?" "My name now strikes fear into the hearts of the spirits. I think that was why my Body Replacement was more painful than I remembered it to be. Spirits don''t want anything to do with me, so they try to stay away as much as they can. The spirits of blood flesh and bone made sure to take their sweet time in redoing my body, and it still hurts right now even after all that. The spirits back at my Sanctuary yesterday made sure to take their leave the moment I took my name back and offered my name as a reward for conquering my soul. So, following the same principle, I could chase spirits away by announcing to them that my name is Jordan and offering to give my name to them. I made it a proper barrier by copying the symbols for Construct and Length. And after that I just added the numbers." ''Lancaster has to be a little surprised now. I have gotten so much better at using magic in a short period of time.'' "Okay. So your name is cursed. Good to know. Now, we''re on the ground, I think it''s best you stay close to me. The monsters won''t go after you, because they''re afraid of a little something I''ve got with me." "What something?" Lancaster was about to open his mouth, but he stopped and his eyes darted to the side. Jordan turned to look at what his companion was staring at and was shocked to see what appeared to be a human being walking casually out of the fire and into Jordan''s makeshift barrier. It was a woman. She was taller than Jordan but shorter than Lancaster, though she looked as though she was about the same age as the latter. She wore only a plain dull chain mail armour. It had more than a few scratches on it and was almost entirely covered in ashes. "I am Athena. Some folks call me the Valkyrie. However, I would rather you call me..." "Shut up and fight!" Lancaster taunted. "Is there something wrong with you Mages? I know that you''ve been tainted with demonic filth, but I expect basic courtesy at least...How I wish The Philosopher was still alive. Nonetheless, it''s Ashley''s wish to rescue the innocents at all costs, cutting you down might have to wait." "Innocents?" Jordan blurted. Athena looked at him with an air of arrogance and condescension. As she did, it was as though the very earth trembled and the skies raged. "Lowly pest. How dare you open your mouth while I speak to a real Mage?" ''A what?'' "What do you mean?" Lancaster questioned. He looked and sounded as though he was on edge. His legs were trembling and so was his voice. Jordan was speechless. "I haven''t met a Mage of your calibre in quite a while. Compared to your presence, this one is nothing but a weak ant." "You mean Quill, right? Well, sorry for your troubles." ''Lancaster is apologizing?'' But Journal, this lady doesn''t look strong at all. What''s gotten into Lancaster? "That won''t do. I believe it''s also Ashley''s wish to end the life of a Mage whenever she gets the chance. So I believe I shall take you up on your earlier offer, Mage. What did you say: shut up and fight?" ______________ Defiant blade Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 29 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 13- "Defiant blade." _________________ The sword that refuses to listen to it''s master, targets her heart. It''s only goal- freedom. Freedom from the chains of oppression, Freedom from the hand that holds it''s handle and freedom from the ever present tyranny of the thing they call ''destiny''~ Words of The Philosopher. _________________ The Valkyrie/ Ashley vanished into thin air. Jordan looked around in confusion. ''Where is she?'' His eyes darted around until they landed on Lancaster. Lancaster was grinning for some reason. Valkyrie reappeared behind Lancaster, facing away from him. "Why is your head not severed from your body?" "Shut up and fight, b*tch." A vein popped on Ashley''s head. She jumped again. Jordan tried his best to follow her movements with his eyes. He still didn''t see anything. All he saw was that she was behind Lancaster for one moment and then in front of him, with her back facing him the next. More veins popped on her forehead. It happened again. Over and over again. "Not seven lives?" "I don''t know what you''re talking about. But what I know is , for all your big talk you haven''t managed to put a scratch on me." ''Why am I completely useless again. I can''t help Lancaster...I can''t even see his opponent!'' Jordan thought. "It''s as though my sword is cutting through you..as if you weren''t there. No matter, I''ll just cut this one first." Then the Valkyrie vanished again. This time, Lancaster reacted. "Jordan!" The Valkyrie had reappeared right in front of Quill. However, Lancaster had teleported between the two not a second too soon. Her blade collided with Lancaster''s outstretched palm. It sounded like metal clanging against metal. Her muscles were pushed to their limits but Lancaster''s hand barely moved an inch. The massive sword in her hands was being held back by the Mage''s hand. Sparks flew between the two as the blade shone with white energy. Neither force was weaker than the other, not Lancaster''s hand nor Valkyrie''s sword. But neither was backing down. It was Jordan''s time to scream. "Lancaster!" The sword finally won as Lancaster was pushed away with a hole in his hand. The Valkyrie grinned. "It seems you care about your associates'' well-being. Very well then. I guess you have a weakness after all." "Actually, on normal circumstances, I would let you kill him. I wouldn''t dare risk my life protecting some piece of shit. But you see, right now, in my little game he just so happens to be an important piece. That''s all there is to it." "Aww. Did I strike a nerve?" Lancaster stared at her blankly. ''Was she... trying to provoke him?'' The Valkyrie pointed her sword at him again, fixing her stance. "She''s about to use her instant sword attack!" "Bad naming sense, Jordan. Try lightning sword needle." "But it''s a fat sword. And my idea was better!" "Shut-it!" Lancaster managed to do it again, blocking her attack before it reached Jordan. This time, Jordan got a good look at his hand. It wasn''t bleeding and the part that was stabbed as almost looked like it was a skeleton.. ''What''s going on?'' "Jordan, I''m in a bit of trouble here. I think it''s best if you leave." Lancaster smiled at Jordan. "What are you saying?" "What''s wrong with your ears?" The sword pushed Lancaster''s hand away again, but before it did, Lancaster kicked Ashley''s stomach with so much force that it sent her flying back. She stopped her momentum by smashing the sword into the ground, thereby preventing herself from flying into the wall of fire. Lancaster looked at his hands. The skin was shriveling up and the flesh was almost completely gone. The hole in the centre of his palm was now joined by another one and both were old and dry. No blood. Lancaster didn''t look like he was in pain but Jordan doubted that he would show it, even if he was in pain. "Jordan, I am not joking. You''re in my way. Get out of here or we''ll both get killed."Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Jordan nodded his head. ''This isn''t the time to be a hero. I can''t beat Valkyrie. I can''t help Lancaster. But I can ...'' "Wait, who''s going to.." "Just go." The woman had recovered enough to stand up. So she wasted no time in sprinting towards Lancaster. "Running? You must''ve ran out of energy." The Valkyrie''s sword reached his chest and passed through to the other side. The next moment, she passed through herself, but continued to run towards Jordan. Lancaster performed the exact same technique and blocked the attack. This time, sweat dripped from his forehead. "You''re the one getting tired, Mage. You are two milliseconds slower than before." "How the heck are you counting? "Lancaster tried to kick her behind the knee, but she intercepted his leg with her own, kicking his leg away right before kicking his groin. Lancaster grunted and his grip on the sword slipped enough for The Valkyrie to move another inch closer to Jordan. Jordan turned back and ran. While he did so, the flames shifted following Jordan as the centre. The huge pillars of fire became dangerously close to the two fighters. The sword finally shifted out of Lancaster''s grasp. Just before it did, Lancaster whispered something that made Ashley jump to the side. "Your wind scythe failed." "Did it?" A line of red appeared on her cheek. She touched her cheek with a dark look on her face. "You cut me. You actually cut me." It sounded as though her voice changed again. It was lighter than before. "I kicked your gut a moment ago, why is it so surprising that I can cut you too?" "Lady Valkyrie, please lend me your strength." "Who the hell are you talking to?" A white light glowed around her. The condescending glare was back. "I just stepped out for a moment to try to move my body towards Jordan over there. I didn''t expect you would be so weak that you wouldn''t hold your own against him." The Valkyrie pointed her sword at Lancaster again. "Now, why don''t you attack? Our minds are still synchronizing, so I can barely move. This is your best chance, Mage." Journal, this has to be the most confusing fight ever. But unlike Lancaster said, I''m not running away. I have to figure out a way to help Lancaster win. But for the life of me, I can''t understand what they''re even doing. I''ll start by analysing them. Lancaster said his Bird abilities allow him short distance teleportation, the ability to fly, and ''Free-movement''; the ability to pass through physical objects. So that would mean he was using free movement to get out of her attacks whenever she attacked him and short distance teleportation to get to me and intercept het attacks on me. The problem is, what kind of magic is he doing to block her sword? It''s as if the sword is piercing him, but it''s only making holes and staying stuck there.. Lancaster didn''t take the chance to attack. Instead, he just stood there and waited. The paladin recovered and vanished to Lancaster''s location this time, swinging the sword vertically. The Mage threw himself out of the way. The illumination from the sword expanded and landed on him, somehow sending him flying into a nearby firewall. ''I''m not invincible, it seems.'' Lancaster thought as he got his body out from the fire and ripped his shirt out of his chest. ''That weird light.. I''m guessing it''s the reason behind my messed-up hand. It''s also the reason why I felt that scorching pain, and it threw me across the area. So what exactly is it?'' Lancaster thought. "Valkyrie, could we have a minute?" "You have finally realized that you can''t win, right?" "I guess. Are you Athena or Ashley?" "Get to the point." "I want to ask you. What is that energy you''re using? I mean the special white light? What exactly is it?" Valkyrie raised her sword again and light emanated from her armour. She smirked. Then she vanished again. ''No dice. All I know is, it''s not possible. Or is it..'' Lancaster got into a fighting stance again, right before the sword came. Horizontal slash now, but he stopped it with his left hand- the not yet decayed one. As the white energy started to eat into his hands, Lancaster whispered something. "Curse. Athena. Ashley." The sword reached his hand not a moment later. It''s tip touched his hand but didn''t pierce it. The white energy didn''t appear to have any more effects on Lancaster''s body. "What did you just do?" "I cursed your sword a while back...but I forgot to curse you too. So now I''ve done that." The sword cracked like glass. Athena''s eyes widened. She wasn''t expecting this. "Interesting.." "That''s not all. The truth is, right now I don''t need to do anything." Lancaster let go of the sword to further emphasize his earlier comment. His opponent cracked a smile all of a sudden. Sweat went down from the Mages'' brow. Valkyrie''s body surged with white energy. Then, suddenly, the sword shattered into pieces and fell on the floor, only the handle remained. Lancaster sighed. "What did you do?" "You''re so confident that I''d tell you?" "No. I''ll guess then. You used your black magic to rob my sword of it''s structural integrity." "Wrong. Guess again." "I can''t. I''m not as smart as you." "Alright muscle-bound warrior, I hardly did anything. You see, earlier, I cursed your sword to become heavy. So heavy infact that no human being could carry it. Of course, I also ended up making it incredibly dense too as a side effect. So I was surprised that you were still able to slug it around like it was nothing...then I discovered your little white energy and you Athena. And connected the dots. You are the source of the white energy and explosive speed and power. All I had to do was pit you two against each other. Your power against her body." Valkyrie remained silent and staring at him. "It took me a while to figure it out. Anyways, with every movement you make any time that white energy is activated, you''ll find that your own power will be hindering you. If you push yourself and go super-speed like before, you''ll probably stay in one place and die. Or rather, the poor sap you''re controlling and feeding power will die. Either way, Good luck." "How did you manage to block my sword?" "Trade secret. Not gonna tell." "Fine then. You leave me with no choice. It''s time I got serious." ________________ Conflagration+explosion Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 30 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 14- "Conflagration + explosion" _________________ The fire started small. Only a little spark that grew to become a small tongue of flame. This flame took in just the right amount of air and became even larger. The bigger flame consumed everything it could and continued to grow even bigger. However, as it grew bigger , it became more unstable and began to spread even further. That was how the small flame devoured an entire forest and didn''t stop until it consumed the citizens of the nearby town who refused to run away. What''s the moral here? When you see something that powerful and that deadly, run first and reason later.~ The Philosopher on The Common- Sense Principle. _________________ The barrier of Jordan E. middlesworth, Screaming woods. Pridon. ________________ The Valkyrie took her stance, so did Lancaster. "Let''s end this stupid farce of a fight, okay? You don''t even have a sword anymore." A voice from behind responded. It was like no voice he had heard in his life. It was..so beautiful. "Do I need one?" The voice asked. Lancaster raised an eyebrow. "So that must be your real body, I take it?" "Yes." The voice replied from inside the fire. A vague figure of a person could be seen from that direction. The Valkyrie/Ashley jumped forward towards Lancaster, prompting him to turn away from the shadowy shape and raise his hand to block her attack. He braced himself for it, but it didn''t come. Instead Ashley slipped and fell on the ground, face-down. She slowly got up on one knee and blood dripped from her head as she did. "You''re still trying to kill me, huh?" Ashley stood up completely and looked at Lancaster. Her face shriveled in terror. "No...no.. please, Lady Valkyrie! Help me! We have to rescue the innocents! We don''t..." The voice didn''t respond. "Lady? You must be some kind of noblewoman, why don''t you come out and join us?" Jordan ran to Lancaster. The flames shifted around in turn. "Lancaster. I can''t leave. If I do, the flames will destroy you." "You really care?" "The... contract forbids me from letting you die, right?" Jordan smiled. "You''re stupid, you know? I can fly. I could also make it so the flames just pass through me." "And you''ll run out of Power eventually. You and I know you don''t have that much. And you''re giving away a portion of your Power to your ''friends'' right?" ''And I''m feeding them even more now that I asked them for information concerning Hunter and these Woods.'' The musician thought. "Fine. But I''m ending this soon, anyways. Stay close to me so I don''t have to teleport anymore." Lancaster stretched out his hand towards her, and Ashley shivered using her hands to try to block it. "Stop, she''s defenceless!" "She was trying to kill us. This is our chance." "No." "Wind scythe." It was a straight clean cut around her left shoulder. Her arm fell on the ground with a thud. Blood spattered all over the floor. Ashley screamed in agony and tears went down from her eyes.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. "No!" Jordan shouted, holding on to Lancaster''s hand, tugging at it. He was tossed aside the next moment landing on his butt. "You made me miss. I was aiming for her neck." ''Why did I ever imagine that this monster would have a shred of compassion for once? Was it because he happened to look and act very much like my cousin Lancaster? Or is it because he clams to be him? Or is it because he''s my partner in this damned occultic war between wizards?'' "That''s enough of that." The angelic voice commented. She didn''t sound the least bit disturbed that her comrade had lost an arm and was bleeding away just a few feet away from her. The figure within the flames walked into the clearing. The flames parted to let her pass, the tongues of flame shook and meandered away from her as though they were afraid of her. She was an extraordinarily tall person at between 7ft 3 inches and 7ft 5 inches. Lancaster guessed that her slender figure did not at all determine her strength. It was difficult for someone to look imposing if they were as thin as she was,but somehow she did. Her aura was intimidating and fierce, and her expression was almost emotionless. Only her eyes told of her condescending demeanor. It was peculiar to look at and also terrifying. "Valkyrie, I don''t understand... We don''t have time to continue fighting these people, the innocents are in peril..why are you doing this? Is it the demon''s curse? Is that it? But why? You must be strong enough to fight it.." "Shut your mouth." Her voice descended like a thunderbolt. The graceful female withdrew a sword from it''s scabbard at her waist. Her sword moved as fast as usual, cleanly cutting her head off. Jordan watched in horror. Ashley''s head fell on the floor and rolled to a halt at Athena''s feet. Without a hint of rage, or displeasure, she mercilessly stomped on the severed head producing a crunching sound as a result. As she lifted her boots away, Jordan saw what remained of the head. It was an unsightly mess of blood and brains that almost made him puke. The rest of her body twitched for a moment and fell to the ground a moment later. The pool of blood around it expanded slowly. "Why..." Athena turned her head to Lancaster. "Let''s begin, shall we?" "Quit ignoring me!" Jordan screamed at the top of his voice. He panted heavily after that, looking at the Mage and the Valkyrie apprehensively. ''Both of them are monsters..they have no regard for human life...'' Journal, I know I should''ve expected this. I know. I know that I agreed to this battle; but I had no choice, dammit! But, I don''t know if I could ever be as heartless as these things... "Why did you kill her? She was on your side." Jordan questioned, his voice quiet. "I couldn''t fight the urge to do so. I had to get rid of the annoyance somehow. Is that okay for you, little boy?" Jordan was momentarily startled due to her quick response. He wasn''t expecting het to give a proper explanation. Athena- facing Lancaster -got into a fighting stance. "I''m not ready yet. Just a moment, okay? Quill, please get the hell out of here. I won''t say it again." Lancaster sounded serious, but still had a smile on his face. Apparently, something amused him. ''What''s so amusing about the fact that a defenceless person got f*cking beheaded?'' Valkyrie pointed her blade at Lancaster and started to run towards him. Her explosive speed gave her the chance to dodge more than a few wind scythes that flew her way. As she evaded his attacks, she moved closer to him. In a total of three seconds, she closed the gap between the two and launched an attack on Lancaster. Lancaster teleported behind her, but almost instantly she did the exact same thing and attempted to strike him in the back. Noticing the attack before it arrived, the young Mage teleported yet again, jumping far to the edge of the fire barrier. The moment he landed on his feet he started running, keeping close to the circumference. "What are you trying to do, Mage?" The Valkyrie simply sprouted white wings from her back and flew towards her opponent. On air she was several times faster than she was on foot. The white light also enveloped her, granting het it''s abilities. In a instant, her blade found Lancaster. ''I''m running out of Power. Thankfully, Wind scythe isn''t my only spell.'' "Curse. Athena. Lancaster." He whispered as fast as he could. The blade pierced his chest drawing blood from his body in seconds. He was incapable of using Free Movement to pass through it since it was coated in white energy. "What are you doing now?" Valkyrie disabled her white aura and used brute force to kick her blade deeper into Lancaster''s chest, prompting a grunt and blood spurting out of his nose, mouth and chest. "You shouldn''t be dead yet. I only stabbed your right lung." ''Only?''Lancaster thought, smiling. "You''re a strange one." "Everyone says that." Lancaster spat out a mouthful of blood. "You made my attack land. You could have teleported. Why?" Lancaster raised an index finger and waved it from side to side. "No no no. That one''s a secret." She shoved the blade out the other side. Lancaster screamed. "It seems you meat bags are all the same. Always screaming and crying when your insides get taken out." "You should...feel your chest getting warmer miss. I mean, inside of it. Oh and you''re a meat bag, too. Just a f*cking overpowered one." "Warmer?" "Jordan, do it." "You''re the most annoying partner I''ve ever known, Lancaster!" Athena tried to remove her blade, but she wasn''t. She tried to focus on Jordan, but she was unable to. ''I know exactly what he wanted from me. Explosion, right? But it''ll hurt him too.... unless...'' Journal, I think I''m about to do something awesome. Spirits have been trying to avoid me thanks to my name being ''cursed''. But my spells are still at least 40 percent effective as before. I can make it even stronger, if I combine the abilities of more than one spell. Thankfully, I have a huge source of fire spirits all over. I just have to create a channel and direct all of them to the explosion rune. It won''t require a chant if I do it right. ''With this sacred power of the mighty fireball and explosion, I rename thee - Great explosion!'' Yeah, I know. I''ll get a better name, Journal. "Hurry up. I''m bleeding to death here. I can''t hold her much longer." "I see. So your holding me here so that your unassuming partner can finish me off with a spell. I wonder what kind of curse you placed on yourself and I? Do tell, because some how, I''m unable to remove my sword from your body. I also cannot keep the thought of anything other than killing you out of my head for long. But I''m assuming it would end if I kill you, right?" "Ahhhhhhh!!!" Jordan, raising his quill as his wand, directed a portion of fire from the forest fire and gathered it into a floating ball of fire. The ball then disappeared into the symbols for explosion drawn all over Valkyrie''s body. "Super explosion!" The sounding blast resonated across more than half of the forest. The mushroom cloud explosion was bigger and taller than he could have imagined. Without warning, it engulfed him too, whisking it''s own caster away and bombarding him with heat and pressure. ____________ Separation Tales of magic: grimoire of transmogrification Chapter 31 __________________ Arc 2 - "The hunter and the beast" Chapter 15- "Separation" __________________ "What is it?" "That''s quite the nice question. What does it look like? I''ll spell it out for you; You''ve been cornered. No way out." He held his want tightly, pointing it at her dauntlessly. The mages behind him were trembling in fear, he had to show bravery as their leader. "The witches of the Heated Cauldron have violated the orders of the Mages'' Union. You shall be punished for your crimes, Theresa." "Little child. You really believe that stick of yours can do anything to me? You must be mistaken. In my days as a witch, I have fought beings far greater than you. No sorcery you bring forth would hold a candle to mine." "That might be true. But your friends appeared to have run away." The Mage turned back, noticing that his associates were gone. He scratched his head, blinking multiple times. "At least they have the wisdom to know they are no match for a real witch." ~ Witches'' guide to malicious magic. __________________ 1st May, 1886. Screaming woods. Pridon. __________________ As the flames burning the woods continued to spread, a relatively small flame lit up. It was actually quite big, but small compared to the forest fire. This flame consumed a large patch of bushes and leaves, and managed to damage that area thoroughly before winking out of existence as though it was never there. However, about three feet above the flames within huge clouds of smoke enveloping the area, Jordan had a good view of the destruction caused by his enhanced explosion spell. It was far greater than he had imagined. "So this is how much power I can produce? I mean, I just diverted energy from a different spell, but still...I did this..." "Stop f*cking around, numbskull. We have shit to do." Lancaster''s voice travelled from somewhere in the clouds of smoke to Jordan''s ears. ''Lancaster you asshole. Calling me a numbskull. Yeah, you just saved my life, but come on. You don''t have to be cocky about it.'' Jordan was still floating in the air, and he could barely move. If not for those conditions, he would have marched to Lancaster and gave him a piece of his mind. Or rather, stare at him with threatening eyes from a distance and then scurry away meekly. The smoke cleared away now that the fire was gone and the explosion was done. Of course the flames lighting up the entire forest were still burning bright and smoke was billowing away from it. However, the small barrier casted by Quill earlier was more than enough to keep the flames and smoke from Hunter''s spell away from Jordan and Lancaster. So the young man got the privilege of seeing Lancaster again. He was surprised at what he saw. His cousin was a shell of himself, his flesh appeared to have shrunk down so he looked far older than he actually was. He had gotten so thin that the outline of his skeleton was clearly visible through his burnt clothes. His hands were still just bones too. Yet he still smiled. Jordan shied away from him. The smile wasn''t only creepy, it was terrifying. ''How did he get like this? I thought he had Body replacement too. His chest wound is still there, but for some reason it''s not bleeding. I hope he''ll survive this. Damn, he got this injured for my sake...'' Yes, Journal. I know I''m wrong. He didn''t do it for my sake. He did it for himself....but he still protected me. Now, now, I know we''re eventually supposed to kill each other; assuming I''m keeping my end of the bargain with demon. But, right now he''s my comrade. And I can''t not feel sad about him being this hurt. What was that, journal? You agree with me? Yeah, I agree with you too. I shouldn''t be ashamed of the fact that I feel sorry for him. I mean, I''m human, aren''t I? Yes, stupid Knowledge says I''m not, but who gives a damn? "Are you .. okay?" Jordan whispered, still looking away from him. "That''s not our real problem here. The question is, is she okay?" ''What the heck is he saying? There''s no way she''s still alive... I mean, I''m not proud of killing anyone, but I''m sure I killed her. That explosion must''ve incinerated her. Did she frigging teleport away?''Stolen novel; please report. Jordan turned his head towards the place Valkyrie was when he let out the super explosion spell. He was even more shocked when he saw her. The smoke had almost entirely cleared away. Valkyrie could clearly be seen, standing still and staring at Jordan with a deadpan expression. She had no injuries whatsoever, and her armour looked as pristine as it always had. There wasn''t even a spec of dust or ash anywhere on her body, as far as Jordan could see. "Lancaster! What do we.." Valkyrie didn''t let him finish that question. She suddenly grew a pair of white wings from her back, leaving Jordan speechless. Then, without warning she took to the skies, her eyes set on Quill. The woman was furious. It took only a moment for the armoured lady to barrel right into Jordan''s airborne body. ''Shit.'' Jordan took a direct hit to the chest before he had time to process what had happened. He found himself flying across the air as the world swirled around him. The wind howled and he felt unimaginable pain. The sickening crunch of his bones fracturing ringed in his ears over and over again. It was only a moment but it felt like an eternity to Jordan. He felt the blood pumping through his body, tasted iron in his lips. His heart beat faster than ever as it dawned on him that he could die. After all, he hadn''t casted any protective barriers around his body. He was hit with the full force of this goddess''s wrath. Lancaster couldn''t save him anymore - he was barely hanging on as it is. The moment ended. Eventually, he landed on the ground with a thud. The sheer force of his landing produced a deafening sound, but Jordan couldn''t hear it with his burst eardrums. He couldn''t see it, but there was a crater where he landed. Apparently, his body had cracked open the earth''s surface. Speaking of which, the ground he lay on wasn''t the grass and bushed of the woods. It was solid rock. ''How...am I still alive?'' Who are you asking? Yourself? Jordan couldn''t move. He couldn''t see either. He felt completely numb and he wasn''t capable of lifting a finger. He desperately tried, but not a single muscle in his body responded to him. He wondered if he could hear. If the voice he thought he heard was real or not. Then he remembered whose voice it was. ''Demon?'' You never call me by anything else nowadays. I am not a demon. I''m an incarnation. Get it right next time. ''I don''t care? See, I don''t know what you''re doing to me, but please, don''t let me die. I''m begging you. You can take whatever you want but let me live. I have so much I haven''t done yet.. and my family, they''ll be broken if they don''t see me again..'' Quill, I believe you have said enough. You know nothing of your current situation. It''s best if you don''t jump into conclusions. You are not going to die. A little advice; don''t ever beg spirits again. If you show weakness, they will take everything away from you. Don''t get me wrong; I want to take everything from you. But due to certain circumstances, my hands are tied. ''What''s going on?'' You''re not dead yet, because someone protected you. ''Lancaster?'' Open your eyes, you''ll see for yourself. The voice trailed away. Jordan''s eyes opened up. As he regained control over his body, the pain came crashing down. He screamed. "Finally. The little shit''s awake." The wrinkled face of a decrepit old man was first thing he saw. He was ugly, his face contorted in some kind of horrible cross between a scowl, a sneer and an expression of intense anger. "What the...who are.." "Too many questions." The old man got up, with the same permanent goblin face, and turned his back on Jordan. "What did you do to me?" The man turned back and winked. Jordan shivered. He suddenly realised that the sudden pain was gone. He felt no pain whatsoever. No doubt it was this man''s handwork. In a moment, the man disappeared into thin air. However, Jordan didn''t have the time to ponder about who-or what-saved his life. He was simply glad that he was still in one piece. "Quill, we don''t have time to waste, get up and spring into action. Follow my orders to the best of your ability. While you''re doing that, think up a plan to get us out of this mess." Lancaster said to him, grinning. He still looked shriveled up. The Middlesworth boy got up and stared at his chest. No blood and no wound. But his clothes were torn to shreds. He took the shirt off. Journal, my life officially doesn''t make sense anymore. But I''m not trying to make sense of things. I''m trying to survive. The two mages stood in front of the burning forest, but outside of it. The crator made by Jordan''s fall was right next to them; proof to Jordan that it couldn''t possibly have been some kind of hallucination. Above the burning forest, a feminine figure could be seen, standing on mid air as though it was solid ground. Her cape fluttered in the wind as she scanned the area with her eyes until they landed on the two mages. Suddenly, she started to descend. "Split up. Take right, and I''ll take left, get as far away from the woods as possible." Jordan nodded. And then he turned and ran as fast as he possibly could. ''Valkyrie could only come after one of us. And she has to be scared to enter the town. Lancaster is running out of town, towards the Topis river. She''ll probably go after him instead of me. Is he giving himself up for me? Is that it? He''s out of Power. He has to be after using Flight for so long and casting that many curses and wind scythes. He has no chance of beating her, or coming out alive.'' Jordan continued to run. He heard a loud crash from behind him, but he didn''t stop. The populous part of town was still about a kilometre away. He wasn''t safe yet. ''I should go back and save him. He has so many tricks up his sleeve, but for him to start looking like that all of a sudden, something tells me he''s run out.'' Jordan continued to sprint forward. He didn''t hear footfalls behind him, so he was sure Valkyrie wasn''t chasing. ''Is Lancaster really giving himself up for me?'' Jordan kicked a rock and lost his footing. He stumbled head first into the ground. He managed to put his hands infront of him and break his fall. ''Damn it.'' Looking at his wristwatch under the light of the burning trees to his right, he saw what time it was. 4:35 He almost jumped when he heard Lancaster''s voice.'' I bet you thought I was dead, right? New instructions, run back into the woods. We still have a chance of killing Hunter tonight, don''t forget our original purpose. "You need to teach me this spell." Do I? You have secrets you''re hiding from me too, don''t you? For one, who the hell was that wierd man? "No clue. Are you flying?" Running actually. Completely out of Power. Curse rebound. Spirits won''t leave me alone- the usual for you, am I right? Valkyrie''s on my neck, but I''m managing. When we meet agin, you''ll transfer me some Power to pay back some of my debts. I''m leaving the battle to you now. Get back to the campsite and re-draw the symbol. Go now, before it''s too late. "You''re hiding things from me." My specialty. Now... Jordan felt the connection dissipate. He didn''t hear anything else from Lancaster. "Now he really is out of Power." He turned to look at the raging flame. It looked rather strange to him- how the forest still wasn''t burnt to ash. But he didn''t have time to ponder about that. He got up and dusted himself. "Valkyrie is Lancaster''s problem now. Come to think of it; I did absolutely nothing that worked against her. I just hope Mr.Crow comes back alive." ''I still have about 80 percent of my Power left. More than enough to cast my flame barrier. Now, how the heck do I kill Hunter?'' ____________________