Ruby Mage

by Dan Raxor

  After purchasing a flying way to Trimi, my plan was to go back to Earth tomorrow. I wanted to haul back a lot of goods, rake in a bunch of money, and buy a thousand draft horses.

  Pretty much the one thing I heard over and over was a good cavalry won wars when mages were rendered inert.

  Which, yea, apparently there were rare spells and trinkets that could limit or restrict magic. For hours me and my advisors debated how the King concealed his power. Our discussion eventually devolved into not focusing only on magic to win.

  After a long conversation was summarized, my advisor had a solid piece of information. Buy big horses, have happy warriors feeling invincible. I could respect, and understand that.

  While buying big horses was neat, I promised Ming I’d take her home and I should let Lidia at least visit Montana. Or at the very least see if Lidia even wanted to stay. Just another reason for me to leave my forces here while I hurried home.

  In theory I could be back in three days with a day on Earth. I may not even stay a day and instead be back in two.

  Varin said I would be moving my forces to Loon Harbor down river, and then along the coast. After I went to the church my next stop was the docks to find a boat… Except.

  “Master. You’ve been fined,” Norlan said and I raised a curious eyebrow.

  Even Varin stepped forward to see the summons he carried. There was laughter, and that increased into knee slapping as the other guards saw the notice.

  I stuck my hands on my hips with a frown.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “You were given a ship, and its docking fee of five gold a day is due every morning. Your late fee is three silvers,” Varin said.

  Norlan scoffed. “The messenger at Madames said you could have the ship repossessed.”

  “In full moon rotation,” Varin said, jabbing the parchment at the bottom. “Stick your signet here, Prince.” I did as Varin asked and he handed the document to a younger mage, giving him orders to settle the debts.

  “A ship? What ship and from whom?”

  Varin smiled. “Who do you think would give you a damn ship? The squire settling debts likely. And it's a rental to get you to Loon and back. They actually have the nicest shipyard in the realm besides in Veno.”

  “Loon does?” I asked as he nodded.

  “The Kirben family are known traders and Viscount Kirben built that harbor from scratch as an investment venture,” Varin said and I sighed.

  I was not looking forward to that standoff. Deciding to change the subject I turned to Norlan.

  “How was the market?” I asked Norlan.

  “Uh, great. I was able to bring a few of our original recruits to tour those looking for bindings. They took oath contracts and talked about your leadership -”

  Varin interjected, holding up a hand. He groaned with displeasure. “You flipping baby your peasants. They’re supposed to hate life and do as they're told. Giving them hope will -”

  “Mean the world to me. I’m the Prince of the South after all,” I said, irritating the man. “How many can my ship hold?”

  “Hold? Thousands and thousands. It’s the biggest ship of our trading fleet and meant to haul horse exports to Veno and fish imports from Veno. It never loaded horses about -” Varin paused, his eyes lighting up. “He knew weeks ago.”

  Siofra snickered, “He’s that good.”

  Varin nodded, telling me a lot of my adventure had been preplanned with me stumbling through it. The king had predicted I’d need to move a whole lot of people.

  “So… the markets?”

  “Oh, um… five thousand give or take,” Norlan said and my jaw dropped.

  “How many were there?” I asked.

  “Five thousand give or take,” Varin scoffed, folding his arms. “And now I know why we diverted food meant for Trimi to the docks. I hated that mission and was ecstatic it got canceled.”

  I snapped my fingers and said, “Shit, I forgot to ask about securing Viscount Nathanael to -” Varin shook his head in dismay. “What?”

  “That one will take some time. There are processes in play even for a man who doesn’t defend his realm,” Varin said, gesturing for us to keep walking.

  I found no sense in pouting about the matter so I walked back down the hill. The churches were all outside the upper city. The guards at the second wall didn’t give us more than a cursory glance as my entourage headed into the lower city.

  While we walked into the lower city I could tell there was a distinction from here and the slums. A big one. These were shorter homes of the middlemen of Crimm: traders, bakers, farm managers, and more.

  There was pride in their moderate sized houses and the children held fat on their bones. I saw decent garb thick enough to help keep the cold at bay and smiles on most faces.

  I actually thought this section would be worse, but it was not. There were a few panhandlers that darted out of the way the moment a small army of mages neared. While I ingested the sights of a living city, I couldn’t help but wonder what was drawing me here.

  With many things in my life, such as having multiple lovers, torching men instead of giving them mercy, and being an asshole at times - I knew I’d be judged.

  Growing up, my religion was always penned in as none, so why was I visiting some church instead of riling up potential warriors?

  Answers.

  I wanted so many flipping answers.

  Like most humans, I sought an explanation for this… new realm and how I could travel between planets.

  While I didn’t expect answers, I did expect a massive mob in front of the church. That one proved true twofold. We rounded a street with extra clean churches and hundreds of statues in front of small buildings.

  “I’m confused,” I blurted at seeing all the different worshiping temples. “Do any of these gods… exist? Like in texts or at least history?”

  “Yes and no,” Susanna said, leaning against a spear. The weapon was exceedingly nice, a gift she bought herself from me. “Lornia has thousands of gods, with even more religions without gods. There are some who worship shadows for instance.”

  “Hard to make a shadow statue,” I muttered only to have a covered statue with two walls and a roof be pointed out. “Praise the roof god.”

  “Careful, Master,” Libby warned. If she was saying this much, it means that I should indeed keep comments regarding gods I thought silly to myself.

  At the end of the road a big statue stood with a god holding a flame in her palm. Behind her rested a large church, but not the largest. In front of the building were a few hundred people chanting and even closer to us were the nobles.

  I sighed at the sight. Movement from my peripheral caught my attention.

  A fairy flapped down from a rooftop and was frozen instantly by my Crimm protectors. She crashed into the ground, her leg snapping from the impact. The spell broke for a fraction of second and was reapplied instantly.

  “Is that Audry?” Legi asked. He was normally silent since we met outside the city.

  Varin flipped her over with his foot. He pointed at her with contempt. “If you dare to unlock that spell I’ll turn you to cinders.”

  “And who is Audry?” I asked, gazing upon the trapped fairy.

  Legi and Varin rolled eyes at each other, neither wanting to explain. A woman in the back said, “A devout Arenia follower who was kicked out for saying a demigod was coming.”

  I kneeled down besides the woman locked in magic. She grimaced from the spell. Her eyes were not filled with lust or longing… more like she finally saw what she’d been seeking for a long time.

  “You want to talk?” I asked and she smiled with clenched teeth. “You’re going to stay frozen for now, and put in my temporary dungeon. I’ll talk to you later if you behave.”

  Norlan was standing nearby. I pointed at him, then the fairy mage. He scooped her up. “Take her to the Madames dungeon,” I commanded.

  “Yes, Master,” Norlan said, taking off for the uppe
r part of the city.

  “That was dumb of her,” I grunted.

  Varin and Legi sighed loudly. “She… is a bit obsessed. There is a prophecy that says a demigod will arrive on Lornia to help burn the filthy invaders. That prophecy says a burning mage will make himself known.”

  “Ah, makes sense why all these people are praying at her temple then. They think the prophecy is now,” I muttered.

  There were nods all the way around.

  Legi folded his arms and said, “If you can control her craziness, then you may have added a nice mage to your side. Audry was a good student at the mage academy. Better than me. Or so my instructors told me.”

  “And if she vanishes in a dungeon?” I asked.

  “You’re a flipping Prince. Torch anyone you feel like besides the nobility,” Varin said with a grunt.

  I snickered, knowing Lornia was twisted.

  Instead of getting into the morality of the statement I walked for Arenia’s temple at the end of the road.

  Varin double pumped his fist, triggering the guards and mages behind us to swarm ahead. The sight of the soldiers barreling at the crowds had them clearing a path.

  The nobles parted willingly while those worshiping their goddess were shoved violently out of the way. It didn’t take long for the mob to realize I was to be given space.

  I halted a few feet outside the church, staring up at the image of Arenia chiseled out of stone.

  The statue of the plain woman that was etched into a drab stone shimmered.

  What was that?

  I watched her morph into -

  She… Well… She looked a lot like me. Maybe a cross between Lidia and me. Not enough like Hanna. Um…

  “Master,” Susanna said, pulling me from my revelations. My eyes viewed the statue again and this time it was a plain woman with flame. “Master.”

  “She changed,” I muttered, biting my fingernail in frustration.

  I scratched my arm, feeling a burning sensation. My hair felt like it was full of lice suddenly. My grunts of irritation transitioned into me digging at my scalp. There was shrieking when I smelt fire.

  What the hell was happening? So itchy. Why am I -

  The smell outside was oppressive, causing me to head into the church where I burst into flames.

  There was an irony here.

  Humans on Earth always said the wicked would burn for their sins.

  I sighed at the saying and the fact that I was awash in flames. The robes that were supposed to be fireproof were gone, sucked out the door with the wind. All that remained were my staff and my necklace.

  If my clothes keep going poof, being seen nude is probably going to be a normal thing I guess.

  I spun on Siofra. “Your mom is full of shit, Siofra,” I said, wiping the soot off my naked form.

  “She can’t hear you,” a calm voice said from deeper within the church.

  I didn’t spin.

  Instead, I inspected the others who were outside the church. They were frozen, and not in ice magic, just paused. Birds still flew, and the clouds above were whisked by upper winds, and yet, humanity had come to a standstill.

  I turned slowly to see a replica of me. The female goddess had just assumed a male body. Things became complicated.

  This version of me was wearing some badass combat armor that reminded me of those fierce archers in the fantasy movies.

  “I like your outfit,” I said, inspecting the fine leather, and metal studs.

  “Glad you do. It’s meant to inspire you. There will be a gift awaiting you in Trimi I had my dwarven church build. Something similar and yet unique,” the replica said.

  I never imagined talking to myself. Even if I did, I doubted I’d be this calm. There was a central pedestal that a poorly sculpted statue rested on. My image knocked it over before hopping onto the platform to sit. The statue clanged against the church floor, sending an echo but not breaking.

  “Arenia?” I asked, taking a seat in a pew of stone while still on fire. He nodded. “Where were you when I first arrived on Lornia, or the gateway?”

  The doppelganger shook their head. “You see me now because this is where I’m allowed to be seen.”

  “Confined to materializing at your church. Will you be available if I make a church to you in Loon Harbor?” I asked.

  “Arenia Harbor you mean?” he said with a flippant gesture. “Perks of being a noble is you can draw lines on a map and name things what you want. The king told you to take over a city linked to the water for a reason. The coming foe will not chase you into the depths if you do lose. Stay next to the water. Now, time is short. What can I help you with?”

  “I have a million questions. Why do I arrive outside Riverten?” I asked.

  “Let me set a precedence first. I’m a god, and still a living being. My time is valuable to me and I will answer some questions, just not a million of them. Some I cannot answer. For today, I’ll give you a half hour of my time assuming I’m not called away by my boss.

  “Your entry point to Lornia is based on where the last exit point was. An explorer named Fredricks left Lornia for Earth after a close encounter with a dragon. He retired and never returned. You arrived at the exact point he fled from. No I cannot change it, and neither can you,” Arenia said.

  I huffed in frustration. Changing my arrival point would change so much of my fortunes in Lornia.

  “May I know how the two planets are connected?” I asked.

  My replica shook their head while holding up a finger. “There are more than two, and while I cannot divulge the why, I can say a few things that might help you.

  “Earth and… Lornia are linked. That link allows certain convergent anomalies. When you kill a magical entity on this planet, the power it could potentially unlock seeps down. That down continues until it goes up on Earth.”

  I wagged my finger, figuring it out. “The ruby stones I found in Montana… they were filled by deaths here transitioning their power onto Earth.”

  A quick finger wag of me figuring it out had the goddess smirking. “Trevor, it’s as if others intervene. We saw this coming though.”

  “Saw what coming?” I asked.

  The goddess huffed. “I’m not an almighty god, and you’re not some invincible champion. We both have limits and imagine the shock on my face that the moment I start talking to you, I’m being summoned. Ask a final question and the moment you get to Arenia Harbor build my church.”

  I rubbed my temples and asked, “Why am I here?”

  “Ah, an obvious answer. You’re my chosen champion who will save my power I collect from this planet. You will help me by saving the people of this planet.

  “The greatest gray skinned shaman from a different realm has amassed enough power to open a thousand gateways onto this planet and others. Those who journey to Earth will likely be defeated by technology. Even if they struggle, Earth holds no sway to me.”

  “Uh,” I interrupted. “I’m partial to my family and well, most of Earth too,” I said.

  “You will be killed there for being a witch. The moment those portals open, your welcome to Earth will be removed. They will be able to figure out you’re moving too. Do you understand?” Arenia asked and I gulped.

  “Go home for good, and never come back to Lornia. Or go home and say goodbye so I can save Lornia,” I said with a deep sigh.

  “Those that journey to Lornia will be much harder to defeat, and who knows. Maybe when the right American ruler is in charge you will be seen as a hero. Right now, you’d be imprisoned in a dark dungeon… while here you’re literally a Prince. I may have a devout follower whose ear I whisper into when he visits,” Arenia said and I bunched my eyebrows in confusion.

  “You lost me,” I admitted.

  They shook their head. “The boy king. He… There, I see your eyes registering. Good. Anyway, monsters are coming, led by trolls, ogres, and beasts of legend.”

  “Ah,” I said instinctively as if that statement made total sen
se. “Go to my new home, build a base, and be ready for the invasion. How long do I have?”

  “Summer, maybe sooner,” the divine being said sadly with a soft sigh. “I can’t stay any longer than to fulfill the prophecy that spurs this realm to react. If only Veno was free with their religions.”

  “Huh?” I said, being ignored.

  They walked me to the door, heading outside and beyond the guards. The goddess leveled a hand, aiming her palm at her worshipers.

  I jolted when every single one of those people who had been praying to her combusted into flames.

  Tendrils from the hundreds of deaths filled the goddess and were sent to me, diving into my chest. I was already on fire and at my maximum power. A wave of nausea roiled over me.

  The goddess didn’t care as my stomach died. She didn’t show an ounce of empathy while I beaded sweat from the increasing heat, feeling like death himself.

  The goddess walked to my side while I groaned in agony. “Trust Audry,” they said, tapping my chest before they vanished.

  Their touch caused my back to arch, allowing my body to crackle with untold power.

  My body adjusted to the point my eye stared straight up into the sky.

  A volcano of fire magic erupted out of my mouth.

  The incredible torrent of red and orange magic reached a point in the sky where it coalesced into a shape that continued to form.

  When the last of the magic ejected out of my mouth I staggered.

  Time resumed for the others and they too staggered in confusion. There was screaming from the nobles, and then…

  The magic I unleashed became a horse. Not a phoenix, or a giant bird. A stupid horse.

  Hands pointed to the sky and all necks craned up. The horse nickered before delivering an ear piercing neigh.

  The flaming horse shot west across the skyline in a blazing display, leaving a trail of fire in the sky as it ran for Ling Port.

  I walked over to Siofra who stood shocked from the turn of events. A few hard pokes into her shoulder and she realized I was wanting her attention.

  “Your robes,” I commanded.

  “You’re - you’re - a demigod?” Siofra stuttered.

  I stole her robes that she slowly released. The poor woman was star struck. I did see she was at least in shorts with a simple shirt.