by Luke Metcalf
“‘As my master hid behind a large stone and watched in amazement as they fought, floating in the air above what appeared to be a huge, ornate silver bowl, the Well of Many Worlds. The bowl contained a magical, swirling mist, from which emanated an unearthly light. The mist formed into constantly shifting landscapes within landscapes.
“‘As the two beings battled, currents of energy exploded between them and their weapons made a deep humming sound as they swung through the air. But my master was dazzled by the beauty and magic of the Well and crept forward, hoping to somehow slip away with it while the two beings above were distracted, locked in their death struggle. Even though the Well was almost six feet in diameter and looked to be made of solid silver, he believed he was strong enough to take it. As he attempted to drag it away, the skeletal being pointed a finger at him and a burst of electrical energy shot from the finger and tore through him. He screamed in pain and looked down to see two gaping wounds through his breast.
“‘His blood flowed out onto the freshly fallen snow, and he knew he was on the verge of death as he sank to his knees before the Well. At that moment, he heard a terrible cry as the skeletal creature plunged into the Well, seemingly drawn like a moth by the light inside. He grabbed his adversary by his ankle, dragging him down with him. For an instant, the pale-skinned man caught the edge of the Well and clung to it, looking directly into my master’s eyes. My master could see that his throat was slashed open, and there were deep gashes on his arm. But as he watched, the wounds started to heal and the man reached out and grabbed him by the throat. He lifted my master to his mouth, as though he were as light as a ghost, and plunged two sharp fangs into his throat. My master struggled weakly, but he was already near death. A moment later, the pale-skinned man withdrew his fangs and pushed his still-bleeding wrist into my master’s mouth.
“‘With the last of his strength my master tried to break free, choking as the blood dripped into his throat. The pale-skinned man let out a diabolical laugh, then released him and disappeared into the Well, dissolving into the mist.
“‘My master was instantly seized by a burning fever which devoured every cell of his body as he endured the agonizing transformation and rebirth into a vampire. When it was through, he rose to his feet, effortlessly lifting up the great silver bowl with his newfound powers, and disappeared into the wilderness to hide it.
“‘Engraved upon the base of the Well were strange symbols and words written in a language not found in this world. My master spent many years trying to decipher their meaning. For more than a hundred years he lived in isolation, emerging only to hunt for living blood or to move to a new hiding spot, jealously guarding his treasure as he tried to unlock its secrets.
“‘In the thirteenth century he traveled through Western Europe, searching for linguists skilled enough to help him decipher the mysterious markings. He transformed three vampires. I was one of them. He took us into the wilderness to serve him in his obsession with learning how to control the power of the Well. We worked for many decades in the Carpathian Mountains. In 1476 we traveled north and east for many months and hid in the vast labyrinth of the Kungur Ice Caves.’”
Fionn stopped reading and looked at the other vampires who were all staring at him in rapt attention.
“There is nothing more,” he told them. “Ruthen, send out the messengers. The rest of you, send word far and wide – we must find the others. I will take Mitchell out on my ship. We will sail up the coast. We will all meet in Perm and set out for the Kungur Ice Caves together from there. Now go.”
The other vampires sprang onto their horses and raced off in different directions. Fionn signaled to Mitchell that it was time to depart. A large raven perched on a nearby tree broke the silence with a squawk as it rose into the air and flew off northwards.
“Time for us to travel,” Fionn told him.
“What do you think Baelaar will do if he finds it first?” Mitchell asked once they were riding. “Do you really think he wants to seek out the original race of vampires in their own world?”
“Baelaar is insane. I would not underestimate him. But the danger does not lie only in what he will do if he succeeds in finding it.”
“What do you mean?”
“There is no telling what could happen if he gets his hands on it. In trying to use it, he might make some catastrophic mistake.”
“What do you think could happen?”
“I have no idea. Anything could happen. He might open up a rift between two worlds, and creatures from another plane of existence might flood our own. Who knows how many other worlds there are, how many dimensions and how many worlds within each dimension? What sort of life forms might exist in those new realms and what would happen if they passed into this world?”
“I see.”
“Or if he accidentally destroyed the Well, what might happen then? If the very fabric of the universe were to be altered, all civilization – all existence – might be annihilated. This is why we shall have to have a long discussion before you use it.”
“Do not attempt to stop me,” Mitchell warned darkly.
“We will cross that bridge when we come to it. For now we must locate the princess and find it. Tomorrow night, while we sail up the coast, you will complete your training. I still have one last thing to teach you. The next night, I would very much appreciate it if you would join us on the mission.”
Mitchell thought for a moment before answering. “I will.”
Fionn smiled. “Good. Now, vampires who have permanent dwelling places never reveal the locations of their homes to anyone, and as you know, we cannot read minds over great distances. Therefore, the Niveus Gladius communicate through a series of messengers, both vampire and mortal, who deposit letters in specific places, enabling us to retrieve news from one another. Tonight, we sent out messengers to gather the other members of the Niveus Gladius. I hope they will come swiftly. Together we may be able to end this once and for all.”
Near dawn they checked into a hotel and slept all day, then rode again with the sunset. When they reached the coast they took a rowing boat out to an elegant schooner, which waited for them on the moonlit sea.
“While we sail,” Fionn told him, “I will teach you the final lesson in your training as a warrior. As you know, vampires are supernatural beings. You have been a vampire now for long enough and gained enough power to control the elements that surround us. I see that you have forged a Draaken.” Fionn gestured to the sword hanging at Mitchell’s side. Mitchell drew it and presented it to Fionn. It was a magnificent weapon, long, hard and sharp with a double-edged blade and a hilt big enough to accommodate two hands.
“A Draaken,” said Fionn. “Is the only sword in the world we can channel our supernatural powers through and make capable of severing an ancient vampire’s head with one blow. Now I will teach you how to use it properly, to use your powers and supernatural control over the elements to make the blade of your sword flare into fire, turn to biting frost or crackle with electricity according to your personality, creating wounds which could prove deadly to even the most ancient and powerful of vampires. We shall learn what your personality bent is.”
Mitchell took the sword with both hands and swung it through the air.
“Just as you have learned to influence the elements with your will by channeling your supernatural powers,” Fionn continued, “simply channel your power through the blade.”
A moment later the blade began to glow and burst into flame. Each time he swung it; it flared up, emitting the hum of an electrical surge.
“Fire, like me. Now I will show you how two or more vampires can increase their power over the elements by working together. Come, the open ocean is the best place for me to demonstrate this.”
With a wave of his hand, Fionn conjured a strong gust of wind, and soon they were sailing at a good speed along the waves. When they could no longer see land he steered the ship north and resumed his instructions. First, they experimented with co
mbining the focus of their wills. Fionn explained that to do this, one of them must envision what he wanted to accomplish in his mind, allowing the other to see it, so that they could focus together. The results were dramatic. Together they were able to raise far larger waves from the ocean and far stronger winds from the air than either of them could have done alone.
After a couple of hours, Mitchell spotted clouds appearing on the horizon, moving toward them.
“Look, a storm is coming.”
“How strange,” Fionn said, more to himself than to Mitchell. “The storm is coming from the east, not the west.”
He peered into the distance and then spun to face Mitchell, his eyes blazing.
“Prepare yourself!” he shouted. “The enemy is upon us!”
Mitchell looked eastward as the black storm clouds, wreathed with lightning, rolled toward them, driven by gale-force winds.
“The Priests of Mezzor?”
“It must be them,” said Fionn.
“We have been betrayed?”
“Apparently. I think that raven was a spy, in league with them. But if it was one of the Niveus Gladius who betrayed us they will most likely be traveling with them, so we will soon find out.” Fionn stopped speaking and stared at Mitchell.
“What is it?” Mitchell asked.
“Unless of course it was you.”
“What?”
“Your mind is strong. I can no longer clearly read your thoughts. But I know how obsessed you are with finding the Well and using it to go into the realm of demons and the nine planes of Hell. You could have made a deal with the Priests of Mezzor to give us up in return for being allowed to use the Well first when it is found. You could have fabricated that story, that the Priests of Mezzor are targeting Princess Katharina, knowing that we would summon our forces, go after her to protect her, drawing all the Knights of the Niveus Gladius out into the open to be destroyed.” Fionn’s eyes blazed in the moonlight. “And of course, I would be the first to be targeted.”
Fionn drew his sword and the blade burst into flame.
Nine
Portland, Maine, 2020
There was a sound like a generator exploding into life. The rubies in the Skull of Monster Summoning’s eyes flashed and a shockwave threw both Emily and Mercurios backward and Emily dropped the skull back into the chest in shock. Mercurios got back onto his feet and brushed himself off.
“What was that?” Emily asked.
There was a pounding at Emily’s locked bedroom door and someone frantically rattled the handle.
“Emily?” She heard her mother’s muffled shout. “Emily what was that? Are you okay? Open the door.”
“The chest, Emily, remember ‘Almeron sidella.’” Mercurios whispered, before disappearing.
Emily slammed shut the lid.
“Almeron sidella,” she said and the chest shrunk down to its original size.
“Emily, open this door,” yelled her mother.
Emily opened the door as calmly as she could manage.
“What was that sound?”
“Um, I think it was a power surge.”
“Are you all right?” Emily’s mother went to step inside the room but Emily blocked her path.
“Yeah, everything’s fine, Mom, thanks.”
“Okay,” her mother looked at her doubtfully, unsure what was happening.
Emily ushered her out, shutting and re-locking the door behind her.
“Quickly, enlarge the chest,” said Mercurios, re-appearing on her dresser.
Emily uttered the command words and the chest enlarged again. She opened it and they both peered in at the skull. The eyes were still glowing.
“This is very bad.” Mercurios sounded worried. “You’ve activated the Skull of Monster Summoning. It is very unpredictable. You must use the command words and turn it off. Pick up the skull, look into its eyes and say the words ‘Gorhel velsten.’”
Emily picked it up. “Gorhel velsten.”
The light in the gems flickered and faded.
“Good.” Mercurios relaxed. “Now, I will teach you about the other magical items: you must use both the ring and the wand sparingly. They only have energy left for a few more lightning bolts and a few more teleportations before they must be recharged, and only a powerful wizard can do that. Inside the book are many spells. You will need to learn them all. You will be able to cast spells without the use of a wand or anything else for that matter. Then, we will have a great deal of fun indeed!”
The imp grinned at her mischievously and rubbed his little hands together with glee.
Emily was only half paying attention to his words.
“Okay. What’s going on here?” she whispered. “My mother heard the sound that skull made, could this actually be happening?”
The imp crept closer to her and almost laid a hand on her knee but folded his arms instead. “Emily, I have been watching over you your whole life.” He leered at her with a nefarious glint in his eye.
“Ew.” Emily grimaced, covering her chest with her arms as though suddenly realizing she was naked. “Wait, you mean you’re always around watching me? No matter what I’m doing?”
“Yes indeed, Emily, yes. I can become invisible at will, yes.”
“Okay. Do you have any idea how unbelievably gross and creepy that is?”
“Well, I am your guardian.”
“This is impossible.”
“The universe is vast and ancient, Emily. Vast indeed. And that vastness is filled with mysteries beyond imagining. Yes, I have done much reading over the years. The humans of this world have some very interesting knowledge indeed: astrophysics, quantum mechanics, yes, but not as much knowledge as we have in Magella. You are getting closer with the Many Interacting Worlds theory of quantum mechanics, but you still only suspect that we are part of a multiverse and that black holes are gates between this dimension and others. The Well of Many Worlds is another such gate!”
“Okaaaaay. Well, let’s just get something straight right now. You can still do your little guarding thing just as well in our living room or better yet, out on the front porch. I want privacy.”
“Yes, yes, yes. We will discuss all that later. Now, if the man you are following is indeed the one who murdered your father, you are putting yourself at great risk by pursuing him. I cannot let that happen. I am commanded to protect you.”
“So that woman sleeping in the other room, my mom… is a witch?”
“No. I will explain.”
“And my dad was not my dad?”
“No, your father was a very powerful warlock, your mother’s teacher to begin with. He taught her magic, and she was an eager student indeed and very beautiful. Soon they were wrapped in a passionate love affair.”
“This is too much, I can’t deal with it. What do you know about Cady Sunner?”
“I know what you know.”
One by one Emily examined the wand, the sphere, and the ring, lost in thought. The imp did not interrupt her.
“Okay,” she said eventually, “let’s say for one second that I’m not crazy and this is all real. What about where I came from? What more do you know that you’re not telling me?”
“Magella is a very similar world to this one. There are humans and animals, birds, rivers, mountains, oceans, deserts, insects, forests… even some similar languages. However, it is also very different. Magic is common there, and every type of being you could imagine, many of which exist here only in legend, walk the land. Technology is very rare and crude on Magella, but through magic we know a great many things.”
“What else?”
“Your parents were rulers of a small kingdom called Bravisdor. A group of necromancers were sent to kill them. As your father held off the enemy, your mother put you in a magical Sphere of Protection, like a bubble of energy, and then into the Well. There was a terrible explosion! I lost consciousness. When I awoke, we were in this world, lying on Old Orchard Beach, and there was no sign of the Well or your siblings
. I was lying on the sand, invisible, and paramedics were carrying you to an ambulance. It was October 31st. Halloween. That’s why Halloween is your birthday. I followed you to the hospital and later to the adoption…”
“Whoa, whoa… hold it. But I wasn’t adopted!” Emily objected.
“Yes, you were. Yes, yes, yes.”
Emily’s mind was spinning as she tried to grasp everything she was being told. “But my parents never said anything about me being adopted.”
“They were waiting to tell you when you became an adult.”
“Oh.” Emily sank her head into her hands. It felt like it was going to explode. “This is all too much for me to… and how would I even go about asking my mom if I am adopted? Do I tell her that a demented little… What are you again anyway? A demon?”
“An imp!” screamed Mercurios furiously, stamping his foot and shaking his little fists in the air. “I am an imp, damn you!”
“Okay, calm down, I thought an imp was a type of demon.”
“Well, we are not, thank you very much.”
“Okay, uh, well, my parents here on Earth raised me as their own, and that’s why I’m going after Cady Sunner. No matter what you say.”
“I’ll…”
She stood up and pushed her face into his. “You’ll what? If you really are my guardian, then you have no choice but to help me.”
“Of course I will help you.” The imp wrung his hands together, looking genuinely worried. “Together, we will kill Cady Sunner and whoever else murdered your father. We will crush them unmerciful. But you must learn magic and become powerful first.”