by Sean Davies
“Exactly, my dear, sweet, interfering wife,” Archmage Winston snarled. “But it hasn't been all bad—I've had such lovely company to feed on. That there is Doministrix Aurorana; head of the Omni's department of Sub-species Subjugation and Study, and mother to the lovely Mortissa who we all miss so very much,” he said, pointing at an Archmage woman who bore a striking resemblance to the human songstress Marissa Aluniana, before turning his attention to a muscular Archmage male. “And that is Gehedrik Sadvorna, who used to run the Department of Warfare and Extermination. But the crowning jewel in my collection of friends is behind me… Lewis, if you'd be so kind?”
Lewis jogged to the front of the room and opened the last pair of curtains. Hanging behind the throne, in a cradle of cables and barbed wire, was a handsome Archmage man with long wavy brown hair and a face that looked like the Winstons’; it was more mature, however, and its eyes were cold, calculating, and commanding.
“I present the tyrannical head of the Omni, and chief personality in the amalgamated mess that was Omniosis: Archmage Omniultrix!” the dark Winston cheered theatrically.
“Winston…” Omniultrix groaned to normal-Winston. “If you have any sense, you'll free me from this mad fool’s web of wire... together we can do great things... we can rebuild the Archmage race...”
Archmage Winston clicked his fingers, causing Omniultrix’s awful restraints to constrict. After an agonised grunt, the captured Archmage fell silent.
“Now that introductions have been made, let’s proceed with business,” dark Winston purred evilly.
“What the hell do you want?” regular Winston asked fiercely. “What the fuck is your end game?”
“I want what you want, lesser-Winston,” Archmage Winston replied insultingly. “Mydia is facing its end, you know that—but you don't know why.”
“Get on with it and tell us, then,” Veronica hissed impatiently.
Dark Winston clicked his fingers again. “Tell them, pet Omniultrix; tell them of the Creator.”
Omniultrix shuddered. “There is an ancient creature at the heart of the planet, surrounded by a mantle of machinery that maintains Mydia—unlike other planets, it is partly artificial and needs regulation—”
“Bullshit,” Veronica interrupted.
“It's true, I assure you,” Archmage Winston replied sternly. “Please continue, my pet Omniultrix.”
“The Book Wielders used to check on it, using a hidden access shaft,” Omniultrix carried on reluctantly. “We wanted access for ourselves. We wanted to take the power, the power to create and manipulate life...”
“Archmages don't produce very many offspring,” Dark Winston explained. “They were worried that they'd be out-bred by the humans, so what did you do Omniultrix? You very naughty boy.”
“We killed them...” the captured Archmage groaned. “We knew that if we created an imbalance of life on the surface, then the Creator would stir below it—”
“Summoning the shaft, where you hoped to gain entry using a subdued Book Wielder—either human or Archmage—so that you could twist and warp the ancient being to your own power-mad whims,” Archmage Winston concluded quickly. “The dimensional separation, and the subsequent merger that Fate forced us into, has apparently left the Creator confused—potentially broken—and in dire need of maintenance.”
Veronica remembered her vision of Constance at the core, and her red eyes went wide with shock. “You're going to fix Mydia, but steal the Creator’s power for yourself… you’re going to invade all of reality—”
“Every universe in every dimension,” Archmage Winston cut in with a wide grin. “All ordered properly and re-built in my own god-like interpretation of perfection, with each person loyal to me and placed firmly on my puppet strings. Just imagine; everyone and everything in their proper, preordained position for all of eternity…” he sighed longingly
“You're no different from the rest of these lunatics,” normal Winston said in a disgusted tone, ashamed of his connection with his Archmage persona. “What about Fate? What about maintaining the balance for the good of others?!”
“Fuck Fate, and fuck the balance!” Archmage Winston snapped. “I might have been trapped in its current once, but now I’m the one pulling the strings—I'm the one who's in control! I dictate the balance of the universe!” He took a deep breath and composed himself. “Speaking of Fate... did you like my demonstration on the futility and pointlessness of guilt and remorse? The alternative Imperia I crafted for you?”
“What are you on about?” the regular Winston asked in annoyance.
“You cling to all these petty feelings; it's what makes you weak,” the Archmage said with a sly grin. “I wanted to show you that lives would’ve been lost whatever you’d chosen to do. Even if Alice hadn't taken your place, Fate would've just made two more hybrids pop up to complete its task sooner or later. I wanted to show you that I embrace who we truly are, while you hold on to unnecessary burdens. With me in control, you won't have to feel bad anymore, and you won’t have to worry about Fate’s pathetic will—you'll be free.”
“You are so full of shit, you sociopathic fuck!” Veronica snarled. “Those feelings are what make my Winston—the real Winston—who he is!”
“I'm not joining you, whatever you say,” the normal Winston said defiantly. “I won't let you loose on Mydia. I won't let you near my friends—”
“Friends,” Archmage Winston scoffed. “There's a reason you like the Gloom's denizens so much; it's because they're your loyal little puppets, and that's all the rest of your so-called friends are to you, too. It’s not a bad thing. It just shows we're more alike than you think, when you cut out the bullshit.”
“That's not true in the slightest,” Veronica said, rolling her eyes. “Don't listen to him, Winston, he's just trying to get... well, inside your head,” she said, for lack of a better term.
“I know,” the regular Winston replied. “And I don't think this despicable version of me is as in control as he thinks.”
“What do you mean? Don't tell me you want another demonstration of my power?” Archmage Winston threatened. “How about another small eternity inside a void—or maybe even a volcano? I can make time slow down to the tiniest crawl...”
“But you can't make it last forever,” Winston replied. “If the Creator messes with the planet, we'll all die.”
“You'd really sacrifice Mydia just to keep me out of the driver's seat?” the Archmage chuckled in disbelief. “Even so, you can't hope to fight against the horrors I can unleash—”
“The Mayor showed me something through his monocle,” Regular Winston interrupted pensively. “At first I thought it was just your location, but now I realise that the endless white space was significant too.”
“You don't know what you're talking about, you've already cracked. This will be easier than I’d imagined... now, submit!” Archmage Winston cackled, as he threw orbs of bright multi-coloured energy at the Reynoldses.
Normal Winston raised his hands, and the attacks dissipated completely. “You might be in control of the dreamscape,” he said with a smirk, “but my mind stretches beyond your illusion, and that's my territory, my power. You're just an intruder, a mutated psychic ability turned sentient.”
“No, it's not true! I'm the worthy one, you're too weak to rule!” Archmage Winston screamed, throwing his rage into his spells.
Despite Winston's self-assurance that he was in control, the Archmage’s spells knocked him and Veronica to the edge of the room, and it took all of his willpower to keep them safe.
The Archmage ceased his attacks, and the contract and quill appeared in the air above his human counterpart’s head.
“See? You were wrong,” Archmage Winston chuckled. “Sign away your last interfering niggle of power, and let's be done with this.”
“Winston, what do we do?” Veronica asked nervously.
Normal Winston got up onto his feet, looking around the room, and an idea popped into his head. “I'
m not just fighting him... I'm fighting the remnants of the Omni too!”
“No—stop!” Archmage Winston yelled, but by then it was too late.
The regular Winston fired his pistol at each detained Archmage wired into his dark counterpart’s throne, and although his other self managed to shield the hanging body of Omniultrix, the others were struck by Winston’s keen aim, shattering as though they'd been made of glass.
“What have you done?!” Archmage Winston squealed in agony, as his form became faded like a spirit’s.
Veronica laughed and hugged her husband, planting a big kiss on his lips. “You did it!”
“Almost,” Winston replied, giving her another kiss, before heading up the room towards the throne, to his other self and Omniultrix.
The real Winston raised his pistol to Omniultrix’s head, as his ghostly counterpart tried futilely to pull his arm away.
“You have to stop! We need his power!” Archmage Winston blabbered.
Omniultrix looked up at Winston with an expression of revulsion and pity. “If you had any sense at all, you'd kill this imposter and join me.”
“Oh, don't you worry, his days are numbered too,” Winston replied in a chilling tone. “I always regretted not killing you myself. Now, I've got the chance.”
“Do you really think you'll turn out any differently than I did? Once upon a time, I was just like you,” Omniultrix said menacingly. “You’d be surprised at just how heavy that crown gets when the years of ruling become decades, and the centuries become millennia…”
“I’m not here to rule Mydia—I’m here to regulate it,” Winston said strongly, as he unloaded the remainder of his clip.
“Nice job, mate,” Lewis said, giving Winston a quick thumbs-up before disappearing.
Archmage Winston twitched and convulsed as the dreamscape shattered around them, leaving them standing in the endless expanse of white, before letting out a long, relieved sigh.
“Phew… fuck me, that feels better!” Archmage Winston said merrily, before gasping as regular Winston pressed the pistol against his forehead. “Whoa, whoa, don’t shoot—I’m different now, MPK Scouts honour! If you shoot me, you will literally be blowing half your mind away!” he spluttered.
“Why should I trust anything you say?” the normal Winston barked.
“Because I want to live, and preferably not as a drooling vegetable,” the Archmage replied. “We’re already powerful enough as the head of the Conclave—we don’t need to go all god-mode on every universe. We’ve got it pretty damned good already,” he added, eyeing Veronica up and down from head to toe, before whistling appreciatively.
Veronica chuckled and turned to her husband. “He’s definitely more like you now. Maybe it was only being plugged into the Omni that was making him a dick?”
“Exactly, hot-stuff,” Archmage Winston nodded, trying to shift away from the pistol. “I get that we’re supposed to be the same being, not two separate entities.”
Normal Winston kept his pistol steady. “How do we know for sure?”
“Make that bloody contract appear and I’ll sign it,” the Archmage replied. “Just get that pistol off my head. You’re one twitch away from being a human-turnip, and Mydia needs us urgently.”
Winston reluctantly lowered his firearm, waiting for his other self to do something nefarious, but nothing happened. “Fine. Here’s a document,” he said, manifesting a piece of white paper and a pen.
The Archmage took the pen and paused. “Before I do this, there’s something you should see. I borrowed a bit of Veronica’s foresight while she was attached to us…”
Veronica raised her eyebrows, expecting a ruse of some description. “Don’t make me doubt you right after I vouched for you, mister.”
The Archmage Winston raised his hands up. “No tricks—look!”
The white expanse transformed into an ocean that spanned from horizon to horizon underneath the clear blue and purple sky, and the two Winstons and Veronica found themselves standing atop a monumental tower.
“Is this the pillar Connie and Genie are heading to?” Veronica asked, looking around at the massive circular roof they were standing on.
Both Winstons nudged her and pointed upwards, and Veronica’s jaw dropped when she saw the twin moons sitting in the sky, right next to the warm sun.
“You said this is foresight?” Veronica asked Archmage Winston. “The moons appearing at the same time as the sun?”
Normal Winston tilted his head as he observed them. “Wait—they’re doing something…”
Archmage Winston nodded in assent, and they watched as gigantic crystalline spikes blossomed from the surface of each moon, and began to glow.
“Oh, fuck,” Winston and Veronica sighed in unison.
✽ ✽ ✽
Alexander the Mage gazed at Winston and Veronica, who had been worryingly unresponsive for quite some time, lying perfectly still side-by-side on their bed. He gave Cherriesa the same inquisitive look he’d already given her a countless number of times.
“I know nothing,” Cherriesa replied sleepily. “Do not bother asking again.”
Alex mumbled an acknowledgement and tidied his curtained white hair, wishing wistfully that the stunning Vampire leader of the Trinity was as nice on the inside as she looked on the outside.
“I would eat you alive, timid Mage,” Cherriesa yawned, answering Alexander’s R-rated thoughts concerning her body.
The Mage turned bright red and filled his mind with an assortment of random images, wishing that he’d gone sightseeing across Central Isle with the Mayor and his fiancée Arria, until he noticed the blood magic linking Veronica and Winston was gone.
“Cherriesa! The spell’s been broken!” Alexander said, rushing over to the bed.
“I can see that, idiot,” the Vampire Bloodmage hissed, before placing her hands out towards the Reynoldses.
“Are they okay?!” Alexander asked frantically, worried out of his mind.
“Shut up,” Cherriesa replied flatly.
“Is Winston really… Winston?” Alex asked with a voice full of anticipation.
Cherriesa scowled, leant over the bed, and slapped Veronica and Winston on their faces.
“Mmm… punish me, Cherriesa,” Veronica murmured excitedly. “I’ve been such a naughty girl….”
“That’s so hot… do things to each other, yeah…” Winston said dozily, before snoring loudly.
“They are both well, and back to their annoying selves. They are merely exhausted, as am I,” Cherriesa said bluntly. “Get me a room and start moving my belongings, and make sure my man-servants are ready for me,” she demanded rudely.
Alexander was so happy his good friends were okay that he ran up to Cherriesa, hugging her and planting a sloppy kiss on her lips, “Right away!” he said, so full of merriment that he completely overlooked the Trinity leader’s angry snarl, before skipping off to gather the Vampire Bloodmage’s numerous bags.
“That little stunt is going to cost you even more of your armoury,” she hissed at his retreating form, wiping her lips with a scowl.
✽ ✽ ✽
In the dimly lit corridors beneath Corriztis’ secret Archmage city, Chloe O'Kelly and the rest of the kill team were making slow progress in their attempt to locate Lord Imperator Alice Eve. The Vampire Nightclaw Karamo raised his arm out, blocking the squad from progressing any further, like he had done several times before.
“Again?” Chloe groaned. “How many is that now?”
“This is the twelfth trap we've encountered so far,” Singarus whispered back informatively.
“There are three beams of light, barely visible even to my eyes,” Karamo said, pointing at the corridor ahead.
One of the troopers pulled out their can of purifier spray and released a cloud of the substance in the air in front of them. Three light blue beams briefly appeared in the mist roughly two metres from their position, at head, waist, and knee height.
“Singarus?” Chloe aske
d for the twelfth time.
“On it,” the shadow Mage replied helpfully, sending his dark magic creeping through the miniscule beam-holes to carefully disable the mechanisms behind.
“There's got to be, like... a security room or something, somewhere down here,” Chloe complained as they continued along.
“Assuming Archmages built their facilities like we do now,” Karamo replied.
“They must have done,” the ginger Book Wielder said. “I mean, once upon a time, people must have manned this place. I can't see them doing all this crap just to get in and out.”
“Maybe Corriztis has only just set them up?” Singarus challenged.
Chloe moaned, and then perked up when she saw a turn in the white corridor ahead. “Something different—maybe we're getting somewhere!”
They turned the bend, and the Book Wielder perked up when she saw a long panel of crystal glass beside a thick metal door.
“Security room,” Chloe said proudly.
“A lucky guess,” Singarus smirked, before using his magic to force the door open.
The team stepped inside and were faced with a long panel of holographic displays, showing areas of the dark underbelly of the test-site, and a beige stone panel with large golden buttons marked with the Archmage language.
“Shit, there's Alice!” one of the male troopers said, pointing up at an image of the restrained Lord Imperator.
“Fuck! Let me see if I can do something about the traps...” Chloe muttered, gawping at the golden buttons.
“See if you can pull up a map, too,” Singarus suggested.
Chloe grumbled as she searched for the correct symbols, and pressed them gently, hoping she was choosing the right ones.
A basic map appeared in the centre of the display, highlighted in red where the facility’s numerous traps were. The Book Wielder pressed more keys nervously, and breathed a sigh of relief when the red overlay switched to a calming shade of blue.
“That's the traps sorted—hopefully,” Chloe said, pulling a face. “Wait... what this?” She zoomed the map into a large open area of the facility, and became lost in thought as she studied it.