by Difar, Amy
“They’re not just aggressive toward squirrels, Nora. The dryad’s spell may have made them violent toward woodland creatures, but they’ve always been dangerous to humans.”
Nora took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s say all of this is true. Do you know how to stop this krek … lizard-man thing?”
“No.”
“No? What do they do with them in your world?”
“Combat mages take care of them.”
Nora couldn’t contain another burst of laughter. “As opposed to the elemental mages?”
“Yes. I’m sorry that you find my existence so funny.”
Darakin started to stand, but Nora grabbed his arm. “No, please, sit. I’m sorry. You just have to understand that all this stuff you’re talking about is what fantasy novels are about here. Nobody really believes in demons and magic.”
Darakin sat with his arms crossed, refusing to speak.
“Please, explain the differences between the mages to me. I want to understand.”
“I will, but only if you promise not to laugh anymore.”
“No more laughing. I promise.”
“Fine. I am an elemental mage. There are other types of mages, such as conjuration and transformation, but those are different than what I am. Each type goes to their own school to learn the type of magic that they’ll do.”
“How do they determine what kind of mage you’ll be?”
“Well, there are some aptitude tests, but mostly it’s whichever school your family chooses or can afford to enroll you in.”
“So tell me about the elemental mages.”
“There are three classes. The first are the stationary mages. They come from families with money or power. Their families are able to afford the mage academy tuition and buy them a position with a village or a rich family. They lead pretty normal lives, have families and live in one place.”
He looked sideways at Nora for signs of amusement, but she kept a straight face and gave him a nod of encouragement. “Go on.”
“The second group is the traveling mages. Their families pay the school tuition but can’t afford to buy them a post. So, they have no permanent position and spend their lives traveling around looking for work wherever they can find it, usually from outtown families, other wandering merchants or ships. They never settle down and few have families because of that.”
“That sounds really lonely.”
“It is.”
“You’re a traveling mage, right?”
“Yes. At least I was, back home.”
She gently rested her arm on his and whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, I’m used to it.”
“What about the third class?”
“Those are the combat mages. Most of them come from poor families that have no power or money to pay the mage academy, so the government trains them and uses them for combat. They’re considered cannon fodder.”
“Pfft. Sounds just like the way things work in this world. The poor go out fighting all the battles for the rich and powerful, whose sons go into politics and manage to stay out of the line of fire.”
“Some things are universal. Anyway, the life expectancy of a combat mage is pretty short, but if they do survive and have success on the battlefield, they end being very well-respected and go on to have long political careers or to become elders at the mage academy.”
“Why do so many die young?”
“Because being a combat mage is extremely dangerous. Their training includes days and months, maybe even years of learning to put themselves into a meditative state that allows them to forget their surroundings and cast spells in the heat of battle. It’s very difficult to maintain the concentration to channel a spell when you’re distracted.
“Anyway, what usually happens is the enemy catches them in that meditative state and they’re easily wounded or killed that way. Only the sharpest are able to maintain an awareness of their immediate surroundings while casting spells on distant targets. Those are the ones who survive.”
“Well, all of this just makes my case. If you don’t know how to stop this thing, why should you get involved? Let the authorities here handle it.”
“The thing is, I was taught how to stop it, I just can’t remember.”
“You can’t remember? You were taught how to stop a rampaging demon – back in your world, where I assume rampaging demons are not nearly as uncommon as they are here – but you can’t remember how?”
“Well, at the time I was young and I thought they were teaching me stuff I’d never have to use because I wasn’t going to be a combat mage, so I only learned it for my exams and then I forgot.”
Nora laughed. “Aye, I had a similar problem with algebra in school.”
“Then you know what I mean.”
“I do. Is there any way you think you can remember?”
“I’m trying, but do you have any idea how many demons and magical beings there are?”
Nora shook her head no.
“Well, there are hundreds. And as student mages, we were taught each type’s vulnerabilities, weaknesses and strengths. Sometimes the differences between the various types were so small that it’s hard to keep them all straight and remember.”
“Well, what do you want to do about it?”
“Perhaps we could try to find the place where I was summoned. It seems likely that if the same group summoned the krekdapop, they most likely did it from the same location. Maybe I can find some trace of the demon there. I’m pretty sure that they sometimes leave a slimy residue behind.”
“Sure, we can do that, but not today. We’ve only a few hours before work and I need the money.”
“Perhaps we can do it first thing tomorrow then?”
“Sure. First thing tomorrow morning.”
Chapter Fourteen
The next morning, Darakin woke up bright and early, eager to get started on searching for the krekdapop. For the first time since he was summoned to this realm, he felt a sense of purpose.
He stared at Nora’s sleeping form.
What’s wrong, dude?
“Oh sure, now you’re talking to me.”
What do you mean?
“Yesterday, when Nora was cuddling you –”
Whoa. Cuddle is such a strong word. Let’s just say she was holding me, okay?
“Fine. Yesterday, when she was holding you and saying all that stuff about you needing a home, you didn’t say a word.”
Well, I didn’t want to make her feel bad. She was comforting me and it felt good. Ahem, I mean it felt good to make someone think they were, you know, doing the right thing.
“What’s going on?” Nora opened one sleepy eye.
“Good morning. I was hoping we could get an early start.”
“Early start? Oh right! You want to look for that demon.”
Um, demon? Did she say demon?
“Yes. It seems a demon may also have been summoned from my realm. A lizard demon.”
Mm. Lizard.
“No, Mrowley not a lizard. This is a very large slimy demon that would probably cause you great harm.”
“Ask the kitty if he knows where you were when you met him. The place where you were summoned must be close by, right?”
“Good idea. Mrowley, do you remember where we met?”
Yep.
“Can you tell me where, so Nora can help me find it again?”
Sure, it was right by the flower smells.
“The flower smells? That’s all you can tell me?”
The flower smells are right after the fish smells, if that helps.
“Great.”
“What’s wrong?” Nora has been watching the exchange with interest.
“He says we met at the flower smells just after the fish smells.”
“That’s helpful.”
Mrowley appeared hurt. Well, the fish smells were right after the weird smells.
“Even better. Nora, the fish smells are right after the weird smells.”
“Hmm. Well, I guess it makes sense that cats would navigate based on scent. They’ve a much better sense of smell than we have. I have an idea.” She got up. “Get dressed; we’re going to the Internet café.”
“The what?”
“The internet café. They have computers we can use. We’ll look up florists and find ones that are near seafood places and then look for something else nearby that meets the description of ‘weird smells’. That’s where we’ll look to find the place where you were summoned.” She turned to the cat and gave him a pat on the head. “Thank you, Mrowley.”
Mrowley purred in appreciation of Nora’s thanks.
Nora and Darakin headed out to the nearest internet café, where she purchased them over-caffeinated, over-priced coffees so they could use the computer. Darakin stared in amazement as Nora entered florists into the search engine. A long list of matches appeared.
“This is truly magic!”
“No, Darakin, it’s a computer. Nothing magical about it. All of this information has been entered by very real, non-magical humans. We just need to put the right search parameters in to get the information we need. See? This is a list of all the florists in the city. Now, how many blocks did you travel before you got to Sean’s Pub?”
“I don’t know. I was summoned to a small forest. Then I walked a few blocks and came to a street lined with buildings. That’s where I met Mrowley. Then we went back to the woods to sleep. The next morning, we walked for quite some time looking for help wanted signs before I found Sean’s.”
“Okay, this street where you met Mrowley – were the building tall or short?”
“Not as tall as the ones here. Maybe about the height of the ones on Sean’s block.”
Thinking of the historic location of Sean’s Pub led Nora to believe that the woods Darakin was referring to were in a park located near another historic area marked by brownstones and other low buildings. She narrowed her search to that area before opening up a second browser window to look up the addresses around each of the florist shops she found.
After some time of looking, she exclaimed, “I think I’ve got it!”
“You do?”
“Yes, this florist shop is very close to a seafood restaurant.”
“That covers the flower and fish smells, but what about the weird smells Mrowley mentioned?”
“Yeah, that one had me going for awhile, but I think I’ve found it. This place,” she pointed to the screen, “Pandora’s Box.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a New Age shop.”
“What does New Age mean?”
“It means things like the occult, the supernatural and the magical. A lot of people have gotten into that stuff the past couple of years.”
“Humph. Well, there’s nothing new about magic. It’s older than the human race.”
“That may be, Darakin, but this society is very technological and magic has a limited place in it. At any rate, these shops usually burn incense and such. That must be what Mrowley calls weird smells.”
“Well, it’s worth a try.”
“It is. The thing is …”
“What?” Darakin asked in concern.
“Well, if we’re going to make it there and back in time for work, you’re going to have to get on the subway.”
“The mechanical dragon? No way.”
“Darakin, the only other choice is the bus or a taxi. Taxis are too expensive and buses aren’t as fast.”
“Nora, I am not stepping into the belly of that beast.”
She huffed in frustration. “Fine, we’ll take the bus. But no talking about magic while we’re on it. You’ll scare the other riders.”
“Okay.”
Nora led Darakin out of the shop to the nearest bus stop. They waited for a few minutes until their bus arrived. Nora stepped forward, trying to tug the hesitating Darakin along with her.
“What’s wrong now?”
“It doesn’t look safe. And Mrowley’s family disappeared in a mechanical beast.”
“Ach, you big baby, just get on the bus, would you?”
“What about Mrowley’s family?”
“Darakin, they left him intentionally. They moved and didn’t bother to take him with them. Now let’s go.” She tugged at his arm.
The bus driver spoke up in annoyance. “Lady, I’m graded on how close I keep to the schedule. You and the weirdo need to get on or step back.”
“We’re getting on and I’m guessing you’re not graded on courtesy.” She pulled Darakin forward more forcefully than she intended and he hit the door. “Darakin, I’m sorry, but if you don’t get on the bus now, we’re not going.”
Holding his hand to the bump on his forehead, Darakin took a cautious step onto the bus. The driver pulled the doors closed before Darakin could change his mind. He followed Nora down the aisle and sat down next to her, looking apprehensively out the window at the passing scenery.
As the bus approached a corner, Nora took hold of the rail next to her. The bus swayed to the side as it turned and Darakin gasped as he slid away from Nora on the slippery bench. Nora chuckled as he jumped up before he slid any further. “You might want to brace yourself on the turns, love.” She laughed again as Darakin lurched forward with the motion of the turning bus. He clutched the bar in front of him in a white-knuckled embrace.
When Nora finally stood to get off the bus, Darakin let out a sigh of relief and followed.
“I can’t wait to see what happens when I finally get you on the subway.”
“Never.”
Nora didn’t reply. She looked around to get her bearings and headed off down a street with Darakin following.
“Does any of this look familiar?”
“Well, it was dark and it was all so strange and new.”
“So no? Fine, let’s go check out the shops and see if that helps.” She walked a little farther and stopped under a sign that read, Pandora’s Box. “Weird smells. I’ll tell you what – the cat’s directions may seem simple to us, but they’re pretty good descriptions.”
Darakin took a sniff. “Myrrh? Now that’s a scent I know and I don’t remember it that night.”
“Look at the shop hours,” she pointed to the sign on the door. “They close at five o’clock, there wouldn’t have been anything to smell when you were here. But Mrowley either smelled the residue or that’s just how he knew this area.”
“Point taken.” He peered in the window. Incense burners, small statuettes, stones, herbs and smudge sticks lined the walls. “Can we go in?”
“You want to look in there?”
“It’s full of magic supplies, Nora. Things I’m used to.”
“Okay, but just a few minutes.”
A small chime attached to the door signaled their entrance. A tall woman dressed in a flowing white dress with a white lace shawl around her shoulders stepped out of the backroom. She stopped short as she spotted the tall, silver-haired mage and her eyes widened. “You have the most awesome aura I’ve ever seen!”
“Well, I am a mage. Are you Pandora?”
She laughed. “No, my name is Ravenwynd.”
Nora scoffed. “Raven wind?” She said each word deliberately.
“No, it’s one word and it’s wynd with a y.”
Nora rolled her eyes. The woman turned to look at Darakin.
“What can I help you with?” Ignoring Nora, she took hold of Darakin’s arm and led him around the store. Nora’s eyes narrowed in jealousy as she watched them.
“Um, I just wanted to look at what you have.”
“Where are you from? I can’t place your accent.”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me, honey.”
Nora scoffed in irritation and called across the small shop, “He’s a mage who was summoned from a different realm and now he has to look for some demon that may have come here, too.”
“Really? You’re from another realm? I’ve heard it was po
ssible to travel between, but I never met anyone, I mean I never hoped to meet anyone who actually did it! That’s incredible. You must tell me about the spell.”