Familiar's Ancient Throne(Book 2 of the Death Incarnate Saga)

by Jr H. Lee Morgan

  “Back to the Great Divide, warlocks are completely unique to other mages in many ways. Usually, the only way to kill a warlock was to send yet another warlock. To make matters worse, they usually bred more warlocks with just as much power when they grew up. By reading, I found warlocks loved pushing the limits of magic, but it only took a few to show the real threat. Ten thousand years ago only about forty or so nearly destroyed Raliea. Their control over powerful magic and great numbers were too dangerous to ignore. At that time there were about seven million warlocks and other mages at that time numbered around two million. So a secret plan was implemented between all non-warlock mages and dragons. Even a few of the most powerful warlocks who stopped the great calamity from happening I spoke of helped do something never before attempted. They came up with the only solution to save our world we all shared and those of other worlds should they start venturing through space. It was a humane and also a cruel solution. Even the dragon’s didn’t like what they and our ancestors did at the time, but there was little choice since the warlocks were practically unstoppable and in time they wouldn’t be able to control such selfish beings. Warlocks grew arrogant and wouldn’t listen so there wasn’t another viable, long-term solution. I don’t know why there is a difference between warlocks and normal mages since we are physically the same yet our magic is somewhat different.” Megdline honestly didn’t know for the books didn’t give details. “But because of the potential danger to our world dying, because of a few who might not want to live or allow others to do so, solidified the difficult decision.

  “The decision reached was to send them away and create another, entirely unique universe.” Cage’s mouth went to open from the shock she just imparted, but she held up a forestalling hand. “Yes, mages, dragons and some warlocks started the universe you lived in, Cage. I know you want to know how and what we did. What you need to know is space truly is infinite. And within that never ending or beginning space are seeds of new universes. Each one is smaller than imagination or can be understood at all for the seeds are truly the purest energy waiting for an event to start a reaction from energy to convert into matter. Think of them as egg. Add a sperm and a new universe is born. Since our universe is the first we know of that has been created without interference, the ancient spell casters at the time knew much, even over ten thousand years ago. What happened next is very complicated and would take me four hundred years to understand the complexity of that event, but even the shortened version was complex. Because warlocks were a danger to others and themselves, the other universe was designed to be void and stripped of mana so that they could never use magic to destroy again or come back on their own.

  “The second universe would take millions and billions of years to find a habitable, self sustaining planet, but time wasn’t an issue. I remember telling you to never use magic for time because it would take all the energy in the universe to theoretically send a flea back in time only a second.” She saw him nod. “Well the mages in that time actually used magic, from here, to speed that universe’s explosive birth with the conditions that time resumes a natural pace when certain and specific conditions are made. What took billions of years happened within weeks, until a planet matching the perfect criteria as our own was found. Such magic had never before been implemented or will be done ever again unless there is no option. The planet in question needed a single moon to keep the planet’s axis from wobbling, any more moons would be a problem and the planet’s rotation needed to spin so the world would see their life giving star rise in the east and set in the west. It needed to have a molten core so it could create a magnetic shield to protect from solar radiation and it needed to be in a place where life could live for millions of years without the need for magic or be in great danger from extinction level asteroids or rogue planets while also not being in danger of being crushed into the surface of a black hole. Did you understand all that?”

  “Every single word. Then tell me how it could be that we’ve discovered fossils of dinosaurs and hominids that prove we evolved from single celled organisms through mutations on Earth. Radiocarbon dating is very accurate and has proved and disproved many different things. Like while I was skeptical of dragons because we found fossils that don’t match up to the description of the dragons I’ve been told of which live here.”

  “It was all part of the complex and elaborate plan to fool future generations. But you also must know, some creatures like the Zeether snakes, wyrms, wyverns and dragons cannot live without mana and couldn’t be sent. Then tell me this, How did the people of Earth even know the name magic, sorcerer, wizard, warlock or even the name dragon?”

  Cage blinked and honestly said “I don’t know… oh it makes sense that way…” He thought aloud. “How could a world and universe without magic come up with names… even after my brain had be rewired to speak this tongue we understand each other’s terminology and jargon… maybe the explanation is a result of words being dissolved yet not forgotten to express and explain the supernatural… Stories told to each generation would get changed through the years, but all myths came from a forgotten truth somewhere in the past. It would make more sense rationalized like this… as for living without magic, Earth would have to be first terra-formed first with algae before allowing more complex life forms to survive the alien environment. For that to be even feasible, the world would need to have a rich carbon dioxide atmosphere for the plants to change into a breathable nitrogen-oxygen environment before sending animals and eventually humans, but then you said it was planned to make the wrong assumptions so that knowledge of this world would be lost. What nobody would know would be forgotten and what is forgotten wouldn’t be questioned… then you must have sent over fossils for us to find so later generations could laugh at the previous and prevent them from finding ways back here. To even make such a journey through space to another universe would be impossible, because of the light speed barrier, without doing a mass teleportation to catch every warlock off guard at once before they could fight to remain here… hmm that would be quite a feat… hmm ten thousand years, around the time of the Ice Age… That would be about the time historians believed and estimated we started our technological journey…” Cage began to mumble out further complications, leaving the others far behind.

  Brooke looked to her mate then to Megdline and Frill’s stunned expressions. She then smirked. She didn’t know anything about their conversation, but she knew a dumbfounded surprise. “Did you follow his thoughts?”

  Megdline’s jaw audibly snapped as she met Brooke’s brown eyes. “Indeed. I forget I’m not dealing with any average individual. He just took my words and ran through complex problems in seconds that would have taken me an hour to explain how Earth came to be.”

  He came back, not hearing the conversation to say “That is why you thought the name Earth was so funny. Planet Dirt? You sent my ancestors to a universe of dirt. You saw warlocks as beneath you, without powers. No… my ancestors did because they were nothing anymore, like dirt.”

  “Are you saying I was part of it?” Megdline inquired, feeling hurt.

  “No, the mages of the past. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not angry, just inquisitive of this knowledge. Are there mages still alive from that time?”

  “Very few, yes. Elder dragons definitely would be though.” Frill began speaking and used Megdline again to translate. “He says ‘I finally understood the elder dragon’s meaning of the line making a circle after learning of the separate universe. He meant a warlock returned from where the others were thought to never be seen again.’”

  “Why were dragons hesitant to send all warlocks to Earth? It did more than take away our mana, didn’t it?”

  Megdline hoped he wouldn’t have caught that, but too late. “Yes, dragons are very proud and compassionate beings, in their way, and they knew what would happen and chose the lesser of two options as some still grieve from the documentation. It seems in the universe without magic a person’s spirit dies as the body does
. All beings possess a spirit here, even grass, because of mana, but without it, the person is gone forever. The only way to not be forgotten in your universe is by being remembered by others.”

  “Hmm… so I was right. When I lived on Earth… ghosts and spirits are nonexistent there. Finally, rational answers!” Cage hooted then he got another thought. “If my ancestors were sent, were all warlocks.”

  “No, but if a non-warlock woman carried one… you get it. And criminal were also sent away. In all, three hundred million were Jumped to Earth for everyone’s safety. Humans were the last to be Jumped, when Earth stabilized and could support them. Also I know you’ll ask, what stopped someone who knew all about warlocks from being Jumped back by someone else as you had been? Measures were put in place to prevent such from happening and a barrier was erected between our universes. It had many purposes, mostly to hide all evidence of your world from ever being discovered by magical means and if a warlock was found and Jumped it would take a monumental amount of mana, too much for any being or group to sustain. In time most forgot all about warlocks as you can tell, but the council members and dragons knew because they either lived it or were privileged enough to be taught secretly. It is a historical event to be sure. But there is more…” she hesitated and looked between Cage and Brooke.

  “He isn’t dying is he?! Did that barrier make it so he dies before his natural time?” Brooke worried at the look of fear she saw in the mage’s expression.

  Megdline shook her head and sighed. “No, he will live long, but I’ve already checked him secretly while he was distracted and threw up.” Cage sighed and waited for the bad news. “When you were pulled from Earth and Jumped here, the barrier you passed through made you sterile to prevent more warlocks from ever being conceived.”

  Cage’s head snapped straight up in surprise. Brooke was the first to ask with a quiver to her lips “Sterile… does that mean his seed will never let me bore his child?”

  Megdline looked down in shame, but it was Frill who nodded sadly.

  Brooke’s heart dropped to her stomach as she lost color and turned. “Love, is this true?” Cage closed his eyes and focused to his scrotum to feel the cells turning into sperm. He opened them to say “I sensed it. I produce what you call seed, Brooke, but what makes my seed fertilize and allow conception isn’t wiggling as it should. They aren’t moving at all.” To Megdline he asked “Is there any way to revive sperm cells?”

  “No, when you passed through, it stripped the crucial method of sperm production just as your universe stripped all mana. And it was also made impossible to not recreate an experimental barrier to find a way to counter what has been permanently done to you.”

  “Fuck!!!” Brooke shouted and went livid. She pounded her fists on the ground and cursed till the anger changed to tears. She sobbed “I want to make a baby with you, Love. I want to give you a child to be proud of. Meeka will too! Damn, why can’t I get pregnant by you and have a child loved by the three of us together. You could have given me strong, smart babies. I want strong babies with the only man who could claim me.”

  Reassuringly, Cage took her chin in his hand and looked into her eyes. “My Love, you must not be so angry. Do you find me any less of a man because I can’t give you children. Is it required of a chief to give children, just to remain Utala? Will you leave me because I’m infertile?”

  Her sobs ended with wide eyed shock. She shook her head. “No, never, you are my man and I love you, but don’t you want to have babies through me and Meeka?”

  He had the perfect thoughts to remedy the situation. “But you’ve already given me and Meeka a daughter. Rena is my daughter now.” Brooke’s eyes somehow went wider. “Just because I didn’t father her doesn’t make my love for her any less. And if you want a baby so bad, you can find a man and I know of a way to get you pregnant without you ever needing to lay with him. It would also be more accurate.”

  “Insemination?” Megdline asked and got a nod. “It would be one way if you chose. The magic would need to be very precise, but it has been done before.” She added to help ease Brooke’s maternal overload.

  “Besides” Cage explained. “even without mana, my world has invented weapons just as deadly and has uncaringly done things that will kill the planet. I do not want my descendants to bring about another calamity here. It would be irresponsible of me. I would be more disappointed if I wasn’t infertile if all I did was conceive a normal warlock child who would do likewise for their children. It would be too dangerous a risk. If I had warlock young so might they and so on and one day likely bring about another unintended mistake.”

  “You are alright with Rena, though she isn’t of you?” Brooke asked with fragile hope.

  “Yes, she calls me Dad doesn’t she?” He smiled and she hugged him.

  As a tense joke she said “At least I can always get pleasured without worrying about harming a baby because I’d want your lance.” She got a chuckle out of him and she held on to him tightly, feeling overly emotional at the moment.

  “I’m sorry, Brooke.” Megdline meant it. “But it is better to hear it now then try for years and not know why until it is harder to hear when you hoped for so long.”

  “I know, it was a big shock and one so few Utala women must hear or have lived with. It is enough I have him and Meeka. I just want to make him a father, but it is good he thinks of Rena as his. It helps me greatly. I’m not sure I’ll ever bare a child that is not his, but if Meeka wants it, I will welcome whatever is to come.” She wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’ve heard enough of this Great Divide. He knows enough and likely more than you at this point. Tell us now what is known of warlocks. He needs to know about himself more than any other. Tell us everything.”

  “Well put.” Cage commented with a reassuring smile and kissed her forehead.

  Megdline nodded before meeting his rational black eyes. “I’ll start with what I don’t know first. We have no idea what that Familiar is that you failed to summon. How strong you’ll actually become or why things are changing.

  “As to warlocks in the ancient tomes, allow me to clarify things. Though they are human in every physical aspect, their mana is richer and can do the exact same spells other mages do, only with greater ease. Their great focus allows them to do instantaneous spells and sometimes do magic by instinct, like you’ve told us, Cage. Usually their power grows steadily as their body matures from birth, but since your full grown and never used your mana, it is stunted, but the more you use it the stronger it gets. The proof of this is the mark on your back. The symbol also has special properties unique to only warlocks. What make you so distinctive compared to mages like myself is that it expands and contracts, but for now it is incomplete. Warlocks all had the infinity symbol between their shoulder blades to mark their growth, but when they reach a certain point where the mark becomes like a chain that encircles your back and connects at the lower part of your back your personal mark will appear within. The spiral mark is merely a frame for your individual, hidden mark that hasn’t been revealed.” This was also unexpected news for Cage and it made him wonder what was hidden. “Also, like animals, the growth of your mark serves as a warning. For instance, take Frill for example.” Frill looked up at her with question. “When he is threatened or angry the scruff of his neck stands straight. The mark of a warlock serves a similar purpose because if someone sees the mark grow and frame their true mark, they better run away for it means you are working on a powerful spell. Likely when you reach eighteen loops we’ll be evenly matched if we used the same spells against each other. About twenty two would match a common first class sorcerer, but I read mature warlocks who do spells with their full strength have forty rings. You’ll need all forty before we ever see your true mark. For those who don’t know of warlocks, it is a disguise to make people who know mages with smaller marks mean weaker. It is also a blessing, for normal mages cannot sense you so easily because your energy grows and shrinks with the mark. My power is constant and i
s sensed the same, even if I used up all if my inner strength, but yours fluctuates.”

  “So when I reach my peak it would take no less than three first class sorcerers using everything they had just to kill me?” He asked.

  “If only you use your inner strength to fight then yes. But since you are the only true warlock on our world, you need some extra advantages, which is why I’m your teacher. Now this is also important to know.” Megdline raised a finger. “The Magical Council knows by now that your power is near a third sorcerer’s class and has warned Twilight to avoid you at all costs and shown your description for their own safety. You are being observed and they want to avoid having our people confront you.

  “Also the last two pieces of information I’m allowed to divulge openly is the reason you cannot dream or eat meat. Because you never remembered a dream in which you slept is evidence you would have easily been an elite warlock, one born to lead other warlocks. Because you didn’t have mana on Earth you didn’t know why you were naturally more capable than most others of your world and why you found it so easy to fight and have such a strong body. I know those you called your brothers and sisters would also be elites. I couldn’t find anything to tell me if there is anything different of elite warlocks to compare to the common kind, but it might mean you are a simple leader or you would be stronger than the usual kind.” Megdline shrugged. “On Earth, you didn’t have mana and could consume meat, even if our animals are the same. But there is one drawback to being a warlock. They can never eat meat. Because of the purity and quality of mana within a warlock, they reject flesh of another quite violently. You showed us that clearly.” Cage rubbed his still upset stomach. “All warlocks thrived without eating meat, but unlike herbivores, they sought action like a predator.” This made Cage grin for it made him like how it sounded. “Mages naturally favor sugary foods because of our mana and how it helps us recover, but warlocks have a very real requirement for it. They cannot live without sugar. Eggs, cheese and other things balance your diet, but plants have chlorophyll, a sugar and berries have fructose. Cage, it is a reason you enjoy sweets beyond the flavor. And unlike us, alcohol won’t affect your ability to use magic in any quantity. The alcohol turns into sugar and again, it would be another alternative you could rely on.