I looked from the women to the Shaman, back and forth, then sighed and left the tub, following the old man, none of the women giving either of us a second glance. We had been in the hot springs longer than I had thought, as my clothes were all back, clean and fresh. After we were dressed, Cunning Wolf left the cavern, motioning for me to follow him. Freak looked over and I winked, sending him a mental command to chill here, as I followed the wizened old Shaman out of the springs.
The warmth of the hot spring was gone, as we walked through the stone corridors, replaced by the cold of a Colorado night. My mawashi kept me from freezing as we walked, still though, the comfort of the hot spring was in the forefront of my mind, when we came to the place Cunning Wolf had led us to. We had arrived at the Stone Tableau of Earth, which I had dubbed the Map Room. The Shaman went to a set of stairs that was built into the wall, which I hadn’t noticed earlier, and began climbing them, towards the top of the open aired room.
I followed quickly after him, climbing the steps in his wake. When I reached the top, continued until I was standing next to the old man. He was standing on the edge of the roof, staring out over the land, the same spot where we had spotted the invaders earlier. We stood quietly for a moment, enjoying the sunset, watching the workers bustle about below, preparing everything for tonight’s ceremony.
“It’s time for you to learn the magic of the Earth. The river of time is running fast now. There is no option but to swim with it, or we will be lost in the current. Come, it is time for us to begin.” Cunning Wolf commanded.
Then, he walked over to two large rocks, which I hadn’t noticed, and took a seat on one, while motioning me to the other. I did as he bade, and took my cue from him, sitting in Lotus, hands up in the Ohm, just like with Cunning Wolf. Once I was situated, I looked the old man in the eyes.
“Let us start.” He said.
TRACK 14 – TIME TO PRETEND – MGMT
“Tell me, how did you learn the use of Fire Magic?” Cunning Wolf asked.
I explained how Coyote taught me, he asked questions here and there, judging by the questions he asked, I decided to relate everything in full detail. I told him about imagining the fire, even the part about Moon Flower and the explosion. When I was finished, he nodded and looked up pensively for a moment, as if looking for information, in a moment he seemed to find what he was looking for and stared at me, hard.
“The gods have their ways, which are not the same as the ways we have.” He explained. “Wolf taught me, much the way his brother taught you, I have found though, that way of teaching doesn’t work for me, when trying to pass on my knowledge to others. Over the years I’ve developed my own method. Begin by closing your eyes, I’m going to speak, try to imagine what I tell you in your mind’s eye. Let your body relax and concentrate on the words I’m saying.”
I did as he instructed and closed my eyes, immediately letting my body relax, and regulated my breathing. Cunning Wolf sensed I was ready and started his lesson.
“Back in the days before man, back before this world was populated with trees, plants, and animals, before there were oceans filled with life, there was Earth. That is why Earth is considered the first magic. Imagine a fire burning. It consumes all it touches, but the dirt and soil. Picture a huge tidal wave, washing away homes, people, animals, plants, but it will always break against a cliff or mountain. A tornado is made of the wind, spinning destruction that has no rhyme or reason, yet will always dissipate and the Earth will always remain. Earth is the beginning and the end, it is the reason for life, and the place of death. The primal energy, the makeup of the world we live in, all the living creatures in the ocean and on the land, all owe their existence to the Earth, now, open your eyes.” He spoke in a singsong voice, putting me in a trancelike state with its tone.
I pictured the things he spoke, as he painted a picture with his words. Then, I opened my eyes on his command and looked on in wonder. His hands were glowing with the light yellow that I had seen when the Jicarilla used in their magic.
“You are ready now, hold your hands out and grasp mine.” Cunning Wolf instructed.
Reaching out with both hands, I grabbed his and we interlocked our fingers. The yellow magic enveloped my hands as we touched, the light growing brighter and doubling in size. He began again as the Earth Magic pulsated and grew between us. Slowly, the magic increased and enveloped us in a glowing sphere, until it was only the two of us, surrounded by calming yellow energy.
Cunning Wolf stopped speaking, he didn’t need to anymore. He projected his thoughts directly into the magic of the Earth. The images hit me nonstop. I saw tornados, hurricanes, tidal waves, volcanos erupting, they came fast, almost causing me a sensory overload, with the sights and sounds. Then, as fast as it started, abruptly it ended. The two of us sat in the yellow cocoon, quiet now enveloping us in the warm yellow glow. The magic began to contract, every so slowly, it shrunk and began to flow into me. When it was done, we sat in the same spot, Cunning Wolf’s hands now on his lap in the Ohm, my hands still outstretched, covered in the yellow Earth Magic.
I watched in rapt attention as the magic flowed around my hands. I knew on an instinctual level that I now knew Earth Magic, the notifications on my periphery, notwithstanding. I let the magic flow into me and my hands went out, going back to normal. I pulled up the first message.
SKILL LEARNED
EARTHING (LEVEL – 1)
The first spell in the realm of the element of Earth. By accessing your magical connection to the Earth, you are now able to infuse the strength of the Earth directly into a person, place, or thing. Depending on how much strength you infuse into your target, you will the amount of MP equal to your infusion. Once your MP is exhausted, your infusion will stop increasing and last for thirty minutes. You will have to wait for your MP to regenerate before using the skill again.
Closing the screen, a thought struck me. On a whim, I decided to try something new, this time I willed both skills to life at the same moment. My right hand burst into fire and my left into yellow light. A new notification appeared, and I grinned widely as I read it.
ABILITY UPGRADED
MAGIC MANIPULATION (LEVEL – 2)
Using your ability to access and manipulate the natural energy given off by the Earth, you have successfully used more than one element at the same instant. You are now able to use more than one elemental skill at a time, until you exhaust your MP. Your level and magical ability will limit how long, and how much you may use your skills.
I closed the window, and saw that the sun had finally finished setting, Cunning Wolf was looking at me and smiling slightly.
“I see you have received the gift of the Earth.” He said solemnly.
“Thank you for teaching me Wise One.” I replied, bowing my head slightly.
“You are welcome. Come, it is time for the ceremony. Let us go.” He said, getting up from his seat.
I stood up and followed him, with thoughts of what I could do with my new magical skills. I really needed to spend some time playing with my skills. My mind was reeling with ideas of combinations of attacks, and more importantly crafting. Oh, the things I could do with them.
The two of us made our way down from the roof, heading towards the area for the ceremony. Although, I was a bit preoccupied with my new magical skill, I noticed that the entire place was empty. Everyone was already outside, which made the Fortress of Earth seems a bit eerie. I shivered slightly, thinking morbid thoughts, mostly about failure and what that would entail. We exited, through the main entrance, and I shook my head, clearing it of the dark thoughts.
Once outside, I looked around as Cunning Wolf and I made our way to the center of the ceremony area. The whole tribe was outside and gathered in a semi-circle, around a giant funeral pyre. Workers had gone out to collect dozens of trees to make the pyre out of, then those were stacked upon one another, in a giant square pattern. On the top of the pyre were the slain Jicarilla warriors, above them on a loan platform was Chief
Running Hawk.
I stopped next to Moon Flower and grabbed her hand. Cunning Wolf continued until he was next to the Chieftess. My fiancé leaned against me for support and I held her close. The rest of my elite warriors were around us, I nodded and made eye contact with them. Then the Chieftess walked to the center of the gathering, stopping directly in front of the pyre. A moment passed, then she turned and gestured, Stone Fox came forward, torch in hand and gave it to Chieftess Shining Eagle. She took it solemnly and turned back to the funeral pyre. Without a word, she placed the torch in the center and stepped away, standing next to her two children and her Shaman.
The whole crowd was quiet, as we all watched the pyre begin to smoke and catch fire. It happened slowly at first, the kindling in the center catching fire and beginning to smoke heavily. Then a minute went by and more smoke, little bits of orange flame flicking out here and there, among the wooden beams. All of a sudden, as if someone had thrown gasoline on the fire, the entire pyre caught, and blossomed like a burning flower of red, orange, and yellow flame.
The silence continued, the minutes went by, all of us watched the fire burn in silence, the only sound the roaring of the flames and the crackling of burning wood. We watched for hours until the fire burnt out, tears streaming down our faces. Goodbye Chief Running Hawk, you will be missed. Without a word, we all streamed back inside the Jicarilla home and headed back to our rooms. Once inside, my fiancé and I found solace in each other’s arms, we made love over, over, and over again, until we were both exhausted. Then sleep took us, ending the long, long day.
TRACK 15 – FAR BEHIND – CANDLEBOX
My dreams were crazy realistic that night, almost as if I was sick and having fever dreams, or tripping on mushrooms. Either way, I tossed and turned throughout the night, to the point my lovely fiancé elbowed me in a few choice places during my restless slumber. Taking the not so subtle hint, I decided to start my day, exhausted as I was, and dressed, leaving my beautiful and violent fiancé to sleep a bit longer, and without my constant interruption of her rest.
Dressed and almost fully awake, what I would do for a cup of coffee, I quietly left our room, shutting the stone door behind me, without a sound. A quick glance at my mini-map and I headed off towards the lower levels, and my first task of the day. The time for mourning was over, it was time to work, and work hard.
It was still predawn, so the corridors were empty, most of the tribe still sleeping. There were some people out and about though. I nodded and waved to the folks in the quiet stone corridors, as I walked by. My mind was preoccupied as I followed the course marked for me on my map, while I accessed my character info.
NAME – Lawrence ‘Law” Wrath
RACE – Half Human
ALIGNMENT – Neutral Good
CLASS – Jack of all Trades
TITLES EARNED – War Shaman, Master Sculptor
EXPERIENCE – 1278/2500
LEVEL – 3
HIT POINTS – 37/37
MAGIC POINTS – 37/37
FEATURES
HEIGHT – 6’5”, WEIGHT – 275 LBS, HAIR COLOR – Black, EYE COLOR – Amber, SKIN COLOR – Bronze
ATTRIBUTES
STRENGTH – 7
DEXTERITY – 7
CONSTITUTION – 7
INTELLIGENCE – 7
WISDOM – 7
CHARISMA – 7
COMPANIONS
Fiancé – Moon Flower – Level 2 – EXP – 460/500
ANIMAL COMPANIONS
Familiar – Westley ‘Freak’ Wrath – Level 3 – EXP – 507/2500
Skills – Furry Armored Hide (Level 2), Furious Roar (Level 1)
Mount – Winston ‘Triumph’ Wrath – Level 2 – EXP – 517/2500
Skills – Leathery Armored Hide (Level 2), Double Kick (Level 1)
Sweet! I was over halfway to level 4, and Moon Flower was just about at level three. I closed the window, as I had just arrived at my destination, and took in the scene before me. There was no jail per se, but there was an underground storage area. It only had one entrance and was large enough to hold all the prisoners, after the junk had been cleared out. There were two guards at the door, I recognized one of them as the girl who was outside our room the other day, and smiled at her, to which she turned red and looked away.
“I’m going to need to go inside and talk to the prisoners.” I said. “Close the door behind me and don’t let anyone but me out, ok?”
The pair nodded, then stepped aside, the pretty girl I had recognized opening the door for me as they did so. I walked in and they shut the door behind me. It was a bit darker inside than in the corridor, as it was lit by a single torch, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. When they did, I studied the room and its occupants, a frown growing on my face. The cell wasn’t that large, only fourteen by fourteen, and it held all twelve of the prisoners.
All their faces turned to me and stared quietly as I entered. The foot soldiers were subdued and had the look of the defeated etched across their features. None of them would be a problem, they were followers, I could tell, but the other three were a different story. The two Conquistadors and the ex-Aztec leader still had fire in their gazes.
The three were sitting together and talking when I came in, at the rear of the room, I made my way there, the other prisoners moving out of my way. Stopping a few feet away, I glared down at the sitting men, looking in each of their eyes, trying to gauge their measure. Sighing, I shook my head and squatted down a few feet away, bringing myself to eye level with them. I decided I’d just lay it out and try honesty.
“Here is the deal. I’m probably the only person here who doesn’t want every single one of you dead.” I said, speaking low, but loud enough for the whole room to hear, then pausing and letting the statement sink in before continuing. “But, against the popular opinion, I decided to let you live. I have told my people who you are, what you did, and what you will do. It’s because of men like you, that most of my people are dead. Your kind are responsible for the deaths of millions, and the destruction of our society.”
I looked both Conquistadors in the eye as I spoke, making sure they knew I was speaking about them, then I turned to Montezuma.
“You though, I’m curious about you, I know who you are, but why would you be helping these men? Aren’t they responsible for the destruction of the Aztec people? Your people?” I asked quizzically.
The man looked away as I spoke, shame and distress in his demeanor. Then as if coming to a decision he turned back, his gaze strong and full of purpose.
“I have no choice. The leader of these men is terrible and ruthless. He conquered my people and the surrounding tribes with ease. He calls himself The Emperor of the New World. He has my family as hostages, my wife and children, my nieces and nephews. They are ungodly warriors, they cannot be defeated. The only choice is to serve them. Even though it goes against my nature, and every day I hate myself a bit more. But, for my family I would do anything.” Montezuma said.
“As you can see by your current situation, they are not invincible, as we just destroyed their army.” I replied.
“Ha! Their army? This is but a one hundredth of the forces they can muster. I have seen it with my own eyes. Everyday there are new soldiers from their homeland, then when they conquer a tribe they conscript all the warriors that survive and make them fight for them. They have weapons that create thunder and lightning, they have armor that our weapons can’t even scratch. You think you can beat them?” Montezuma laughed, this time loudly and with a bit of hysteria attached.
The prisoners around the room, emboldened by Montezuma’s speech chimed in with their own reasons for following the Conquistadors, from fear to family, each echoing the former leader. I held my hand up and the room quieted, and I refocused on the two Conquistadors, who were now in a serious whisper conversation. A minute later they seemed to come to a consensus, nodding and both turning back to me, the shorter dark-haired one taking the lead.
“The truth
is, both of us were sent to find you.” He said solemnly, then switching his position to one knee, quickly followed by the other Conquistador. “We pledge ourselves to your cause and promise to fight for you and support you until our last dying breathe.”
Both men had heads bowed to me and hands to their chests in salute, in their kneeling position.
“Well shit… this is not quite what I expected.” I said, shaking my head. “Let’s start with your names and where you’re from, then we will get to why and who sent you to search for me. First though, the others should be here for this. Come with me, you as well Montezuma.”
I stood up and headed for the door. The other prisoners began calling out and asking for mercy and what not.
“Quiet.” I barked out, the room falling into silence in an instance. “Someone will come for you, then we will see if you can prove your worth. Open the door.” I called out to the shut portal. The door opened, and I stepped out. “These men are coming with me. I will send someone down for the rest, soon. One of you please go tell the Chieftess and others to meet me in the Map… I mean the room with the Stone Tableau of Earth.” I told the guards, then took off, the two Conquistadors and Montezuma following along in my wake.
The three men were quiet as we walked, I also kept up a rapid pace, so they had to hurry along with my long-legged steps. A few minutes later, and lots of nasty looks directed towards the prisoners by tribe’s folk along the way, we arrived at the Map Room. It was day time now, and the open aired room was lit quite brightly, except where the stone megalith cast shadows, giving the circular center shade from all directions.
I motioned the prisoners to places around the shaded area. Once there, I activated the map, then grinned as the three men gasped and stared in awe, as the metal and magic wonder burst to life. A moment later and the map resolved itself of the surrounding area. Just then, I heard the voices of my friends and family entering the room.
I Am Gamer II Page 7