I nodded to acknowledge Tersa's comment. She stepped back into the house to prepare, as April and I did the same. A few minutes later, we all met in front of the house, and folded space for Earth. We arrived at my home on Earth to find it dark, and quiet. I turned on the lights, and we started to make ourselves at home.
Cindy and April stepped out to check on their apartments. I had Vandahar go with Cindy as she went to check on her brother, Carl. We were all in the same building, but he lived on a different floor.
A few minutes later, Vandahar returned, and asked Tersa, April and I, to join him. We went to go see something Cindy said was important.
As soon as we arrived, I could tell that the door on Carl's apartment was different. It appeared obvious there were cameras everywhere in the hallway. The door appeared to be made of a dense alloy. It would be bullet proof as the humans call it.
The moment I saw Carl, I could tell something seemed different. He acted very mentally wound up. There was something about him as a human that had changed. I started to scan him, and got a shock.
Carl had changed since I first met him. There had been an accident when we first met. He was involved in an electronic link between me, and a massive computer system on Earth. I now realized the event had... altered him.
He sat calmly smiling at me as we all entered the room. Cindy looked nervous, but otherwise there didn't appear to be anything wrong. At least, at first glance.
Carl and Cindy had been talking as we entered, and now continued. Cindy asked, "Where did the money for all this come from Carl?"
"I've been very lucky in the stock market!" Carl explained. "About half a billion dollars so far. I own this building, and a dozen more in this area! Gonna fix em up! Give people a nicer place to live!"
Cindy looked at us, and then back at Carl. "I'm worried about you Carl! You're acting really weird!"
Carl started laughing, and I started scanning him. He was thinking clearly, but his brain had definitely been altered by the accident.
As I scanned him, he looked at me, and said, "I'm aware you're scanning me Kaltar. I owe you a lot. I'll do whatever you ask of me."
I had to smile. His mind was so calm. The Madness seemed gone from him. He smiled back at me, and said, "I didn't believe you about the Madness till it left me. Now I see it clearly!"
"I hope I haven't harmed you in any way my friend," I replied.
His smile broadened as he said, "You cured me of a horrible plague! Please don't regret what happened! I don't!"
I let it drop, but I was still worried. After a moment, Cindy said, "If it can cure the madness disease, perhaps I should take a shot at it!"
Carl's head snapped around to look at Cindy, and he practically growled, "I forbid it! It's not safe! I've been having some headaches and other issues!" He looked at me, and added, "Let me be the lab rat for a while! If I'm alive in a year, we'll talk about it again!"
"I don't like comparing you to an animal," I observed. "It appears a little late to worry about what has happened. I do however, agree we don't allow anyone else to follow your lead for now."
Carl nodded his acknowledgement of my remark. Then he said, "I have a message for you."
"For me?" I asked, more than a little surprised.
"A woman named Dona Carter contacted me a few days ago." Carl said. He paused, and I could see in the link he was collecting his thoughts. Then he said, "She showed up asking questions about you. I could tell she started scanning me, and she could tell I knew. She said she wanted to talk to you." He reached into his shirt pocket, and pulled out a business card. He handed it to me, saying, "Ever since then, this building has been under observation. I'm kind of surprised she isn't here already."
I looked at the card. It had, "Specialized Security!" on the front of the card, along with a phone number. Other than her name, that was it.
"Do you feel threatened?" I asked.
"No," he replied. "The lady acts like a cop! She and a group called the Chosen seemed very interested about your activities."
I don't know why, but I felt a little surprised. We were aware of the Chosen, so I shouldn't have been surprised they were aware of us. I could feel the tension start to build in the link. Tersa and Vandahar were instantly on edge, and reaching out in their scans.
Abruptly, long swords appeared in both Tersa's and Vandahar's hands. I could tell they had sensed something I couldn't. Tersa turned to Vandahar, and practically hissed, "Go for help!" With a snap, Vandahar folded space, and was gone.
There was a tap at the door, and we all stood still in the room for a moment. Then I stepped over, and swung the door open. A lone woman stood there.
The last time I had seen her, she had saved my life. The most shocking part for me, was that I couldn't see her in my scans. I could see her human body, but her mind was shielded. She smiled, and I could tell she dropped her shield. I could see her mind at once.
I said, "You must be Dona Carter!"
She nodded, and asked, "Can we talk for a minute?"
I stepped back, waving her in. She stepped in, looking around at all of us, and said, "I'd like to speak to you alone!"
"Not happening!" snapped Tersa.
I instructed Tersa to stand down in the link. She wasn't happy. I had to mentally ping her the command twice to get her to obey. April was noticeably tense as well. Her mind was running wild with speculation.
"Where would you have us go?" I asked.
The woman said, "Would you just trust me, please!"
On instinct, I said, "Very well!" I turned to Tersa and April, saying, "Remain here! I will return shortly!"
Tersa was livid. For a moment, I thought she was going to openly refuse my order. She caught herself, and nodded. Her thoughts were clear in the link. If I didn't return soon, she would be following with an army of Magi. She quietly said, "Don't be gone long!"
Carl had risen from his chair, and calmly asked, "Are you okay with this, Kaltar?" His concern was comforting, He had become a good friend to me.
"I'll be fine," I said. Oddly, I felt safe. The Rock had said to follow my heart. This felt right. I reached over, and pulled April close for a moment. As she reached for me, I noticed how delicate her hands were. She pulled me tight, and I kissed her for a moment.
Then Dona said, "I swear he will be back in an hour, tops!" She had a huge smile on her face, and I couldn't believe she would harm me.
I stepped away from April, and Dona took my hand. She quietly said, "Follow me!" and we both folded space.
As soon as we arrived, I took a deep breath. I had never dreamed of a place like this. It was built on a huge scale. The Magi try to avoid mechanical and electrical devices. This was a gigantic metal world built around a star.
We were standing on a tall hillside, looking out over a vast field of grain. Dona looked over at me, saying, "I wanted you to see this!" She stepped forward, and started to walk. I followed her, and she continued, "I'm with a group that is known as the Chosen. We are humans that were recently released from the Madness through the efforts of a group known as the Guardians. Do you know of these people?"
I nodded and said, "We are aware of their efforts!" Glancing around, I asked, "Are they responsible for all this?"
"No," Dona responded. "The people who built this are long dead. The city itself is controlled by an entity that calls himself Ewon. He has made us welcome here, and we have quickly come to love the place."
"This is a City?" I asked.
"That's what Ewon calls it," Dona said. "The Great City!"
I caught movement as Tersa appeared with half a dozen Magi. They were all armed, but they stood in the distance, just watching us. Dona said, "I'm surprised it took that long!"
"We're kind of new at this," I replied. Frankly, I was a little surprised myself. I could tell in the link that Tersa wasn't messing around.
"The Chosen have started to move here," Dona said. "In essence, we are fleeing from the violence and hatred of Earth."
&n
bsp; I thought about the comment for a moment. Then I said, "Perhaps it would be better if you helped to steer the remaining Earthers through the current issues at hand."
"Actually, that's what myself and many others among the Chosen believe," Dona said, her earlier smile returning to her face. "I wanted to talk to you, because we can tell you are here to help. We want to understand why, so we can better convince others among the Chosen to stand with us."
I was really surprised at the comment. I said, "You mean you have been released from the Madness, but you still live in fear?"
Dona paused, and said, "You make a good point. I guess that's true."
"I'll defend the people of Earth because it is the right thing to do," I replied. "I believe Earthers are victims of a horrible crime, and I'll fight to bring the Madness to an end, no matter the cost. I only wonder why you wouldn't do the same."
Dona openly laughed, and said, "When I show this memory to the people in the Chosen who are hesitant to help. I suspect you'll shame many into rethinking their position."
"I have no desire to shame anyone," I replied.
Dona was already waving me off as she stood widely smiling at me. I could see in the link that she understood my comment. She just said, "I'll make sure they understand you'll be there for the people of Earth!"
I smiled back, but could see in the link that Tersa was growing impatient. Several more Magi had appeared, and the ones on the ground had spread out while moving closer to us. I was fairly certain Dona wouldn't allow herself to be trapped, and was worried what would occur if Tersa stopped obeying me.
Dona turned, and we stopped walking again. She said, "The Chosen have been aware of the Magi for some time. Some within our group believe the Magi Madias was responsible for freeing us from the Madness. If that is true, we owe you a great debt. I hope you'll consider us allies, and with time, we will come to be friends.
I could see in the link she was speaking the truth. It's a benefit of being telepathic. Lies are impossible. The most you can do is block a scan. Dona was openly allowing herself to be scanned.
I trusted her.
Tersa was following all this in the link. Abruptly, she stepped away from the other Magi, and walked directly toward us. As she stepped up to us, she said, "Now that you trust her. It's time to go home!"
"Stand down, and return to Remaca!" I said.
The cords in Tersa's neck stood up, and she growled, "No!" through gritted teeth.
"Kinda tense, isn't she?" asked Dona.
"It's not really you," Tersa said looking around. "I really hate machines. This place gives me a migraine, instantly."
Dona smiled, but I got the feeling she didn't appreciate the pressure. She quietly suggested, "Why don't you run along home like he told you then!"
For just a moment, I thought there would be trouble. Then Dona started laughing, and I realized she was having fun at Tersa's expense. Tersa seemed to feel the same way about it, saying, "We are all leaving! You need to return with us!"
My entire life I have respected authority figures. For the first time, I realized that I was the authority figure. I needed to behave like one. I questioned, "Can you return to Earth or Remaca with the others? Or do I need to have you escorted there?"
I could tell it hit Tersa like a slap. I hated to do it, but if we would work together, then we must understand who commands. After only a split second, she bowed slightly, and stood to walk away. She stopped, turned, and said, "If you're not back in an hour, or you’re harmed in any way, I'll come back with a thousand Magi, and rip this place to pieces!" Then she folded space, disappearing instantly.
I noted the time on my watch. I got the feeling Tersa meant it.
Dona openly laughed again, and said, "She would have made a good cop!"
I grinned slightly, and said, "She is a great Magi, but when she smiles, I get nervous."
Sobering somewhat, Dona said, "I know we don't have much time to talk. I just want you to know that we want to help in this battle, but this is all very new to us. You may need to be patient with us."
I had to smile as I told her, "A year ago in Earth time, I was living on a farm on a planet far from here. I saw my mother and father every day, and that was it. Now I find myself here. I can sympathize with your outlook."
Dona scanned me for a moment, and her eyes widened. "But you rule the Magi council!" she stammered.
"My Master, the Rock, rules the Council till I take my seat at its head," I replied. "I am not truly prepared for that honor, but soon, I will be forced to take the job completely!"
"You don't sound very happy about it," observed Dona.
"Well, I'm not unhappy about it," I answered. "I just don't know what to do half the time."
Dona laughed slightly. We started to walk again as she said, "That's a part of being any kind of leader, is facing the unknown!"
Sobering, I said, "I'm afraid of others being harmed by my mistakes!"
Dona glanced at me, and said, "I was a cop for over ten years before I joined the Chosen. If we lift the Madness from the people of Earth, it would mean an end to the insanity and violence! I swore to protect and serve! These people live in hell, because of the Madness! It must be stopped, even if we make mistakes doing it!"
She stopped walking, and placed her hand on my elbow. Then she said, "I know you must leave! My people will help guard and protect your home and friends on Earth. We have a large group of the Chosen in that area anyway." She paused for a moment, and then continued, saying, "You and the Magi have given me great hope Kaltar. I want to rip this thing up and kill it. Please help me to take this thing down, and free my people on Earth!"
She had shifted to being on the verge of tears. There was anger in her voice. I could see in the link that her need to serve her fellow humanity was strong. If this was what the Earthers were like when the Darkness was removed, they would be awesome when finally freed once and for all.
"It would give me great joy to end the crimes committed by the Darkness," I replied. I paused, and then said, "Please don't cry Dona Carter! You are a beautiful person! I'll be honored to stand and fight against the Darkness by your side!"
She seemed slightly startled, but her smile slowly returned as she said, "I hope you'll return soon so we can talk more Kaltar!"
I bowed slightly out of respect. Then stepped clear to fold space. We each smiled, and I returned to Earth.
Chapter 2
Kiss of Darkness
I arrived home on Earth to find both April and Tersa very irritated with me. Vandahar, Talara, and Urla, were there, along with a dozen other Magi, most of which I didn't even know. Tersa said, "Wow! He lucked out and made it back alive!"
Vandahar rolled his eyes, saying, "Give it a rest Tersa!"
"I think Tersa is right," observed April. "You're taking too many chances Kaltar. You need to be more careful."
I nodded to acknowledge the comment. I was aware they were both right. I just found it easier to understand what was happening when I was engaged in the process. Urla abruptly said, "You’re doing fine Kaltar! Follow your heart!” It was the first time I realized how she was scanning me. She was tightly linked with my mind. It was the telepathic equivalent of putting her hand on my shoulder.
As I reached out in the link, I realized all of the Magi present were scanning me intensely. The energy flowing from them actually passed through me like a wave. For just a moment I felt as if the room moved around me. Then I refocused, and reached out. It seemed like a natural thing to do.
The room and everyone in it faded. I felt as if I was floating in space. All around me stars poured light into the night of space. Far in the distance, I was aware of the inky darkness that didn't reflect the light of the stars. It was deeper than the blackest of nights, and from within it came a voice.
"I see you!" it hissed. "Feel my kiss!"
I can remember a cold chill, and then pain. The most incredible pain I've ever felt. I screamed, but it brought no relief. There was a loud
crash that made me think of thunder on Earth. Then I saw Tersa. She burned brightly, as though she was made of the purest of light.
Behind her, another Magi stepped into my field of vision. It was Vandahar, and he too burned like the hottest star. A wooden staff appeared in Tersa's hands. She pointing it at the Darkness, and a ball of light leapt from the staff, shooting off into the black chasm in space that lay before us.
More Magi were appearing, and now Vandahar had a staff in his hands. Both he and Tersa were firing off ball lightning shots one after another. No more words came from the blackness. Just screams of pain and anger.
In seconds, a half dozen Magi had surrounded me. As they did, the room I started in returned. I was back where I started, but as I looked at the others in the room, I was aware that it hadn't been a dream. Any doubt I had disappeared as I noticed the steam rising from the staffs held by Tersa and Vandahar.
"What was that all about?" Urla asked.
"It's obvious, Kaltar is a Gatemaster!" said Tersa. "He can open interdimensional gateways that others can pass through!" She hesitated before saying, "I only know of one other Magi that can do it. That's your Uncle!" As she said it, our eyes met, and I saw in the link that the other Magi were overwhelmed with the comment.
"That means Kaltar is a gateway, straight to the Darkness," Urla quietly said.
"He could be, if he could channel enough power," agreed Tersa.
"We could take an army of Magi right into the heart of the Darkness," observed Vandahar. His voice was just a whisper, as though he was afraid of being overheard.
Tersa turned to Vandahar and told him, "Go to the Council at once! Tell them of what has happened here!" Vandahar stepped backwards, and folded space instantly.
The entire room was on edge. You could sense the tension in the link. We all jumped slightly as April asked, "What the hell is going on around here?"
"It appears we have a gateway right to the front door of the Darkness," said Tersa. "The only question is, whether that's a good thing, or a bad thing?"
"The Rock will know what to do," Urla said.
The Books of Kaltar Farsara Boxed Set - Books 1 through 3 (The Kingdom Kaltar Farsara Built) Page 17