by Peter Hartz
“And that machine in the stables is not a war wagon? I have never seen it’s like before, and yet you say most people may purchase one if they have the gold? And that there are hundreds like it on the roads where these humans come from?
“You also mention cities of a hundred thousand beings living and working together? There is no way to move enough food or water into a city like that, nor to move offal out of it. Every day wagons by the score bring food to this city, to be sold in the markets, and at that, the Throne limits the numbers of being that live here to ensure that there is plenty for all and that we do not live in a latrine.
“The greatest part of what you have said that I am hard-pressed to accept is that all this has happened without the assistance and leadership of the dwarves. Everyone knows that great works and buildings are the work of Dwarvish hands, not of the Elven, and certainly not of any humans I have ever met.
“I say I must see this plane, to believe what you say is true. Perhaps you have told the truth, yet perhaps not. I must ascertain this for myself. I do not doubt your words, only your untrained observations. You are a warrior and mage, not an engineer. Observing these things is not of your considerable and respected strengths. I mean no disrespect,” the dwarf half-bowed an apology towards Giltreas, who merely smiled and returned the half-bow.
“I am not offended, nor do I feel disrespected, old friend. I would be more than happy to bring you to that plane, so you might see for yourself what I have seen, and explain these things to me. As you have so graciously stated, I am not an engineer, and certainly not lucky enough to be a dwarf. I would welcome your observations,” Giltreas finished with a half-smile and another half-bow. Then he turned to David.
“David, do you think it acceptable to sojourn to your plane with these good beings that they might tell us what they see of your people?” The innocent look and tone of voice in Giltreas’ voice was almost too much for David to bear with a straight face, but years of iron-willed discipline in the Marines and later at the highest level of business enabled him to pull it off, and he nodded gravely to his friend.
“Of course. I would be honored to show them my world, and answer any questions they might have. I would ask them to respect our customs, though. They will cause quite a stir, since they are out of the most ancient myths and legends to my people. Their appearance will be quite shocking to some.”
The dwarf nodded towards David, acknowledging his presence for the first time. “Of course. One must be polite; it is the honorable thing to do.”
David nodded once, as if that settled it. “Great. Who wishes to come with, and when would this happen?”
A voice spoke up, and David’s eyes opened wide, as did Allison and Michelle. Anaradelle suddenly appeared in the throne room, standing off to Giltreas’ right side in a slightly open area between the throne and the wall. She stepped forward, and the beings of the various races in the throne room bowed low to the Mid-God that had appeared in front of them.
“I wish to come with you, if I am welcome.”
“Goddess, I would welcome you, but it is not my plane, and therefore not my place to do so. The welcome must come from David, Allison, or Michelle.” Giltreas swept his arm towards where the three stood, and David and Allison swallowed in the anxious silence that descended on the throne room. Michelle seemed to be the only one who wasn’t tongue-tied in the silence.
“I would be happy to have you accompany me to see my world, Sister.” The timbre and tone of Michelle’s voice seemed to be changing almost on a day to day basis, as she slowly accepted that she was not merely mortal anymore.
Anaradelle bowed her thanks to the newest Goddess of the multiverse then turned back to the rest of the assemblage in the room, waiting silently for the rest of them to make up their minds.
Delara was the next to speak. “I will accompany you, as will my Seneschal.” She turned to the dwarf that had spoken up before. “Gherratt, you will come as well? And you others?” She looked the question over all of the assembled beings who had joined them in the throne room for Giltreas’ report, and waited for their responses to her question. Most shook their heads no, but one, whom Allison knew as her teacher in the magical arts nodded yes, smiling at her as he did so. Gherratt the Dwarven engineer also nodded, his gruff voice saying, “Certainly.”
Delara nodded. “Very well, it is decided. When shall we do this?”
David thought about it, and after a brief conversation with Michelle and Allison, turned back to Delara. “It would be best to do this in four days, on our Saturday. There are a number of preparations I would like to make, to ensure your safety, among other things.”
Delara nodded once more. “It is wise to be prepared. I will talk with my jailer, and he will accompany me as well.”
We shall meet back here in the morning in four days to see to this place of such mystery as you have painted for us, Giltreas.” She turned and walked back to her throne, then past it to the tapestry-covered doorway, exiting the room.
Anaradelle swept a half-bow to Giltreas, after which she abruptly disappeared once more. Gherratt shook his head at the comings and goings of the Goddess, and turned back to Giltreas once more.
“Giltreas, boy, what aren’t you telling us? I could tell you were prevaricating, but I do not know in what. Do you wish it to be a secret?”
“It is better for you to see the sights for yourself for the first time, instead of through my eyes.”
“Very well. What will I need in the way of guards? Are there many uncivilized beings there?” The question came out in a delicate tone of voice. Clearly the dwarf was trying not to offend anyone, but David understood the need for safety and security, and he spoke up.
“If you are willing to accept it, I will ensure your safety. I do not expect any significant problems, but Giltreas could pull everyone back through a gate if things become an issue. I will have people that will prevent anyone from following you back to this plane, if there is a problem.”
Gherratt bowed to David. “I thank you, human. That is most generous.” Then he grinned big. “I am looking forward to seeing these miraculous buildings with more than four floors in them. They must be a sight to see. Unless the floors are all my height?” The dwarf came barely up to the bottom of David’s armpit. David guessed he was all of four feet tall, but that entire four feet was made up of the massive musculature of a being who worked a hard, physical job every day. He was easily as thick as David, and none of it was fat.
Giltreas shook his head, trusting his gesture to be adequate for conveying his message.
◆◆◆
On the morning four days later, the cavalcade was ready to go to David and Allison’s world. Michelle was coming back as well, even though David wasn’t sure it was really safe for her, but the discussion had been mostly one-sided.
He had argued against it, throwing reason after reason in front of her to slow her down, but she had simply waited for him to run out of ideas then simply said, “I’m coming home with you. I can handle myself now. I am not the same being I was when I was attacked. I am ascended now. And I want to see it again. I have no idea what will happen to me next, or where I will end up.”
David had simply given in, then. He had never won arguments with her in the past either, before her ascension. Now, it was simply not even a discussion. She told him what she was going to do, and he really couldn’t stop her. He looked at her, and she looked back silently, allowing his scrutiny, wondering what he was thinking, and what he saw when he looked at her.
“Michelle, I don’t want to lose you. Even when our parents were not there for us, you were there for me. Now that you are what you have become, I can’t stand the thought of not having you around. I hope that fate, or whatever guides you from here out, is kind enough to Allison and I to have you in our lives.”
Michelle swept forward and pulled her big younger brother in tight for a hug, burying her face into his shoulder. “I will always be there for you, my Davey D. You are
the bright spot in my life that I cherish. Nothing will take you away from me, nor me from you.” The words were muffled by his shirt, but he caught them just the same.
Allison stepped forward, unsure if she should reach out to join in to the moment, but Michelle solved that dilemma by reaching for her and pulling her into a three-way embrace. She felt the incredible emotional warmth and welcome of her husband and his sister, and then realized that she could see it, too.
“Michelle, you’re glowing again.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Thanks for the apology, but you’re still glowing.”
“Deal with it. It’s not like I have a light switch up my ass or anything.”
Allison laughed then snuggled in closer to the two people she loved more than anyone else in the multiverse.
Yintarin, Allison’s magic teacher, looked with wide eyes as he turned and saw the source of the glow that had pervaded the throne room in the brightly-lit afternoon. It was coming from the human female standing in a three-way embrace with David and the other human female, Allison. She had been identified to him as David’s mate, which didn’t make any sense at the time. Everyone knew that humans didn’t take single mates like Dwarves and Halflings did. They were part of small groups of fifty to sixty adults that all seemed to change partners every night in a way he never understood.
Now he looked at the three of them, standing some fifteen feet away, and he could feel the emotional warmth flowing off the one, Michelle. It permeated his senses, and seemed to wash away his concerns and cares, and he sighed happily as the slightly euphoric effect calmed him. Then he shook his head. He didn’t understand the tongue they were speaking in, and that surprised him. He considered himself somewhat of an expert in the different tongues that the various races used to communicate, but this one puzzled him. Still, he was a being of almost infinite curiosity, something that stood him well in his field as a mage. He saw a puzzle, and he had to ask the question. He stepped closer.
“Excuse me. I beg your pardon for intruding.”
Michelle turned to the dwarf, and smiled at him. “It is ok. What is your question?”
Yintarin was impressed. It was difficult for those taller than him to look down at him without looking down on him, as if is shorter stature made him less important, less intelligent, or simply of lower social standing. It was something that he simply ignored as not significant nor important to deal with. But Michelle accomplished it with an ease that he respected mightily.
“Why do you glow? Are you Deus? I thought I knew most all of the Gods and Goddesses, but I do not know you. I mean no disrespect. But I am curious. It is a failing of all Dwarven mages, I suppose.”
“Yes, I am Deus. But I have only been Deus for a few months. And I have only known about it for a few weeks at best.”
The bolt of surprise that struck Yintarin at Michelle’s words staggered him, and he could only stare back at Michelle in open-mouthed amazement for several moments.
“Why are you so shocked?” The question was gentle, and carefully crafted to put the one being asked at ease.
Yintarin shook himself, as if trying to clear his head.
“You are a new Goddess? Truly?” The dwarf seemed to be having a difficult time catching his breath, and one hand went to his chest as he tried to calm himself.
“What is it? What is wrong? Why is this so… whatever it is?” Michelle seemed to focus all her intensity on the dwarf, who staggered further under the weight of her entire presence. She sensed that she was not making things any better, and closed her eyes, taking calming breaths as she tried to get her emotions under control.
Allison reached out to the dwarf, grasping his arm as he fought to stay upright, and his hand latched on to her arm fiercely, grateful for the support. Allison turned towards Michelle, then saw her with her eyes closed, and as she breathed slowly in and out, the glow faded, and went out entirely. She opened her eyes, then looked at the dwarf, who now seemed to have composed himself. He was looking back up at her, his eyes still somewhat wide, but his mouth was closed.
“Goddess, there has not been a new ascension to Deus in a thousand years on any plane. Scholars who study such things have speculated that there was no need for new Gods and Goddesses, hence the lack of ascensions. Gods and Goddesses have been asked about this before, but none have given a reason. It is thought that they simply do not know themselves. Before that time, there was a few every hundred years or so. It was common for new Gods to ascend from mortals to take roles from Gods who are no longer. But none have needed to be replaced, and none have ascended in millennia.”
Michelle paused to consider what the Dwarven mage said to her, then decided she didn’t have enough information to determine what was happening. She tried to put it out of her mind, but she kept coming back to what Yintarin said. She was about to ask Yintarin another question, but he bowed, and spoke once more.
“What do you call yourself, Goddess? And what role will you fulfill?”
“What role? I have no idea. I didn’t even know I was a… I didn’t even know until sometime after it happened. My name is Michelle.”
Yintarin’s mind was reeling at these revelations. Many things that the Dwarven philosophers thought were true regarding those ascended to Deus seemed to be simply, utterly wrong.
“Goddess Michelle, meeting you has been a shock. Much of what we had assumed to be true, or learned over the millennia, seem to be not the case. It was always known that a new Deus would ascend after a role had been discovered to be unfulfilled, and that the Deus would ascend after being asked to do so, and accepting. The sacrifice one makes to leave the Great Path of the Soul is considerable, and the choice is not made lightly. Forgive me, but I must go communicate with my Elders to tell them of your arrival. Might I take my leave of you?”
Michelle thought about what Yintarin had said, then decided she could find others later to answer the questions that she would inevitably come up with. She looked at the Dwarf, then nodded.
“Thank you very much for your thoughts on what has happened. I greatly appreciate it. Will I be able to call upon you later if I have more questions?”
“Of course. I am at your service, My Lady Michelle.” Yintarin bowed so low his beard nearly touched the floor. Then he stood, and walked away out of the throne room.
David turned to Giltreas after the conversation between his sister (if she was that anymore) and the dwarven engineer and said, “We need to go back to prepare the team for the visitors that are coming. Can we go now and come back in a short time?”
“Of course,” he said simply, then called the gate back to David’s place of business, setting the far end down in the room the team used for its offices. He waved David forward, then stepped through himself. The gates on either end of the connection disappeared from the throne room and the office room shortly after that.
Chapter 40
The gate opened up on the main floor in the lobby of the downtown office building that housed the MDST, Inc. headquarters operations. Standing nearby was David’s entire team, each one armed with their usual concealed-carry weapon, out of sight in shoulder holsters under matching dark purple lightweight jackets that had MDST, Inc. emblazoned in gold on the back. The various members of the team knew that Michelle had chosen those colors for the company because of her brother’s almost fanatical following of the Minnesota Vikings.
The entire lobby area was divided by the centrally located security desk and the glass walls that extended from the desk sideways to either outer wall, forming a straight line that blocked off access to the restricted areas beyond the security desk. Above the glass wall were two levels of balconies, where the upper two floors ended in the lobby area. The edge of the floor overlooking the lobby was marked with a low glass wall, topped with a metal railing that extended the entire length of the wall. At the ends of both balconies, the open area ended at secure doors, that faced each other across the open area of the upper floors, and facing forward t
o the open space were two elevators on the left, and a stairwell on the right.
The guards manning the front desk had been told to expect the gate that suddenly appeared in their lobby, but they still weren’t prepared for it actually materializing in front of them. One actually yelled out briefly in shock, before getting himself under better control. The three guards behind the desk at the moment were still very anxious, seeing something like that for the first time.
The gate itself just stood there for a moment, wavering so very slightly in mid-air like the surface of a lake, before Giltreas stepped through. He turned and nodded to the guards, who relaxed somewhat; Gil Owens had been coming and going the old fashioned way for the better part of two months now, and they had grown accustomed to him quickly. It had helped that he was unfailingly polite to every security guard with whom he interacted. While some had commented on his unusual coloration, he was close enough in appearance to a human being that they could subconsciously accept his differences as simple variations on the human race.
Not so with the next six beings, identically dressed in identical short-sleeved and belted tunics, pants and sandals each carrying a wooden staff that was probably six feet long and two inches in diameter, that stepped through the gate to appear in the lobby, followed quickly by David, then Allison, then an unknown young woman with dark, rich hair that was stunningly beautiful, yet hauntingly familiar just the same.
The six beings, recognizable as guards because of their clothing and behavior, though, were nothing like anyone else they had ever seen, except maybe in a bad movie or something. They looked around, then each nodded to the guards behind the desk respectfully, still trying to take in the impossibly huge room they were in, with the glass wall that looked out on the rest of the downtown city scape, leading to more impossible sights beyond the perfection of the glass itself. It was obvious they had been briefed at least a little on what to expect on the other side of the gate, and they took up positions around the gate in a secure formation, snapping to attention.