Soul Stone Mage Complete Collection Boxed Set

by Sarah Noffke

  A man who looked to have never bathed in his entire life pushed a metal cart filled with bags of junk—or maybe it was treasure here on Earth. It sure looked like rubbish, though.

  Her eyes swiveled to a gang of young humans who sat in a circle on the red bricks. Some had instruments, while others only swayed as they hummed. A girl with a head full of ropelike hair jumped to her feet and twirled and danced to the music.

  “Is that a fairy without wings?” Monet asked. He was watching the group as well.

  Ever crossed his arms in front of his chest and shook his head, a smile hiding at the corner of his mouth.

  “Is she a gigantic pixie?” Monet asked, now squinting at the girl who threw her face up to the cloudy sky and smiled, her eyes closed.

  “No, as far as I know she’s a hippie and has no magical abilities. Unless you count annoying yuppies as a talent,” Ever said, a laugh in his voice.

  “What’s a yuppie? Are they like gnomes? They’re easily annoyed,” Monet said, turning his attention to the sky like the girl had. A gentle mist had started to dust their heads and shoulders. He reached into his robes, withdrawing his wand.

  “Whoa there, buddy. No magic while on Earth,” Ever said, speeding over and pushing Monet’s hand back into his pocket. He glanced around to ensure they hadn’t been seen. “You’ll have the Silver Griffins breathing down our necks fast if you don’t put that away.”

  Monet held up one finger in front of Ever’s face. “Buuuuuuut,” he drew out the word, waggling his finger in the air, “my hair is getting wet.”

  “You’ll melt, then. Deal with it,” Ever retorted.

  “Didn’t we just pop out of nowhere into this courtyard? Isn’t that considered magic? And also, like, super noticeable?” Azure asked.

  Ever dismissed her questions with a wave of his hand. “Most people in Portland are high or drunk, dismissing the unexplained as normal. They love to see the unseen here, which is why I picked it. And while I can hide the magical frequency the portals create, I’m not as masterful at disguising magic others do. Like you two, for instance.”

  “What is this place?” Azure asked, staring around as mist clouded her eyes. “What did they do with all the grass?”

  “This is Pioneer Courthouse Square, affectionately nicknamed Portland’s Living Room. It’s a community place where they hold events, or citizens just hang around and play chess,” Ever informed them.

  “Or sleep.” Monet pointed to a man lying on a brick stair.

  “Portland is weird,” Azure observed, noticing a young human approaching. He looked like an orc or goblin, given the number of rings he had running through the skin around his eyes and in his ears and nose. Orcs and goblins were known for their numerous piercings.

  “Yes, which was why I thought you two would fit in just fine.” Ever threw his arms over Azure’s shoulder and steered her toward the sidewalk. “We’ve got to find a charger for the Fitbit, and we’ll grab some food while we are here.”

  “Wait! Gillian is probably being tortured, and you want to pop off for a bite to eat?” Azure asked, appalled.

  “We are no good to ourselves nor the gnome if we keel over from starvation,” Ever replied.

  “I, for one, am famished. Where can we get something crunchy, orange, and delicious?” Monet asked.

  “My wizard friend, I have something much better in mind than Cheetos, although we can fill up your reserves while here,” Ever said, leading them down a congested thoroughfare.

  “You only encourage him by supplying his addiction,” Azure said.

  “Where are you taking us? Are there libations? I’ve been sober for way too long today.” Monet’s eyes roamed eagerly over the signs hanging overhead on the various shops and restaurants.

  “Is there a frozen yogurt place?” Azure asked, the smell of the sweet shop she’d visited in the Land of Terran lingering in her memory.

  “Something way better,” Ever informed them, turning Azure to face a restaurant and still holding on to her shoulder. “I’m taking you two for something the nineteen seventies made popular and hipsters keep alive.”

  “What’s that?” Azure asked, staring at the double doors of a restaurant.

  “Fondue!” Ever declared with a giant smile that lit up his blue eyes.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. We’re supposed to cook our own food?” Monet complained, reading the menu.

  “Only the meat course. The cheese and chocolate ones are simply for dipping. It’s really fun, I promise,” Ever said, his eyes peeking over the top of his own menu.

  “I need drinks to deal with this.” Monet held his hand in the air, waving it around to gain the attention of people passing by. “Hey, can I get liquor?”

  “Monet, that was a patron. The wait staff are in uniform,” Ever said.

  “I’m going to pretend I understand what all those strange words mean.” Monet had leaned forward and could feel the heat of the burner in front of him. “Is this a cauldron?”

  Ever laughed, amused. He had known what he was doing when picking this place. It was all for his entertainment. “It’s where we are going to simmer the cheese and other foods.”

  Monet turned and looked at Azure, who was next to him. He clasped both of his hands onto her arm and shook her slightly. “Seriously, we are going to die. Your strange friend has taken us to a cauldron shop where they make cheese and chocolate potions. There’s nothing magical about those things.”

  “Speak for yourself. I for one could eat my weight in melted cheese.” Azure slapped her menu on the table, realizing that she was hungry from all the hiking. Still, they didn’t need to dawdle. “Let’s charge the Fitbit, eat, and get back to Oriceran.”

  “I’m already on it. I charmed the hostess to put the Fitbit on a charger in the back. We’ll pick it up after we eat,” Ever explained.

  “I thought you said we weren’t allowed to use magic while on Earth,” Monet complained.

  “Oh, well, by charm I meant my irresistible looks and flirtatious style,” Ever said with a wink. “I’ll teach you, Monet.”

  “Pssh. I wrote the spell book on flirting.” Monet pushed out his chest, holding his fondue fork in the air.

  “Drinks! We need drinks!” Azure realized that these two were going to grate on her nerves. She needed Gillian back to balance the group with his level-headed manner.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Slightly buzzed and fully stuffed, the three stepped through the portal onto Oriceran.

  “It should be illegal to eat that much bread at one time,” Monet declared, sitting down and leaning against a set of rocks.

  Azure’s jeans cut into her stomach, but she ignored the fullness and studied the navigation on the Fitbit. “Next time, you’re cut off after the third bowl of bread cubes.”

  “But how else was I supposed to soak up all the cheesy deliciousness?” Monet asked seriously. “I can’t picture ever tying myself to a witch for the rest of my life, but cheese and I have a real future together. I’m going to start campaigning for dairy unions.”

  Ever smiled down at Monet. He’d covered the bill again, using his small green piece of plastic. Monet thought that there must be something magical about the card, since it had paid for a huge bar tab as well as all their food. Ever had tried to explain how credit cards worked, but Azure and Monet’s eyes had glazed over when he started talking about APRs.

  “Okay, let’s get to work using the Fitbit to find our way,” Azure said, the device in one hand and the piece of parchment Gillian had given her in the other. “He said that the Mountain of Truth plays tricks, and that the only way, other than having Gillian himself, was to rely on distance measurements.”

  “What do the first set of instructions say?” Ever asked.

  “After six-point-three miles we are to take a sharp right,” Azure said, consulting the paper and then the device. “We have just a little bit more to go.” She started forward, but tripped, making her catch her balance.

&nb
sp; “So…what? If Gillian was here, would he magically know how far six-point-three miles was?” Monet was joking, but the light expression dropped from his face when he turned to Ever. “Is that one of the abilities in the gnome’s arsenal?”

  “Gnomes are excellent with navigation, especially in the mountains,” Ever informed him.

  “Must be because they are so close to the ground,” Monet said with a chuckle.

  “Speaking of the ground, does anyone else notice that it’s playing games with us?” Azure asked, taking another step and tripping for the third time. She kept misjudging how high to pick up her foot and how low the ground was.

  “Dear Azure, that’s called being drunk. And yes, I’ve noticed that walking is bit more difficult.” Monet stumbled forward, his foot hitting the ground hard.

  “I had half as much to drink as you, Monet, and I’m having the same trouble walking,” Ever said.

  “Well, that just means that Light Elves can’t handle their liquor so well.” Monet lifted his foot high and then slowly brought it down, as if not sure where it would land. The three traversed the next several yards like careful drunks not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

  “Things just got strange here.” Azure turned to the wall of dirt to her right. “This is where Gillian says we need to take a right.”

  “So, gnomes have great navigational skills and can walk through walls?” Monet put his hands on his hips.

  “Are you sure? Maybe you misread it and the turn is farther down or a left,” Ever said, peering over Azure’s shoulder as she reviewed the directions.

  “Since a left would have us walking over the side of a hill, I’m going to guess that isn’t it unless the gnome sent us on a death mission,” Monet remarked.

  “Which is totally possible,” Azure muttered, narrowing her eyes at the parchment.

  “It says ‘take a right at six-point-three miles,’” Ever confirmed before glancing at the Fitbit. “And we are at exactly that mileage.”

  “There was a reason that Gillian insisted we use the Fitbit. He said accuracy was key, and to follow the directions. So, what if…” Azure’s voice trailed off and she took a careful step forward, then held her hand out and touched the dirt wall. However, it wasn’t dirt and rock Azure felt against her fingers. It felt more like silk, and then the sensation was gone and her hand sank through the wall and disappeared.

  “Whoa! Whatever they put in my martini was some good shit,” Monet exclaimed.

  “Of course!” Ever rushed forward, sinking his own arm into the wall. It disappeared. “It’s a false wall. The Mountain of Truth is rumored to be full of lies, at least on one of the three levels. Must be on the first.”

  Monet threw his hands up, exasperated. “All things you and Shorty could have shared before we set off on this fucking adventure… Three levels. Level of lies. Good to fucking know.”

  Azure pulled her hand out of the false wall and turned to face Ever. “For once I agree with the sassy wizard. Sometimes Gillian’s and your secrecy goes a bit far.”

  Ever smiled apologetically. “Sorry, it’s habit. I’m used to being on my own. And Gillian… Well, secrecy is in his blood.”

  “Well, try and open up more or I’ll be spilling some Light Elf blood,” Azure warned. Her tone was light, but she had a look of intimidation on her face.

  “You got it.” Ever winked and bowed to her. “Will you allow me to go first and ensure it is safe on the other side?”

  “Yes, thank you,” Azure said with a smile.

  Ever stood tall, eyeing the wall before marching forward. He disappeared through it, but only briefly. A moment later his head popped back out, appearing to float in the air. “Coast is clear, but the lies continue. Be warned.”

  Azure threw a glance at Monet. “A place full of lies. Sounds like you’ll fit right in.”

  “Ha-ha, Queen Bitch,” Monet strolled past her, pushing her slightly as he disappeared through the wall.

  Azure gulped, glancing at the mountain around her before stepping through the wall.

  “Oh, fuck! Are you sure I’m not high?” Monet yelled.

  Azure sucked in a breath and backed up, not at all prepared for the world she’d stepped into. Below her feet and stretching up the mountain was a ground made of sky. Under her were blue skies and clouds, as if she were walking on air. The wall of the Mountain of Truth stood on her right and the valley on her left. Where the sky was supposed to be, there was only dirt and rock.

  “It’s a reverse world. The ground is sky and the sky is ground,” Monet said, his voice full of astonishment.

  “Actually, it’s a lie. What we are seeing is an illusion, like the false wall.” Ever knelt and scooped up a handful of sky. He lifted it a few inches, opened his fingers, and dirt poured from his hand. “See, it’s actually dirt. And the sky is full of the clouds above us.”

  “What’s the point of this?” Azure asked.

  He shrugged. “To disarm. Create confusion. I’m sure this isn’t the last lie we’ll see and have to assimilate into our minds.”

  Monet snapped his fingers in front of the Light Elf’s face. “’Fess up. Three levels? Tell us all, secret keeper.”

  Ever gave an easy grin and nodded. “I don’t know as much as Gillian, but I can tell you this much. The first level appears to be full of lies. The second, from what I’ve heard, is about truth, hence the name. And I don’t know anything about the third level, except that it’s where the purple mist lies.” Ever pointed to the peak, which was barely visible in the distance, purple mist swirling around it.

  “And that’s where Mage Lenore lives,” Azure added.

  Monet wove his arm into Azure’s and pulled her over to Ever. He wove his other arm through the Light Elf’s. “Okay, let’s get our happy asses up the yellow brick road.”

  “Do you know what he’s talking about?” Azure asked, leaning forward and looking at Ever.

  “I do,” he replied with a laugh, before looking at Monet. “I’m the Tin Man, and you’re definitely the Scarecrow.”

  “Fuck off! I’ll show you brains!” Monet joked, not at all looking offended.

  “Seriously, you two are ordered to stop using references I don’t get,” Azure growled.

  “Not a chance,” Monet said, trying to skip but unable to, linked as he was to Azure and Ever. He untangled his arms from theirs and kicked up a bit of dirt from the sky-ground.

  “Anyone else notice the golden tree in the distance?” Azure asked, looking at a shiny oak dripping with gems.

  “I just did,” Monet informed her. “And it looks like we’re rich!”

  “Level of lies,” Azure reminded him.

  “Oh, come on—you’re so cynical! I’ll need a boost. I’ll pick enough to make Virgo a rich realm.” Monet broke off from the group.

  As they neared the tree, the ground shifted back to dirt and the blue sky was flecked with puffy clouds.

  “I was kind of getting used to walking on clouds,” Monet muttered, skipping toward the golden tree.

  Ever gave Azure a sideways look. “He won’t really pick anything from the tree, will he?”

  “Probably not. He just enjoys giving me a heart attack.” Azure consulted the directions and then the Fitbit. “Actually, just past the tree it looks like we’re supposed to take a left.”

  Monet spun around and halted. His eyes jerked to the side and then back to her. “You do see that a left takes us over the mountain to certain death?”

  “Mountain of Truth trickery, don’t you remember?” Azure reminded him.

  “Walking through a wall is a bit different than stepping off the edge of a mountain,” Monet said.

  “Well, it sounds like you need a brave man for the job,” Ever said, stepping forward and puffing his chest out in an exaggerated manner.

  Monet twisted his head in one direction and then the other, staring all around. “When is this man you speak of going to show up?”

  “Oh, you two are impossible.” Az
ure marched forward, pausing on the edge of the cliff. She lifted her foot and mentally prepared herself to step over the side.

  “I’ve got you,” Ever said behind her, his hand close to her arm in case she fell.

  She nodded, taking a deep breath. She let her foot come down and was stunned when she was suspended in air. Instead of walking on endless sky, now she was looking at the ground a few thousand feet under her. “Don’t come out here unless you aren’t afraid of heights,” she warned, taking a few cautious steps.

  A moment later Ever joined her, looking at the landscape under them. “My question is, how do we know where the path is or when we’re about to take a real plunge?”

  Azure nodded. “I think the side of the mountain runs next to us. We are just moving along the edge of it as we wind our way to the top.” She took a few cautious steps, her hand out. A smile sprang to her mouth when her hand connected with the dirt wall. “It’s still here. We just can’t see it.”

  “Before the wall wasn’t real when we could see it. Now it’s there, but invisible. This place is fucked up,” Monet said.

  “I agree. And if we stay connected to the wall, we won’t walk off the edge of the mountain,” Ever said.

  “Let’s keep going. I’ve had enough of the lies.” Azure set off in the lead.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Soon they were walking on actual ground again. The terrain turned rocky and the trees dotting the landscape thinned. Most of the year this part of the Mountain of Truth was covered in snow, but thankfully it wasn’t that time of year.

  “I need to take a piss,” Monet whined behind Azure.

  She whipped around and stuck her hands on her hips. “Thanks for the information. Go off and do it.”

  Monet scanned the area where they stood. “Where?”

  “Dude, I’m not your mother. Go freaking figure it out,” Azure said.

  “Why don’t you hike around this bend? We’ll wait here,” Ever offered, pointing to the turn ahead.