Portals of Infinity: Book Two: The God Game

by John Van Stry

  “He’s faking it,” she told me, almost having to shout to be heard over the storm.

  “How can you be sure?”

  “He’s not dehydrated at all. Joseph told me all about sea sickness during that last really bad storm when the three of us got sick. He doesn’t want to be up on deck for some reason I guess.”

  “That or he’s just lazy,” I laughed.

  “I think he’s up to something,” she said.

  “What’s Stephanie say?”

  “I haven’t been able to ask her, we haven’t been up here on deck at the same time since the storm started.”

  I nodded, “Check the foresail, I think the line’s slacking a bit.”

  She nodded and went back up to the bow and I waited until she and Stephanie changed places sometime later.

  “You doing okay?” She shouted

  “I’ll survive, though I wouldn’t mind a break eventually. So what’s the story with Cen?” I yelled back.

  “He says he’s seasick.”

  “Do you believe him?”

  She gave me a look that told me she wasn’t sure. “Why would he lie?”

  “Why does he hate me now?”

  “Oh he doesn’t hate you Will.”

  “I overheard him telling you so last week,” I laughed at the look on her face. “Not my fault he’s loud.”

  Dezba came running up on the deck then waving her arms.

  “What’s wrong?” Stephanie yelled.

  “One of the bilge valves broke open; it’s starting to flood the cabin!”

  “Shit!”

  “Take the wheel!” I yelled at Stephanie and then I followed Dezba down below. Sure enough we’d taken on about a foot of water and it was still coming in fast.

  “Start pumping the bilge out!” I told her.

  “How do I do that?”

  “Give me a minute, let me stop this first.”

  It didn’t take me long to check what was wrong with the valve, the handle on it had somehow broken off, so I stuffed some bedding into it and tied it off with a rope. It didn’t stop the water, but it slowed it down considerably.

  “Okay, its back here,” I told her and opened the small passage to the back of the sailboat. I showed her the pump, which was really a big disk affair with a lever off the side that you worked back and forth. The intake was just a short piece of hose lying on the bottom of the hull.

  “Just pull the lever back and forth, don’t try to force it. You should be able to keep ahead of the leak.”

  “Okay, better get back on deck!” She said as the boat suddenly rolled hard to starboard.

  “I would have thought she’d learned something about sailing by now,” I complained and headed back up as Dezba laughed.

  “How bad is it?” Stephanie asked as I took the wheel from her and got us back on tack.

  “Somehow the handle broke off the valve.” I told her.

  “How did that happen?” She said looking surprised.

  “I don’t know, I wasn’t down there. I can’t close it right now, I’ll need to find the tools and I can probably shut it then.”

  “Are we going to sink?”

  “I plugged it, and slowed it down. I think that should hold until this storm ends. You need to get below deck and help Dezba work the bilge pump.”

  Stephanie nodded and looked at me. “I don’t think he tried to sink us.”

  “I don’t care. Just make sure he gets his lazy ass out of bed and takes a turn on that pump.”

  Stephanie nodded, “If he doesn’t I’ll tell him to get out and walk.”

  I laughed and leaned over and kissed her, surprising her.

  “What was that for?” She asked.

  “For being the girl I fell in love with all those years ago,” I said smiling.

  She blushed and left me, heading back below.

  The storm broke about half a day after that. I took a nice long nap then went and found the tool box and was able to close the valve. About two hours later they had most of the water pumped out.

  “So what’s the damage?” I asked Stephanie as she came back to the helm where I was sailing the boat.

  “We lost over two thirds of our rations; we have enough for maybe five more days. We need to go ashore and find some more food.”

  I swore. “Let me guess, Dezba and I go hunt while Cen stays here with you?”

  Stephanie frowned, “No, he’s going with the two of you. I’ll stay and guard the boat, but that’s it.”

  I nodded. “Well let’s find a place that’s a good one to land. Something we can get out of quickly if we have to.”

  “Definitely, I don’t want to land along cliffs like the ones we’re sailing by,” she said motioning to the coastline. “Too hard to see anyone coming and it is a huge tactical disadvantage.”

  “Okay, hopefully we can find a good place before the food runs out.”

  We sailed for one more day until we found a good spot, without any cliffs. I anchored us out a good way from the shore, then the three of us piled into the small dingy and I rowed us in. Cenewyg wasn’t looking very happy, he didn’t want to come with us, but Stephanie hadn’t given him any choice in the matter.

  “Well let’s see what’s around then,” Cenewyg said and started up the beach as I dragged the boat up above the high tide marks.

  “Just be careful,” I grunted as I checked the oars and started to follow him, “This is supposed to be a nasty place.”

  “Well looks just fine from here,” he said looking around. “I even see a small village off to the north there.”

  Dezba and I joined him and looked.

  “Well, now what?” Dezba said.

  “Looks pretty small and harmless, I say we go see if they have any food we can barter for,” Cenewyg said.

  “Sure why not?”

  “What about the cannibals?” I asked.

  “I see cows and sheep and farmer’s fields, I don’t think these people are cannibals.” Cenewyg said. “They look like farmers.”

  I shrugged, “Okay fine. Let’s go.”

  We set off trudging across the ground; at least it firmed up as we got closer to the village.

  “Something look weird to you?” I asked as we drew closer.

  “Yeah, this place is farther off than I thought.” Dezba said, “I think those buildings are a bit larger than we thought.”

  “Giants?” I asked worried.

  “Maybe, we’ll see when we get closer.”

  “Let’s scout out that farm over there,” Cenewyg said pointing off to the west a bit. “Maybe we can get what we need without having to go into town.”

  “Sure, sounds good.”

  As we drew closer to the farm several of the farm hands noticed us. Cenewyg waved and they waved back, and as we drew closer we noticed that all of them were bigger than we were. Probably ten foot tall to my own six.

  “Damn,” Dezba said.

  “What?” I asked.

  “I hate dealing with Giants; they always seem to have an attitude.”

  “Greetings,” Cenewyg said to the first one we approached, “We were wondering if we could trade for some food.”

  “I don see ya carry much. Wha’s have you fer trade?” The giant replied looking us over. He was rather strong looking and had quite a few scars on his body. The kind you didn’t get from working in a field.

  “Gold? If you can not use it, I’m sure those in town might want it.”

  “Yas, gold will trade. Wha’s you wan for trade?”

  “Food stuffs.”

  “Ah, foods. Come folla me, the barns where ye be wantin whas we have fer tradin.”

  Cenewyg nodded and we followed him, I noticed Dezba had a hand on her sword and I started doing the same.

  When we got to the barn the one leading us, along with a couple of others who had just ‘drifted over’ suddenly attacked.

  “Fresh blood!” One of them yelled and I didn’t even think twice as I shifted into my champion form and atta
cked. With the time shift and all of us using our champion forms it didn’t last terribly long, we slaughtered them fairly quickly, as well as any others who came over to join the fight.

  “Shit,” Cenewyg said, “I see a few running for town.”

  “Well, let’s see what’s here and what we can grab.” I said and opened the doors to the barn. “Nothing in here, except a handcart.”

  “Spread out, check the outbuildings,” Cenewyg said and headed for the house.

  I searched around and found another building with a bunch of smoked sides of beef hanging from the ceiling. I grabbed two and ran outside to toss them in the handcart, then went and got two more. Dezba had found sacks of vegetables and tossed a couple of loads of them in as well. Cenewyg came out of the house with what looked like several large wheels of cheese wrapped up in a large cloth.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he said and with him and me grabbing the cart, we started to head back to the boat as fast as we could pull it.

  “Anyone chasing us?” I asked as we cleared the farm.

  “Not that I see yet,” Dezba said.

  I nodded and we continued to haul as fast as we could over the uneven ground. At least things weren’t falling out. I think we’d covered about a quarter of the distance when I heard Dezba swear.

  “Well, they’re on to us,” she said. “Looks to be a lot of them too.”

  “Think they’ll catch us before we get back to the beach?” Cenewyg asked.

  “Yup.”

  “We’ll all stop and fight when they draw close.” I said.

  “Then none of us will get back.” Cenewyg said. “Dezba, when they start getting close attack them.”

  “Why me?”

  “Because Will and I can pull the cart faster than you.”

  I heard her sigh, “You’re right of course. This is gonna suck. Might as well take them on here. See you around I guess.”

  I grunted and just kept pulling. I guess it was about fifteen minutes later that they caught up to Dezba, cause that was when the yelling began, followed shortly by a lot of screaming as she attacked them. I don’t know how long she lasted, but it was at least as long as they’d taken to catch up to her.

  When we got to the beach, I started tossing everything into the boat as Cenewyg started to push it into the water. I heard them before I saw them, and drawing both of my swords, I turned and started to run back up the hill.

  “Better start rowing!” I yelled back at Cenewyg, “I bet these guys can swim just fine.”

  I clashed with them at the top of the hill, and immediately started to back up, moving down towards the beach as I fought. There had to be at least fifty of them and I wondered how many Dezba had killed before they got her. They definitely had a size and reach advantage, as well as numbers, but I was stronger and faster.

  However, when the ones in the back started throwing rocks, rocks the size of my head, I knew I was in trouble. I probably killed twenty of them, and seriously wounded half that before one of them took a rock to the back of the head with such force that his dead body pitched forward into mine rather unexpectedly.

  I got pinned and killed shortly after that.

  # # # #

  The trip home was not exactly what I expected. No god or goddess in this sphere paid me the slightest bit of attention, which I guess meant that I didn’t die in anyone’s area of influence.

  I moved onto Circe’s next.

  “Well hello there,” she said to me and patted the spot on the couch next to where she was sitting. I took the hint and went and sat next to her. I was still in my Champion form, which I guess made sense when I thought about it.

  “So ran into the cannibals I see.”

  I nodded and sighed. “I think Cen managed to get away though, with Stephanie.”

  “Cen, he was the rude one, right?”

  I nodded.

  “Yes, he got away. If he had died I would have seen him go by.”

  “Umm, can I ask something?”

  Circe smiled and put her hand on my chest. “You’re here because the only pathway back to your Feliogustus’s sphere is through my sphere. There used to be several other powerful gods and goddesses in this sphere, but due to the shifting of the Infinite their power has waned while mine has grown. So I had ‘first pick’ when you came through.

  “Now normally I would have just ignored you, but I found you to be rather intriguing shall I say. You were not originally born in that form, but you do seem to be rather comfortable with it.”

  I smiled and shrugged, “How’s Joseph doing?”

  “Oh Joseph is doing quite well, he is happy with me as his goddess and I am most happy with his desires and attitude. But I’d rather discuss you instead.”

  “I’m flattered,” I confessed. “How long will I be here?”

  “About three days, you’re not far enough away for the time to shorten appreciatively.” She smiled and patted my furry chest again, “Now, it has been such a long time since I’ve been graced with a guest, let’s talk.”

  I spent my time in Circe’s realm rather enjoyably. She was not like any of the gods or goddesses I had met to date, not that I had met many of course. But she was more earthy in some ways, more ‘human’ I guess is the best way to describe it, than others. She was quite interesting and yes, rather sensual. I was very flattered by her attentions, she was also very curious about the worlds I had been to and the worlds beyond. I developed the impression that this was once a very busy place, but no longer was.

  When my time to go came, I honestly felt a little sad. While her views on men were perhaps a bit strong, overall she was a nice person – or goddess rather.

  I was not surprised to find myself drawn into Sireen’s presence next.

  “Ah, Will, it is good to see you again, please, join me.”

  I got my bearings, this was a bit different, but in a way it made sense. We were on a stage overlooking the sea and there were instruments everywhere. I noticed then that I was in the female form I had lived in while in her realm.

  “I thought you’d find it easier to play like that,” she said confirming my suspicion as it crossed my mind. “I really enjoyed a lot of those songs you brought from your home. Sadly, we get few travelers from there anymore, fewer still that have the appreciation for music that you seem to.

  “So if you don’t mind?” She said gesturing to the guitar by her side.

  I smiled and bowed, then picked it up and started to play one of the songs in my head, with her accompanying me.

  The accompaniment part was a little strange at first, because while I just played guitar, she played all of the other instruments required, and sang background or accompanying vocals as necessary. All at the same time.

  I did my best not to let it distract me, she was after all a goddess, and this was her personal realm outside the laws of reality. I did get used to it eventually and while we would stop every once in a while to take a break and discuss the music we had been playing, almost all of my time spent there was spent performing with her.

  I think I learned more about music theory than I realized existed in that time. It was a lot of fun, however I wasn’t looking forward to the torture that I knew was only a couple of stops away.

  “Oh don’t worry about that, Will,” she told me as soon as the thought had crossed my mind. “Your soul always takes the shortest path, and the one of least resistance. You’ve got two more jumps and then you’re home.”

  “Oh, thanks,” I said sincerely. Knowing I would miss that insanity was quite reassuring.

  The next two jumps were rather quick from my perspective. No one bothered me; no one cared, so I was just pushed along with no seeming passage of time until I ended up in Fel’s tavern once more.

  The first thing I did was hug him, I think it surprised him, but truth was I had missed him. “It’s nice to be back home,” I told him smiling.

  “Apparently! I hate to tell you this, but I’m sending you back out almost immediately.�
��

  “Oh?” I said looking surprised. “Why?”

  “Aryanna doesn’t think that Stephanie can succeed on her task with just Cenewyg helping.”

  “She doesn’t trust him anymore either, does she?”

  “Now I didn’t say that,” Fel admonished me lightly.

  “Yeah well, I’m starting to think I’m the last one coming around to that point of view. So how will I catch up with them?”

  “Circe has agreed to help, you’ll start from her sphere and she’ll turn both you and Dezba into giant birds so you can catch up.”

  I blinked, “Wow, that’s awfully nice of her.”

  Fel grinned, “Joseph was a set up, Aryanna knew they’d be perfect for each other, so this is Circe’s returning the favor.”

  I shook my head smiling, “I should have known. Can I at least spend a few hours with my wife?”

  Fel nodded, “Yes, I can let you do that.”

  “Is there anything you can tell me that might help?”

  Fel smiled, “There is no golden fleece involved, but if you think about it you should be able to figure out where you’re going.”

  “Cenewyg has already, hasn’t he?”

  “I suspect so.”

  “Does he know what we’re after?”

  “None of us know if he does or not, even his own god doesn’t know, and that’s what worries me.”

  “That gives me uncomfortable thoughts, Fel.”

  “I know, I can hear them and I’m going to erase them before I re-incarnate you.”

  “What?” I said surprised.

  “This is important, I don’t want you acting on those thoughts at the wrong time, or worse yet someone seeing those thoughts if you should die again before this is finished. They might get the wrong idea.”

  I shook my head and sighed, “Can I at least have them back when this is all over with?”

  Fel smiled, “Of course.”

  “Thanks, now I think I’ll go outside and meet the faithful while I wait for you to send me back.”

  “Of course.”

  I went outside to the mirror of the city and did just that, I spent time with the recently departed; catching up with them on things I’d missed over the last several months as they moved through this realm to their final reward in Fel’s heaven. It definitely passed the time rather quickly and suddenly I found myself in the temple where I was rather lustfully assaulted by the high priestess; then went home to an even more lustful assault by my wife, Queen Rachel.