Origin Mage

by John Forrester

  Aurelia scoffed. “You speak of gains, but this means nothing to you personally. There is a strong chance you and Mara and your friends will die on the cold, dark world ahead. Even your soul will be consumed by their magic. The gift of immortality you possess will do nothing to stop the pain and endless torture of those devious minds. We are likely doomed. The only hope we have is in Caisa’s succeeding. If you plan on fighting her, you will only bring harm on yourself. She is your best and most powerful shield against the dark forces on the Origin World.”

  “But she aims to have us slain in our initial attack. She seeks revenge against us for what we did to her.”

  “She does not care about you or your friends. What you did means nothing to her. She does not perceive time the same way as you. A year imprisoned in the Underworld is but a second to her. If anything, you taught her a valuable lesson and she likely feels indebted to you. The trap you set made her stronger and more resistant to new methods of attack. Don’t be a fool in thinking your life so important to her. You’re not.”

  Mara caused herself to reappear, sending a smile spreading across Talis’ face. He came over and gave her a big, unnecessary hug. She loved it all the same.

  “It’s easy for you to be so high-minded and superior,” she said, hating the way Aurellia’s cold, heartless eyes studied her. “But you’re no different than us. You’ve resigned yourself to your fate, and that makes you weak. If you were stronger, you would resist the Nameless and remain on Vellia with your brother, and enjoy the life you deserve. But here you are, giving in to your master’s ridiculous plan.”

  “You are young, impetuous, and foolish.” The dark lord looked her as if she were a child. “You fail to see the long plan. If we succeed, then we will be allowed to return to the serenity of our lives. If we fail, we die. Nothing more and nothing less. You should know, resisting the Nameless is not an option. The master would drive us all permanently mad. I should know, for I’ve tried it far too many times. It’s futile.”

  “It could be you failed to try hard enough or to use enough cunning,” Talis said, giving him a half-smile. “I believe in the Goddess Nacrea and in the power of the gods to aid those who believe in them. Their strength and wisdom provides us with solutions to the impossible. At least, that’s what I believe.”

  “Believe what you want, but prepare for the worst. Whatever schemes you have in mind, keep them away from my attention. I won’t ignore them this time.”

  Mara knew his warning was real, and sent Talis a cautious look. They trekked on through the jungle, quiet now, until they passed through thick foliage that led into a clearing. There they sighted a group of Starwalkers casting spells of dark, eerie illusions.

  The spells reminded Mara of the magic of the Cult of Yavreel.

  9. The Cult of Yavreel

  Talis tensed as he lowered himself behind the dense foliage, studying the Starwalkers. There were five robed figures huddled around in a circle, hands outstretched, eyes raised toward the stars.

  Mara shot him a look of warning. He glanced back to the figures and he saw it. They were the followers of the Cult of Yavreel, casting their dark spells in secret.

  A grin spread across Aurellia’s face. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “What a lucky coincidence to have found them like this. Watch their casting, see their finger flourishes, and memorize the sounds of their chanting. We have captured a rare and beneficial moment. Don’t squander it like all your other misfortunes.”

  The dark lord’s soft voice went silent as they were absorbed in studying the cultists. They were younger, different than the aged, serious Melchezze, though they still possessed his wild-eyed fanaticism. Talis indeed memorized their spells, some of dark illusions, some that summoned demons, and some that seemed to subdue the minds of others. Still others produced bizarre results that Talis believed he had to test first before finding their usefulness.

  “The time has come for us to act.” Aurellia stretched out a bony hand holding a star fragment. Inky tentacles of dark power spread out and surrounded the unsuspecting Starwalkers. A few of the cultists went wobbly at the spell, while others, protected by some shimmering shield, snapped their eyes in the direction of the dark lord.

  “We have visitors, Venery,” said a male, silver-clad Starwalker. He looked perhaps thirty, with coppery hair and a strong jawline. He wore a black robe emblazoned with arcane silver symbols. His emerald eyes shone with a strange power.

  His companion, a fair-skinned woman of a similar age, but with cropped, golden hair, nodded at his suggestion. “Dangerous visitors, I would say. The ones we have been warned about. It seems Jared wasn’t lying, they indeed came. Shall we warn the others?”

  “Don’t be weak of will. We can dispense of them ourselves.” The cultist cast several spells at Aurellia, but they turned to small, dark slugs before reaching him.

  “See?” Venery said, casting a silver shield of protection against Aurellia’s second spell. “Remember how Melchezze’s egotistical certainty led to his downfall? We have avoided one attack, but might be vulnerable to more.”

  Aurellia chuckled. “She is the wise one. You should listen to her.”

  “Listen to this,” the Starwalker said, and brought a glowing black flute to his lips. He played a rancorous tune and onyx daggers sped through the air, stabbing into Aurellia’s chest.

  The dark lord gasped in pain, stumbled back, and fell to one knee. His claw-like hands swung around and desperately searched for the daggers now lodged deep in his breast. He somehow managed to retrieve several, but winced in pain as he probed for more.

  Talis cast a shock of light at the two Starwalkers, causing their shields to once again flare up. They were about to return fire when a blast of golden light shot from Aurellia’s palms and the two Starwalkers swayed from side-to-side in a trancelike movement.

  “We are fortunate indeed to find them.” The dark lord found the last dagger in his chest and flung it away, sighing in relief. “Now we know the defensive variations the Starwalkers have been taught. This should be easier now, and will produce a more abundant catch of Starwalker allies. We might discover that the Nameless is pleased, for once.”

  “I would have thought your master was impossible to please.” Nikulo grunted. “Unless, perhaps, you’ve found a way to give her the rulership of the Origin World, and hand her the heads of her enemies on a golden platter?”

  “I have sorely missed your wit, young Nikulo. But I suspect any pleasure the Nameless would find would be very short-lived. She is quite insatiable, I’m afraid. When one is imprisoned for ten thousand years, one dreams of ridiculously impossible things and never-ending conquests.”

  “Then why would you believe that upon our success in conquering the Origin World we would be allowed to return to the peace of our old lives?” Mara looked warily at the dark lord. “Why wouldn’t she merely require our service for as long as she has the lust for conquest?”

  “We would fight, I imagine, if it came to that.” Aurellia spoke somberly, narrowing his eyes at them, his expression tensed and hard. After a moment, he turned away and led them to the dazed Starwalkers. “Let us return to our meeting spot, and speak of this no more.”

  Mara touched her daggers and vanished once again.

  When Caisa returned with her group and saw the Starwalker pair, she gave Aurellia an appreciative nod. “A nice catch, Lord Aurellia, though couldn’t you have waited for me?”

  “I was merely following your orders, master.” He bowed a bit lower than normal. “Would you have wanted me to have done nothing instead?”

  “Don’t test my patience. I was speaking in jest.”

  “Ah, I see. I thought perhaps age was casting a shadow over your memory. In that case, let me shower you with additional news. These Starwalkers are worshippers of the Cult of Yavreel. We caught them casting their dark spells in the forest.”

  The Nameless raised an eyebrow. “I shall look forward to torturing them. Has your skill at interrogatio
n improved in the last hundred years?”

  “Unlike you, I’ve no need for such banal activities.” The dark lord sniffed. “If we are to win them over as allies, I have the notion of convincing them of the merits of our cause. If our cause does have merits?”

  “Don’t be a pompous ass. Your idea of convincing someone means boring them to death with your long speeches until they beg you to stop, promising anything in exchange for silence.”

  “Your constant banter has imbued me with the strong desire to drink.” Nikulo raised an imaginary glass to his lips. “Shall we continue on our quest or should I take a nap?”

  Caisa sauntered over to one of the cultists and placed a finger on the woman’s forehead. The spot glowed with a sickly yellow light.

  “Her memories are fragmented. She was taken as a child. Her parents resisted and were murdered in front of her by a group of Starwalkers. Only her time on the Origin World satisfied her craving for violence and revenge. The endless obsession, it was called.” The Nameless sighed. “What bitter memories this mind holds.”

  Talis wasn’t sure if Caisa was referring to her own bitter memories, or that of the Starwalker. “We have memorized the spells they were casting.”

  “Really? I find this most intriguing, traitor.” Caisa’s face twisted up into a scowl. “Are they unknown spells you can use against me, like before?”

  “No, I didn’t mean that—”

  “Oh, then you are truly redeemed? You’re volunteering information to benefit me? I should offer you a reward, boy.” The Nameless laughed, her tone cruel. “A reward of pain.”

  Then it hit him. A nauseous wave of crippling pain flooded through his body, causing his spine to snap backwards. He screamed and gritted his teeth. It felt like his back might break. As he fell to the ground, Charna yowled and came to his side, aiming her hissing mouth at the Nameless.

  “Stop it!” shouted Mara, appearing behind Caisa with a dagger cinched around her neck.

  The Nameless chuckled and held up her hands. “So the girl is here after all? It turns out my ruse worked well to flush out the little bird. Did you enjoy sneaking around in your game of pretending to plot against me? I’m not so easily fooled.”

  Talis pushed himself to his feet, still shaking from the shock. He glowered at Caisa. “We weren’t plotting against you. I asked Mara to go invisible and scout for any Starwalkers.”

  Caisa vanished into shadows, slipping away from Mara’s daggers. She reappeared next to Talis. “In case you were confused, I’m leading this expedition. I give the orders and you follow.”

  “Did you really think it wise to have the three of us go blundering into the Starwalker sanctuary where anyone could see us?” Mara scoffed. “Or do you lack the knowledge of spells of invisibility?”

  “Someone needs to cut out her tongue.” Caisa shook her head. “The ignorance of this tart is legion. It is without a doubt that the Starwalkers possess the ability to see through spells of invisibility. Not everyone has the power of those strange daggers. It is one of the reasons we will raid the Starwalker vaults for artifacts.”

  Jared strolled over and pointed into the jungle where Talis had returned. “I suggest we head in this direction, if you are looking for artifacts and magical relics. Though I warn you, the collections are confusing and difficult to utilize. The vast majority of the items are unusable, even to us. We collect them because of their significance to the civilizations we’ve encountered and their imbued power. Discovering and unlocking that power is an entirely different matter.”

  Talis thought back to his time in the Underworld, in Haldrax, and his use of the Surineda Map to find objects of power. Could he do the same thing again and find items to aid them in their fight against the Nameless? Or would he heed Aurellia’s advice and temporarily ally with Caisa against those of the Origin World? He decided to wait and hold the decision for later. He was determined to keep any discoveries a secret, in case it might aid him in the future.

  “We’ll see whether your words contain the evidence of truth, Starwalker,” said Caisa, and the group headed off into the jungle.

  Thirty minutes later, they reached the end of the gardens where twenty or so feasting Starwalkers were gathered around a troupe of musicians. Beyond was a door leading into the sanctuary. The Nameless paused, eyeing the group.

  Talis’ heart began to race as he crouched low, glancing at Caisa and Aurellia. Mara kissed a dagger and faded away until she disappeared.

  10. The Singer

  Under the stars and hovering magic lights, Caisa studied the Starwalkers gathered around the musicians. They lifted crystal goblets to their mouths, whispering into each other’s ears. The group gazed at the men and women dressed in long, colorful silks playing a melancholy tune. The singer, a shapely young woman with short, silver hair, wore a gown of sheer silk and glittering diamonds. Around her waist was a lovely silver belt with several small gourds attached, dangling over her navel. She stretched out her hands as she sang a song in a strange but soothing language.

  But all love songs were the same, thought Caisa, and the singer’s face showed the sorrow, the pain, and the rage.

  Caisa clapped her hands languidly as she strolled toward the group. Eyes turned, annoyed, as they studied the Nameless. Other faces turned, alarmed at failing to recognize the new arrivals.

  “My compliments for your powerful song,” Caisa said, and bowed her head to the singer. “It reminded me of a very old part of my life back on the Origin World. A time of great pain and suffering. The period is like a pattern that repeats itself over and over throughout my life. A cycle filled with violence and vice.”

  “You’re the one,” whispered the singer. “The one Jared—”

  “Indeed you are correct, Selana,” said Jared, and he strode up to the singer. “I have returned with promising news, news that I believe will benefit us all in our journey through the stars. There is no need to be alarmed.”

  Despite his reassurances, the woman tensed at his words, shaking her head in disbelief. “You told me you would rather die than betray your own people, and yet, here you are, with her? With the monster?”

  “A monster? Really, now… Do I look like a monster to you?” The Nameless gave a bemused smile. “I am youth and beauty, itself. I am the Goddess Caisa, here to receive your worship and adoration.”

  “Bow down before your queen,” said the old high priestess, scowling at the Starwalkers.

  “We’ve heard of your delusional tendencies,” said Selana. She gave a small, coquettish laugh. “But nothing could have prepared me for the psychological mess before me. Is it true you were imprisoned in a subterranean chamber for ten thousand years? I wonder how a goddess could have allowed herself to be humiliated like that?”

  Caisa looked at the woman with an indifferent expression. “Big words for such a small singer.”

  “That’s the only retort you can come up with? I’ll take your silence on the matter as confirmation of your pathetic history.” Selana untied the silver belt at her waist, and flung it above her head. She cast a quick spell and the air around them was soon filled with small, colorful pixies with haughty, demonic faces. “You will soon discover what sort of power this small singer possesses.”

  “Negligible, I’m sure, just like your dress.” Caisa eyed the demons hovering above the woman.

  The singer ignored her, and continued, “While I was on the Origin World I heard stories about what the high priests of Yavreel do to heretics. They construct powerful, underground prisons that trap both the bodies and the souls of their enemies. In fact, some of the elaborate cells are crafted next to dark portals situated between worlds. I can see by your expression that this thing sounds familiar. It must be a horrible, painful memory for you. Are those tears bubbling in your eyes, fake goddess?”

  Caisa hissed. “I will make you eat your tongue.”

  Selana grinned as if pleased by the response. “I find myself utterly gorged at the moment. Now where were we? Ah yes,
the subject of the duties I must perform as a loyal disciple of Yavreel. You see, when our foolish Jared decided to continuously pursue his quest for revenge, I traveled a great distance to the Origin World. There, I took the story of the so-called goddess to the high priest of Yavreel. They investigated and found no record of your imprisonment, considering the history books only go back several thousand years. However, there were those secret persons, who must remain unmentioned, and they insisted on your capture. Consequently, the high priest tasked me with bringing you back. And here I am.”

  The Nameless aimed a finger at the woman. “I will go back, but as a conqueror, never a prisoner.” Caisa shot silver and black filaments at the singer, filling the air around them. But instead of surrounding the woman with the spell, the pixie demons opened their mouths and sucked in the magic.

  “It’s quite a gift they gave me,” said Selana, smiling with devilish eyes. “The magical gourds were filled with an ancient race of demons. Now, they are bound to me, providing me with an unassailable defense and an extra dose of offensive power. To give such a valuable gift to me, the rulers of the Origin World must have really wanted to capture you. What hideous things did you do to make them hate you so much?”

  Caisa frowned, confused by the demons. These were different than any beings she had encountered. But they seemed unthreatening, content to merely float in the air and chew on the power they had just consumed.

  “Very interesting,” she said, thinking back to memories so old she thought she had lost them. What had she done, to cause the rulers of the Origin World to hate her so much? Flashes of anger struck her mind, of faces filled with rage. Had she really been so cruel? She had thirsted for power, that much was true, but the cost to achieve that power had been horrific. So many dead, so many burned, so many tortured, so many lives and souls ruined. The Nameless and her followers had been brutal and maniacal, far, far worse than the worshippers of Yavreel. But it had all been for a very important reason.