Rise of The Mortokai

by D G Palmer

  ‘So it would seem I have underestimated you after all,’ the Keeper said as he searched for his opponent.

  ‘All I want to do is briefly read the book so I can learn about this realm and protect my own against Salamida,’ Gydion said. As soon as he had arrived on the Astral Realm, he had cast an Image Generation spell quickly followed by a spell of Invisibility so that he might study his adversary.

  ‘Protect against Salamida? What nonsense! Salamida is a paradise.’

  ‘What do you mean paradise?’ Gydion asked incredulously as he kept moving so as not to give away his position. ‘When did you last have a look around your paradise?’

  ‘I have never left the shrine,’ the Keeper admitted. ‘My mandate is to this shrine only.’

  ‘Then you know nothing of what is happening! This realm is feeding upon others, draining them of their life force!’

  ‘Draining Essence? But that’s not possible... he has been imprisoned, in stasis for millennia.’

  ‘Who has? Who are you talking about?’

  ‘No, this is a lie, all lies!’ Angered by what he perceived to be Gydion’s game playing, the Keeper released an arcane wave, which radiated in all directions from his spot.

  Gydion wasn’t worried about the approaching attack because he already had his shield in place, but as the wave struck him and was diverted by his defences it revealed his position, just as the Keeper had hoped and he unleashed another torrent of blasts Gydion’s way.

  His shield held but it was significantly weakened, another volley or two like that and it just might fail. It was time to show the Keeper exactly who he was facing.

  A quickly cast spell and the ground beneath the Keeper turned to ice and encased his feet but before Gydion had a chance to follow up his attack, his adversary used a conjuration to lower his density so much he took on a cloud-form and floated free of his ice shackles.

  With quickness of thought and knowing the weaknesses of being in such a manifestation, Gydion created a strong, mystical wind which blew the Keeper and began to disperse his body at a molecular level across the Astral Realm.

  Against a mage of lesser ability this tactic would have worked perfectly but the Keeper was not such a mage. He was able to keep his mass together long enough to cast his own spell. Three ethereal servitors appeared around Gydion and instantly attacked him.

  Their strength was phenomenal as they pummelled the Archmage to the ground. If he had not magically hardened his skin, he would probably be dead from the assault but even with this protection he was still taking damage and he couldn’t withstand the incessant battering for much longer.

  Since he was using his arms to defend himself the best he could, meant that Planetary and Realmic spells were not accessible to Gydion, but that didn’t mean he had nothing.

  During his travels through the infinite dimensions, Gydion had come across many mystical artefacts; skulls, wands, rocks, rugs. One item in particular had fascinated him for the simple fact that it was more than just an unassuming relic.

  He had found it during his time at O’nio. When he had first seen it, he had thought it was just your everyday shiny stone, but when he picked it up he found out that it was actually a container and had a sentient being inside it, a mauve-coloured faerie, and that it had a name, Cuthala. But the most interesting thing about this fae was that she was a Screaming Mimi and she made the most piercing scream imaginable when poked. Which is exactly what Gydion did.

  He took the stone from inside his cloak, opened it just a crack and, after using a Personal Energy spell to close his ears, he gently prodded the faerie in her stomach. She let out an almighty piercing scream. The decibel level was at such a high frequency that the servitors soon began to vibrate under the stress and within moments they had dispersed.

  Gydion thanked Cuthala and put the stone container back into his hidden pocket. When he stood up, he saw the Keeper on his hands and knees, recovering from the sonic attack. Extreme sound can be very distracting to a mage since it takes tremendous concentration to recall the incantations, gestures and precise breathing to cast spells.

  ‘Are you ready to yield?’ Gydion demanded.

  ‘You are a fool to think that I would be so easily beaten,’ the Keeper replied as he got to his feet. ‘You shall only gain what you desire with my de—’ The rest of his sentence was cut short as a look of wide-eyed shock and pain descended across the Keeper’s face. ‘My – my body.’

  Gydion knew immediately what his opponents strained words meant. The major failing of astral battle was that it left the host body completely unprotected, something must have happened to his.

  The Archmage returned back to his own body as fast as he could and when he opened his eyes a most gruesome tableau greeted him. The Keeper’s body lay on the ground in a puddle of blood, his torso cut open. A jagged edge of the bloody flint stone that lay beside the body. There were droplets of blood leading towards the door the Keeper had been guarding, which was now open, and the print of a small hand was on the wall beside the frame.

  He turned quickly and discovered that his wife was no longer at the place where he had left her. ‘Sayyidah, tell me you did not do this,’ he said under his breath, as he shook his head with disappointment. Gydion did the only thing he could now and walked through the doorway.

  Chapter Fourteen

  ‘You know you don’t have to do this, right? I’m fine! I don’t need any distraction from anything.’

  ‘You can say what you like, Trinity. I’m doing you a favour; unless, of course, you want a heart to heart with Eveline over a cup of linden tea.

  Trinity wasn’t sure she’d want that either, to be honest. The last thing she needed to hear was about how great their relationship was, although, judging by the way Tristan made a move on her, she had serious doubts that it actually was; unless it was one of those weird relationships she’d watched a documentary about on TV. She didn’t want any more ideas planted in her mind of Finn exploring her friendship with Daniel, either. Trinity had had more than enough experience of girls gossiping when the boys are away back at school.

  No, she wasn’t overjoyed with the idea of being alone with Tristan again, but it was the lesser of two evils. And he had been behaving himself since she warned him off, so I could’ve been worse.

  The more and more she saw of Almedia and life in Ariest, the more trinity began to feel comfortable in this realm. She could recall her initial reservations about coming here when Gydion first told her and they increased when it was revealed that she would be making the journey alone, whilst he went to Salamida.

  He had said they were going home; she had felt they were doing no such thing. But now, the longer she was here, the more she got that tell-tale sense that she belonged here.

  Trinity and Tristan passed some of the buildings devastated during the battle of Almedia and she was amazed at how quickly things were moving. Quinn Jesson along with his automatons had helped with the clear up, and now the Gillygon Conglomerate had begun building work on some of the properties.

  ‘Careful, Og, don’t strain yourself. You’re the brawn and I’m the brains of this operation. If you get injured, they’ll just strap me to the back of another ogre,’ a goblin said from a wicker seat the ogre wore on its back.

  ‘Me careful, Wizglop. Me much careful,’ replied Og as he picked up a large container of rubble.

  ‘That’s what I like to hear, buddy,’ Wizglop said. ‘This is an important contract. I don’t know how Gillygon got it - let me rephrase that - I don’t know who Gillygon bribed, threatened or killed to get it but what I do know is that this Almedia, not some backwater village like Elkim. We’re going to make some serious coin! Just think of all the dances you can get at the ogre showgirl club.’

  ‘Me no go there. Wizglop know me married with children.’

  ‘Yeah, nineteen of the little beggars, can’t forget that. In that case, just think of all the dances that I’m going to get at the club,’ cackled the goblin.
r />   Trinity cocked her eyebrow at hearing this. She struggled to imagine an ogre showgirl and struggled even more when she tried to imagine that showgirl with a little goblin.

  Before her mind could grind to a halt from overwork, Tristan, announced that they were almost at their destination. Trinity couldn’t help but notice, as they turned into the street, that it was surprisingly untouched by damage.

  ‘Wow!’ Trinity exclaimed. ‘I can’t believe this area escaped all the carnage, especially since it’s on the Eastern Gate route.’

  ‘Hyasda may be old,’ Tristan replied, ‘but she is no slouch when it comes to the mystic arts. With my own eyes, I saw her repel Shade, single handed.’

  ‘Really? Then why didn’t she aid us in the final battle? We could have done with her help.’

  ‘Because she is old. I’m sure she would have helped more if she were physically able.’

  ‘Hmm,’ Trinity nodded slightly. ‘It’s a little odd that my dad has never mentioned her. She must have had an incredible master.’

  ‘None that she mentions,’ came the reply. ‘From what I can gather she trained herself. Mostly.’

  ‘I see,’ scoffed Trinity. She knew such a thing was incredibly unlikely. The Mage Assembly had strict rules. If you have sufficient Essence to become an Adept you must follow the path or have it stripped from you.

  ‘This is it,’ announced Tristan. He opened the door to Hyasda’s Herb & Alchemy, accompanied by the twinkle of a bell, and a myriad of fragrant aromas struck Trinity.

  A call came from the back. ‘Is that you, Tristan?’

  ‘Yes, Hyasda. Who else would it be? It’s not like business is booming, after all.’

  ‘Don’t be so rude. Business is doing very well, why do you think you’re here?’ The old woman came out, leaning heavily on her staff. ‘Oh! You have company.’

  ‘Yes! This is Trinity, the daughter of Gydion. She’s in need of some adventure so she’s going to be coming with me.’

  ‘Hello,’ Trinity said. She had been curious of all the scents and paraphernalia and inspected many of the different bottles and the cornucopia of ingredients throughout the store. ‘You have a very interesting shop here.’

  ‘The daughter of Gydion, you say? My, my, my, come to grace my humble little shop.’

  ‘So, what is it you would have me do?’ Tristan asked his aged benefactor.

  ‘I need a new supply of Solecuss Root,’ she answered.

  ‘What? That’s it?’ Tristan was not only deflated, but also a little embarrassed to be taking Trinity on a gathering hunt and not the big adventure he’d been promising. ‘Fine, let me get a few things and we’ll be on our way.’

  Tristan disappeared into the back rooms whilst Trinity returned to browsing the items of the curio shop. ‘Do you know my father?’

  ‘Everyone knows the great Archmage,’

  ‘You have a lot of interesting things here,’ she said. ‘A lot of interesting things.’

  ‘Thank you,’ she wheezed. ‘I like to stock many things because you never know what a customer is going to need.’

  ‘I can imagine. You must get plenty of commissions.’

  ‘The people of Almedia keep me busy.’

  ‘Do you get many requests from outside the city?’

  ‘Now and again.’

  ‘Tristan told me that you held off The Shade during the battle.’

  ‘I did what my frail body would allow. Not as much as you young ones I’ll admit.’

  ‘Still, that is impressive power for one to have, to turned The Shade away. You should be in the Mage Assembly with that ability.’

  ‘Such things are not for the likes of me.’

  Trinity continued to browse the store in silence for a few moments. ‘So, perhaps you can help me with a little problem...well actually it’s a problem a friend of mine has. Maybe you know him. His names Fungal.’

  ‘Fungal, you say? Hmm, can’t say that I recall knowing any Hobthrusts by that name. What problem does he have?

  ‘Well, the problem is that he got a mage or some other wielder of magic to create a fourteenth century castle in his FTN office. It seems that this person, whilst working a reality warping spell, took it upon themselves to add a corridor of portals. Being a person of incredible abilities yourself, I thought you might know someone that could have taken up the job?’

  ‘I’m sorry, dearie, I wish I could help. I don’t get out much to socialise in my condition.’

  ‘Really? The thing is Fungal said that the person that performed the spell was an old crone.’

  ‘Did he now? Well, there are many old practitioners of magic on Ariest.’

  The two magic users locked eyes. Neither one deviated their gaze. Trinity’s mind raced as it tried to make sense of the situation. Tried to process and analyse the information. Uncertainty and weariness permeated within her. She couldn’t do anything without concrete proof that Hyasda was that same person Fungal talked about. And, even if she was, what could she really do against someone with such power.

  Just then, Tristan returned and the palpable tension immediately dropped a few levels.

  ‘Perhaps you’re right,’ Trinity admitted. ‘I’ll ask around a bit more.’

  ‘You do that dearie,’ replied Hyasda. ‘And if I should hear anything, I’ll be sure to tell you.’

  ‘Much appreciated.’

  The youngsters said their farewells and as there made their way to the store exit, Hyasda picked up a bottle from her many shelves and discreetly disposed of its contents. ‘Just a minute, Tristan,’ she called. ‘I seem to have run out of Lunar Weed also.

  ‘Already? But I topped it up just the other day.’

  ‘Yes, well you know Eamon Wolff, he’s always wanting some potion or other. It’s actually kind of time sensitive so I don’t suppose you’d mind collecting the weed first.’

  ‘Fine,’ Tristan relented, ‘we’ll head to the Beltane forest first.’

  Hyasda watched Trinity and Tristan leave her store. Once the door had closed, she magically locked it and quickly turned towards the back wall where she spoke the magical words to open her hidden sanctum. The old crone entered and the wall closed behind her.

  ANOTHER PINE CONE WENT flying as a disgruntled Tristan kicked the woody cone in frustration. He had promised Trinity fun and excitement yet she now sat under a Linden Tree apparently sleeping.

  Trinity suddenly stirred and smiled broadly. Whenever she was amongst nature, she always felt revitalised, as if the aura and energy of the forests recharged her own. That wasn’t the only thing that alleviated her mood, however.

  She had just spent time with Daniel on the Astral plane.

  The dynamic between them had changed so much in such a short amount of time. It wasn’t that long ago that they were meeting for the first time at high school. There had always been a connection, even then, but neither of them had known what it was or had the courage to make that first step.

  Then there was the moment she had told Daniel about magic, and their friendship grew and grew from there, until the moment he was swallowed by The Shade, and she came face to face with her feelings towards him. Remembering how she felt when Daniel fully Awakened, and it became apparent that he was still alive brought a smile to her face. Thinking that you’ve lost the chance to tell someone you love them forces you to confront your fear of rejection, and she had faced her fear, eventually, and there wasn’t a rejection in sight.

  Tristan watched Trinity as she stood up and stretched. ‘Did you have a nice sleep?’ He took a small glass ball out of his bag and whispered a spell and a white light immediately shone from it.

  ‘Relaxing is not sleeping,’ Trinity replied. ‘What’s that for? I didn’t know you knew magic.’

  ‘A little. That Lunar Weed Hyasda wants only comes out during a full moon, this spell she taught me replicates it. She would happily have me to put down my sword for a spellbook instead, but that is not for me.’

  ‘How often do you do these
little jobs for her?’

  ‘Whenever she needs me to.’

  ‘What is the story between you two?’

  ‘I owe her my life. She rescued me.’

  ‘Rescued you? From what?’

  Before Tristan could answer, Trinity held up her hand to stop him. She was in her element, almost as if she were one with the forest. As such, any threatening aura that passed through a forest, touched a tree, brushed through grass, trod on moss, was felt by the Druid. ‘We’re not alone,’ Trinity whispered to Tristan.

  The swordsman didn’t react to the information he had just been given. He carried on with searching for the elusive weeds, only he paid more attention to their surroundings. Something was indeed off. The woods were deathly silent.

  Years of combat had given Tristan a honed battle sense and combat reflexes and it was those skills that saved him now as a knife flew silently from the brush, missing his head by inches. He shone the light in the direction the weapon had come from.

  Trinity was about to fire an eldritch bolt at the same place, when another assailant jumped down on her from the branches above. With great skill and agility, she was able to roll through and regain her feet before unleashing her bolt at the unsuspecting attacker. Being the physical embodiment of the powers of nature, she liked to nickname it Nature’s Wrath and it struck with all the fury the name suggested, slammed the attacker against a tree and left him slumped on the ground with a smouldering chest.

  After a series of blocks, strikes, grapples and reversals, Tristan finally got the better of his assailant and took a closer look of him. ‘Vekt! They’re Shadow Dancers!’ Before he could explain the implications of his discovery to Trinity however, he was set upon by three more of the deadly assassins.