Path of the Magi (Tales of Tiberius)

by Stuart, Richard J

  Tiberius found he could work the mechanics all right. It was a question of visualization, moving the body in connection with the spirit and proper concentration. A bit like having to do algebra while tap-dancing. It was hard to master all the pieces, but it wasn’t impossible, and once you got everything together it made for one heck of a math lesson.

  That night he spent some time with the book of Genesis. “And God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.” It was a truth that only came though poetry. Playing with God’s tools, he was just beginning to appreciate the true power of God. Today Tiberius had tapped into the very powers of creation. He felt like he’d flicked a small spark off a log and in doing so sensed the presence of steel melting fire for the first time. “Let there be light.” They were simple words, but behind them were thoughts of incredible power and complexity. It was all Tiberius could do to master the simple structure and nature of incandescent gas. God had in those simple words captured the very structure of the universe. He knew every hair on every head down to the molecular structure of the human body. He created the very laws of physics which made life possible. True understanding of what God had done made him seem wonderful beyond description. God’s creation was not only filled with endless complexity and incomprehensible power, but the result was filled with magnificent beauty. You only had to look at any sunset to see the artistry of God. God wrought works of art with the flames of volcanoes. By comparison, Tiberius realized he was going to be lucky to manage to roast a marshmallow.

  A few days later, Messura came by to help in the investment procedures. This started with another annoying round of medical exams. It seemed like Messura examined every inch of Tiberius.

  “You’re in excellent health,” he said at last. “Except of course for your heart.”

  “What’s wrong with my heart?” Tiberius asked, with a touch of concern.

  “I think there is a woman in it,” he said.

  “Humph. If you mean Salina, I think you need your stethoscope examined.”

  “She troubles your spirit,” Messura said.

  “I like her but I never see her,” Tiberus replied. “She writes when she feels like it. Either she throws herself at me or she ignores me; it’s enough to drive you mad.”

  “She warned you of this, did she not?” Messura said.

  “Yes, but I don’t know if that makes me feel any better.”

  “Patience, my young friend. It’s difficult having a relationship with an Alfaran. Unless you want to immerse yourself in their world you will need to be patient with her. Like you she has duties.”

  “At least she seems to like me, which is more than I can say for most women. Being a scholar doesn’t count for much. They all want rogues with fast horses.”

  “God tests you, I think. If you wish to champion Him, some things you will have to leave aside for now. Raising a family is not for you. Not now.”

  “You’re married,” Tiberius observed.

  “God gives us all different challenges,” Messura replied.

  “Great. How’s Ian?” Tiberius said, changing the subject. He was in no mood for Messura’s flowery riddles just now.

  “Like you, in good health,” Messura answered.

  “Why the checkup now anyway? Is that part of the investment?” Ti asked the healer.

  Messura packed away his stethoscope. “Indirectly. Investment is not a safe thing to do. We separate the soul from the body. This is meant to happen only at the moment of death. Ordinarily it’s a manageable procedure, but there are risks. Sometimes the spirit prefers life elsewhere. We want to make sure you are both in excellent health. We don’t need the complication of a heart murmur to interrupt such a delicate moment.”

  “What about my heart?” Tiberius asked.

  “Heartaches of the sort you have, we will live with,” Messura laughed. “Brilliant women are not supposed to be simple and figured out in an hour.”

  Later that afternoon, Ti saw Dallen’s coach pull up and Tanyia stepped out. “Hello, Dallen, decided to marry me yet?” she asked, stepping up and giving Dallen a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Tanyia was a woman in her late fifties with short grey hair and wrinkles but youthful eyes. It was a little disconcerting to Tiberius to realize that Tanyia was actually substantially younger than Salina, to his best guess. But Salina kept a youthful mind as well as a figure. Tanyia didn’t really seem elderly either, come to think of it.

  “Not this morning,” was Dallen’s answer to her impertinent question. It was positively thick with magi now: Dallen, Greentree, Messura, and now Tanyia. Dallen, Messura, and Tanyia would be the three officiating magi. Greentree would simply observe. It was tradition to bring at least three magi together for any significant occasion. Tiberius still wasn’t entirely sure how many magi there were altogether. Dallen could be maddeningly obscure at times. He didn’t think it was much more than this, though he knew that Tanyia had some sort of student of her own she was working on. He wasn’t here today though, and wasn’t anywhere close to investment.

  There were few preparations to be made. Aside from the medical exam, Dallen was mostly concerned that his pupils got a good night's sleep. Dallen did question them into the evening making sure they knew exactly what to do. They were both ready.

  Ian was first, naturally. He’d been Dallen's student longer than Tiberius had. The next morning, they woke up before dawn. Dallen led them in morning prayers and then to a light breakfast. After that they all went out back to the open field. The sun was still as Dallen took Ian and had him sit down and told him to clear his mind. There was nothing Tiberius could really do at this point but watch. At least Dallen had put a spell of true seeing on him so he’d be able to see what was going on when Ian left the his body. The idea was to cast a simple spell, as a spirit, and then return to the body, carrying that experience with you. After that, it was like realizing you had a muscle you never knew you had. From then on it was just a question of exercise.

  Messura was ready, already casting a true vision spell of his own to watch over Ian. If there were any medical problems, he was the man for the job. But this was a risk no one could really make safe.

  Ian sat cross-legged on the ground. His mind at perfect peace. He controlled his breathing just as they’d done many times before. After a time he reached a state of perfect peace within the body. That was the moment when his soul could step forth.

  It seemed to be going well. Tiberius watched as Ian’s spirit floated out of his body. As expected he straightened up and seemed to relax. But then something unexpected occurred. Ian turned and looked over his shoulder, as if he heard some voice that none of them could hear.

  Ian then turned to face him.

  “I’m sorry but I’ve got to go. They need me here. It’s wonderful, Ti; I wish you could see it.”

  A note of horror struck Tiberius. “Ian, wait.”

  “I can’t. God is wonderful, Ti. You’ll see one day.”

  Tiberius could see everything that was happening, which was a lot just now. Messura was by Ian’s body in an instant. Tiberius thought he gave him some sort of stimulant, but he wasn’t sure what he did, only that he did something. He was more preoccupied with Dallen. In a flash Dallen was also standing on the ethereal plane, his spirit also out of his body and charging towards Ian. Ian had his back to him though and seemed to be fading. Tiberius saw Dallen thrown back suddenly as if he’d hit a wall.

  “Ian, WAIT!” he shouted. It was a shout from the soul, some sort of word of command. Ti saw Ian look back at Dallen for a moment.

  “It’s all right. I know what I’m doing,” Ian said. Dallen tried again to go forward, closer to Ian, but some powerful force was pushing him back. Dallen’s spirit looked like he was in some sort of wind, fighting for every inch. Ian had completely vanished now, but Dallen had not given up.

  Just then Ti noted Tanyia’s spirit beside Dallen. It seemed difficult for her t
o reach him, but she did, and she put an arm on his shoulder.

  “You have to let him go, Dallen.”

  “I’m not losing one of my students,” he said.

  There weren’t many occasions when Tiberius had the opportunity to see Dallen unleashed, but this was one of them. It was easy to underestimate Dallen. He had the look of a nondescript tinker. But at need, Dallen was as tough as they came. Right now, standing on the ethereal plain, Dallen’s soul shone as bright as a star. He was fully prepared to storm down the gates of Hell, or, if need be, Saint Peter’s, to help one of his students in trouble. Looking into his eyes, Ti didn’t doubt that if anyone could do it, it was Dallen.

  It took all of Tanyia’s skill to try to calm him down.

  “Dallen, you aren’t losing him. Ian has been called to a higher purpose. It wasn’t expected. But we must obey the commands of the Father, even when they are painful. Ian has gone to a better place. There’s nothing more you can do for him! You go any further and we will lose you too. It isn’t your time. I need you. Tiberius needs you.”

  Dallen turned and took a long last look towards the gate that had closed to him. These were not the gates of hell he was storming. Tanyia was right. Ian had gone to a better place. Sadly he closed his eyes and then in an instant his soul was back in his body. Tanyia followed a moment later.

  Ian’s body was still here, Messura’s arms cradled around it. But Ian was gone and they all knew it. Tiberius walked up beside him. The look on his face was one of perfect peace and contentment.

  Dallen was speechless with shock. They all liked Ian. No one expected this. A sadness at his departure filled all of their hearts. There was a long moment of silence over the field. Tanyia walked over and put her arms around Dallen. Messura gently put Ian’s body down and said a prayer for his spirit. Tiberius looked over to Greentree. He looked very pale and shaken. He was Ian’s friend too.

  “He always did have good instincts,” Ti said to Messura, who nodded agreement. “I’m sure he did what was right, even if we don’t understand it.”

  “In my work I see many live who should die and many die who should live. Our lives are always in God’s hands,” Messura observed.

  “Amen,” Tiberius replied. He could hear Tanyia quietly weeping next to Dallen.

  Tiberius turned and walked over to Dallen. He was still numb with shock. Tanyia had her arms around him. A few gentle tears stained her cheeks. Tiberius felt like crying himself. Ian had been a good friend. Standing in front of Dallen he cleared his throat.

  “Sir, I believe we still have a job to do,” Tiberius said.

  Dallen slowly turned his head around to look at Tiberius in astonishment.

  “I believe it’s my turn,” Tiberius said quietly.

  Singh looked at him in shock. Ian’s departure had rattled his soul to the core.

  “You can’t be serious,” Singh said. “Didn’t you see…”

  “Yes, I saw,” Tiberius replied. “Daniel 3:17-18. ‘Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’ Ian didn’t make it. I’m sorry for him. No, I’m sorry for us. He’s fine; he’s with God. We’re the ones deprived of his company. Ian was a good friend. But we still have a job to do. To serve God, I’ve got to place my life in God’s hands as well. If I fall, I fall but into his arms, just as Ian did. But I’ve still got to take the chance. I think God’s going to let me get on with my work. But if not, I know it was his decision. I’m not going to back away from this path just because it’s dangerous. I knew that when I started.”

  “You can’t know that you’ll come though this alive,” Singh said.

  “No,” Tiberius answered. “The future is never certain. But you made it. Dallen made it. Messura made it. Tanyia made it. Those are pretty good odds. My only chance of keeping people alive is to take the risk.”

  “Tiberius is right,” Dallen said. His voice was quiet but firm. He walked over and put a hand on Tiberius’ shoulder. “You’re Fire-Axe Fuller’s son, and a brave man,” he said with a strained smile. “We cannot change Ian’s fate. Those of us still among the living must carry on as best we can. However, out of respect for Ian, we will wait a few days before Tiberius makes the attempt.” He gave Tiberius a pat on the shoulder. “There is no hurry, and it is only right and proper that we first honor the fallen.”

  Tiberius nodded his understanding, then turned to help take Ian’s body inside. Messura handled the funeral arrangements. Ian’s family was notified and a simple funeral was held. Ian must have had some premonition of his departure. He had a will in good order and he’d written a letter to his sister, talking about how the spirit had spoken with him in prayer and told him he was destined for great service with God. It was a letter which took on a different meaning in the light of subsequent events.

  They took Dallen’s carriage to a small chapel in Ian’s hometown near the capital. It was a quiet, dignified service and a proper send off for a trusted friend who passed too young.

  A couple of days later they assembled again in Dallen’s backyard. The day was slightly overcast, but no rain had yet come. Tiberius sat down and began his meditations. It wasn’t any harder than usual. He’d learned to do this while being doused with ice water. Today was just another deep meditation. Like Ian before him, he rose out of his body. Strange to look at yourself, he thought. It never looks quite like you.

  He glanced around. There weren’t any angels or devils calling to him at the moment. He wondered if that was good or bad. He just felt, well, more like himself. With a shrug he ran though the formulas he’d been taught and spoke the words. The results were a bit queer. He produced a small burst of …something. It sort of looked like fire, but different somehow? Dallen had warned him that while it was easy to make magical effects here, they wouldn’t likely affect the non-astral world. Affecting the material world from the astral plane was very advanced magic. That wasn’t the objective here, though. The trick was to jump start the process of drawing the raw power of the universe within himself and using it to produce changes. He could feel the change within him. Here he felt more real, more connected with the universe. That was both exhilarating and frightening. This was the raw power of the universe, and with it came the responsibility to use it wisely or not at all.

  He felt Dallen’s astral hand on his shoulder. Time to go back. Tiberius relaxed and slipped back into his body. That was the awkward part. His body felt, well, sluggish for a moment, like he’d just put on a set of dirty clothes. It was almost as if he’d lost part of his hearing for a moment. And yet … no, it was still there. He could still feel that connection to the universe. It had always been there, he realized now, just he’d never quite noticed it before. It was power meant to work with the human spirit.

  He stood up and faced the targets that lined one end of the yard. He felt that energy now. Something was different now; he knew he could do it. No training staff, no assistance spell this time. He went through the equation again in his head, and again he spoke the words, “Fulmo trafu!”

  He sent a small burst of fire across the yard. It didn’t quite reach the target, but it was a real start.

  “Now we can get to work,” he said. Surrounding him were looks more of relief than congratulations, but Dallen nodded his agreement. Ian may not have made it. But Tiberius was now a practicing magus. Like it or not, magic was now a part of his life.

  Chapter VI

  Lessons in Magic

  “I need to make a quick trip into the capital today to get some classes lined up for you,” Dallen said the next morning over breakfast. “We’ll need to make a some minor adjustments to your schedule in the wake of Ian’s passing.”

  “What did you have in mind?” Tiberius asked.

  “I want you to take some classes at the University,” Dallen explained.

  “What
’s new about that?” Tiberius countered taking a bite of his omelet. “I’ve always taken a few classes at the local school.”

  “I’m thinking of something a bit more formal, and I mean THE University. Queen’s College in the University of Port Elizabeth. You’ll take a formal doctorate program in the liberal arts. Some things the University can teach you as well as I can,” Dallen said.

  “Somehow I doubt that,” Tiberius answered.

  Dallen gave a small smile. “Yes, arguably not quite as well, but close enough that they’ll do no harm. There are still things you need to study. One of them is mankind. I don’t want you to miss the university experience. I also don’t want you to be too isolated, especially in the wake of Ian’s death. You need some social contacts. If you’re to help your fellow man, you’ve got to know them.”

  “Won’t this delay my studies in magic? Now that I can cast spells I’d think we’d be focusing on that,” Tiberius asked, puzzled.

  “This is part of becoming a magician, Tiberius. It isn’t all about learning to throw the biggest fireball. You have to strengthen your connections to the spirit world. That means getting in touch with your fellow man. You don’t need to worry though. You have work to do on your magic, yes. But much of it is theoretical, not practical. I propose that you stay at the school four days a week. Fridays and Saturdays we can work on practical applications. I’ll give you homework the rest of the time. You can even do small effects in the privacy of your dorm room. Graduate students have private rooms.”