Forgemaster (Book 1 in the Spirit Guide Saga)

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  “You got it!” The tiny Pixie said and clapped her hands.

  Ethan suddenly found himself transported with Storm-shadow, Odin and Pegasus to a thick grove of trees where a dozen Nagai were scouring the area with their noses to the ground or licking the air with forked tongues. The High Naga Champion Crait stood tall and powerful with three swords and two daggers sheathed to his person and waved them over.

  Crait hissed and pointed to a freshly dug hole. “The demon hid here during the night. How did it enter the grounds? The skirmish last night was easily dealt with and I heard the wall wasn’t breached?”

  Pegasus looked down a hole dug into the roots of a tree before snorting “The attack was weak. Only five demons attacked. The Elf must have had some magic which allowed it to enter unnoticed. Ethan destroyed the body so I cannot say with certainty without its corpse.”

  “Did he now?” Crait asked, focusing his reptilian eyes on the human. “Wish I was there to see our Elemental in battle. I look forward to the report.”

  “Crait, are you sure the demon was alone?” Pegasus asked with cold blue eyes while he fluffed great black wings.

  “So far. I smell no other demon taint to wet my swords gluttonous appetite.” The Naga leader rubbed his palms over the pommels of two belted swords.

  “Just to be safe I’ll order all children wait in the castle till morning. This breach is rare.” Odin decided grimly. “Finish investigating what you can Crait and submit your report. I must go speak with our Enchantress and Casters to figure out how an Elf went undetected all morning. The situation could have been much worse.” The Naga leader nodded his bony scaled head. “Ethan, you and Storm-shadow go eat lunch and go to your homes till dinner. Ethan, send me a report of your actions and what you did with the Drone via e-mail. That skill will come in handy, Lad. It must be researched, but later.”

  “But what should I say? I’ve never made a report like that.”

  “I will help.” Storm-shadow said.

  Star-bolt and Gra came riding in with news and purpose. The Amazon queen and Pegesai princess stopped to say “Odin,” Gra said loudly and gained attention from everyone. “my Amazons just found a second Elf in the northern orchids. We got her. She’s marked by Sheedan and has a rune branded to her forehead Morgane says is what hid her. She’s being taken to the dungeons as we speak, but besides the male elf, she said they were alone. The minor incident was just a diversion last night.”

  “Good work, Gra. Things are now making more sense. Only that whore could do this. Glad her kind is so bloody rare… Take me to her, the Elf, and make absolutely sure it isn’t lying.”

  The queen grinned and said “Morgane put a truth, paralysis and an agony pain rune on it. The Elf couldn’t lie even if it wanted.” She patted her companion’s strong neck.

  Odin quickly mounted Pegasus who followed quickly behind Star-bolt and took to the sky once out from beneath the tree canopy.

  “That will suffice.” Storm-shadow said as he laid beside Ethan on the giant bed in his room. Ethan sent the e-mail and closed the computer. He then fell back with a sigh while remembering how much attention he gained at lunch and barely got away without being trampled. Nymphs were most grateful and one was even bold enough to grab his groin and wanted to thank him intimately for saving the child. Storm-shadow explained that that particular Nymph was the baby’s aunt. It was embarrassing being groped, but others laughed. The woman though was serious about wanting him between her thighs and giving thanks in her own way.

  When he got home an hour ago with Storm-shadow he checked his account to find he got the extra points on top of his thousand from apprenticing under Celestia. He learned she spoke with one of Tattoo’s aids on a fair point income she regulated based on his performance and quality of work.

  “Storm, who is Sheedan?” Ethan asked as the name suddenly popped into his head while staring at the rotating fan. Storm-shadow only allows certain people to shorten his name and him being a companion is among that short list.

  “Sheedan is a demon lord, quite old and strong. She is an Agas. A seductive type demon who’s power manipulates vision. Agas are rarer than a Phoenix, but killing them is tricky. Sheedan is their leader. She likes to present herself to humans as a voluptuous human female, bed them and eat so much of their emotions that her victims end up comatose forever. Odin hates her above any other demon for she used her powers on him and his regenerative power made him her slave for nearly a whole year before he could escape. She is a deadly adversary…”

  “Spill it.” Ethan said as he sat up and knew Storm-shadow enough now that the steed was holding something back.

  “Well, she bore a child with Odin and it was centuries before he found out. Odin was attacked by his own son who had been warped by Sheedan’s morals and in the end the father had to slay his own son. Since then Sheedan’s minions taunt Odin and he has been trying to locate her nest and end her once and for all. Sheedan also hates the veil as humans once worshiped her and she cannot kill them anymore for their souls or invoke the wrath of whoever her greater demon lord is who worked with the Spirit King to create the laws protecting the humans.”

  “But how did Odin get tricked? Couldn’t he see her? Is her power like the veil?” Ethan asked.

  “The spell was actually influence by the Agas’ ability to shift perception on humans so the supernatural seems less harmless and deadly to humanity. On the ground I probably look like a common horse or a large bird in the air. Naga will look like any human. Before you died you might have seen millions of demons without realizing it. But the veil over humans can be applied to anyone, even our esteemed leader. Odin was tricked and will stop at nothing to spit Sheedan’s head on the end of Gungnir for her crimes.”

  “So what does she really look like?”

  Storm-shadow shrugged with his wings. “Nobody knows. None who have seen her true form have lived. Not even Odin has seen her natural form and he was her prisoner for a year. Besides, I’m more worried about the Elves entering without detection. Sheedan has never sent her subordinates with such a skill. How it masked their presence and scent from the Gargoyles, Naga and my kind are baffling. I didn’t even smell the Elf till the Nymph raised the alarm after grabbing the foal.”

  “You think that once it touched the child whatever power hiding it wore off. A couple weeks ago Celestia told me how Spirit and Demon Energies don’t mix. Maybe the baby’s energy broke the Elf’s demon spells?” Ethan proposed.

  “That is… plausible.” Storm-shadow mulled it over.

  Then Ethan asked “Storm, this might seem a stupid question, but it’s been nagging me ever since Celestia told me about the two energies. How is it demons can eat souls of humans and others of Order to get stronger if their own Demon Energy cannot mix? And how do demons get stronger off souls? I’d think that everyone in Order would be much weaker if soul charged demons attacked us who do not get stronger by eating souls. The Elf today was fast, faster than any human and the Nagai would have been hard pressed to capture him…”

  “It seems whoever explained demons and souls hadn’t told you everything.” Dressor suddenly entered the conversation as he jumped his wooden body out of his hole in the wall. The filigree face and blue eyes looked upon them. “Oh, Hun, don’t look so skeptical.” Dress smiled. “It’s more of a misconception really. Demons are only as physically strong as their natural species can get, just like everyone else has a limit. Their powers are also limited to their kind, but through intense training they can, in a sense, power up. Age also determines power. Demons don’t really get stronger by eating souls. Think of it like a person on PCP or Angel Dust. Souls are like an irresistible drug for demons. They lose themselves and can never get high enough. Souls make it seem a demon is stronger, but in reality their weaknesses are just released. If a human on drugs exhibit enhanced strength and maniacal tendencies, you can imagine a demon going bat-crap crazy. Their limits remain the same, but their inhibitions are lowered. Demons full on souls need to
be dealt with immediately or their inhibitions will bring the notice of humans. Those kinds of demons are who gain our attention and must be hunted down. As for mixing energies, a consumed spiritual soul that dies is what stimulates the demon. One life and their hooked forever.

  “Greater demons in particular are more dangerous. Think of it like this, Naga are strong swordsmen, Amazons, in terms of physical strength, are stronger. Above them are Centaur then Ogres. Their raw strength is nothing when faced with a Witch or a Specialist who can use their power externally to create something. Greater demons are like what High Wizard Merlin would be to a Naga. With just a flick of that crazy Wizard’s wrist the Naga could be picked up and thrown against the wall a hundred feet away or turned into a bug and squashed. Imagine this Sheedan as him and the Elf you killed today as a Naga. And it is no secret that that man stealing harlot enjoys souls on a daily basis.”

  “You sound a bit jealous.” Ethan remarked.

  Dress gave Ethan a forlorn look. “She hurt my dearest Odin. I want her gone more than anyone else. The only one allowed to screw with his mind is me… and maybe Floa. She’s fun to team up and tease too.”

  “I didn’t know you have a thing for Odin.”

  “Who wouldn’t?!” Dress laughed richly. “If I had a heart it would race. That man is manly perfection in the highest degree. I love making his clothes that show off that steamy physique.”

  “No wonder he’s normally half naked all the time!” Ethan remarked and the three laughed together. “Just don’t go altering my clothes the same way.”

  “And why not?” the golden face pouted. “You’ve put on a sexy amount of muscle in a short time, Ethan. Maybe I should expose more of that hairy chest. Real men have hairy chests. My boyfriend does. I like how you’ve let a short and trimmed beard grow in. Many females like it. Old world never looked so good on someone born in today’s society.”

  “Don’t even think about it!” Ethan fired back. “I grew it some so Floa and Kira would stop touching my face to hide the bruises from training. And you know I don’t like others seeing my body. If you start changing my attire I’ll burn off your lashes.”

  Dress looked aghast in a comical way. “You wouldn’t!”

  Ethan held up a finger on fire.

  “Love a man with a fiery personality… Oh fine! I promise.” Dress rolled his eyes and hopped back in his hole to watch TV that ran constantly so Dress wasn’t bored and slept whenever the resident was gone.

  “Thanks guys for clearing up my confusion.”

  “No problem.” Storm-shadow said.

  “Always here to help!” Dress said sweetly.

  “So Storm, want to go for a walk? Celestia won’t let me work till after supper.”

  “Why is that?” The stallion turned his head.

  “Because the metal is easier to work at night. I’ve found that to be true, but only in the finalizing of the object. Several projects really don’t need it, but I can guess her nocturnal habits are hard to break and having an apprentice is still new to her. I think that she might believe I may make a mistake and ruin something. She may be right, but who knows. At least I’m finally showing progress.”

  “Ethan, what I really want to do is learn more of that Drone you did today. I too have never seen such a skill. I think it would be good to practice using it. It was a lethal weapon.”

  “I don’t need reminding, but how do you propose we test it?”

  “Hold that thought.” Storm-shadow got up off the large bed and his hooves clopped loudly on the stone floor as he walked to stand before Dress and asked “Is Kira in your sight?”

  “She is in her bedroom working on another potion.” The living furniture responded after a moment. “Why?”

  Storm-shadow explained and then left with Ethan.

  “OOOh Kiraaa Love!”

  Kira lifted her head from a vial on the desk of her room and sat it down. “Yes, Dress?” She smiled.

  “Storm-shadow requests your help to aid Ethan in developing a new skill that just manifested. He’ll pay you a thousand points for your time if you’re busy.” Dress said from his corner of her bedroom. Dress’ form was exactly same throughout all the Houses and the tens of thousands of rooms he watched over tirelessly.

  “Tell him I’d be glad to help and the points aren’t necessary.”

  “Sorry, Love, he and Ethan already left their room and Celestia will singe my surface if I yell. Her room is next to Ethan’s and you never want to wake a Phoenix, trust me. That ornery bird already burned down one of me once before it was mandatory that my wood be protected from harm.”

  “I don’t want to see that lardo’s ugly mug again.” Ken groaned.

  “He’s more handsome than you ever were!” Dress defended Ethan.

  “Oh go glue your doors shut, Woody! No one likes a Homo!”

  Dress glowered dangerously. “What was that, Traitor?”

  “Here, Dress! He deserves punishment for that remark.” Kira threw the book before the angry closet. Ken gasped as Dress grinned evilly.

  Dress made his inanimate body jump and one of the four heavy legs slammed on the book’s face. “OW! Damn it!” Ken howled, but Dress jumped up and down to cause as much pain as the tome deserved. Kira laughed at the strangeness someone else would see it as a gay closet kept jumping on a bigoted book. Neither could do any real harm to each other, but it was funny to watch. Dress eventually huffed “That makes me feel better. Thanks, Kira.”

  “Any time, Love.” She put on a pair of sexy heels from her huge collection and picked up Ken to put his strap over her shoulder. “So where am I to meet them?”

  “Archery grounds. The open space and nearby water of the lake would be ideal for Ethan in the event his flames do more damage than expected.” Dress smiled. “Take care of him, Sweetness.”

  “Oh how I wish he would let me. I swear his sexual tension grows by the day with him. I think I’m wearing him down. He’ll be awesome in the sack, I can feel it deep down.”

  “Oh you!” Dress laughed. “You can try and I’m quite surprised.”

  “By what?” She asked as she looked over her room full of potions and shoes.

  “Not since the day Ethan came in have you had any daytime visitors other than that handsome Ogre. Do you really like Ethan that much? It’s been a good month since you’ve brought anyone over and that has never happened since you turned eighteen.”

  “Well he is special. And most males can’t wait to follow me around after catching my scent. Ethan is like a quality chocolate. I want to savor him before gobbling him up.” Kira’s eyebrow jiggled. “See you soon, Dress.”

  “Bye, Girl!”

  Under the canopy of a tree Ethan spotted Kira’s tone body and sultry walk coming along the path. He and Storm-shadow jumped out on the trail. She wore a sexy silver dress and matching heels. How she walked without breaking an ankle Ethan didn’t know. She waved when she noticed them and said in her soft Scottish brogue “Hello Lads, warm day it is.”

  “Really?” Ethan scratched his head.

  “Yes, you just cannot feel heat like the rest of us anymore.” Storm-shadow said.

  “Oh, right. Sorry, I forget that a lot.” He blushed like usual.

  “So, what can I do for this mysterious training Dress spoke of?” Kira asked as Ken gagged in an annoying way.

  “Ethan has manifested a new power…”

  “Yeah, the Drone everyone’s talking about.” Her lipstick red lips smiled. “So what can I do?”

  The elemental asked “Can you make an object fly around really fast and dodge so the Drone can chase it. Odin wants to know more about it and its limits.”

  “Not a problem. I can do several levitation spells and movement. Would you prefer it’s done over the lake?” Kira said.

  “If you don’t mind.” Ethan kindly asked.

  Kira extended a hand and the tip of her finger began to glow a soft blue-green as she plucked four straw training dummies off the ground from over a
hundred feet away. Some Centaurs and Nymph archers put down their bows and watched while an Ogre fishing on the dock realized what was about to happen and reeled in the line before getting back to shore.

  “I’m going to target the dummy that’s missing a head. Kira, this time just make the drone play keep away. Move the dummy as fast as you can and do whatever it takes to keep it from being destroyed.”

  “Whenever you’re ready, Ethan.” Kira lazily put a hand on her round hip while lowering three dummies with a gentle motion.

  Ethan walked forward to make sure no one would get hurt and recreated the Drone. Now that he knew it could be done the fireball came back to life, even if it was an uncomfortable creation as the tingling was intense and the bloody color of his hand didn’t seem healthy. He cocked his arm back and let loose.

  Kira lazily moved the dummy with her finger and her jaw dropped as the ball of fire rocketed after it. She changed direction and the projectile followed without pause. Every moment it got faster and faster in the chase. If the dummy jumped up into the sky, so too was it followed by a trail of fiery smoke. Kira focused harder, not wanting to fail and made the dummy fly faster and faster, dodging more and more quickly. No matter how swift she was, the Drone was faster.

  In a bright and soundless light the Drone connected. Only ash and smoke flitted down to the lake, drawn by gravity. Kira said in astonishment “Amazing. Ethan you have much control.”

  “Kira, once I threw the Drone it did all that on its own.” He corrected.

  Flabbergasted would be the best description on Kira’s face. “That cannot be. The Drone took on a life of its own? Every Caster alive cannot hope to make a spell work without setting and controlling conditions that take hours to clearly state. Do it again without looking to prove it attacks relentlessly once released.” In a minute another dummy was destroyed all while Ethan’s back was to it. “It’s true! After this I must tell Morgane Le Fay and other Casters… This must be another specialty of Elementals.” Ethan just shrugged and scratched his full, but short auburn beard. “What next?”