by Ramy Vance
The swarm surrounded the MERCs. The gnashing of teeth and beating of wings was almost too much to deal with. The sound made the MERCs want to cover their ears. Fighting was almost out of the question; the sound of buzzing wings was so deafening.
Stew stepped forward and pulled out his axe. He swung blindly and ineffectively at the mass of insects as Sandy conjured her wand, her skin turning to ash and covering her body in a dark cloak, her face a death mask as her bones shone brightly in the fire ring she called up.
Suzuki called his hand axe and slid his fingers over the pommel, activating a charm he had placed weeks ago. The axe grew heavy and dense, its blade turning white with heat. Suzuki pulled down his HUD and scanned the insects.
His HUD read that he had a hundred percent chance of success.
His first instinct was to attack, but he stopped for a second. They're just bugs, and they’re what I need. “Leave them alone,” Suzuki shouted. “Don’t hurt the bugs! They aren’t trying to hurt us.”
The MERCs slowly put away their weapons and, doing the only rational thing, ran away from the swarm. The insects did not follow through. They seemed content to stick around Suzuki, who remained where he stood.
Beth retrieved her shield from Stew as she shouted to Suzuki, “Suzy, get out of there! They’re going to eat you alive!”
Suzuki shook his head as he smiled. “No, don’t worry about it!” he shouted back. “They’re here because I smell like ambrosia! It’s all right.” Suzuki felt something bite his shoulder, then his wrist. He looked down. The insects that had engulfed him were chomping down on him. “Fuck! I was wrong! Kill them! Kill all of them!”
The Mundanes stormed the insects, but they were too late. The flurry of wings had not stopped, and Suzuki felt his feet floating off the ground. The insects were taking him with them.
After the initial fear and pain wore off, Suzuki found the experience to be relaxing. He had been wrong twice within the span of a couple of seconds. The insects weren’t chewing on him. They were only biting him so they had a way to lift him. Calling them bites seemed misleading. At most, they were nibbles. That being said, the rest of the Mundanes did not know this, and they anxiously followed Suzuki, despite him shouting multiple times that everything was okay.
The insects carried Suzuki and led the Mundanes out of the jungle into a green pasture. A river cut through the pasture, and the water was dark and brown—a river of mud. The Mundanes stopped short of the river and watched as the insects carried Suzuki and dropped him in the stinking, stagnant water.
Suzuki coughed and thrashed as he tried to keep from going under. He couldn’t think of anything more disgusting than getting the water in his mouth. Then his feet touched the bottom, and he dragged himself out. Shit covered his armor—particularly aromatic shit. The rest of the Mundanes politely stepped aside as he walked toward where the insects were now swarming and then fell down. He wearily pointed at what the insects had crowded around. “Ambrosia,” he muttered.
The MERCs walked up to where Suzuki lay and followed his finger. Sure enough, the insects were swarming around a massive growth of ambrosia. The insects hadn’t landed on the fungus. They just floated above it, as if the scent was enough for them.
Stew leaned over and helped Suzuki to his feet. Suzuki exasperatedly tried to wipe the mud and gunk off himself but to no avail. He groaned, extremely irritated as Beth made a huge show of staying away from Suzuki due to his smell.
When the Mundanes and the Horsemen stood in front of the ambrosia, the smell was nearly overwhelming. It was almost nothing like what Suzuki’s SD card had replicated. Somewhat. The smell was still there, but it was so intense that it was almost unrelatable. The air smelled so sweet, it was sickly, like rotten fruit. Yet the scent was strangely entrancing as well. Almost hypnotic.
Diana pulled a pickaxe out of her inventory and approached the fungus. She sank the pickaxe into the fungus, chipping off a little bit of it. She looked over her shoulder and wiped off the sweat that was already starting to form on her brow. “Come on,” she shouted. “This isn’t going to pick itself. You should all have an axe in your inventory. MERCs get one pickaxe and shovel issued standard.”
Suzuki scrolled through his inventory. There was the pickaxe. He wondered if he could get out of mining duty. He was the person who had been practically eaten alive on the search for the ambrosia. The thought was instantly discarded when Suzuki met Diana’s eyes. She looked ready to crack the whip on all the MERCs. Even Chip had hastily grabbed a pickaxe and was mining the ambrosia.
For such a bookish person, Diana could swing an axe. All the MERCs, Chip included, had to stop multiple times to catch their breath. Not Diana. She continued picking the ambrosia as if she were incapable of tiring. It was good someone had that stamina because the ambrosia was thick and hard, tougher than iron or steel. For the hours of work the MERCs put in, there was hardly anything to show for it.
Frustrated, Sandy pulled out her wand, energy crackling from its tip, and pointed it at the veins of ambrosia. Diana jumped away from the fungus and pushed down Sandy’s wand hand. “No, no, no, that’s a terrible idea.”
Sandy put her wand away and grasped her pickaxe again. “Why? It would go faster,” she argued. “We’re wasting time when we could be blasting this shit off. Chip could have gone all laser-hand and torn this shit apart by now.”
“Did you stop to think about why Chip hasn’t done just that? Ambrosia is very, very touchy. It takes on the molecular structure of whatever it comes into contact with very easily. If you use fire on it, it burns. A laser turns into refracting light. You punch it? You have ambrosia that is the disturbing consistency of flesh. That’s why we use pickaxes. Might take a while to chip it away, but the stuff is sturdy, and it lasts. Once you detach bits of ambrosia from the main fungus, its molecular structure stabilizes.”
“This stuff better be good, for all the damn hoops we have to jump through.”
Chip looked up from her work and scrolled her inventory for a bottle of water. “Oh, it is,” Chip said. “’Twas José’s favorite drink for a reason. The kind of stuff gods drink, you know?”
Suzuki sat down and tried to catch his breath. Stew sat next to him and handed him a handkerchief. “Where the hell did you get this, Stew?” Suzuki asked as he handed the handkerchief back.
Stew folded the hankie up and put it in his back pocket. “I always have a handkerchief,” he said. “My mom always made me carry one when I was a kid. Never thought to offer it to anyone until today, though.”
The Mundanes worked until they were all exhausted. All except Diana. The rest of the MERCs had gathered together, and Sandy had built a fire. Stew was roasting a rack of meat on the flames as Chip sang softly under her breath. Once the meat was cooked, Stew passed pieces to the MERCs.
Chip threw a rock at the pile of fungus Diana was working on. “Come on, Dee. Ain’t that enough hacking today?” Chip asked. “Come sit for a spell.”
Diana tossed down her pickaxe and walked over to the fire.
The last of the sun was dropping in the sky, painting the horizon different shades of orange and red, making it look as if the heavens had been wounded.
Suzuki took a bite out of the meat Stew had cooked.
It was fantastic.
Sweet and savory. The months of tutelage under Wendy, the owner of the Red Lion, had done wonders for Stew’s cooking skills. He was obviously picking up tips from Diana as well. For the first time in a long time, Suzuki wanted to give Stew a compliment. He felt like Stew might be tolerable after being praised.
Before Suzuki could open his mouth, Stew faced Diana and asked, “Earlier, Chip said ambrosia was the stuff gods drank. It didn’t sound like she was talking about the gods in the myths. Are there gods in Middang3ard?”
Diana poured a tankard of ale and passed it to the MERCs. “Of course, there are gods,” Diana answered. “You lot killed one, remember?”
“So, that baby elder was actually a god? What t
he hell are gods, then, if you can kill them?”
Diana’s eyes brightened as she sat up and leaned closer to speak with Stew. Sandy’s ears perked up as well. “You see,” Diana started, “the concept of deity and godhood is bizarre in Middang3ard. Not just here, but in general, I guess you could say. Earth and its realm have gods. All the old myths, religions, all of that stuff. Spiritual paths. Some gods have existed for as long as time, and others were dreamed up in caves, while still others introduced themselves along with technology or tales. What makes them gods is the intensity of the belief people have in them. Several world leaders, authors, and artists have been deified over time. Hemmingway, Frida Kalo…both of them are gods. Met them personally.”
“What do you mean, you met them personally?”
By now, all the MERCs were hanging on every word Diana was saying. “You all know there are different realms. They’re stacked on top of each other, taking up the same space and none at the same time. Existing simultaneously. The seven realms of elves, men, dwarves, and so forth. Middang3ard is the neutral realm where all of the races mix. Beyond those realms are more, though—realms that are never seen. Even calling them realms isn’t proper. Think of it like this.”
Diana waved her hands and conjured the image of a piece of paper, then seven more pieces of paper. “Say each of these is one of the realms. This is what they look like and how close they are to each other.”
Diana stacked the pieces of paper. “You see how the paper is so thin that you can’t tell how many sheets there are?” She conjured a needle and pressed it through the stack. “That’s why we can travel between realms so easily. We’re right next to each other. But there are other places.” Diana conjured a rock that floated a few feet away from the paper. “Other places that are nothing like our realms. Places people are terrified of going. Places that are so inhuman, we can hardly comprehend them. One of those places is the realm of the gods. Those gods are different than the ones each realm worships, though. They are the gods outside of the realms.”
Sandy held her hands close to the flames, the shadows casting shapes on her face. “Have you been there?” she asked. “To the places outside the realms?”
Diana waved away the images floating above the fire. “A few times,” she admitted. “It’s different every time, but I have been there. Not for long, though. Only opened my eyes and saw what exists beyond reality. They say there’s a realm we pull our magic from. A realm where you can gorge yourself on the source of magic. I was searching for it, and I found many things. It’s how I became the mage I am today. But I did not find that place.”
Suzuki cleared his throat as Beth grabbed him and pulled him under her arm. “That’s where the Dark One came from, isn’t it?” Suzuki asked. “He’s not from any of the seven realms. He’s from one of those…places outside the realms?”
Diana nodded as she spoke. “That’s what I believe. At first, he just seemed to be a man with delusions of grandeur. He had tech, and that was the most we had observed. But at the defense ring, what came through those portals was not of the realms, and they were sent without hesitancy. As if they were of no consequence. We need to rethink our whole approach to everything concerning the Dark One. At least, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell Myrddin.”
Stew yawned and leaned back against a rock. “Why the hell are you trying to convince that old fart of anything?” Stew asked. “He’s not the most forthcoming guy. Honestly, he’s kind of an asshole.”
Everyone turned to look at Stew before Diana burst out laughing. She grabbed her notebook and started taking notes, whispering under her breath, “Shows signs of increased emotional awareness while reverting back to former speech patterns.” She put the notebook away and continued, “You aren’t wrong, Stew. I’ve been trying to convince Myrddin we’re fighting something bigger than an invader from another realm. Myrddin has never been to the place outside the realms. He hasn’t seen what I’ve seen. He doesn’t know what’s capable of passing through. What they want…”
“What do you think they want?”
Diana stood and waved her hand so the sky became darker. “Magic is not merely for fighting,” Diana said. “Magic runs through the core of all beings, of all existence. What we use in combat is the most banal application of magic. At its core, magic has the ability to distort and alter reality, depending on the strength and will of the individual, much like tech. In some realms, those distinctions aren’t even made. I believe the Dark One is from a place such as that. I believe he, or it, is a creature beyond the distinctions of magic or tech.”
The sky glowed green and took the shape of a turtle with a long white beard. The turtle stumbled a few steps forward, then opened up its mouth and vomited. Behind the turtle, a massive spider inched closer. It pounced on the turtle, and they intertwined into each other before breaking apart, their limbs scattered throughout the night.
Diana was floating, white light blazing from her eyelids. “I have seen how existence was created and met the first god. When he and his lover fought, they broke each other’s bodies and cast them through the blackness of time and eternity. Each of those pieces became something we have never named.”
Diana’s voice changed. It grew dark and low as if something was speaking through her. “I know the being you speak around, for you do not speak of them. You use words to describe that which you do not understand. The Dark One, as you call it, is not a god. It is something beyond the very concept of ‘god.’ There is nothing which it is, and it is everything it wishes.”
Diana stood and walked toward the river. In the water was a bright light.
The MERCs drew their weapons. Suzuki called his axe to him and it flew from his waist to his hand, catching fire instantly. Sandy pressed her hand to her amulet and turned into a miasma of death and bone, while Chip’s hand rearticulated into a plasma cannon. Stew casually pulled his war axe from his back.
There was a creature standing in the river. It looked like an elk but was much larger. Almost as large as a full-grown moose. It had spindly antlers that stretched toward the sky, nearly five feet long. The fur covering its body was shaggy and brown, the tuft of hair on its chest much longer than the rest and white. The creature turned to look at the MERCs as they approached.
Everyone stopped dead in their tracks.
The elk had the face of a human. It was covered in red paint, six white lines drawn on the side of its face. It smiled at the MERCs as it approached Diana, who rested her hand on its side.
Suzuki felt the eyes of the creature pierce him straight to his core. He was filled with fear, reverence, and awe. For some reason, he felt extremely underdressed and self-conscious about how he smelled.
Diana opened her mouth and the creature did the same, and harmony rang out between them as Diana floated off the ground. The fear and worry Suzuki had felt before disappeared. Whatever was standing before him was not a threat. He knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt.
All the mud disappeared. As the elk stepped toward the Mundanes, reeds and flowers sprouted from the water. The mud disappeared, and the water turned crystal-clear. The elk dipped its head and drank slowly before continuing to approach the Mundanes. It came up the bank of the river and sat down, folding its legs neatly beneath its body. Diana stood next to it.
Diana spoke, her voice loud and completely unlike her normal tones. “Do not be afraid, humans. My tongue is not made for your language, but I heard what you speak of. Diana seemed a worthy vessel for this conversation of importance.”
Stew raised his axe and pointed it at the elk. “No, first off, you tell us what the fuck you are and what you’re doing to our friend, or I will fucking end you.”
The elk smiled sweetly as it tilted its head. Diana spoke for the elk, saying, “Your loyalty to your friend is beautiful. I am…I believe you humans call me Yatsukamizuomitsuno.”
Stew looked at Sandy. “Do you know what that is?”
Sandy sighed and shook her head. “I think…I don�
��t know what it means, but I know what he is. That’s a fucking god. That’s the god of the jungle. The Shishigami.”
The Shishigami bowed slowly as it made some kind of guttural noise deep in its throat. Diana stepped away from the Shishigami and said, “You speak of what you call the Dark One. Your curiosity has led you in the proper direction. I have seen the places outside realms. I have walked its path. The Dark One is something beyond these places. He has existed outside of all known and unknown realms. He comes from a place beyond, and he must be named to be destroyed.
Suzuki didn’t understand what was being said. “What do you mean, he has to be named?” he asked.
“The Dark One is not a name. It is a title that has been given. Yet, in his name, there is power, an old power many have forgotten about. The name is where one finds power in the old magic. If he remains unnamed, he will retain a power that cannot be defeated. Find his name.”
Sandy stepped forward and knelt before the Shishigami. Suzuki didn’t know why, but he felt he should do the same. After a few seconds, Stew and Chip also stepped forward and knelt. The grass beneath them grew nearly up to their waists as Sandy asked, “Where can we find his name?”
The Shishigami’s smile disappeared. It looked at the sky. “In the place beyond realms. In the dark where there is nothing. In the place of magic.”
“The place magic comes from?”
“Find his name.”
Diana looked at the stars above. “Did you come here in shapes made of thoughts and intention as well?”
The MERCs didn’t know how to answer. Suzuki finally stepped forward. “Is that the way the Dark One came here?”
Diana looked at Suzuki, her eyes beaming white light. “He is here. One of the Dark One’s minions.”
A blast of ice came flying from the jungle, and the icicle hit the Shishigami in the throat. The god went down, blue blood flowing from its neck and pooling in a halo around its head as it gasped, trying to suck in air.
Diana fell to her knees, also gasping for breath, her eyes returning to their regular color. She looked around in a daze, confused, trying to figure out what was happening. At her side, the Shishigami was bleeding out. She tore off a piece of her robe and pressed it to the god’s throat, trying to staunch the blood. “What the hell is going on?” she shouted.
