by Brown, Allen
"And what exactly are we doing today?" I ask the woman who is still latched onto my arm.
"It's her sixteenth birthday."
"Oh so is this a coming of age thingy then?" I grumbled.
"She will be sent into adulthood with an offering to the Goddess, Devi. In hopes to bless and keep her among one of her servants." She said.
"Offering?" I said, and of course as I said it. Up on the altar, they dragged a seemingly dosed crusader onto the stage with his full armor equipped except for the helmet. His head flung about as they carried him, as if he didn't have the energy to hold his own weight, but he was clearly awake. The moans and growls at every movement made that very clear among the silent yet eager crowd. The lust for blood echoed in the stares of each member of the audience looking up to the altar. The priestess chanted off to the crowd, words inaudible to me, before placing him firmly on the altar.
"You know, I think I'll go wait inside. It's a bit chilly." I told the woman trying to break free from her hold.
"Shh!" She spat holding me tighter, "they are about to start."
Everyone gathered around the altar and held hands with the person beside them as they began to chant.
“Om dum Durgaye namaha...
Om dum Durgaye namaha...
Om dum Durgaye namaha...”
Swaying back and forth, chanting as the priestess prepared above. To be honest... It looked freaky as fuck, the woman that had gripped me loosened her hold as it looked as she entered the trance like state. The priestess on stage drew a sword, it was gold and lined with various gems that glittered beautifully. The girl in white sat cradling the crusaders head like a newly born baby on her bosom. The priestess raised the sword above her head and yelled: "In the name of the goddess Devi! I release you from this world, as you transcend, you will raise... Aisha... to her feet in humble servitude." Her arms fell down with force severing the head of the crusader, the head rolled down the pathway before it was launched into the river below. The young woman, still seated, was sprayed by the man's blood, her once pure white dress now soaked in red.
"Alrighty then!" I said nervously backing away, "fuck this." I wandered around the camp for a moment, eventually finding the familiar tent I frequented. Entering, I took a seat at the nearby table, it looked hand carved, but I couldn't care less at this point. My eyes turned to the jug of wine, reaching over, I grabbed it and poured myself a drink downing it in one go.
"Rough day? You are looking a bit over fifty today." she said coming in looking at me with a smile.
"You could say its been a bit of a troublesome day and that.” I say pointing outside and pouring myself another drink "didn't make it any better.” She walked to the fire pit and stoked the fire, breathing life into it brightening the room.
"Far way the wizard." She said.
"Far way for a crusader too... How did you get him? Do you know what you are fucking with? The church will..."
"...the church will fuck, I will fuck, we all fuck." She said turning to me not a care in her eyes.
I should mention, her eyes were fucking amazing. Like a spell, I got lost in them every single time, a dark crystal green highlighted by her caramel skin. Her slender body exhumed lust from every detail uncovered by the light from the fire. Her dress bore a deep 'V' that ran down between her breasts right down to her naval. Her breasts were clear through her dress, perfect, hidden just behind a thin veil. Kicking her leg out, she walked, slowly towards me. With each step, the shadows lifted, revealing more.
"Looking for something?" She said in a calm tone. Her voice brought be back to the living, realizing that I was spilling the contents of my goblet onto the floor.
"Oh shit. Think I had enough today..." I laughed, before I could grab something to wipe it up, she took a seat... on my lap.
Grabbing onto my shoulders, she maneuvered on my lap to get a bit too comfortable. Her small body felt light, yet the warm touch was familiar and safe.
"Yeah...So, floating candles? Isn't that a bit... precarious? even for you" I say shifting myself.
"Oh, says the wizard apporting into my camp." She said looking at me, but yet not into my eyes.
"Sam..." I say trying to keep a cool head.
"What?" Sam said inching near my ear, "Can I see your wand?"
"For Christ sake woman." I say pushing her off, "okay sorry, I can't today. I’m in a hurry."
"Fine. Be that way." She said getting off, unsatisfied.
"Sam... Seriously, kids are being kidnapped throughout the city by another wizard." I told her. I could see that she wanted nothing to do with me right now, but Sam wasn't one to turn her back on helpless children. I knew she might give me something to use.
"Another wizard?" She said surprised, "maybe I should invite him over then.” she continues with a smile and a faraway look in her eyes.
"Can we get serious here?” He told me they had plans to do something with these children." I explained.
"Tell me about the kids." Sam said pacing in front of me.
"Well, the ones we know about are below the age of twelve, and they are all first borns." I said gripping my pipe in my pocket.
"First borns huh." She said curiously.
"What would you need with first borns." I say.
"There are dozens of things... As for nefarious acts, I think it may be ritualistic." Sam said taking a seat at the table.
"There are countless rituals..." I said frustrated, I grabbed the goblet and took another sip of the wine. It was sweet, almost too sweet.
She took my hands in her warm ones and it instantly calmed me “Balan, if you believe in yourself half as much as I do. You will figure this out and save those children."
"Let's only hope." I said, looking into her endless green eyes and never wanting to leave but, I took one last look at her, the way her legs bend around the chair... "so about that wand..."
"I'm tired. Another time." Sam said getting up and walking away purposely swaying her hips to torture me.
"Fuck…me…."
Chapter Six
As I walk along the street, I can't remember why I moved to this wretched city. The vile creatures that inhibit this city, also known as humans to the populous, are nasty. All they do is drink all night and piss on the streets all morning, and you have the select few sipping on tea at the patio of restaurants that are too fancy for me to even pronounce the name. That bunch let me tell you, are such privileged aristocrats with their heads so far up their asses that they wouldn't know what to do even if their shoe had a hole in it.
On this particular morn, the sky was dim with an overcast of muddled clouds. The climate was humid; sweat bore from my brow even with me donning my thin robe. Rain looked to be imminent. I threaded along the damp grid locked roadway towards the lab. Carriages rushed along the path every now and then delivering goods to the people. Turning through the alleyway, I skipped the part where I would cross paths with those carriages that love to spew dirt all over your garments.
Coming up to the lab door, a huge sign hung over the door.
"The Great Detective: Your Next Lost and Found." God what a fucking awful name, why did I let Jinn do that is beyond me. Although, I didn't think I would actually be around this long. Pressing my hand against the old pinewood door, it creaked open. Jinn sat with Sonia at the table sifting through papers. Closing the door behind me, I approached them.
"Good Morning." Sonia said leaving Jinn's side and approaching me with a smile.
"Hi, darlin'. Your daddy know you’re here?" I asked walking down the room to the desk with her.
"Nope." She said, walking towards me.
"Good girl."
"Hey do you have a minute?" She said standing in front of me with her eyes cast down before reaching the table. I led her to the corner of the room near a book shelf she rested a book on. Jinn was too deep in his book to take notice, I nod for her to continue; "Jinn told me there are two wizards out there... Do you know them?" Sonia asked.
"No,
have you told your father?" I said to her looking at the book she replaced onto the shelf. It was a book on mythical beasts, a book I know fairly well from my past days as a trainer.
"No... Should I?" She said watching me, I could see her nailes dig into her arm as she hugged herself.
"Not yet... I need to know more first." I said, as I started to head back to the table.
But she wasn't done, she grabbed me by the arm and held me with her all her might. "Balan, please. Could you make sure nothing happens to him?" she asks as she looks over to jinn with concern in her eyes "I mean... You know watch over him, make sure he doesn't get hurt." She was struggling to keep control of her words. Her eyes darted around the room looking for something to focus on, but it always seemed to make their way back to Jinn. Holding her hands, I embraced it onto my heart, "Sonia my dear, for you. I will make sure nothing happens to him." I said with a smile.
Joining Jinn at the table, I fell into my seat opposite him. I watched as Sonia headed to another corner of the room and began to search through a bookshelf filled with giant books covered in dust. Jinn, like always, continued to read without acknowledging me. He knew I took a seat, but we were comfortable enough that we didn't have time for the usual pleasantries. That stuff is for people that you know aren't your friends, they are merely acquaintances, so you do as society dictates and pay your acknowledgments because who doesn't love to know that they exist.
"How are ya? Under control?" I ask Jinn.
"Mhmmm. I feel an itch, he's hanging around." Jinn said looking down at his book reading.
"That might've been me. I promised him he can come out when we find the wizard." I said.
Jinn looked at me with parental eyes, the ones that look to a child that just admitted stealing from the cookie jar, I simply shrugged at him. "I needed you back, and I didn't have time to wait out your shit." I said to him, he said nothing, he just looked at me with displeasure. I continued: “should've banished it. Who wants to have a demon in them? It's completely bonkers."
"Oh shut the fuck up." He said to me before continuing his reading. “Oh, be careful wouldn’t want any virgin ears hearing that kind of language now would we” I tapped his back and walked off before he could say anything but, I could feel the daggers shooting out of his eyes onto my back.
The silence in the room grew as everyone focused on their research. I picked up my trusty pipe and smoked it as I sat back in my chair. The bottom of my feet stung with pain, that one spot in my back burned with agony and my right index finger was almost numb. The grandfather clock was the only thing in the room that moved, it swayed in perfect rhythm and sound. Each click putting me closer and closer to sleep.
"Okay okay, I got one. What did the female hippo say about the male hippo that called her fat?" She said looking over at me and Jinn with a geekish smile. After losing expectation for us to answer, she finished: "He was too hippo-critical!" She ended with a small chuckle to herself. Carrying a book, she walked over and joined us at the table. "You two sure are serious today."
"Yeah well, its not something you would understand entirely." Jinn said shortly.
I could feel the hair on the back of my head crawl, those are words that you shouldn't say to a lass.
Even I know that.
Sonia took it surprisingly well, or so it may seem, she closed the book she was reading and rested her hand gently on top of it. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" She said in a soft tone. Soft, but in reality It may have been a dagger taking a plunge into your spine.
Jinn was still buried in his book, out of sight from my warning stare to desist. "Well, simple, you were born of royalty. You don't know the hardships people go through to put food on the table for their kids and what orphans have to do to stay alive." Jinn said resting his arms and looking up at the ceiling, "its lonely. Not having a parent home when its your birthday. Yet, you can't blame them, they are working to feed you."
"Well... I..." Sonia said, trying to cover her face with the book.
"Jinn! Your problems are no bigger nor smaller than any other. Everyone suffers from their own problems equally." I said interrupting her, "You have no right to compare that, it is just purely ignorant. He didn't mean that... It better be the demon in him talking."
Sonia remained silent, she was able to show her face again although a bit red.
"About that..." Sonia said looking at me, "What did you do?"
"What? The demon?" I responded, "it was my first case actually. I received a tip that there was a boy that was suffering and displaying strange power. They kept it quiet due to the fear of him being a wizard and being killed. So i decided to look into it and see if I could've helped him."
"Yeah I know, it was my aunt, Sam, that told you to save
him." Sonia said smiling.
"Wait what?" I said sitting up, I pulled the pipe out of my mouth as I spoke: "Your mom, the wife of the leader of the crusade against wizards, is sisters with a magic dwelling gypsy? How the fuck does that work? Seems like a total dysfunctional family."
"Secrets are our forte." She said smiling again wickedly.
There was a deafening silence, like the calm before the storm, my ears rang as the front door blew up into small pieces and flew across the room followed by a shockwave pushing through the room. I saw the wave coming, but I couldn't do anything, it hit me throwing me back into my chair, Sonia screamed while the papers fluttered above us. In the midst of the dust settling across the room, a man stepped out from behind what was left of the door. "Good evening.. I would like to enlist your help.” the man said, it was the wizard I saw at the barracks. He continued: "You see, my cat is stuck in a tree..."
He entered the lab, his torn black robes dragging along the floor. He walked slowly, laughing so loudly it bounced off the walls. Standing still, he looked at all three of us with a grin. His teeth green and filled with all sorts of nasty. Taking a little spin, he dissolved into a black swarm of smoke that rotated like a tornado ripping through the room around the edges stopping in front of Jinn, standing over him. I was still trying to recover from the shell shock. Sonia had her head down as she gripped her ears, and Jinn had his hands on his head, looking at the wizard above him. The man stood unwavering and focused, his throat burnt a bright red. Jinn knew right away throwing his robes over him as I grabbed my cane and tapped him with it under the table.
The unknown wizard to us breathed fire from his mouth onto Jinn as his cloaked turned silver deflected the fire down to the floor. I got up instantly and apported behind the wizard, grabbing him by the shoulder. Forcibly apporting him with me, I could feel the heat char my skin as we twisted through the fabric of space. Landing down near the entrance, I let go of him sending him flying into the book case head first. His body fell to the floor limp, with piles of books falling onto him.
Tapping the floor with my cane with a single stroke, the wooden floor boards unfastened themselves and piled near the body one after the other. Building a coffin like structure surrounding him. The boards around the body peeled away starting to reveal pieces of the basement below. The man spun from his stomach onto his back and hurled a ball of fire directly at me. Foolish, a floor board simply floated in front of me deflecting the blow upward to the ceiling. The final pieces of the coffin were put in place nailing him down the the floor.
It was satisfying.
I could hear him clawing from within the coffin, his nails grazing along the rough wood followed by a few punches. His screams were muffled and his attempts to apport out unsuccessful. It's been a long time since I ever dueled another wizard, I forgot how terrifying it was. The unpredictability is the thing that kills you, because anything is possible for a powerful enough wizard.
Jolting my aging heart, Sonia screamed so loud it screeched throughout the room. Jinn and I witnessed her body fade from existence; she had disappeared and reappeared next to Jinn. Before he could grab her, they both became transparent and moved atop the table. Standing behind them was a hooded
figure, blending with the background. It's a skill that was far beyond the man trapped within the coffin. Jinn attempted to make a run for it, with Sonia in hand, but was sent flying. His body limp and uncontrollable, he was sent hurling towards me.
Getting hit by a human projectile wasn't exactly the best feeling.
Toppling over onto the floor, Jinn moaned as he laid on the floor looking dazed. Pushing up on my elbows, I was more curious to find out what was going on, the pain had been muted. I looked to the coffin and confirmed that the other guy was still making noise in the box beside me, this is probably the second wizard. He is definitely more fucking powerful to enter without even a sound. The hooded mage wielded a long black staff with a large emerald at the end. It was magnificent, the carrier, was tall and slim, his body and face hidden by his cloak. His robes were clean and well kept. Pointing his staff towards the coffin, a streak of lightning zapped out the end of the staff destroying the cover of the box I made. The wizard trapped inside flew out in a puff of smoke, it dove to the exit and shot up into the sky.
Sonia tried to fight off the man's grip, but he was far to powerful. Pulling down his hood, his long sleek white hair flowed beyond his hood. His face was old, like mine. His eyes blue, and his nose crooked, also like mine. He took Sonia in his arms, stared at me with a grin as the green crystal in his staff began to glow brightly.
"Hello brother." He said before his and Sonia's body blurred and disappeared right before my eyes. Sonia's scream echoed the hall long after she was gone.
Balin...
Chapter Seven
"Jinn! Wake the fuck up." I said slapping him across the face. I could see the imprint of my hand starting to formulate on his face.
“Would you stop that?" He said, rubbing his face with his hands, his eyes still closed.
"Good. Get up." I said pushing him aside as I used my cane to make it to my feet.
