Red Wizard of Atlantis

by Ravek Hunter

  That was around four hundred years ago, and by Dragon years he was still young. Although the Isles of Gades, her realm, had always been his home, Lysithea knew that he would regularly leave his lair on nearby island Hero to travel the world. In the century she had known him, Senjit often spoke of the unusual people he met and the strange cultures he experienced in obscure, far-off regions of the world. Oddly, he was known in those foreign lands more as a Dragon than a humanoid. Some of those peoples even worshiped him as a god, although he didn’t seem to take that very seriously. Once Senjit made a vague reference to a child and a family he was close to in a kingdom somewhere to the east, she couldn’t recall the name, but he never said more about it. Lysithea suspected that he sired children on at least one occasion and was perhaps even married previously, but he was reluctant to speak of it. What did it matter anyway? They were in love, and they were having a child together.

  One of the matters Lysithea and Senjit discussed was how to explain her pregnancy to her people. It was common knowledge that the queen consorted with Senjit and that he was a Golden Dragon. However, it was unlikely anyone expected anything to come of it. The human and Elven populace in Gades, as well as the Centaurs scattered around the isles, could care less, but the Nymphs that made up the ruling class were a much more exclusive group and preferred to keep outsiders at a distance. It was not uncommon for a Nymph to take a human or Elven male to conceive a child and then either never tell the male about the pregnancy or, in the rare case of love, allow the male to live in her household without any actual titles or authority. The Nymphs on the Isles of Gades were culturally matriarchal, although they did not require the same of their subjects.

  Fortunately, nearly every child born to a Nymph was a girl, and on the odd chance a boy was born, the offspring never had the natural abilities of a Nymph. Instead, he was likely to have substantial potential in the magical arts. These rare males usually grew up in the household of their mothers and then were sent to Atlantis or Avalon to apprentice to a wizard once they came of age. Unfortunately, they almost always lost their sanity before the age of thirty and killed themselves before they became a danger to society. Lysithea was glad they did not have that complication to deal with. As it was, she worried her sister Nymphs would not accept her daughter as the next in line to rule given the nature of her father. A child from a union with a Golden Dragon might be a source of considerable controversy.

  That evening they met in the grove again, and as expected the conversation turned to their future together.

  “We should announce the pregnancy openly,” Lysithea suggested to Senjit after a short debate. “You are well liked, and it would be better not to hide it. If it causes any concern among my sisters, I will just have to deal with it.”

  It was no secret that her sisters all liked Senjit and openly suggested that he become her consort. His charm was one of his most endearing qualities. However, their opinions might change once they found out she could have a child by him.

  Senjit looked amused for a moment, then asked, “Shall we join in the bond as man and wife?”

  Lysithea laughed. “So you want to be king?”

  Senjit took on a tone of mock indignation and snobbery, “I am known as Huanglong by the Huaxia, Culebre by the Astriense, Ladon in Hellas, the World Serpent by the Vikja, Usum by the Kur-gal, the Earth Monster by the Olmec, and many more titles by peoples all over the world. The last thing I need is another appellation! Except for husband. I wouldn’t mind the title of husband.”

  In a high, royal resonance, she teased back, “So be it! I grant you the title of husband.” They laughed together, and she hugged him rigorously. She couldn’t have been more thrilled with the outcome. If only her sisters would share her enthusiasm . . .

  Lysithea knew Senjit couldn’t care less about earthbound power. He was a Golden Dragon, and his realm was the sky. Besides, he told her many times how much politics of the humanoids bored him. They bored her too, most of the time.

  Within a few days, the announcement was made that the queen was taking a companion. A huge ceremony was planned with a public celebration to take place afterward. To Lysithea’s relief, the Nymphs and general citizenry of the Isles of Gades responded to the news happily. Her closest confidants advised her that while it was true that Senjit was a wildly exotic magical beast, her sisters agreed that the match was far more befitting her station than a mere human or elf. Her more substantial fear about whether or not her child would be accepted was also allayed. It seemed that her sisters expressed more curiosity than concern and looked forward to witnessing the results of the union.

  Two weeks later, Lysithea was bathed and dressed in a beautiful flowing gown of white and gold for the wedding ceremony to be held on the rolling grasslands outside the City of Gades. It was open to any citizen who wished to attend, and they came in droves to see their reclusive queen and her stunning union to a Dragon. Nobles from the nearby kingdoms, Centaurs, Elves, Druids, Nymphs, and commoners alike mingled side by side in joyous celebration of their nuptials. Senjit was not an uncommon curiosity to the populace, as he was often seen flying high above the isles going someplace or other, although he was rarely viewed up close. His arrival for the ceremony was a spectacular show for those fortunate enough to arrive early and watch him fly in Dragon form and land transformed into a human.

  With little pageantry, the Arch-Priestess conducting the simple ceremony, blessed their unity in the name of the goddess Gersemi, and announced that they were husband and wife. Then there was a massive celebration with an abundance of food, dancing, and gifts commemorating the day.

  Lysithea had never been happier in her life.

  A few days later, Lysithea hosted a private ceremony at the palace, within the sacred apple groves, for her sister Nymphs to accept her new consort. Senjit, as expected, was accepted unanimously. Inasmuch as he was an impressive Golden Dragon, the Nymphs loved their queen and showed unequivocal trust in her judgment. Lysithea knew how vain Nymphs tended to be, she was vain herself, and she expected that her sisters secretly liked the idea that her consort was a powerful Dragon who would contribute to the influence and security of their small island nation.

  During the small reception afterward, Lysithea and Senjit announced her pregnancy publicly and that the baby would be a girl. The news was received in all parts of the Isles with enthusiasm and with a quiet undercurrent of speculation as to what form the child would emerge as. From that time on, Senjit became a familiar and welcome resident of the palace and close companion during the term of her pregnancy.

  Queen Lysithea enjoyed a healthy seventeen-month pregnancy. Nymphs did not often get pregnant, and when they did, it was almost always by choice. When Lysithea went into labor, the Arch-Priestess of Gersemi was again summoned, along with the queen’s birthing Nymphs. A few hours later, the child was born, and a gasp rippled through those gathered to witness the birth and attend the queen.

  “Extraordinary.” Senjit was standing by her, and Lysithea immediately looked at him with fear and concern.

  “What is wrong?” she begged, not having seen the baby yet with so many huddled over the newborn, cleaning and evaluating its health.

  A sharp cry broke the quiet of the room, and she heard the sound of her baby for the first time. Lifting the swaddled form, the Arch-Priestess gently handed the newborn to Lysithea. Looking upon the face of her baby for the first time, she didn’t need to see more to know that she would be beautiful. And different. She had skin the color of liquid gold.

  Before Lysithea could say anything, the Arch-Priestess was standing over them. “This child is strong and healthy,” she announced to the room. “I bless her in the name of Gersemi, and in accordance with the wishes of the goddess, the child will be known as Alseid.”

  The awkward uncertainty of the Nymphs in the room turned to laughter and celebration. The Arch-Priestess claimed the child for Gersemi. That meant she was healthy, and more importantly, she was a Nymph. Later the baby wou
ld be washed in the spring that fed the sacred grove, and a slice of the golden apple would be placed on her tongue to establish a bond with the orchard that would last throughout her entire life. For now, the Arch-Priestess and the rest of her sisters left the room so Lysithea could rest and enjoy a little privacy with her new family.

  “Alseid. She is so beautiful,” observed Senjit. “We will have to keep a close eye on her to avoid surprises by any unexpected abilities that she doesn’t know how to control. When she is a little older, I will probe her mind and discover what I can. What is the meaning of her name?”

  Lysithea couldn’t take her eyes off the now sleeping infant. “It means ‘of the grove,’ and you are right, we will have to watch her carefully.

  “‘Of the grove,’” Senjit chuckled. “She was conceived in that venerable orchard!”

  Lysithea rolled her eyes. “I’m sure Gersemi had a different reason for choosing that for her name. Although, who could know the mind of a goddess?” She laughed.

  Lysithea and Senjit studied their child closely over the next few months, wondering what strange abilities might manifest themselves in the child they brought into this world. So far, she had not displayed any unusual talents; in fact, with the exception of her gold skin, she was an absurdly regular Nymph. Even Senjit’s gentle mind probing only confirmed her magical nature and potential.

  ~~~

  SY5490

  Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years before Alseid astonished her parents with the first unusual ability outside what would have been expected from a young Nymph.

  Alseid was five years old when she walked into Lysithea’s chambers to awaken her mother. Senjit was away this night, hunting for game on the Mouillian Coast, leaving her alone for a few days. “Mommy, are you awake? Mommy?” Alseid called out too loudly only an arm’s length away from her mother. The five-year-old was a beautiful little girl with long curly blonde locks and the highly unusual liquid-gold skin that had not changed a bit since her birth. Her skin tone was unique to anyone that saw her, but they also knew who her father was, so none thought it particularly unusual. What everyone commented on were her beautiful green eyes that looked so much like her mother’s.

  “Yes, dear one,” Lysithea replied, rousing from a deep sleep.

  “Mommy, I captured a shadow. What shall I do with him?” she asked with concern.

  Queen Lysithea was confused, “Do you mean you saw your shadow? Are you afraid?”

  “No, Mommy, I captured it. Come see!” Alseid was very excited and pulled at Lysithea’s sleeve relentlessly.

  Lysithea got out of bed, quickly threw on a night-robe, and followed her daughter back to her room to see what nonsense she was pretending this night. One thing she had discovered about her child was that she had her father’s sense of playful humor, to the eternal chagrin of Senjit.

  Everything in Alseid’s room looked normal at first glance until Alseid pointed out a small bubble the size of an apple floating near her daughter’s bed.

  “Look, Mommy! Look! There it is!” Alseid exclaimed, jumping up and down with excitement.

  Suddenly feeling frightened, Lysithea pulled her daughter behind her and cautiously approached the strange object.

  Inside the bubble was a dark swirling mass. It moved erratically within the orb as if it were very angry. Even from an arm’s length away, Lysithea could feel something very wrong and evil about the thing.

  Lysithea partially turned to face her daughter while keeping a wary eye on the bubble. “Calm down, Alseid, please. Tell me what happened.”

  “The shadow woke me up because it was trying to go inside me.” She appeared curious rather than afraid at the thought, then suddenly she laughed and clapped. “So I captured it like we do with lightning bugs in bubbles!”

  Her mother tried to press her for more details about how exactly she captured the shadow, but the small child was unable to explain further. “Mommy, will you take it away so I can go to sleep? I’m tired now.” Alseid was already growing bored with the sphere; she didn’t understand what she had done at all. Lysithea was just relieved that her daughter was not afraid because of her experience.

  “Go sleep in Mommy’s bed tonight, dear,” Lysithea told her. Alseid exited the room at a skipping run back to her mother’s chamber.

  Once she was gone, Lysithea carefully approached the shadow-filled bubble and gingerly cupped it in her hands. She had to make sure it did not get away, and she had no idea how long her daughter’s bubble would last. She walked to her changing room and pulled out a small Dvergr steel chest containing her most exquisite jewelry. It was well constructed and shielded with enchantments against intrusion. Without a second thought, she dumped the expensive valuables on her dressing table and placed the bubble inside where it would stay until Senjit returned.

  Chapter 19

  Shadows

  Senjit stared at the shadow-filled bubble for a long while, probing it carefully with his psionic abilities to get a clue as to what it was and where it came from.

  With a start, he turned to Lysithea. “It’s a Chaos Demon. Alseid somehow captured a Chaos Demon before it could enter and possess her mind and body.”

  “What is a Chaos Demon, and where did it come from?” Lysithea asked anxiously with a hint of anger.

  Mindful of her temper, he spoke calmly. “It is a lesser Demon with the sole purpose of causing chaos in any way it can. They are from the Underworld or the Infernal Planes, depending on what one believes. How it escaped or was released, I cannot say.”

  What Senjit did know was that this was a very dangerous Demon and he must find out more about it and why it tried to possess his daughter. Although he didn’t show his emotion outwardly, he was very concerned and, like his wife, nearly in a rage over it, but he didn’t want to make his Lysithea more frightened than she was already. He did his best to keep the conversation calm.

  She asked, “Are there others? Will more come for Alseid?”

  Senjit detected rising panic in her voice. He moved to her side and held his wife close. “Not likely. It probably found her by chance. They can sense magic and are attracted to those with great power, like a fly drawn to a light globe. If they can possess someone strong in magic or influence, then they can cause greater damage to the world around them. In any case, I will set wards of protection just to be sure and teach you how to renew them when I am not here. I need to spend some quality time with the one she caught. Perhaps I can find out how it got here.”

  Queen Lysithea agreed, and after teaching her the wards, he set off to his lair in the mountains on Hero to study the Chaos Demon.

  ~~~

  Weeks passed before Senjit’s tenacity bore fruit and he determined how to communicate with the Chaos Demon with his psionic abilities. The thing was reluctant to provide any useful information, and it took enormous perseverance before he was able to find out that it came from the vicinity of Hellas. Further efforts to interrogate the Demon were becoming increasingly hazardous, even for a creature of Senjit’s intellect, and he decided his best course was to travel to Hellas. If there was a rift between this world and the Infernal Planes, then there could be more Demons, many more, to be dealt with.

  He looked carefully at the bubble and wondered for the hundredth time how a five-year-old little girl with no training was had the natural ability to create one, let alone trap a Chaos Demon inside it. He would leave that to Lysithea to work out while he investigated the source of the Demon. Even confined in the bubble, the Chaos Demon was still dangerous. Senjit realized that he would have to destroy it rather than risk the possibility that it might escape. He took it from his laboratory to the vast cavern where he slept in his natural form and in seconds transformed into the great golden beast revered by so many. The slits in his dark golden eyes regarded the tiny bubble in the palm of his massive claw. Why would the gods allow such evil to exist? he wondered. Maybe they didn’t have a choice. Right now, he did, and he had no qualms carr
ying through with it. With his fiery breath, he reduced the bubble and the evil shade inside of it to nothing and by doing so sent the Chaos Demon screaming back to the Underworld. Removing evil from the world was satisfying to Senjit, even if it was just a small piece.

  Returning to Gades, he sought out Lysithea to explain his discovery. “I need to travel to Hellas and find out if there is a rift open to the Underworld allowing these Demons to escape. The Chaos Demon Alseid captured may not be the worst of it.”

  “I wish there were a way I could accompany you,” Lysithea said sadly. “Now that we have a child, our adventures together will be postponed for a while. Be careful, Great Dragon, and remember there are two here that love you.”

  Senjit smiled. “Fear not, love. There is no other place I would rather you be than here with our daughter, as I know she will be safe. I will return to you both soon.”

  He kissed his wife, then walked down the hall to tell his little girl goodbye.

  ~~~

  Senjit flew high above the Great Sea at an altitude that allowed for him to conserve energy and glide with the fast wind currents. At this height, he could see the white tips of the waves stretching on for leagues in every direction and occasionally a square-sailed Mouillian brig, a Tartessos pirate sloop, or any number of smaller trade vessels that plied the open waterways. They all looked like children’s toys from his height.

  He had only been gone a day and a half, and already he missed his family. His beautiful Queen Lysithea looked very young by Nymph standards, and her green eyes, long brown hair, fleshy lips, and slender curves were naturally seductive by any measure. Then there was his little Alseid, sweetly innocent and filled with mysteries that only she could know, her bouncing blonde curls, her mother’s intense green eyes, and her liquid-gold skin made her a unique thing of beauty to behold. Reluctantly, he put them out of his mind. They would always be in his heart, but for now, he needed to focus on the task at hand—finding the source of the Chaos Demon’s entry into this world.