The Mage Tales, Books I-III

by Ilana Waters

  “No!” I cried. “Stop. He has to help Nocifari. She’s unconscious. She could be dying.”

  My reflection looked confused. “And why should that trouble us?” it asked. “In fact, let’s invite her as well.”

  “No!” I shouted, but it was too late. Oblivion dragged her in, and soon, the senseless demon hunter joined the others on the wall. With her various broken limbs jutting at different angles, she looked like a human rag doll. She had no idea how lucky she was not to be awake right now.

  “Why not?” asked Oblivion. “Surely you want everyone to see our handiwork. Although we would have finished her off if that pudgy fool hadn’t interrupted. Really, taking us by surprise, striking us in the head. It was very cruel how he separated our thoughts there, Joshua. I felt so lonely without you. But no matter. Now, we shall be together again. For all time.”

  I started to speak, but Oblivion wasn’t done. He glowered at Philip and the others, seething with jealousy. “At least here, they cannot lie to you. I won’t let them. Won’t let them tell you to be that cast-off version, that other self.” Then, to my utter horror, Oblivion revealed all the deranged behavior I’d been trying to conceal for days. The perverted dreams, what almost happened with the homeless girl—all of it.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, felt the shame burning in my face, my throat. I glanced up at everyone. Tears were streaming down Abigail’s cheeks. Arthur’s eyes were closed, his head slowly shaking back and forth. Philip hung his head, shoulders heaving with the effort it took to breathe. And even with all the evil things Titus must surely have done in his lifetime, he just gave me a dead-eye stare. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know his thoughts, even if I had been able to read them.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said in the barest of whispers. “I couldn’t tell you.” I choked. “I wanted to, but I couldn’t . . .”

  “Oh, you didn’t want them to know about that, did you?” Oblivion said. He looked down at his hands—my hands—admiring them as if for the first time. “Well, why shouldn’t they? It’s only a taste of what’s in store. And I’m so proud of who we’ve become. In fact, I think it’s time we showed them our true vision for the future. Don’t you?” I recoiled as I saw black smoke start to form inside the mirror. I knew what came next.

  This time, the unspeakable images were even more vibrant and detailed. Everyone’s eyes bulged as scenes of torture and murder flashed before them, orchestrated by Oblivion and his demon companions. Except Oblivion was me. I was one of the mad, depraved beasts up there.

  I saw maggots crawling out of a dead man’s mouth. Humans with wolf heads bent over a child, still alive, as they tore into it. Women—and more children—squealed and screamed like animals as demons ravaged their naked bodies. Cities crumbled in flames, oceans of lava crashed over shorelines. You could smell the unholy stench of burning flesh, hear the unheeded begging ringing in your ears.

  It seemed so real, like a waking nightmare. This was much worse than how Ferox wanted to take over the world. Even when George and I saw the blueprints he had stashed underground, the machinery that seemed to stretch on for miles. That was still abstract, theoretical. This was hell, literally hell. And I wasn’t just in it, I was a part of it.

  I was the architect of it all.

  Abigail sobbed and turned her head away. Philip swallowed hard, and I saw tears in the corners of Arthur’s eyes. Only Titus remained stoic, yet gave Abigail comforting looks. Nocifari hung there, unmoving. I had no idea if she was still unconscious or simply dead. Slowly, the scenes in the mirror were overtaken by the smoke again. Then they vanished as before, leaving me-as-Oblivion in their place.

  “Just let it happen, Joshua.” His voice was so tender, so gentle. He saw how distraught I was. “Don’t fight it.”

  But one look at the wall that held nearly everyone dear to me, and I knew I had to fight. They seemed to be pleading with me using only their eyes, telling me to do something, anything. But the part of me that wanted to fight was dying, overtaken by the feeling of triumph and euphoria. I turned back to the mirror, aching for the visions to return.

  “I’ve wanted this for so long,” I whispered. “I’ve waited so long . . . no! Not me.” I grabbed the sides of my head. “I never wanted any of this!” My gaze ran all over the mirror as if it held the key to my freedom—and the world’s. My reflection folded his arms, waiting patiently for me to give in.

  How can I defeat him when I can’t even hurt him? Everyone has a weakness. What in hell is his?

  “I told you, Joshua,” Oblivion sighed. “I cannot be defeated. As for weaknesses, I only have one right now: you. And soon, you will be part of my unassailable strength, as I’ve always said.”

  Unassailable. But he wasn’t. Not yet. And I had attacked him earlier, in a way, and hurt him. He had a very strong reaction when I struck the mirror earlier tonight. We both had.

  Struck the mirror. But I hadn’t just struck the mirror; I’d done it with the crystal. Abigail’s words started coming back. There must be something we’re overlooking. I’m sure it’s so small we’re missing it. Then it hit me. It was so simple, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. Hitting the mirror wasn’t what hurt Oblivion. Using the crystal had.

  I put my hand on my trouser pocket. I remembered how the crystal started glowing the last time I made the lemniscate. How I’d thought earlier, when I was getting dressed, that it would be nice if it could help me instead of Oblivion. Perhaps focusing on it then, even for a moment, before making the lemniscate was enough to awaken something.

  I wasn’t naïve enough to believe that rocks made dreams come true, but magic is about intention, after all. You focus energy in order to direct it. To achieve a task, complete a mission.

  Or, in this case, grant a wish.

  I turned away from the mirror at an angle. Slowly, I drew the crystal out of my pocket, partially shielding it from Oblivion’s view.

  “What’s that?” he asked. He peered over my shoulder, trying to get a glimpse. “That thing in your hand?” His eyes narrowed, and for the first time since I met him, he sounded worried.

  “What?” I turned around. “Oh, you mean this.” I held up the crystal, turning it over and over between my fingers. It was glowing again now, a soft, pulsing orange. “You know, that’s been the question for the last few months. In fact, others have been after this thing for years. Decades and centuries, even. Funny how everyone seems to want this little piece of rock.”

  “Joshua,” Oblivion said warily, “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but—”

  “And since you want it so badly, why don’t you TAKE IT?” I pulled back my arm and smashed the crystal against the glass with my palm.

  Then I heard a bone-shattering scream. I didn’t realize until after I’d clutched my chest and dropped to the ground that it came from both of us. For once, Oblivion’s movements copied mine, and we knelt in front of the mirror, twin Joshuas gripping the frame for support. There was a large, circular crack in the glass where the crystal had struck it. Much like the one in the center, it radiated smaller, finer cracks.

  YES! I’d done it. I’d finally dealt Oblivion a blow. But now, I had to deal him another. And how was I going to do that when the first one was so painful, it took my breath away? Also, there was a good chance that more of the same would kill me.

  “Joshua,” he gasped, my own eyes pleading with me. “Don’t.”

  No. It didn’t matter what happened to me in order to defeat him. I’d made that decision already. Only now, I had the means to execute it. To execute him. I looked down. The palm that held the crystal was bleeding, though it had suffered no cut. The crystal was glowing in earnest, bright and strong. Taking a deep breath, I lifted my arm and smashed the mirror with it again.

  This time was even worse than before. The circular crack it made was bigger, and large slivers of glass were dislodged. But that wasn’t the worst part. No, the worst part was that it felt like that crack wa
s being made on the inside of my body. Tearing it apart, disintegrating it. Yet somehow, I found the strength to press on, hitting the mirror with the crystal harder each time.

  I don’t know how long Oblivion and I screamed. Like our bodies and minds, the sounds seemed to merge into one, our throats growing raw. I felt powerful magic blasting through when the crystal hit, knocking me several feet from the mirror. It was Oblivion, trying to stop me. Still, I kept crawling back. I grew filthier and filthier from the debris on the ground; parts of my clothing tore. Blood poured from the hand that held the crystal; perspiration poured from all other parts. I knew I was weakening. But that meant he was weakening, too. And the crystal was like a beacon, glowing, glowing, its orange light shooting out with each strike.

  “Joshua, my friend, my heart,” he begged. “This isn’t what you want. You don’t want to hurt us. I know you don’t.” His eyes seemed so soulful. Forget what this was doing to me. How could I do this to him?

  No. These were only Oblivion’s last attempts to seduce me, to trick me. The final remnants of his consciousness and all its foul desires leaving mine. The pain was like being shredded to ribbons while being burned alive in the electric chair. But I couldn’t stop. I had to keep going. It was the only way.

  After a while, I lost track of time. All the hideous sensations and screaming blended until I barely had thoughts at all. The only thing I remembered was that I had to continue, or my enemy would find a way to gain a foothold in this world.

  I just pray I won’t get sent to wherever he is.

  I did manage a few coherent reflections. Fairly certain I was dying, I ruminated on all the things I hadn’t done, would never do. For instance, I’d never see Colleen again, never explain how I felt. Oh, I never did tell you about Colleen, did I? It’s just as well. It looks like now I won’t have the chance.

  The other Joshua was lying facedown in the mirror, just as I was on the other side. We stared at each other, lips parted, our breathing growing shallow. For the first time in what seemed like forever, I had no idea what Oblivion was thinking. Probably very hateful things involving me. But my mind felt like my own again, clear and free. I had the sensation of sinking into the ground, and I knew this meant my heart was slowing down. I closed my eyes and waited. Then I heard my mother’s voice.

  “You did it, Joshua!” she called. Her voice broke on the last word, but then recovered, stronger than before. “You weakened him!”

  What? I opened my eyes, a bit surprised that I still could. I didn’t kill him? Waves of despair washed over me. It took all I had just to weaken him?

  “Don’t stop now, lad!” Arthur cried. “You have him on the run!”

  “Alderman, you git, hurry up and do something!” Philip shouted.

  “Get up, Joshua!” my father barked. “Do you hear me? Get up.”

  With tremendous effort and loud groans, I pulled myself off the floor. I could hear Oblivion groaning as well, staggering to his feet. I turned around. The magical shield in front of my parents and everyone else had started to crumble. But they were still pinned to the wall. I looked down at myself. Besides my bleeding palm, I had no other wounds, not even cuts from the broken glass. My body still felt like it had been through a war; it had just been a metaphysical one. The crystal’s light was a gentler pulsing now. Had it been weakened, too, its power nearly extinguished? Or was it replenishing itself somehow, and waiting?

  The mirror was almost completely smashed, with about two-thirds of its glass missing. Still, Oblivion was in it, looking about as bad as I felt. “Joshua,” he rasped, leaning his body against the mirror, “don’t just stand there. Come here. Come to me.” He motioned with his hand for me to walk forward.

  I didn’t. Just as Oblivion was no longer in my head, he no longer controlled my body. Yet, it wasn’t over. He still had my reflection. With enough time to recover, he could work his way back into me again. But how could I prevent it? Using the crystal had only injured him. I needed a way to eliminate him permanently.

  “What are you waiting for?” Titus yelled. “Finish it!”

  “Any suggestions on how?”

  “Keep smashing the mirror!” Philip said.

  “I don’t think that’ll do it,” Arthur said.

  “Come on, baby,” Abigail pleaded. “Think!”

  Think, Joshua. Think. Then I saw it. Part of the mirror that hadn’t been damaged. It was the oval crack, the one that looked like two teardrops lying down, joined at the tips.

  Like the symbol for infinity.

  “The lemniscate!” I gasped. I realized what I had to do, and how. “So that’s what it is,” I said to Oblivion. He glared at me with dark, malevolent eyes. “When I make the lemniscate, it becomes a door.” I walked closer to the mirror. Oblivion was still glaring at me, but took a step back. “And the crystal is the Opener of Doors. Well, it stands to reason that if it can let things in,” I held the crystal up to the light, “then it can send things back.” I looked straight at him. “Like a demon.”

  “No,” Oblivion said softly. “No!” He was louder this time, and gnashing his teeth. His skin grew even paler, the flesh of his face pulled back so tightly he looked like a corpse. “I won’t let you. Not after I worked so hard, what I went through to get here. I won’t let you.” His voice wasn’t mine anymore, but something low and growling.

  “Sorry, mate.” I walked to the center of the room, ignoring the screams my muscles made. “I’m not giving you a choice.” I placed the crystal on the ground a few feet in front of me. Then I began tracing the lemniscate in the air, larger than I’d ever done. The shimmery outline emerged as before. The shape grew brighter, rotating like the blades of a fan. But this time, the crystal was growing brighter, too, its light pulsing in time with the lemniscate.

  The “blades” spun around so fast they blurred into an enormous circle, as I knew they would. I used both my hands, then my arms, to keep the lemniscate aloft. Its light, together with the crystal’s, shone even more intensely. I could see magic emanating from both of them. The energy was so strong it was partly sound, like humming or buzzing. It was more powerful than anything I’d felt before.

  “Stop,” barked Oblivion. His voice had changed again, but not back to any of his previous ones. It was guttural. Inhuman. And the look in his eyes was like black fire: a dark well forever burning. “Stop, or I will destroy you all.”

  “Not if I destroy you first,” I said through clenched teeth. It was getting harder and harder to make the lemniscate. This was the longest I’d held it up. My body was already sore from the effects of smashing the crystal. Now, it was truly wearing out, and my strength threatened to abandon me. The light was uncomfortably bright as well. Everyone hung along the wall was squinting, and I, too, wanted to shield my eyes. Unfortunately, I was busy trying to control this new magic.

  “That’s it, Joshua!” Abigail cried.

  “Crikey, you’ve got it!” said Arthur.

  “Don’t stop now, boy!” said Titus.

  “Come on, Alderman,” urged Philip. “Come on.”

  Oblivion growled and paced from one end of the mirror to the other, like a caged animal. I felt flickers of magic on the periphery of my mind, Oblivion’s impotent attempts at the static snap that had stopped me before. He growled again when they didn’t work, baring his teeth and making ugly shapes with his mouth. Then something occurred to me, and I started to panic.

  Could the other demons come in through this door? What’s stopping them, or stopping Oblivion from calling them? I shook my head forcefully, and the circle of light moved from side to side for an instant. No, I thought firmly. When Oblivion opened the door, it did his bidding. When I opened it, it did mine. And I was not letting a single demon more into my house.

  The magic’s humming sound had changed. Now, it was more like the creaking or groaning of moving metal or heavy wood. The light was so bright, it was hard to make out shapes around it. Oblivion’s jaw dropped and he
stared at it, glassy-eyed.

  The door had begun to open.

  Reader, I don’t even know how to describe it. There are no words. I’d have to invent new ones just to begin to piece it together. This time, the visions were even more incredible. There were colors I’d never seen before, emotions I’d never felt, ideas I couldn’t comprehend. And the music! Music made by instruments and voices that seemed impossible. Yet everything moved together in perfect harmony and logic. Seamless. Flawless. Too beautiful for this world. My loved ones stared openmouthed along the wall, equally surprised as I was.

  “What in hell is that?” asked Arthur.

  “Eternity,” Titus answered.

  But it could not last. I literally felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. My muscles grew heavier, more pained. Making the lemniscate now was like trying to move through quicksand. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could go on. I needed a way not just to open the door, but to keep it open. Then it came to me.

  “The crystal!” I shouted so the others could hear me. “It’s like a mystical doorstop. That’s how it lets things through.” That was what it was doing now. But I had to concentrate on its power; merely having it in front of me wasn’t enough. I forced myself to look at the crystal’s flashing light, willing its magic to meld further with the lemniscate.

  Please, let this destroy him. Or send him back. Send him back, never to return.

  Oblivion was snarling and writhing and scratching himself all over, so hard he tore his own flesh. My flesh. Except it wasn’t me. As he ripped the skin and muscle away, all was darkness underneath. The Joshua suit crumpled down around him, which should have been a disturbing thing to see. But I knew it meant Oblivion was regressing, being drawn back into his own “body,” his own world. He was a black ball now, except for his eyes, which changed into two glowing red pinpricks. Smoke billowed out from within him. It filled what was left of the mirror, just as it had before he showed us that ghastly future.