“This decision will haunt me for the rest of my eternal life. Such a tremendous risk…My daughter may be brainwashed permanently and the only assurance I have that this will not backfire catastrophically is the promise of an entity I believe to be evil incarnate."
“Order does not abide lies, and if you’re unconvinced, let’s take a look at the contract.”
Tasio took on the clothing and bearing of a shrewd and bespectacled Ivy-league lawyer. This was not one of his authorities; he just wanted to cosplay. He sat down on the opposing side of Nunnal’s desk with an air of exaggerated self-importance. Reaching into his mouth, he pulled out a scroll, unfurled it, and read it.
“"I, Nunnal Enaz, will tell you, Order, the First Born, the Universal Stabilizer, the Enemy of Elves, the Source of the Power of Control, Namagomi, the Mana Eater, The Embodiment of Truth and Guarantor of Promises the location of Dnnac Ledo, disable its Holy Light Cannons, weaken its Chaotic Curtain, and the rest of its many defenses so that you can attack and attempt to enslave its populace, but in exchange, you must agree to the following conditions: 1.) You may only send a single ordercrafter and this ordercrafter must be Nulso Xialin, A.K.A Harry Butchin, the human man I used to work with in mana mutation research 2.) For every enforcer you send, you must order King Epideus of Latrot to unconditionally free one elf. After one hundred are freed from Latrot, then you may alternate with Liclis or some other country. 3.) If you fail, you may never ever attack, infiltrate, monitor, harass, coerce, obliterate, or attempt to subjugate or enslave Dnnac Ledo again. 4.) You must never ever tell anyone about this contract. 5.) You must never ever tell anyone the village’s location, not even Nulso Xialin, A.K.A. Harry Butchin, the human man I used to work with in mana mutation research. You must lead him to Dnnac Ledo and prevent him from discovering, figuring out, or deducing his location or the location of Dnnac Ledo. If he comes to learn the location of Dnnac Ledo by any means, then you must erase it from his mind immediately, and before he can pass this information to anyone else. Signed by, Nunnal Enaz and Order and witnessed by Tasio the Trickster."
He rolled up the scroll and stuck it down his throat, where it disappeared into a pocket of chaos removed from Noitearc and out of reach of everyone save the one who swallowed it.
“By my count, Order sent at least four hundred enforcers, which means four hundred freed elves. Most of these elves will come from Latrot, which means it will be weakened: economically in its labor force, militarily for their power, and socially because it can no longer be seen as a black hole where elves are drawn into and never seen again.”
“That is precisely the fate that awaited my entire community! My family, my friends, my employees; all of them could be wearing that cursed collar stuck on my daughter’s neck!”
Her arms became a rock golem’s and she brought them down on her desk in a fit of frustration. It broke into four pieces and crumbled. Tasio didn’t react. Then her arms returned to the slender elf.
“But they’re not and we’ve formulated a plan to help your daughter. You remember the plan, right? I don’t have to explain it for the sake of the reader, right?”
Nunnal paused her pity party to look up at him in confusion. “What reader?”
“Never mind. Your daughter will be free again soon and —”
“I still don’t understand why you can’t break it yourself right now.”
Tasio slouched. “Okay, I’ll explain.” He looked at the reader and said, “Are you paying attention? Here we go: trying to break the collar myself carries the risk of breaking her. My power is so great and this particular collar is so stubborn that any attempt to remove it externally could leave lasting damage on her mind and soul. Furthermore, it wouldn’t resolve the root problem. We’d be back at square one. This is an opportunity to heal and advance. It will also be much safer. In the meantime, she has the most benevolent master in the world.”
“True. If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. When I sent her out into the world after her power loss and break-up with Ralm...”
“At my suggestion, may I add?”
Nunnal nodded. “I didn’t expect her to meet someone like Eric, although I suppose I should have.”
At this, she sent a pointed look at him. Tasio shrugged innocently.
“Not everyone will have such a good experience. I’m not sure if it was the right thing to do. So many have been traumatized that our therapist hasn’t slept since the Summit ended.”
“They were going stir crazy in here. It was only a matter of time before Meza marched out to slaughter, burn, and neuter, and thereby cause another war. Trust me; I’ve seen it happen.”
“But they’re only a handful of the population. There are children here who will never feel safe again. They’ll have nightmares for ages.”
“Does Ponix come back alive and hale from his missions?”
“Yes, but…”
“Has Quando found success outside the village?”
“Yes, but…”
“Has Annala matured, made progress toward discovering her Eternal Hobby, and brought home a boyfriend more compatible with her than Ralm?”
“All true.”
“Rejoice! If nothing else, your village is now forever safe from its greatest enemy.”
"Then why do I feel lower than Dengel?"
"Because you have a compassionate and caring heart."
She snorted. "Flatterer."
Tasio replaced his lawyer costume with one more suited for a great and glorious god. Hovering above Nunnal, he placed his blessed hands on her head and declared,
“I am your deity. I formally absolve you of any and all wrongdoing. Now go out and enjoy the party with your family. Thus says The Trickster!”
Nunnal giggled so much she couldn’t speak. Tasio put his hands on his hips and affected an air of divine indignation, but this only made it worse. He pointed to the exit, and, still laughing, she obeyed.
In the village square, everyone was celebrating their victory over the anathema of their race. There was dancing, singing, feasting, and a great deal of alcohol. At an enormous stone table, they enjoyed themselves. It was circular and extended into the sky in a series of rings.
Eric sat with Annala on one side and Kallen on the other. All three were eating delicacies and giving each other recommendations, but it took some convincing on Eric’s part to convince Annala to sit with them. She thought it a breach of protocol to sit at the same table as her master but at the same time, she refused to accept an order to join him because he ordered her to ignore his orders. In the end, he convinced her with the logic that a servant who doesn’t eat will not be strong enough to perform her duties and there was only one table prepared.
Emily sat on Kallen’s other side and watched the servant argue with her master about showing the proper respect to him. It was one more weird thing on this weird planet that Eric dragged her to. Eventually, she tired of it and ate her own meal.
“Emily?”
“Yes, Boss?”
“Say ahh.”
“But that’s embarrumph.” She swallowed.
“How is it?”
Blushing, she said, “Good.”
“Then I’ll try some. Thanks for the advice.”
Many young elves came by one or two at a time seeking a different sort of advice. They wanted to see the outside world, but now that their parents had finally agreed to support their decision, they were unsure and hesitant. Kallen and Emily told them of their travels in Albatross IX and, at the same time, warned them that such adventures were not for the timid.
A little further down, Hailey delicately ate a chunk of meat and pretended that she didn't notice Forge stealing glances at her. Tiza, sitting next to her, exaggerated Hailey's table manners with her nose high in the air. Hailey laughed and shoveled food with her bare hands while grunting and snorting, which made Tiza laugh. Nolien smiled fondly until he bit something spicy. He hopped in his seat and made a funny face and the girls laughe
d at him.
Meza and Alexis, both of them fully elven, had carved out a ring for themselves and their followers. They all told each other of their heroic deeds in the village’s defense; how many people they saved and how many enforcers they slayed and how many times they were surrounded. The most popular story of all was Meza and Alexis going head-to-head with an incarnation of Order himself with Tasio’s own Seraph of Chaos blades.
Nunnal found her way to her husband, who was sitting with Mebalos and Kurami and comparing baby pictures of their children. There was a space reserved for her in their midst and she joined the conversation. Over the course of the meal, they also discussed regular visits between their homes, student exchange programs, and of course, cooperation in the development of technology for treating mana mutation.
Headman Jade cleared his throat and stood up.
“My brethren, today is truly a great day. Today, we welcome new friends to our table and I foresee a new age of prosperity for us all. One where mana mutation is regarded as the common cold and enslavement by Order nothing but a ghost story to tell in safety and comfort." He raised his goblet. "A toast to the new age!"
All cheered and drank.
"Today, we thank our guardians, both official and otherwise, for defending our village in its darkest hour. A toast to the camaraderie between humans and elves!"
All cheered and drank.
“We praise our patron god, Tasio the Trickster, for his mercy and compassion and also for crafting the champions that saved us this day. A toast to the glory of Chaos!”
All cheered and drank.
"Most of all, today, we honor these champions, Quando Yahoeu, Alexis Enaz, Meza Filef, Eric Watley, and Kallen Enaz. Together, they vanquished an ordercrafter possessed by Order himself! Three cheers for our heroes!"
Amidst all the cheering, clamoring and intoxication, Annala sneaked a quick and chaste kiss on Eric’s cheek. He touched the area, smiled, and believed in his heart that they were going to be all right.
From the Abyss, Gruffle the Reaper watched him celebrate with hatred in his eyes.
“Remember, Caesar, thou art mortal.”
Eric’s journey continues!
Journey to Chaos Book 4: Clerics at War
The ground shook and the air trembled as the Astral Oversoul roared. The people of Coral Plane screamed and scattered, but there was no escaping the terror of its spiritual presence. One little boy was too slow and its spiritual tendrils impaled him from behind. He withered like an insect as the creature brought him to its great maw.
"NOT TODAY!"
A golden-brown blur severed the hand, then swerved in midair back to the falling boy. Catching him in her arms, she placed him safely on the ground. Then she waved her staff over him and intoned the words of a chaotic prayer.
"Interesting times are dangerous times; boring ones safe. For now, stay safe!"
A pale gold aura encompassed the boy and she pushed him away.
"This will only hold for a few minutes. Go find your parents and don't wander off again."
"Thanks, lady!"
The creature brought down its mighty hand on her and she simply raised her staff to block it. The explosion of energy shattered the ground immediately around her but couldn't hurt the boy or herself.
"You're welcome. I'm here to help."
The kid scampered off while the lady squared off against the soul creature.
It was forty feet tall and had a body like a dragon. Due to its spiritual nature, its body was also ethereal and transparent. It had many arms down its length like a caterpillar and all of them were tipped with both hands and feelers. Its head was a giant set of pincers.
She herself was about five and a half feet tall. Her hair was long and golden-brown, and two pointed ears poked out of it. Her only armor was a fancy priestess habit and her only weapons were a bow, a quiver full of arrows, a staff without a blade, and a paidrin necklace. The spirit monster reached out to grab her and she did not defend herself. Instead, she shouted, "Perrault, go!"
A golden-brown wolf appeared at her side and lunged at the hostile hand. Her teeth sank into its flesh, despite its incorporeal nature, and melted it down to the creature's wrist.
"Keep him busy while I prepare the killing blow."
The wolf nodded and then scampered up the spirit creature's main body. Along the way, it bit and tore, and each wound released a stream of grey gas.
Shrinking the staff, the elf placed it behind her ear. Then she took the bow and nocked an arrow. Pulling the string back, she generated a magic circle underneath her feet. This described the spell she was to perform. It contained routines for channeling her chaotic power in addition to her faith in Lady Chaos, along with the intended mechanical function. It was not a spell of destruction but exorcism. With the spell construction complete, she took aim at the creature.
"It's time for you to go back to the veins of Noitearc!"
She released the drawstring and the arrow soared through the sky. Striking the creature's center of mass, it released its payload of holy power. Ten screams across ten thousand pitches filled the area, as the spirit monster disintegrated. In its place was a towering mass of grey smoke. The ten screams came from the ten souls trapped within the monster as it flew about in fear and confusion. Again the arrow flashed as its secondary function activated.
From its point, a circle appeared in the air. This circle expanded until it was the size of a bus and its insides filled with a complex magical rune. It pulsed once and the writing faded to reveal a tunnel of rainbow light.
"Off you go!"
Air was drawn into the portal and the souls along with it. All of them resisted, but none of them escaped. All were pulled into the veins of Noitearc without fail. Perrault tossed the last one in herself. Her mistress scanned the area to make sure they didn't miss any, then she snapped her fingers. The portal closed without fuss.
Perrault trotted to her mistress' side and heeled. The elf knelt and petted her head while rubbing her back.
"Good girl!"
"Cleaning up after your boyfriend?"
Floating behind the elf and wolf was a demonic troll. He was squat in height and broader in bulk. His skin was pale, molting, and rotten. He wore an oversized and threadbare black robe through which ratty black bat wings emerged. The robe’s hood concealed his face except for his long and liver spotted nose. Low-grade divinity shined within him and cast his decaying essence forward. His scythe was a worm-eaten wooden pole with a bronze blade coated in patina.
Looking at him made her sick, so she spoke with her back to him. "I am and I wouldn't have to if you did your job, Reaper."
"I don't have to until I fulfill my Final Wish, which you are preventing me from doing."
Perrault barked at him.
"All I'm preventing you from doing is exploiting the souls of the dead for a petty grudge."
"So much damage and so much trouble; it would be better for the world and everyone in it if you would let me kill him."
The elf gripped her bow tighter but still did not face him. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her anger. One look at that ugly and smug face of his and she might launch another arrow at him. He loved illustrating how she couldn't hurt him.
"You will never kill him."
"'Never' is a big word, Priestess. Aren't you always preaching about how 'all things are possible with chaos'?"
The elf spun around and nocked an arrow.
"Including your death!"
The reaper laughed. He pointed and laughed. The elf grumbled as she put away her bow and arrow. Then she knelt again and whispered into her familiar's ear.
"Bite him."
Perrault dashed forwards and snapped up the demonic troll's left foot. He yelled and shook her left and right, and when he finally dislodged her, it was because she took his foot clean off. The elf laughed at him. She pointed and laughed.
"That was immature of you, Annala."
The elf immediatel
y stopped laughing. "Do not use my real name. You might cause a paradox. Unless you're talking to my mainstream self, you have to call me 'Priestess.'"
This started him laughing again. "You've been watching too much CV, Priestess. I suppose you're going to run off and do another thing now? Take your companion and crisscross time and space to make sure everybody lives?"
"Yes, I am."
"You will fail. I have permission from Lord Death himself. The problem with fighting death is that you can never ever win."
All of a sudden, the elf shimmered with golden-brown light. So did her familiar. She examined her hand as it became transparent.
"Looks like there's no more time for banter, Reaper. We can pick it up again next time." Smirking, she said one more word. "Allons-y!"
She winked out of existence.
Afterword
I hope you enjoyed Journey to Chaos Book 3: Mana Mutation Menace. Writing this one was strange because it was originally the second half of Looming Shadow, so it was basically done last year. There was little of that "surpass Dengel" plot thread after Eric became a grendel; that scene where Eric spat on Dengel's statue was it. I wrestled around with breaking it off for a couple days and then I made the decision to do it. It was like splitting a heavy load.
The new center of gravity would clearly be the Mana Mutation Summit, but it was no easy feat to reorient the story around it. The first couple of chapters had to be completely redone because they were wholly insufficient to reflect this new center of gravity. Everything in Dnnac Ledo is different from the previous draft because it had to be framed as relating to Annala's diplomatic mission. The Summit itself had significant changes, or rather, a great deal of fleshing out to truly establish it as the center of gravity. Eric's monsanity required many little tweaks and changes through the entire manuscript. That was fun to imagine (and it also provided an excuse not to use concrete economics!).
Mana Mutation Menace (Journey to Chaos Book 3) Page 61
