Fallout (Tales of the Other Universe Book 2)

by J. G. Taschereau

Adam had forgotten that Dee was not an only child, or at least she had not always been. She’d told him about how her brother and master were close friends and the most promising pair of young wizards in the village. That changed when Dee’s brother was killed by a demon that had found its way into the forest outside of the village. Dee seemed to have no problem talking about her brother’s death and all in all seemed rather detached towards him. As kind as Dee was, having spent years in her brother’s shadow had dulled any kind of sibling affection the two might have harbored and she was never too broken up about the loss.

  Baraluneska led Adam back to the village square where the fountain still flowed and was illuminated by floating balls of colored light that added a new beauty to the water. Ahead of the fountain was the hall where Baraluneska and the village elders met to discuss plans and make sure everything was running the way it should. At this time of night it was abandoned by everyone aside from Baraluneska, who made the hall her home as well. She tapped the door with her staff and the lock within undid itself. Adam followed her in and waited in the dark until Baraluneska filled the hall with light.

  The interior was not much different from Dee’s home, although it lacked the fur covered floors and was instead just bare wood. The plush chairs were replaced with carved wood and a long table sat at the end of the hall where business was conducted. Baraluneska didn’t intend to keep Adam there and instead led him to a door in the entryway. He followed her as they passed through to a long hallway that came out behind the meeting hall itself. This place was Baraluneska’s home, and unlike the other residences he had seen so far this was rather small. With only a single old woman occupying it, he figured it was suitable for her and the small space had some charm to it.

  “Have a seat there,” she said, pointing to a spot on the floor next to a low table with a half melted candle placed in the center. There was a short chair on the other side where she took a seat, but offered nothing so much as a pillow for Adam. He didn’t say anything about it and sat cross-legged across from her at the table.

  “You look cold,” Baraluneska said. “Can I offer you a strong drink to warm you?”

  “No, thank you. I don’t drink alcohol.”

  “Probably for the best,” Baraluneska said. She waved her staff over the candle and it sparked to life with a magic word.

  “Alright, now that we’re alone, would you mind telling me just what your objection is to me?” Adam asked. “It can’t just be because I’m a Legend, since you mages revere one of them as much as the Creator himself.”

  “You really don’t have a clue?” she asked.

  “When I first got here, you told Osric he had brought evil to the village,” Adam recalled. “What did you mean by that?”

  Baraluneska laid her hands on the table. “How much do you know about magic, Legend?”

  “I’ve encountered magic users across the Other Universe before, not just on Carvon, but never for long enough to learn anything about their art. Dee is the first one I’ve spent a lengthy amount of time with.”

  “So next to nothing then,” the old woman said. “Fair enough. Then let me educate you on a few matters. Mages, by and large, focus on a certain class of magic as they develop their skills. My granddaughter, for instance, is very skilled with spells that heal wounds and illnesses. My area of focus is clairvoyance, and seeing things that many others cannot.”

  She held out her wrinkled hand and waved it around in front of Adam. “We all have a projection of our spirit radiating off of us called an aura. This aura is invisible to anyone not trained to see it, and let me tell you it’s not easy to learn. A person’s aura is characteristic of the type of person they are. A bright, energetic young lady will have a beaming aura that spreads out well beyond her. This is why it’s often said that people of this temperament seem to put others around them in a better mood. Likewise someone who is bitter or withdrawn will have a shrunken, weak aura. The color of the aura is also a reflection of a person’s personality, as well as the aura’s clarity. I have encountered many foul creatures, many dark things that hide behind the shadows and in the deepest depths of nightmares. Never have I seen such a dark and wicked aura as the one surrounding you.”

  Adam’s pulse quickened and he found himself at a loss of words. Why would this aura of his appear as she said it does? He could imagine it to be so if his uncontrolled anger were still bound within him and with it the thoughts of destruction and violence, but his soul had been clear of that for close to a year now. Adam recognized his own troubles, especially in light of the day’s events, but he was not a bad person even for the mistakes he had made.

  “You seem confused by my interpretation,” Baraluneska continued. “To be honest, so am I. I’ve been reading auras for decades and very rarely have I ever misjudged someone. The aura is a true reflection of the soul. Attitudes and facial expressions can be feigned and are believable if the person is skilled enough to pull them off, but someone’s true aura cannot be altered or forged. That was why, despite Diatyallah’s insistence and your own willingness to accept judgment from me, I could not believe you to be a good natured man. That was why I stayed close to you during your time here so far. I have been studying your aura, and while I was correct to fear it, I’ve discovered something bizarre about it that I had not noticed at first.”

  “What do you mean?” Adam asked.

  “Earlier, when you were standing before the fountain, what were you thinking about? You’d do well to answer me honestly.”

  He thought back to the placid face of the statue in the fountain. “I was thinking of Astrum, of how I never knew those who came before me. I thought how nice it must be for her to be revered and remembered fondly by you mages.”

  “Anything else?”

  Adam found himself curling his fingers inward towards his palms. “I thought about how I would want to be remembered like that if the same fate were to fall on me.”

  The flame on the candle flickered and waved about, diverting Adam’s attention away. Baraluneska took note and smirked.

  “Very interesting,” she said.

  Adam looked back at her. “What’s interesting?”

  “This afternoon, as you were standing before the statue of Our Lady, there was a sharp change in your aura. It lasted only a moment, but to me it was clear as day. I just observed it again now, and you saw the effect of it on the candle.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that there is much more to you, Adam Evans, than even I can see clearly. There is no doubt that a malevolent aura is encircling you, and I’m sure it has been for some time. But based on what I’ve just seen, I believe that the dark aura does not belong to you.”

  Adam’s eyes widened. “You mean I have someone else’s aura?”

  “You still have an aura of your own, a rather positive one, but it is buried by the dense, dark aura. The pulse that I observed when you thought about your desire to be remembered fondly was your aura breaking through. Your strong feelings allowed it to surge and overpower the overhanging aura, if only for a moment. It tells me that despite the evil that follows you, there is a great deal of good in you.”

  “If that’s the case, then where did the dark aura come from?” Adam asked.

  “An aura becomes clouded and dark for many reasons. I take it by the swords on your belt that you’ve killed men before. To take a man’s life leaves a mark on the aura, especially if the killing is done in the grips of great emotion on the killer’s behalf. That mark is left behind by the one who was killed because the murder had an effect on the killer as well as the victim. It is not unheard of for the spirit of the dead to linger in their killers, especially in very violent deaths or if the victim already had a dark aura of their own. Can you think of anyone you killed who was like this?”

  Adam became silent. There were many people he killed who he would consider wicked, but for much of his life he gave no thought to killing them and so they left no mark on his memory. However, wit
h the development of his conscience nearing its endpoint in recent history that started to change. Memories of a cold dark basement crept into his mind, and also of a snow covered garden that was stained with blood.

  “I can think of two,” Adam admitted.

  Baraluneska folded her hands on the table. “That may explain it. These two, they had a profound impact on your life?”

  “Very much so,” said Adam. “The first gave me a reason to turn away from my turbulent past through his selfish actions. The second was the embodiment of my anger that I had harbored from my creation.”

  “That makes things a bit more complicated for you, I’m afraid,” said Baraluneska. “Having the memory of these people bound to your soul may not turn you towards evil yourself, but it will be a heavy drain on your spirit. It will hinder your growth and prevent you from achieving real happiness, because you will always be drawn back to the pain and suffering associated with those two. Do you understand?”

  “But what can I do?” Adam asked. “If their memories are trapped inside of me as you say, how can I get rid of them?”

  “That much I cannot answer you,” Baraluneska said. “Everyone has their own way of dealing with their problems. The most I can say is that you must learn to let go of these people. Draw on the power of your own spirit and put aside the notions of worthlessness and self-doubt that they may instill in you.”

  Adam scoffed. “I don’t feel worthless.”

  Baraluneska leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand. “It doesn’t take a clairvoyant to see that you do, Legend. After all, I couldn’t imagine how I would feel if my people turned against me and decried me as a poor leader. Your troubles are mounting, and it’s taking a toll on your spirit. You run the risk of letting yourself fall victim to despair. If you did, the malevolence that surrounds you would constrict you and choke the very life out of you. My granddaughter seems to have taken quite a shine to you, so for her sake alone I forbid you to allow that to happen.”

  Dee’s smiling face appeared in Adam’s mind and he found himself feeling at ease. The candle’s flame grew as if it were fueled by Adam’s positive mood.

  “Does this mean you’re willing to be less protective of her while I’m around?” Adam asked.

  Baraluneska scowled. “Of course not. She’s still my little girl, and I’m always going to be protective of her. You may not be as wicked as I first judged, but you are certainly dangerous. Perhaps you aren’t a direct danger to her yourself, but hazard follows you as close as that malicious aura. I was certain that I lost Diatyallah to such a dangerous man once before, so I will be taking no risks with you.”

  “What dangerous man was that?”

  “I’m certain you must know,” Baraluneska said. “I’m sure Diatyallah has hardly stopped talking about him since you’ve known her.”

  “You mean her master?” Adam was confused. “What was so dangerous about him?”

  “Legend, you’re the one who said you knew more about him than we did,” she noted.

  “I meant that I knew him to be dead,” said Adam. “I didn’t realize it was common knowledge.”

  “It is for anyone who knew the truth about Amadeus. How did you come to learn of his death?”

  “From the Creator Most High,” Adam said.

  “Ah, yes,” said Baraluneska. “Diatyallah told me about her service with the deity.”

  “Did she also tell you that he convinced her that her master has been evading her to avoid returning to this village?”

  Baraluneska glared at Adam. “She did not. Is that what he told her?”

  “Her service was contingent on him telling her where her master was,” Adam explained. “He’s been hiding the truth to spare Dee the pain of knowing what really happened to him.”

  “In that case, I cannot fault him. I am just as guilty as he is. We all are.”

  “So how is it all of you knew that her master was dead?” asked Adam.

  “It’s a rather involved story, and I’m quite the storyteller. Do you mind listening for a while?”

  Truthfully, Adam was exhausted. It had been a long, trying day and he was ready to collapse into bed and accept what dreams may come. Still, this was a question that had been on his mind since he first encountered Baraluneska. He wanted to hear an explanation.

  “I’m fine,” he said. “Please go on.”

  Chapter 12

  The Curse of Amadeus Morgan

  Baraluneska returned to her seat after fetching two glasses of water. She took a long sip of hers and set it back down on the table. “Let’s start off by you telling me everything you know about Amadeus.”

  Adam took a drink of water as he thought for a moment about everything Dee had told him about her master. “He was a wizard from this village who was good friends with Dee’s brother before he died. Later he became Dee’s magic teacher, but he left the village just before her rite of initiation in order to go after some kind of monster, I think. Dee went to look for him and bring him home, and at some point he died. I guess that’s all I know.”

  “It seems you know less than my granddaughter,” Baranluneska scoffed. “That’s fine, I was prepared to start from the beginning anyway. You were correct that Amadeus and my grandson, Alkim, were very close. From a young age they each showed promise to become powerful wizards, and together they were the most favored pair to ever come out of Erebia Village. Because of our bloodline, Alkim developed his skills faster and took a natural lead in the pair, but Amadeus was not the jealous type. Instead, he was fiercely loyal to Alkim and the rest of our family.

  “Amadeus had the chance to prove his loyalty after his own Rite of Carnea, our ritual that transitions apprentice mages to full-fledged spellcasters. His own master, a wizard named Sek’hai Khigal, revealed to Amadeus his interest in sorcery and his intention of overthrowing me to take control of the village. He wanted Amadeus’ help, and might have succeeded if he had gotten it. Instead, Amadeus came to me and reported Sek’hai’s treachery. I was prepared for the betrayal and bested Sek’hai, breaking his staff and banishing him from the village. I came to trust Amadeus after this, but the same could not be said for everyone in the village.

  “Amadeus had shown me his loyalty, but the fact remained that his own master had just been revealed as a practitioner of dark magic. There were those in the village who suspected that Amadeus may have learned dark magic from Sek’hai, or worse yet that his betrayal of Sek’hai was planned to make others trust him while he developed his sorcery in secret. These rumors were baseless and in time they were dismissed. In the meantime, Alkim and Amadeus had become powerful wizards and guardians of our village. Alkim was even set to become Diatyallah’s master despite his young age.

  “Then, shortly before Diatyallah’s eighth birthday, Alkim and Amadeus went into the forest valley to hunt magical beasts. They encountered something beyond either of them, a wandering demon dog the size of this room. The two tried to kill it, but it became clear to them that they were no match. Alkim was hurt badly and told Amadeus to get away while he held off the demon. I’m sure it was a difficult decision, but Amadeus fled while that monster devoured my grandson. A group went into the forest later to recover the body, but nothing was left. This demon, the Barghest, devours flesh, bone, and even the soul of its victims. I’m sure it was a truly agonizing death.”

  Baraluneska paused and clutched her hands on top of the table. Adam was about to speak, but she waved her hand at him to stop. She took her glass and drank the rest of the water before putting it down and taking a deep breath.

  “With Alkim gone, Diatyallah was left without a master. Amadeus was racked with guilt over the incident and blamed himself, even though we all knew there was nothing he could have done. In order to make amends, he volunteered to take Alkim’s place as Diatyallah’s master. The child was overjoyed and the two began her training, which went on well for another eight years. Diatyallah’s skills were close to rivaling her brother’s thanks to her own innate talents
and Amadeus’ dedication to teaching her. At the same time, I could see Diatyallah developing a relationship with him that I had expected her to have in her brother, and it seemed he viewed her as somewhat of a little sister as well. Still, as much as he grew during those eight years, I could tell that he could not let go of Alkim’s loss.

  “I noticed a change in his aura after the incident, but it was to be expected and I thought little of it. It was not until much later that I discovered the extent to which Amadeus carried his guilt. From the moment he took Diatyallah as his student, he began obsessing about finding a way to bring Alkim back to us. As I’m sure you can gather, there is no way in either Astrusian or Fatusian magic to bring back someone who has passed on. In the dark arts, there are some profane spells capable of necromancy, but what is resurrected is far from the loved one the spellcaster sought to bring back. Amadeus knew this well, but his desire to bring Alkim back was so great that it clouded his reason. That was when he turned to Sek’hai’s hidden notes and spell books.

  “I don’t know where he gathered them from, but Sek’hai had an extensive library of forbidden texts. As Amadeus pored through them in desperation, he found a spell that he thought would work. It involved opening a gateway between our world and the world of the dead. Perhaps you may know if such a place really exists, but we do not, and we would never try to reach out to it in any case. It was idiotic and dangerous, and because the Barghest devoured Alkim’s soul along with his body, Alkim would not have even travelled to the world of the dead. All of this was ignored by Amadeus, who was consumed with his desire to save Alkim.

  “On the night before Diatyallah’s Rite of Carnea, Amadeus sequestered himself in Sek’hai’s hidden library to perform the ritual. I don’t know the details of how he did it, but Amadeus managed to open the door to the other world. His intent was to call out to Alkim so that he might find his way home, but something else answered his calls, something I wish I could forget I ever saw. Whether a spirit or a demon I will never know, but it was a force of terrible evil. It took hold of Amadeus and possessed him, turning him into a monster. Amadeus had no control as the thing escaped into the village and began killing whoever it saw and destroying everything in sight.