by N M Thorn
“Yes, my lord,” replied Svyatobor. “I have the power over the forests of Prav. I can do it.”
“That is all we need. You have to cross to the Prav and find Veles. He is the only god who can help your friend,” said Semargl. “Yet Veles is not easy to find, my young kinsman, and if you will travel your usual way, you stand no chance of finding him.
“Now, hear me well, Svyatobor, as I am not going to repeat myself twice. You will take the Horseman with you and travel to the Land of Dreams. In the middle of the southernmost sea of the Land of Dreams, there is a small isle. Isle Buyan. In the center of this isle, the ancient oak-tree is growing. This oak-tree is so big and old, that its crown is hiding in the heavenly clouds and its deep roots are disappearing into the Nav. And only its powerful trunk is visible in the realm of the living.
“This oak-tree is the World Tree that is balancing the three realms—Prav, Yav and Nav. Nine heavens are resting upon the crown of this tree. On the seventh heaven of the World Tree, you will find the godly realm of Prav and this is where you are going to enter it. Only this way you can find the great Veles, the god of the Three Realms. Do what you have to do but convince Veles to help you. The Child of Fire should not remain in the World of Darkness for long, especially since we do not know his purpose. Even though Veles can freely move between all the three realms, he cannot let you pass to the Dark Nav, but he can help the Grim Horseman to get there and find your friend. Go at once; you must not waste any time. Do you understand me well, Svyatobor?”
“Yes, my lord, we’ll leave right away,” replied Svyatobor with a bow and glanced at Aidan silently asking for his permission to leave. Aidan nodded to him and Svyatobor approached Angel, placing his hand on his shoulder. He snapped his fingers and both Angel and Svyatobor vanished in a fountain of green sparks.
As soon as Svyatobor and Angel were gone, Semargl turned to Aidan. “Aodh mac Lir, I believe I did everything I could,” he said with a light bow. “It is time for me to bid my farewell.”
“Thank you, Semargl. I appreciate you coming here to help us,” said Aidan, returning the respectful bow. “How can I summon you, in case I need your help?”
“The same way you would summon Kalidus,” replied Semargl, the corners of his lips quirking up a little. “After all, Kalidus and I are brothers in element.” He waved his hand and vanished behind the wall of fire.
After Semargl was gone, Aidan sat down in his chair, rubbing his face tiredly. It wasn’t enough to find Zane. He had to understand why the mage sent him to the Dark Nav. Jim mentioned that she wanted him to recover and bring back to her some kind of important artifact. What was this artifact and why did she need it?
Her reasons for choosing Zane Burns to do her bidding were more or less clear to him. As the Fire Salamander, Zane was immortal. It meant that he could walk the world of the dead without fear of dying and assuming that no one held him down, he could return to the realm of the living. But what was she looking for in the kingdom of Chernobog and why?
Another thing that was bothering Aidan was that Angel, Death himself, couldn’t sense Zane’s presence in the realm of the dead. The only explanation that came to his mind was that this mage was so powerful that she could shadow the energy signature of the Fire Salamander even from a different realm. This realization chilled him to the bone.
“Uri,” said Aidan rising, “I am leaving, and I don’t know for how long I’ll be away. Can you manage the school and be our center of communications while I’m gone?”
“I have no problem running the school, but may I ask where you are going, Aidan?” asked Uri.
“I need to find out who this mage is and understand her motives,” replied Aidan. “She is powerful enough to be a part of the Guardians Order. If she is a Guardian and acting upon their request, then there has to be a good reason for what she’s doing, and we need to assist her. If she is not—we must stop her. I’m going to start by visiting the local Wardens at the Church by the Sea. If they know nothing of this woman, I will go to Chicago. From what I remember, this is where the Guardians HQ is located in the United States.”
“You’re right. We need to understand what’s going on. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the school.” Uri turned to Jim and Angelique. “Agent Andrews, if your team needs my help while Zane and Aidan are gone, do not hesitate to summon me. I’ll be your on-call freelance supernatural assistant. Angelique, I hope you know how to summon an Archangel?”
“An Archangel?” mumbled Angelique, staring at him in awe.
“Yes, ma’am,” replied Uri assuming his angelic form, cold flames enveloping him with a soft golden glow. “Archangel Uriel. At your service.”
For a few seconds, Angelique just stared at him speechless, but then nodded and said, “Yes, I know how to summon you. Thank you. With the situation in the city, I’m sure we’ll need your assistance sooner or later.”
Jim and Angelique walked toward the door, ready to leave, but at the door, Jim stopped and threw one more look full of worry at Aidan.
“Aidan…”
“I know, Jim,” said Aidan, giving him a tired stare. “I’ll do everything I can. I betrayed Zane once. I would never do it again. You can trust me.”
“Bring him back, Aidan,” said Jim, shaking his head. “You’re the only person I trust to do it.”
Aidan nodded and vanished from the office.
Chapter 5
~ Aidan ~
Aidan materialized on the steps of an ancient church. Even though the building was small, it had all the architectural attributes and elements of any medieval cathedral, including the two terrifying gargoyles that were nestled above the entrance. He reached for the door, but immediately pulled his hand back. The protective wards were armed, and he could see the red glow of the protection magic flowing around the church.
Aidan heard a low growl and looked up. Both gargoyles craned their thick necks, staring down at him with their round, unblinking eyes.
“Come on,” mumbled Aidan, glaring at the marble beasts, “let me through. Please.”
The gargoyles exchanged a look and snarled, displaying a set of giant fangs. Aidan explored the space around the church with his magical sight just to make sure that all the wards were still armed. He heard the gargoyles’ soft whisper in his head and frowned.
“Yes, I’m a god of the Otherworld,” he replied to gargoyles’ question, aggravation making him speak through clenched teeth. “Just because I’m from the realm of the spirits, it doesn’t mean I’m harboring an evil intent.”
Aidan folded his arms, watching the gargoyles shifting closer together and lowering their ugly heads down. He listened to their next question and threw his hands in the air.
“No, I am not a fae… Dammit! Just be good boys and let me enter the church! I swear I’m not evil. I just need to talk to Father Beaumont and Father Collins. I need their help.”
The gargoyles put their stone heads together, conversing and then stared down at Aidan. He could swear that the beasts were tittering. Their whispers sounded in his head again, and Aidan almost jumped in place.
“Are you kidding me?” he yelled, but then fell silent listening to the monsters again. “You’re not joking—Fine… But you have to give me your word that if I bring you what you asked for, you’ll take down the wards and let me pass—Fine… I’ll be right back.”
Aidan vanished from the church and materialized in the empty alley on the back of the PetSmart. He was so frustrated with the delay and so worried about Zane that he didn’t care if any humans would notice him teleporting. Quickly he ran around the building and walked inside the store. It didn’t take him long to find what he was looking for. He picked up a pack of Pedigree dental dog treats and rushed to the cash register. At the register, he gave the cashier a twenty-dollar bill and ran out of the store without waiting for the change.
Aidan reappeared back on the steps of the church and shook the bag with the treats. The gargoyles greeted him with happy growls.
One of the marble beasts lowered his paw down and hooked the bag with his claws, snatching it out of his hands. Aidan stilled for a moment, listening to their growls in his mind and anger slowly started to boil up in him.
“You know my name—aw, you knew who I was all along… and that I wasn’t evil—goddammit! Then why were you wasting my time? — Oh, you care about your dental hygiene, do you now? Remove these wards and open the door!” he shouted, his eyes blazing with the energy of his magic. “Or I swear to gods, I’ll diminish you both to stone dust! Dammit! I don’t have time for this!”
The gargoyles snickered but disarmed the wards and protection spells, opening the entrance door for Aidan. He threw another scorching gaze at the beasts and walked inside the church. The coolness of the air-conditioned space and the light scent of freshly cut grass enfolded him and he inhaled deeply to calm down.
At the far end of the church, he noticed a priest who was reading something out of a thick book and headed toward him. The priest was so engrossed in his work that he didn’t notice Aidan approaching. Dressed in all black, like any Catholic priest, he was tall and fit. The thick mane of his dark hair fell forward obscuring his face as he leaned lower toward the book he was reading.
“Excuse me,” said Aidan to attract his attention.
The priest flinched and raised his head. He looked young, no more than twenty-five, but in the world of magic looks could be illusive. Magic kept people from aging at a normal pace. His sky-blue eyes drilled into Aidan for a moment, but then he smiled and inclined his head in a light bow. His bow was perfectly measured, just enough to show his respect, but not enough to give Aidan any idea of superiority.
“Monsieur McGrath,” he said with a heavy French accent, “or shall I call you Aodh mac Lir?”
“Aidan is fine,” replied Aidan, “no need for formalities, Father—”
“Beaumont. Father Raoul de Beaumont,” the priest introduced himself. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit? It’s not every day a Celtic deity stops by our modest church.”
“I was hoping to speak with you and Father Collins,” said Aidan. “I need your help.”
“Father Collins is unavailable at this time. Can I assist you… Aidan?”
Aidan wasn’t sure that the young Warden would have all the information he needed, but he had no time. Beggars can’t be choosers. He needed to learn as much as he could about this mage and understand why she forced Zane into the world of spirits and demons. And he had to do it fast. The longer Zane spent in the realm of the dead, the weaker he would become. He couldn’t die, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t suffer. And he couldn’t allow that.
“We can start, and Father Collins will join us later,” suggested Father Beaumont, noticing Aidan’s hesitation. “I’ll do my best to help you.”
“My friend disappeared,” started Aidan. “He was forced to cross the veil into the Slavic realm of spirits and demons. I know that it was a mage who opened the gates into the Dark Nav, and I was wondering if she was a member of the Guardians Order. To help my friend, I need to understand why she did it.”
Father Beaumont shook his head, gazing at Aidan with sympathy. “If your friend crossed over to the Dark Nav, he’s dead most likely. No living person can ever escape the realm of Chernobog. Even as a god of the Otherworld, there is nothing you can do to help him. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“I assure you he’s alive, Father,” objected Aidan with a sigh. “I know that for a fact because—”
“Because your friend is the Fire Salamander and he can’t die.”
Aidan heard a deep voice behind him and spun around. An older man with thick silver-gray hair and a gray beard was standing in front of him. Just like Father Beaumont, he was dressed all in black and wore a clerical collar. He was short and stout, and a kind smile was curving his lips, hiding under his thick gray mustache. But his soft and kind disposition didn’t deceive Aidan. He knew that he was looking at a fierce warrior, and an ugly scar that was cutting across the old priest’s face was living proof of it. Aidan had no doubt that this scar was left by a sword.
“Aidan McGrath, I’m Father Collins,” said the old priest, extending his hand for a handshake. “Let’s sit down. Tell me what happened to Mr. Burns. We’ll do everything in our power to help you.”
There was so much calm reassurance in the old priest’s voice that Aidan couldn’t help but feel some relief. They sat down, and he told both Wardens everything he learned from Jim and from Semargl. After he finished, Father Collins didn’t talk for a while, silently staring at his hands, crossed by slithering blue veins.
“Nothing of what you just told me makes any sense,” he said finally, raising his eyes at Aidan. “I don’t think the Guardians would send one of their own to force the Fire Salamander do their bidding under duress. It’s not the Guardians’ style.”
“Are you saying that if the Destiny Council ordered them, the Guardians wouldn’t do whatever it took to complete their mission?” asked Aidan, unable to hide his sarcasm. “From what I’ve heard, if the Destiny Council says jump, the Guardians ask how high. No resources or lives spared. The purpose justifies the means, so to speak.”
The young priest hopped to his feet, furious, obviously offended by Aidan’s words or his tone. His hand automatically lowered to his hip like he was ready to unsheathe his sword, but Father Collins frowned at him and slightly shook his head no, pointing back at the bench. Father Beaumont sat down, his cheeks still flushed with irritation.
“I can understand your skepticism when it comes to the Destiny Council and their ways, Aidan,” said Father Collins with his warm smile that seemed to have a calming and reassuring effect on Aidan. “I believe, Gwyn ap Nudd was your mentor, and he was never fond of them. Nevertheless, he has good reason to dislike the Council. But I’m positive that this mage wasn’t acting upon the order from the Guardians or the Destiny Council. Since the Fire Salamander resides in my area, I would be notified if an order like this was issued.”
Aidan got up, trying his best not to show his disappointment to Father Collins. “I guess there is nothing you can do for me then, Father. Well, thank you for your time, anyway.”
“Whoa… Hold on, young man,” said Father Collins rising. Then he chuckled and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Aidan, you look so young that I keep forgetting that you’re almost twenty-five hundred years old.”
“That’s okay, Father. I prefer not to look my age,” mumbled Aidan, not sure why the Priest stopped him.
“Can you humor me before you leave? Let’s assume for a moment, that the mage in question indeed was a member of the Guardians,” said Father Collins, walking toward the altar, gesturing at Aidan to follow him. “We, Wardens, keep a complete list of all Guardians who have served or still are serving the Order. Let’s see if we can find your mage.”
The old priest passed the altar and headed toward a barely visible wooden door on the right. He unlocked the door and let Aidan and Father Beaumont through. Inside, the room was small and windowless, but there was not a trace of dust and everything was kept neatly.
A small desk was sitting in the middle of the room. The rest of the space was taken by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, stuffed with all sorts of old books, manuscripts and scrolls. Some of the books were locked inside glass cases, secured with small golden locks. There were also a few iron boxes that looked like roughly cut medieval-style safes. There were no doors. The iron boxes were seamlessly sealed.
On top of the desk there was a large book in thick leather binding. Father Collins opened the book and to his shock, Aidan noticed that the pages of the book were completely blank. They were yellow and cracked in places like old parchment, yet absolutely free of any ink.
“Aidan, do you know the name of the mage in question?” asked Father Collins.
“She
introduced herself as Agent Zvereva,” replied Aidan. “She didn’t give her first name.”
“Zvereva… Zvereva… hmm. Doesn’t ring a bell. Well, let’s check it out.” He touched the page of the book and whispered, “Latentius Revelare.”
As soon as the priest said the spell, the ink manifested on the page slowly forming into sentences. But the writing wasn’t static—the words were moving and shifting, scrolling up and down the page.
“Zvereva,” repeated Father Collins, touching the book again, “find a Guardian mage of this surname.”
The words and the sentences started to scroll faster, soon blending into one continuous blur. A few seconds later, the writing stopped moving and then vanished, leaving the page blank again.
“What does it mean?” asked Aidan, observing the book with curiosity.
“It means that the Guardian mage with this name was never recorded,” explained Father Collins. “She is not in our records. But it still doesn’t mean that she is not one of the Guardians. Perhaps she didn’t give you her real name. So, let’s try something else. Can you describe her?”
Aidan shrugged. “Only from Semargl’s and Jim’s words. I had never met her in person.”
“Just do your best, young man,” mumbled the old Warden absentmindedly. He said another spell and arched his eyebrow at Aidan, gesturing at him to proceed.
Aidan started describing Agent Zvereva. As he was talking, the pictures started to manifest on the page of the book. One after another, they were flashing in front of his eyes, getting into focus for a moment and vanishing again. All of a sudden, a bright red light overlaid the page. It disappeared quickly, replaced by the flood of images, but Father Collins noticed it.
“Cease!” he yelled, touching the book again. “Back!”
The images started to flash again, moving backward. And again, the red light colored the page.
