Vrin_ Ten Mortal Gods Part 14

"Good. Then let's get to work."

The man bowed slightly. "This way. We were discussing the deployment of our troops."

Crates and barrels littered the moist stone floor of the dank, musty cellar. In the far corner, barrels had been chopped in half to make seats and crates were set as tables. He led me through the murky, half-lit room to several maps scattered about on various surfaces. I had to strain my eyes in the dim candlelight to see the map of Pagnia on the crate between us. "Are you opposed to my using my magic?" I asked.

"No. Since the death of Humphrey and the reappearance of Kric' tu, Thana now understands the need for the G.o.ds to use their power. It is no longer a simple matter of interference. Force must be fought with equal force, and I of all people would not be opposed to magic, for you see, I am a wizard."

"Then I will shed some light on this little meeting," I said, trying to appear unaffected by his statement. A wizard? wizard? I looked at the old man with his ruby red robe and thick white beard. He did indeed look like a wizard. But again I was at a loss. How did I looked at the old man with his ruby red robe and thick white beard. He did indeed look like a wizard. But again I was at a loss. How did magic magic fit into the scenario of this world? Apparently my perception of Vrin would have to continue to fluctuate as new facts became available. These thoughts filtered through my mind as I worked to create a simple wooden table and several large candles. The room lit up and I had my first clear look at the faces gathered around. "There that's better," I said, looking across at my new acquaintance. "I'm sorry," I said, realizing he had not told me his name, "what do I call you?" fit into the scenario of this world? Apparently my perception of Vrin would have to continue to fluctuate as new facts became available. These thoughts filtered through my mind as I worked to create a simple wooden table and several large candles. The room lit up and I had my first clear look at the faces gathered around. "There that's better," I said, looking across at my new acquaintance. "I'm sorry," I said, realizing he had not told me his name, "what do I call you?"

"My apologies, Mr. Tardin. I am Arganis."

"Are you the leader of these people?"

"I am only their leader because they choose to follow me."

"You are modest," I said, looking down at the map. "So, where are your troops?"

"There are some in Rath's attack force. They have been ordered to fight defensively only. Then there is Kaprisha's group. She has them concealed in this patch of woods off to the left of the battle area. And Fyousa has some men in the castle, maybe a few in town as well. Right now we have a messenger on his way to inform Armadon of our intentions.

"You've been doing your homework. Are your people ready to fight?"

"Some have been shaken by Kric' tu's arrival; they fear him more than The Ten." He shook his head slowly. "If there is a genuine deity in Vrin, it is Kric' tu. I curse the day my family released him from the pit."

"Your family?" family?"

"Yes, I am a direct descendant of Alganah."

"Fascinating. I have many questions I'd like to ask you. But I will wait until the troops are deployed." I have many questions I'd like to ask you. But I will wait until the troops are deployed."

"I will trade you, answer for answer," he said with a smirk.

"Agreed."

That made sense. According to the historical record, Alganah had exercised some form of magical talent when he opened the gateway to chaos, or whatever it was he had opened. If this man was truly a descendant of Alganah, he would most likely have inherited some sort of supernatural ability. If he were able to exercise that kind of influence on this world, his power could be comparable to ours. Fascinating! Fascinating! Before me stood a man who represented a link between these people and my own. --Yet, he was just a simulation. --Or was he? He had called Before me stood a man who represented a link between these people and my own. --Yet, he was just a simulation. --Or was he? He had called me me an enigma. But the term best suited him. an enigma. But the term best suited him.

I brought myself back to the matter at hand. Lorna needed the support these people offered. "First things first," I said. "Your messenger will not find Armadon at the outpost. Lorna, the tenth, is holding our position while we tend to other matters."

"Other matters?"

"The battle is just a distraction, a distraction that must be held, but the real war is taking place elsewhere. I cannot tell you more in the face of so many unknowns. Let me contact Lorna."

"Yes. Tell her my troops will respond to the pa.s.sword faith faith. They will change sides immediately upon hearing that word."

"Does the messenger know this?"

"Yes."

"Got it. Hold on."

I tipped my head to the side. "Lorna? How goes the battle?"

"It's still quiet here. Too quiet. Have you reached your destination?"

"No, I've met with a pleasant snag. I'm here now with SCAR. Are you familiar with them?" them?"

"Nope."

"I won't go into detail right now, but I'll say this. You can trust them. A messenger is on his way now and he will tell you the pa.s.sword to use is 'faith'. He will explain their position. Let him into the outpost."

"Yessir."

"They will provide extra troops."

"Good, we can use them."

"They may be able to help me gain access to Rath's castle."

"Great."

"All right, that's it for now. Good luck, Lorna, and thanks again."

"Sure. You take care of yourself."

I pushed her energy from my mind and refocused on Arganis. "She will allow your messenger into the outpost."

"Thank you." He stood to address his group. "You know what you need to do, men. May the Maker of Light be with you."

They filtered out of the room with hopeful enthusiasm. I rose to stand beside Arganis. His face was thoughtful. I could tell he cared deeply for his people. When the last person left, I turned to my silent host. "I will need entrance to the castle. If you are indeed a wizard, perhaps you can help."

"I will do what I can."

"I would also like to know more about your abilities so I may better understand my enemy."

"You are puzzled. Have you no wizards where you come from?"

"I don't think so. Well-- only in storybooks. That's what bothers me, you are an inconsistency in the scheme of this place. Vrin is based on scientific fact taken from my world, yet you defy the very principles that make up my universe. It would be very useful to know how, and why, you are able to possess magical abilities."

"It's simple." He chuckled. "I draw from a source outside the realm of the physical world."

"Outside of Vrin?" Vrin?" I said, astonished. I said, astonished.

"Beyond the cognosphere lies the void."

"You mean-- s.p.a.ce?"

He furrowed his brows. "s.p.a.ce-?" "s.p.a.ce-?"

"Never mind, it would take too long to explain."

He gave me an examining look, then continued. "Vrin floats in energy. There is a point on this planet where a channel exists, a pillar into the sky called The Circle of Ghosts. A vortex there leads into the energy pool." He leveled his eyes at me. "All who have entered The Circle have died horrible deaths for the energy is unlike anything in Vrin. I call it energy, others call it magic. My ancestors learned to tap into this magic. Hundreds of years ago, Nor' Trull built a cabin next to The Circle and each day he would go and sit at the edge. He found that the vibrations from his voice would cause things to happen, and that each vibration had a different effect. He cataloged the effects in a book that was pa.s.sed down through the generations. His son learned from him, as I learned from my father.

"Interesting. Is there a reason it's called The Circle of Ghosts?"

"Yes. It is a portal to a place called Dantra. It is believed a race of people live within the energy. Some say they are the ghosts of our ancestors waiting to be released to Ethral, but from what my family has gathered, they do not originate from our world. We think they are an ancient race of spiritual beings. In the many years of communicating with them, my ancestors have learned a great number of things. They used this information to attain their goals, but ultimately, it was our undoing. When Alganah called on Kric' tu, the G.o.d of power, to save our royal family from being ousted, what he unleashed was not what anyone expected. And before he could send it back, it escaped into Vrin."

"They were expecting a benevolent spirit?"

"Yes. They had no way of knowing that evil existed in the void. All the spirits that had come before were loving spirits of light."

"Do you need to be at The Circle of Ghosts to use the magic?"

"No, but it is stronger there. Energy seeps from The Circle and filters into the air. It dissipates as it moves father away from its source, but it can still be very potent."

"What types of things can you do? Would you be willing to give a demonstration?"

"Yes. But then it is my turn to ask you some questions." He gave a crooked smile.

"That sounds fair."

He stood and walked to the center of the room, then repositioned toward me. With eyes shut, his hands began to caress the air methodically. They swayed about in gentle arching movements, punctuated by gestures resembling an exaggerated form of sign language. He began a deep resonating vocal hum.

A ghostly glowing fog began to materialize. His hands moved through it, forming wakes of white sparks. He spread his arms wide, leaving a swirling orb of iridescent gas, then sharply brought his hands together. A brilliant flash of light blinded me.

"Impressive," I said, rubbing my eyes. "Is that the extent of your power's usefulness?"

"It's the most visual. I can lift things and move them around, basically doing things I would normally use my hands for." He paused. "But enough about me. It is my turn."

"Alright. Fair enough."

He rubbed his hands together. "I'm almost giddy," he said with an expression of childlike enthusiasm. "Let's see. --If you are not a G.o.d, then what are you?"

Always the complicated question first! I looked at him, and shook my head. "Well, it might be a little hard for you to understand, so if I cover anything you are not sure of, feel free to interrupt." I looked at him, and shook my head. "Well, it might be a little hard for you to understand, so if I cover anything you are not sure of, feel free to interrupt."

"I will."

"The Ten are human, but not human like you." I paused. "I'm not sure exactly who or what your people are. The best I can come up with, is that you are one of the characters my imagination has created.

"So-- The Ten did did create our people?" create our people?"

"I think so. Yes. As far as I can tell."

"You thought thought us, and that gave us life?" us, and that gave us life?"

"Well, I'm sure there's more to it than that. I was told of a foundation that was created before my arrival. It may not have been The Ten, but it was others like us who created you and your planet. You see, I am not awake like you are. I am asleep, and dreaming of you. But it is not my dream, it is being given to me by another."

He looked perplexed. "Vrin is a dream-?"

"Well. Not exactly. But it's a place I can only visit when I'm sleeping. My real body is elsewhere-- connected to a bunch of wires I'm sure."

"Like a puppet?"

"No." I chuckled. "Not like a puppet." I thought for a moment. "The wires are similar in function to a tube that you might push the energy you control through."

"You were right. It is very confusing." He furrowed his brows. "What would happen to the dream should the dreamer awake?"

"As far as I know it would continue on, at least as long as the others are here."

"So The Ten are dreamers, who dream a dream, which is being sent to them from another place?"

"Sort of."

"What is that place?"

I thought for a moment. "It's similar to the cognosphere. For all I know, it could be be the cognosphere." the cognosphere."

"So you are here here-- like I would be in an event?" His eyes lit up.

I nodded. "That would be a very close a.n.a.logy."

"Have these events already happened?"

"I don't know. I think I'm experiencing all of this for the first time, but I can't be sure."

"Do you know why we're we're here?" here?"

"No, I don't. You could be here to make this place feel more like home. Or maybe your role is important to our recovery. You see, we are not here by are own choice. We are unable to wake up."

He rubbed his chin. "Why? With such power you should be able to awake with ease."

"One would think, but it hasn't happened yet." I looked him in the eye. "So until I can find a way to wake up, I'm trying to keep this world from being destroyed. Without it, I'm not sure I would be able to find a way back."

The barrage of questions ended in contemplation. Arganis stared off to the distant wall of the cellar. It was a lot to swallow, but he was faring well. I wished I could have given him what he wanted. Perhaps a lie would have been more comforting. There was no end to the questions, and the road to truth was littered with emotional potholes. Perhaps my answers fell short of their esteemed goals, but all I could do was try to answer honestly, and hope he would find some stable philosophical ground to stand on.

Again he spoke. "What of our souls? Will we eventually ascend to Ethral?"

"I'm not familiar with Ethral, so I'm not sure. If you believe you do, then I don't see why not."

It was a half-truth, but who knew? The scientists could have created a convention for Ethral and chaos. Who was I to deny its existence?

"Then I choose to believe," he said defiantly, "until proven otherwise."

"And I will believe with you. Maybe together we can will it to be so."

I made two gla.s.ses of wine, and handed one to my a.s.sociate. "A toast to the afterlife, and to the soul within. May its journey continue on to Ethral." There was a clink of gla.s.s, followed by a silence, which lasted long after the wine was gone.

And there we sat, two halves of an unknown coin, two voices in the hallows of eternity, stating with conviction, we will go on. we will go on. But feeling considerably less than sure of ourselves. But feeling considerably less than sure of ourselves.