A Prison of Worlds (The Chained Worlds Chronicles Book 1) (30 page)

“Most
of them, just one main one left.”  Nodes were pretty large weak points in the
dimensional fabric.  If she wasn’t referring to them then these ‘roots’ could
use the more subtle gaps and cracks in the fabric.  I still wasn’t sure if
these roots were metaphysical concepts or just a different terminology.  “Here
it is.”

I
stared.  Here was a prefab building that was leaning like the Tower of Pisa.  Cocking
my head, I started to walk around the structure trying to figure out what
happened.  The rear of the building began to answer my question as I noticed
the entire corner area was gone, causing the building to sink down almost ten
feet.  These constructions were pretty strong, because even with a large part
of the supports removed it showed no sign of imminent collapse.  Or rather
further collapse.

Moving
up to the gap, I looked closer and grinned.  There were hand prints imbedded in
the walls near the break.  Large hand prints.  I touched the tooth hanging at
my neck from the fine gold chain I had attached.  I had a feeling I knew which
building had landed on top of Faramond.

“Darn
it,” exclaimed the elf in a cute display of dismay as she came up beside me,
stamping her feet. “They put a building right on top of it.  It’s going to get
blown up the next time the roots come through.”

“Can
I assume that this is a Faramond shaped hole?”

“Yeah,
building came down right as he came out.  Probably hurt like...”

“Being
punched through four walls?  My heart bleeds for him.  Really.”

“Um,
yeah.  What are we going to do?  This entire thing is going to come down the
next time the roots come through.”

I
looked at her oddly as she said ‘we’.  How did I get involved in this again? 
Was this a host thing or something else?  “I’ll have Jeremy track down the
owners.  If they won’t do anything we can talk to Conrad.  Where and how much
do they need to leave clear?”

“From
here to over there,” she gestured from the hole in the wall to the other side
of the interior wall.  I stretched my senses over that area and although I
could feel the normal gaps in the world I couldn’t feel anything particularly
different.  When these ‘roots’ were inactive they didn’t feel any different.

“I’ll
make sure they know.  If they ignore me...” I shrugged to finish my thought.  “I
think I can convince them.  Maybe.  Conrad, if no one else.”

“Great! 
Let’s head back now,” she strode purposely towards the front of the building.
She paused, “Do you know anyone around here that would accept gold for a ride
back to your home?”

Normally
I would just walk but I wasn’t sure I wanted to trek all the way home trailing
a tired elf.  She was less annoying than I thought she would be, but I still
didn’t want to push my luck.  “I’ll ask the workman to borrow his... wait,
he’ll only have an implant.  I’ll just ask him to call a taxi.” 

I
really have to get a wrist comm now that I think I can keep it from blowing up.

Ironically
enough, the taxi dispatched to pick us up was a newer unmanned model.  Miss elf
entered the vehicle completely without a care.  I calmed my aura and stepped in
with quite a bit more trepidation.  When asked where I wanted to go by a
pleasantly bland artificial female voice, I was able to get it to recognize my
address.  That was the last thing that went smoothly.

“Wow!
 I have never been flying in a human vessel before,” my bubbly elf companion
offered with smidge less than her usual enthusiasm.  “Are you sure this is safe?” 
I frowned at her while looking at the shining brand spanking new interior.  It
undoubtedly had one of the new quantum chip churning away with information
under that console.  At that moment, I heard a loud pop and the ionized scent
of lightning, as something gave way deep inside the car’s innards.

“Statistically
speaking its the safest way to travel,” I said fixing a smile on my face. My
aura was pretty tightly under control.  I could sense hers humming away in its
usual vibrant fashion most mages had.  As wild as it was, it could only get
worse if she became too excited.  “By the way did you know that 75% of
statistics are made up on the spot?” I added brightly and immediately cursed
myself.

“I
had no idea,” she smiled in an oblivious manner.  “How utterly fascinating!” 
Another crackle came from the interior and the car jinked to the side.  Her
smile became a bit strained as the aircar listed to one side and horns sounded
from several air cars suddenly finding themselves far too close to our erratic
vehicle.  “It is supposed to do that?”

“Absolutely!
 There used to be these things called roller coasters,” I blathered quickly.  “Something
like trains on tracks, but the tracks had carefully designed hairpin turns and
loops that people went on to be thrilled.   Isn’t wonderful how they have
updated their transport to include us in the fun?”

Another
bang heralded wisps of blue smoke blowing through the vents.  I pointed
randomly at the ground ahead of us.  “Oh look, a new bookstore, let’s stop off
there and see if they have the 1964 edition of the ‘Archeologist’.  I have been
looking for that one forever.”  I think I was pointing to a fountain, but I was
caring less and less about authenticity.  “Taxi, please deter to the next
intersection and land.”

“I
apologize sir, but the route is locked.  We will be approaching your
destination in four minutes, please state your account number for funds
transfer,” stated the artificial calm voice.

“Four
minutes.  We would have to be going almost three times the speed limit to make
the trip in that time,” I muttered to myself, absently crunching the numbers. 
As if on cue we were pushed back in our seat as the car sped up.  Honking
around us was now almost non-stop, achieving a doppler effect as each quickly
faded behind us.

“I
don’t think I like roller coasters,” Estella said nervously, her aura blooming
around her as her state of mind caused her energies stir excitedly.  Another crackle
from the machinery initiated us into another round of fun, as the air car
flipped upside down while otherwise continuing on its course.

The
elf maid and I fell out of our seat in a pile on the roof as this became our
new floor.  “Can we stop now?  Please?” her frightened voice asked.

“I
would love to oblige, but I think we are riding this to the end unless we jump
out,” I said soothingly.  It pretty clear that we were not in control at this
point.  While I could jump out, that would still leave the car hurtling towards
its destination.  I had an uncomfortable feeling its destination was still my
house.  At least I could affect the outcome a little more from where I was.  “Hey
Estella, do you happen to have a force field spell in your repertoire?”

“Um,
yes,” she gulped loudly.  “Several of them!”

“I
would suggest you cast them all,” I could see my neighborhood approaching
quickly.  “Now!”

I
erected my own field and noted that as we approached my home there was an odd
crowd gathered around it.  A mob of several hundred tiny demonic insect
creatures surrounded the house. The ward’s effects were easily delineated by
the simple expediency of burning the demons on the edges that were forcibly
shoved into the protected zone by the mass of the group behind them.  It almost
looked like there were fireworks, as demon after demon entered the immaterial,
but very real, warded sphere and then went up like a roman candle.  A small
bundle of clothes was huddled in front of my door as the inferno raged twenty
feet from the lump.

Meanwhile,
the air car was accelerating and appeared to be aimed directly at my entryway. 
I forcibly expanded my aura and was rewarded by spumes of smoke from the vents,
a reverberating explosion from under the hood and a ballistic trajectory...
still aimed directly at my front egress.  At least I wasn’t accelerating.  I
put a force bubble on the front porch, covering the bundle there and with all
my telekinetic strength pushed down on the vehicle of doom.

This
forced the car downward into the permacrete of the road.  I had tried to push
us flat as opposed to nose diving into the ground, so we scraped along the
ground, the ‘top’ of the car skidding and creating a cascade of sparks.  I kept
up as much pressure as I could in the hopes of keeping us from flipping
uncontrollably and adding as much friction as possible.  I heard the sound
similar to massive hail stones pelting a tin roof, as innumerable tiny bodies
were smashed by the car and most likely pulped.  A moment later the entire car
lit as if it was a center of bonfire before striking was I assumed to be my
barrier, causing foam to pour out around me cushioning us somewhat from the
final jarring impact.

I
flailed around a bit trying to get the foam from my eyes.  I needn’t have
bothered, since within seconds the foam evaporated leaving a sticky residue on
the elf and I.  Looking around I noticed that the car had held up remarkably
well.  Actually the elf had held up well too.  She looked a bit bedraggled and
sticky with a green sheen that could have been a sign of nausea or merely the
remains of the foam.

“Are
you okay?” I asked as I kicked the door off the frame and crawled out.  I
reached back to help her out.  Everything was sticky.  Disgusting.

“I.
Hate. Roller.  Coasters,” she spat as she crawled out of the overturned
vehicle.

“Look
on the bright side,” I offered absently as I surveyed the mess.  “The car
exploded before they could bill my account.”

We
stood among the embers of a small artificial hill made up of tiny demonic
skeletons and ashes.  Surrounding the house was still an enormous crowd of foot
tall, ant-like demon that were clicking at us agitatedly.  We had apparently
plowed though a good half of them, but the remaining numbers were spreading out
to fill in the swathe of destruction the car had left.  They blithely stepped
over their pulped fellows and the fireworks display at the front line of demons
being pushed in the protected area began again.

“That’s
a lot of demons,” muttered Estella.  “Should I summon an elemental?  I am a bit
low on energy and I think my friend may not like being called so soon after he just
did me a favor...”

“Don’t
bother,” I responded eying the horde of tiny terrors.  “Admittedly that many
demons would be nasty to fight, even weak ones like these.  But they can’t get
in and my wards can last indefinitely.  Only the physical effect ones are
energy hogs.” I think.  I never had an army of demons constantly pecking at it,
but the wards versus minor supernatural evil, demons, spirits and vampires are
pretty passive.  They should be able to sip off the lay line that was nearby.

I
heard a whimpering behind me and turned to see the bundle on my doorstep move. 
A tiny head peered up at me and it took a moment to realize that a tiny girl
was sitting on my porch, her arms around her knees.  She had obviously been
crying as her cheeks still glistened with tears.

“Beth?”
I asked in confusion.  What the heck was Jeremy’s sister doing on my porch
surrounded by demons?  Okay, I still didn’t know what I was doing here
surrounded by demons, but maybe she actually had some answers.  “What are you
doing here?”

She
stood up quickly and with a squeak of relief and excitement rushed towards me. 
Unfortunately, my invisible barrier was still up between us. She ran head first
into it, bounced back with a hollow thunk and collapsed unconscious on the
ground.

“Damn,
Jeremy is going to kill me,” I exclaimed, slapping my forehead as I dispelled
my bubble and went to examine the girl.  I could feel Estella at my back as I
knelt next to the girl.  Fortunately, on this side of my dispelled barrier the
ground was clear of demon bones and ashes.  I ran my hand over her a few inches
from her body and was able to sense that it was mostly stress and pressure that
was responsible for her state.  The knock to her head was just the final nail. 
The best thing I could do for her, would be to let her rest for a few minutes. 
I needed to take out the trash anyway.  Picking up the girl, I opened the door
and went inside.

I
wiped my feet at the door and then laid Beth on the couch.  “Would you mind
looking after her for a few minutes?  I need to take care of the demons.  Oh,
wait.  Call Jeremy and tell him his sister is here too.  My vid should still be
working.”

“Of
course I will,” she said in a sober tone.  It was the most serious I had seen
her since we had met.

I
stopped to wash my hands and face clean of the foam before heading to the
basement.  Behind the newly acquired barrels of holy water, I had stacks and
stacks of ceramic bowls with airtight lids that I had inscribed with a basic
preservation ward.  I had intended to go over to Tower Plaza and ask for a cup
of demon bits, but apparently fate provides.  I grabbed all of the bowls and
slowly made my way back upstairs, the stacked bowls swaying ominously.

“Did
you get a hold of Jeremy?” I called out as I passed the living room.

“No,
I keep getting his answering service,” she stated quietly.  She must have
washed up a little as well because she looked less sticky and green.  The
proudly colorful clothes that she had gone out this morning in were a far cry
from the stained rags that she now had, but they were better than what she had
ten minutes ago.

“Beth
should sleep for a bit if you want to take a shower,” I suggested as I
continued out the front door.  “There are clean robes in the closet but I am
afraid I don’t have any clothes that would fit you.  While I am sure Mei wouldn’t
mind loaning you a dress, she’s about a foot shorter than you.”

“Are
you sure you don’t need any help?” the elf asked, somewhat cheered by the
prospect of being clean again.

“No,
I’m good,” I assured her.  “I’ll be done by the time you’re out.”

By
then I was out the door staring at my clicking audience.  Setting down my bowls,
I started scooping several bowls full of ashes and several more full of bones. 
I started to whistle cheerfully as I worked.  Except for the whole wrecked
vehicle thing, this was really working out well.  I paused to see the furrow
the car had plowed in the street and the gore staining my steps.  Okay, mostly
good.  The gore should evaporate soon as the demon essence returned to their
own plane.  I then moved up to the protective ward barrier that was still lit
by brightly burning demons being pushed through it.

The
miniscule beasts clicked and hissed in a fury as I approached.  I ignored them
and continued whistling as I reached through and grabbed one.  Careful not to
move the demon through the barrier I grabbed its head in one hand and twisted
it in a full circle, eliciting a popping crack noise as the neck shattered. 
The body twitched and was still.  I moved the bowl out of the ward and placed
the corpse into it and then placed the lid on it.  Only then did I bring my
bowl full of demon ingredients back through the protective ward.

Naturally
the demons did not let this action go unopposed.  While I was doing my
processing, the demons companions leaped at my exposed hands, virtually
covering them with writhing insectile bodies.  Truly disgusting, however my
force field was still up and to be honest they were as minor a supernatural
threat as demons came in.  If I went out of the ward they could swarm me and
perhaps seriously injure me before I dealt with them, five or ten at a time was
beyond trivial.  I simply moved my arms back into the ward and the demons burst
into brilliant multicolored flames as they entered the field.  This did
horrible things to my sleeves, but it was take far hotter fires than that to
actually burn me. 

In
this manner, I filled up the remaining bowls with quick efficiency.  I had been
limited in what circles and wards I researched due to a lack of ingredients. 
Only so many items can be substituted with dragon’s blood.  It was well worth a
few clothes.  This restocking actually had no noticeable impact on the number
of demons.  To be honest, they seemed as numerous now as they did before I
skidded the taxi through the host.

Shaking
my head ruefully, I went back into the house with my bounty and after safety
storing it away, went back to the living room.  Estella still wasn’t out, which
was fine since I wasn’t finished yet.  I quickly popped the cover I had
inscribed with the anti-magic ward off and headed downstairs.  As I went, I
slid the durasteel beams into the place that secured the house’s windows and
doors.