A Prison of Worlds (The Chained Worlds Chronicles Book 1) (37 page)

“Whoever
the heck Sulayman is he isn’t a simple entrepreneur,” I nodded towards the building
in front of me.  Like the newly renamed district, it had over the entrance, lit
in large flashing letters ‘Purgatory’.

I
was holding my magic tooth when I entered the building hoping to get some
insight into spells that seemed to be floating around so freely.  I had very
little warning when the rune on my chest restricting me to human form flared. Agony
bloomed next to my heart.  I am not sure, but it felt like several ribs broke
at once.  This was absurd since the force required would be monstrous, yet a
loud cracking sound did echo through the entrance room.  While the background
music and lightshow continued, dozens of fellow guests paused in their
conversations to look around for the noise.

The
sensation, though agonizing, was getting familiar.  It was the same I felt when
I first touched the rune of truth engraved on the tooth.  Through the pain, I
realized that I could feel the energies of the binding rune shift, as a synergy
of opposing forces of a slightly lower magnitude slammed into it and
reverberated.  I clumsily tried to grasp the energies while they were in flux,
but my mind was slowed by the pain and simple unexpectedness of the event.  By
the time I had gathered enough focus to do anything, the rune’s energy had
stabilized and achieved a new equilibrium.  Still it was weaker.  Perhaps
looser was a better description.

“Derek,”
a low, intense voice called to me.  I opened my eyes and saw Mei standing over
me, gently patting my face.  Sebastian was just behind her smiling in amusement
at my apparent clumsiness.  I was down on my knees just past the door, with a
rapt audience made up of the entire room.  I shakily got to my feet, letting
Mei support part of my weight.  I could feel my strength rapidly returning but
at the moment it was a challenge to stand.

“What
the hell was that?” whispered the petite Asian.

“Conflicting
magics just kicked me in the ass,” I groaned, as I released the grip on my
tooth and gingerly rubbed my chest.  I sighed, as I saw the mirror image of the
rune of ‘truth’ burned into my palm.  It was an angry red with blisters that
were fading as I watched it.  “They have settled down, it shouldn’t happen
again.”

I
glanced back at the threshold and saw it was blazing with energy.  Likely in a
wavelength only I could see, since no one else was paying attention to the new
light show except me.  It was obvious in retrospect that the very bricks were
etched with wards against lies and deceptions.  It must have had an interesting
twist to prevent all the shifters going through the entrance from bursting into
full-fledged beast form.  It was extremely powerful.  If I hadn’t already been
put on notice by the district-wide magic ‘suggestions’ outside this would have
clued me in.

“Just
tripped and sprained my ankle,” I called out to my audience.  “No need to rush
to my aid.”  This last was said with some sarcasm, since it was obvious they
were treating me as a spectacle rather than anyone that needed help.  They
almost immediately turned and went back to their conversation.  Either they
were all callus bastards or the spell that made everything seem mundane was
blunting their reactions.  Could have been both.

We
made our way through the reception area and a waiter came over to greet us.  “Master
Sulayman is waiting in the foyer above the serving area.  I would be honored to
lead you to him, Professor.”

I
frowned at the use of my unwanted moniker but didn’t say anything else.  I had
almost gotten used to the title.  I was a little more interested in how they knew
who I was.  Most facial recognition doesn’t work on supernaturals.  In fact,
this place in general had a high level of technology considering the accidents
such devices were prone to when around our population segment.  I looked around
at the tiny floating cameras, terminals and projectors.  They didn’t really
radiate magic, however I had a feeling there would be a ward of negation that
damped down those environmental influences, similar to what I had recently
placed on my own terminal.

I
came out of my reverie as we went up the graceful curve of the stairs to the
second floor that looked over the dining area.  Most of the eating area was
still in the middle of the bright displays. Yet there were areas where darker
and smaller booths, were available for more private groups.  We circled to the
back of the overlook and were led into an elegantly decorated area.  Of course,
it was adorned in a style that was an odd hybrid of Victorian and the 1920’s. 
All I could tell was it was trying to be old.  Maybe trying a little too hard.

“Greetings
Professor,” a dusky-skinned man in a suit greeted me from the single table
there.  He had a thick, well-groomed silvered beard, but his eyes were sharp
and a piercing blue.  “Have a seat.  I have been trying to get in touch with
you for some time now.  Unfortunately, your terminal isn’t connecting any calls
and the messengers I have sent haven’t come back.  If I didn’t know better I
would think you have been avoiding me.”

“Well,
actually I never heard of you until about an hour ago,” I said with a smile
while seating myself.  “So I made excellent time, if you factor that in.”  I
saw food laid out on the table and since my stomach was loudly complaining
about the lack of meals in recent times I helped myself to the dishes around. 
Mei elbowed me in my side; I mostly ignored her while I continued to examine
the food.  Sebastian was staring off in the distance, as if captivated by some
inner dialog.  Likely spell induced.  I wondered if hallucinations were
involved.

“I
see,” the stout man drawled slowly, as I gathered my meal to the plate in front
of me.  “Well, it appears you aren’t one to stand on formality.”  I nodded as
started to eat.  Mei sighed in defeat and with a shrug began to pick at the
meat dishes.

“Yep,
I am just stopping here on the way to track down my friend,” I stated around a
mouthful.  “He was kidnaped today and I want to get him back before morning if
at all possible.  Sebastian said that you wanted to talk with me.”

“I’ll
get to the point,” he said as he delicately dipped his fingers into a goblet
before wiping them dry on a folded cloth.  “You and I are not from around here,”
he acknowledged simply.

I
stopped eating and stared at him, touching my hand to the rune of truth. 
Nothing.  He appeared to be a normal human.  Not even a magical adept.  I
didn’t believe that at all.  If I stabbed him with the tooth chances are the
rune etched on it would dispel his shields or illusions.  It didn’t really seem
very social.  I would leave that as plan ‘z’.  “I’m al ears.”

“The
police do not know this, yet it is one of the reasons you can give them the
help they need.  I too am not from this ‘area’.  I have made a habit of
wandering from place to place for many years.  In each place I stop, I like to
set up a little area that reminds me of home.”

“This
is home?” I gestured to the far end of the room by the entrance where the shows
were still displaying their larger than life entertainment.

“Yes,
I grew up a long time ago where such extravagances were common among my class. 
It gives me comfort as I wander,” he said simply.  “My last home was a pleasant
little empire in its declining years.  Like many such empires it was a bit
decadent, yet peaceful.  No one had challenged its might in centuries.  Then a
neighboring continent’s government decided it needed more resources and war
came.  Although not as technically advanced as this land, it had many, many
magicians.  They threw magics at one another, summoned demons and various
horrific creatures at one another.  It was very bad for business.  I was
tempted to continue my travels.” 

He
paused for a minute to pull out a pipe.  He tamped it down before lighting it. 
“I finally decided to stay.  I had much invested there and I admit I didn’t
want to part with it.”  He contentedly took a puff and lazily breathed out a
smoke ring.  “It was probably a mistake.  In the final phase of the war entire
cities died.  The energy from their death was used by the unscrupulous
magicians to cast more death magic until the entire world was flooded with
bloated ley lines.  You may be aware of where this is going.”

“Yes,
standard end of the world scenario.  That much energy pries open the cracks
between the dimensions and the circulation of the energies becomes self-sustaining. 
Been there, done that.”

“Exactly,
I too have seen this.  At that point only closing all the tears can prevent the
cycle.  Though that seems to be more up to luck than any calculations.”  He
puffed out a few more smoke rings before moving on.  I took advantage of this
time to stuff my mouth.  “Anyway, the war is over and there is no winner, just
a land struggling to survive its constant unwelcome visitors.  Move forwards a
few decades and the empire is still hanging on, keeping civilization going.  Admirable,
but although magic is much stronger it’s also the cause of much devastation.  A
council of mages comes into power to better regulate it.  They train new
magicians, make new laws and help keep the empire alive.”

“Sounds
good.  Now why are they coming to visit our lands,” I asked, sucking on a
chicken bone.  I would have chewed it, but people always stare at me when I do
that.

“Ah,
you are aware that they are here.  Good.”  Tapping his pipe, he looked off in
the distance.  “Fifteen years ago the head of the council suddenly came up with
an idea that he could bleed off the excess energy to another world with a lower
energy potential.  It was not common knowledge, however I have... or rather had,
several good contacts within the council.”

“That’s
ridiculous,” I interjected in confusion.  “Ley lines don’t work that way.  They
are like circuits, the energy that leaves them, circulates back.  There is
nothing in existence that can use up all that energy before it comes round
again.”

“Agreed. 
However, the council head had a silver tongue.  That combined with a dash of
desperation means they have gone through extraordinary measures to make their
plan come to fruition.  For five years, they prepared their ley lines and
nodes.  Then the head of the council and a few of his allies went off and
haven’t been seen since.”

“At
least in that land,” I added.

“That
would coincide with ten years ago, when Jin started to change his routine. 
That was why you wanted to see the node locations.  You wanted to know if they
had been ‘prepared’,” Mei chimed in.

“Well,
actually I was pretty sure he was up to something, however I didn’t really
think this was it.  It’s a really stupid plan, with no chance of working,” I
groused.  “Frankly, the old invasion through portals plan made more sense.”

“A
classic plan but overused,” offered Sulayman, as he loaded his pipe with more
dried herbs.

“I
can’t leave the city but you must have contacts in the cities we marked out. 
Could you have them examine the nodes that had the final magical working happen
and see if there are any circles or weird magical squiggles I could examine and
see how they plan to pull off this boneheaded idea.”

“I
think so,” she slowly nodded.  “Some of the nodes were in hostile territory,
but I can get at least some of them.”

“So
how did you end up here?” I asked as I turned back to our host.

“My
contacts dug up this land’s coordinates and I thought it was time to move to a
quieter location.  I exchanged most of my holdings to gold and walked away. 
Fortunately, there is a very good exchange rate for gold.  As usual I have made
a home for myself.  Since the nature of magic is against what the magicians’
council’s goal is, I thought I might as well make myself comfortable.”

“Okay,
that explains a lot that we didn’t know... except, why tell us?”

“It
is what a good neighbor would do,” Sulayman said.  His smile dropped as he
continued, “There is also the possibility that we are wrong and they somehow
found a way around the laws of magic as we know them.  I live here now.  I do
not think I would like to experience such an untamed world again.”

The
rest of our meal was quiet.  I was thinking of the ramifications of using this
world as a sump pump for excess magic and trying to think of any way that would
actually work.  Everything I knew about magic said you couldn’t move it like
that.  You could use it to do something but moving it out along the ley lines
would require the entire system to move.  You would end up creating a vacuum
and nature didn’t like that.  It was like trying to fly by lifting yourself
with your arms.  An entire council of magicians would know this; so what was I
missing?  Was it a giant con on the part of the council head and the rest were
dupes?

Mei
was also subdued, yet tried to start a conversation several times.  The effort
was doomed to failure.  Sulayman was polite but now that he had delivered his
message he was also content to let her carry the conversation while he smoked
his pipe.  He deflected any personal questions and would not explicitly state
he was a dimensional traveler, despite the previous obvious innuendos.  I could
tell her heart really wasn’t in it though.  If I were her, I would be wondering
at the timing.  Ten years ago the magician council head disappeared and then
Jin changes his habits.  It was clear that the two had met and the council head
had somehow yet again convinced another experienced mage to follow his
ridiculous plan.

Even
Sabastian, usually a smarmy, yet charming personality was silent.  Of course,
his silence was more due to the vacant stare he was giving out over the dining
floor.  It made sense when you considered he had close ties with the vampire
council.  Normally he would be frantically calling home to inform Eric and
Vivian about the huge territory grab that was going on in the middle of the
city.  Ironically, the more you were motivated to change the situation the
harder the spell hit.  When he left the area he would be lucky to remember what
he ate let alone that vampires and shifters were happily romping around
together in illicit bliss under the command of an extra planar visitor.

After
the fifth helping, I had lost my appetite and for the moment given up trying to
figure out if what I knew about magic was wrong.  It was time to get Jeremy
back, so I made our goodbyes and led the dazed vampire and my more focused
Asian friend out of the restaurant.

When
the valet came out with the car, Sebastian was more lucid, going so far as to
snap at the fellow as we entered the car.  I brought out my tooth and dangled
it in the air as I told our, now surly, driver to make another circuit of the
city.  Within ten minutes he was back to his normal self; however, it was
obvious that he hadn’t given any thought to where we had been. Over the next
hour, we drove through the city as I entered the directions into my new
military grade wrist terminal.  I tried to get it to display the results in a
city map but the three dimensional display over the emitter was too small and I
spent the rest of the way home fighting to get the thing to output to a direct
retina projection.  When I finally got that feature to work, I was already home
and I just stalked inside and sent the data to the home terminal.  That way we
could look at it together.

I
was stopped as I was going inside by the bell being rung behind me.  Looking
back, I saw an amused Mei behind me who was in turn observing Sebastian.  He
appeared particularly furious and was relentlessly ringing the tiny Liberty
Bell replica.  This brought a smile to me face, which in turn seemed to annoy
the vampire assassin even more.

“Is
something wrong?” I asked innocently.

“If
you want my damn help you’re going to have to lower your wards so I can come in
without setting off the fire alarm,” he grated out.

I
had to admit that was reasonable, though not nearly as amusing.  “Okay.  Give
me ten minutes to deactivate the ward.  Mei?  Could you set up the projector
with the data I just sent?  Also, have Stella move Beth to one of the
bedrooms.  Make that Jeremy’s, it is somewhat shielded.  There’s no point in
waking her up.”  Not that there was much of a chance of her waking until
tomorrow, however if we were all going to be in the living room we would need
the extra real estate.

“I’ll
park my car around the block,” stated the vampire.

“There’s
plenty of room in front of the house,” I said looking at the empty and
adequately repaired street that stretched several hundred feet in either
direction.

“Yes,
but I noted reports of massive property damage at this address.  There appears
to be a large probability of anything located in this area not existing long, if
left to its own devices.”

All
true but I stared at him a moment.  “You researched my house to see the safest
place to park your buggy?”

“Nonsense,
I researched this location in order to best kill you,” he corrected without any
hint of shame.  “It just so happens that the information feed I set up on your
life and habits is still sending me information on your most recent disasters.”

“There
is no privacy anymore,” I shook my head sadly as I turned to go inside again.  “It
used to be a little bit of harmless property damage was covered by the
appropriate bribes.”

“It
still is, you’re simply paying the wrong people,” Sebastian called out over my
shoulder.

I
went inside, then down to my lab space where I grabbed one of my prepared
ceramic bowls.  A bowl not housing a dead preserved demon and set to inscribing
my magic nullification ward.  I had gotten a bit more practice with it; however,
it still took a little more than ten minutes.  When I was done, I laid it over
the part of the protection ward describing undead and felt a ripple in the
atmosphere as it changed its nature.  Hopefully, the demonic protection and
spirit ward was still in play but I wouldn’t be able to verify this unless we
were attacked by a horde of demons.  Another horde that is.

I
trudged back upstairs, calling out the door that it was safe to come inside
before coming into the living room.  Beth had been put to bed and Stella and
Mei were looking over a projection of the city in the center.  There was a
large yellow area I recognized as multiple overlapping 30 degree cones and a
much smaller red zone less than a block wide that looked to be in a modest
warehouse district on the edge of Minerva Memorial Public Park. 

I
looked at Mei. “Isn’t Minerva Park divvied up into at least five different
shifter packs?”

“Don’t
remind me,” she groaned, as Sebastian came into the room and looked over the
map.  “Conrad and I had to kick in the teeth of over a dozen jerks that
wouldn’t fall in line.”

“We
call it the Zoo,” Sebastian said with a subtle sneer.  “The largest park in the
city and its claimed by an entire menagerie. It’s a wonder the mortals can
wander around it without getting eaten.”

“The
packs may be jerks, then again it’s also the safest place to walk at night,”
Mei countered reluctantly.  It was evident that she didn’t really want to
champion what she had just effectively called riffraff moments ago.  “Unless
you’re a vampire, in which case you may have to wait a few days to gather your
pieces together.  Conrad says he has to go there at least once a week to remind
them to live together peacefully.”

“Anyway,
we have a location, let’s storm the place,” I said eagerly, not wanting to get
into a pissing contest between supernaturals.

“How
about we get a plan together so they don’t kill Jeremy, while we eliminate the
trash?” Mei suggested irritably, glaring at me. “We can have an army of
Conrad’s people there in minutes.  He doesn’t have anything higher in his
priority list, despite what hoops the mayor is having him jump through.”

“That’s
plan is actually worse than ‘storming the place’,” Sebastian grunted
disdainfully.

“I
could send in some elementals,” Stella hesitantly suggested.

“I
think these ideas are actually getting worse as we go along,” I said
thoughtfully.  “Okay, the police are out.  They have a bunch of procedures to
go through.  As soon as Jin’s minions see his task force Jeremy is in trouble.”

“Conrad
is going to be pissed off beyond belief if you cut him out of your plans again,”
Mei warned.

“I’ll
set up a message to be delivered to him as we go in,” I offered.

“That’s
not going to help.”  The tiny Asian snorted in disdain.  “Are you trying to
annoy him on purpose?”

I
grinned at her.  “Why would I do that?”  I looked around at the group.  “I was
using ‘storming in’ as a metaphor.  I was thinking of our resident sneaky
vampire doing some reconnaissance and perhaps distract them.  Then we storm in.”

“Well,
that’s better,” Stella nodded cheerfully.  She seemed to have fully recovered
from the trauma of the day.  Sebastian also grunted in agreement.  “It
certainly explains his presence,” she nodded in Sebastian’s direction.  I kept
getting the feeling she didn’t like the undead.  I couldn’t criticize her; it
was a reasonable attitude to have.  “I think Sir Faramond is likely done with
his errand.  I can call him in for support.”

“Every
time that walking wall is involved he levels a house,” I pointed out.  “I am
not sure even modern medicine could recover Jeremy after he was finished with
him.”

Stella
looked conflicted for a moment, as if she wanted to defend her guardian, yet
couldn’t really deny the allegations.  “He is getting better,” she weakly
replied.

I
stared at her in shock for a moment.  “He was worse?”

“Anyway,”
she said carefully, looking away in embarrassment.  “I can provide some support
spells like localized earthquakes, tremors, volcanoes and maybe a small tornado
or two.”

“Right,”
I looked at her for a moment.  “Let’s call that plan ‘B’.”  Shaking my head, I
continued.  “Stella can call down the wrath of god on any runners or armies
that sneak up on us.  Mei and I will come in the front door or wall or whatever,
once Sebastian starts his distraction.”

“What
do you want the signal to be?” the vampire asked, while buffing his nails on
his suit.

“I
was thinking of going in once the screams of agony start.  The backup plan
could be when we see splatters of blood on the windows and doors,” I said
slowly.  “These are going to be tougher shifters than normal.  I hear some can
turn to rock or throw lightning.  However, having fought you and your little
dagger I am not too concerned except for Jeremy getting in between you guys. 
Please avoid that.”

“What
about captives?” Mei inserted.  “The spell that Jin is using to make his
minions explode is going to make that awkward and we really need a clue to
where he is.  I very much doubt he is in a warehouse.  It’s not his style.  He
likes his lairs far more elaborate.”

“Good
point,” I conceded.  “I am going along with that idea too.  If by any chance
you do see him, let us know and we’ll just grab Jeremy and leave rather than
fight his entire army, most powerful minions and deal with his mob of apprentices
at once.”  I gave him a long stare, “Hopefully your Council won’t piss itself
if Jin is not directly involved.  I personally am hoping that when Sebastian
goes in he will let us know if it’s a deathtrap.  Assuming he doesn’t just drop
dead from Jin’s sheer aura of awesomeness.” 

“I’ll
try to survive long enough to give you some sort of heads up,” he stated dryly.

“With
any luck, that will work out better than last time,” I muttered under my
breath.  Mei coughed while looking away and Sebastian glared at me.  Ah
enhanced senses.  Whoops.  “I do have a plan for the exploding werewolves.  I
have a couple of bowls I have enchanted.  I believe that if you put them on
their head it should prevent spell from triggering.  It may even stop a further
buildup if the spell is triggered before the bowl comes down.”

“So
they still blow up but...” started Mei.

“But
they won’t take out the building and any frail mortals in the area,” I finished
for her.  “I will only have time to make about five so if you can’t get a bowl
on their heads throw them out the window.”

“Um...
won’t I be waiting outside for runners?” Stella said while nervously playing
with her hair.

“I
suggest you keep a shield spell up and keep a few of those crevasse spells
ready.”  She didn’t seem to be very happy about that answer.  “Mei, I also need
you to call your contacts and get the previous ‘super’ nodes searched.  See
what Jin left behind.  If we are right about the last ten years being one
really long ritual, then there will be something set up to be triggered by...
well, something that he is doing right now.”

“I
already arranged that,” she said as she confidently crossed her arms.  “While
you were spinning your dinosaur tooth, I was on my terminal making the
arrangements.”

“It’s
not a dinosaur... never mind,” I said mildly offended.  “Just pictures or
painting or whatever they can send.  I have no doubt that it’s trapped or spelled
to have people ignore it.  I don’t think it will be anything big unless you
touch it.  Jin has been relying on no one knowing anything going on for the
last ten years, rather than brute force so it may be hidden very well.  Having
it explode if someone got too close would be the opposite of what he wants.”