Light in the Barren Lands: Travail of The Dark Mage Book One (30 page)

He allowed the earth spirit several moments with which to grow more at ease, then sent out,
Friend.
The creature’s predilection for flight did not manifest.

More earth spirits began appearing about the outer edge of the
Vyrilyzk
. Some took fruit, others seemed interested in this oddly behaving human. A feeling came from the creatures that James didn’t understand at first. But then he began to realize that they knew him, or at least
of
him. A name was flittering about between the earth spirits, along with an eagerness that he couldn’t quite understand. Trying to grasp it, he grew too excited and pushed too hard.

All but one earth spirit vanished; the remaining earth spirit being the one that had been there throughout. James could tell that its eyes, or at least what passed for its eyes, were directed upon him.
My apologies, Little Brother.

Though he could not see the creature due to the darkness of night, his mind’s eye pictured the earth spirit nodding its head.

Do you know me?

Again, the earth spirit nodded.

How?

The creature didn’t reply right away, or it could simply have been that James failed to pick up on it. But after several seconds passed, a word formed in his mind…
Gardener.

Gardener.
The word opened a floodgate of memories. Such was the appellation Brother Willim gave to him during their travels together. Tied to an old prophecy, it denoted a person destined to either save, or doom the world. He had already walked that path, having saved the world from the fate that Dmon-Li would have meted out had the god’s high priest’s plans come to fruition.

Wait! How did an earth spirit from this world know of happenings on another? Are they capable of traveling from world to world?

Again the vision of the creature in his mind’s eye nodded.
How?
His mind was instantly assaulted with visions he was ill-equipped to handle. With mind rapidly faltering beneath the onrush of alien imagery, he shouted with both magic and voice,
“Stop!”

Immediately, the visions ceased.

Panting, head feeling as if it had been repeatedly struck with hammers, James worked to forestall the imminent loss of consciousness. Nausea assailed him, his whole body shook. When at last he managed to regain some sense of composure, he found the earth spirit still present at the edge of the
Vyrilyzk
. More of its kin had gathered with more arriving every second. Each stood still, their attentions fixed firmly upon him.

It felt eerie being the focal point of so many creatures. He didn’t feel threatened in any way, only uncomfortable, and definitely out of his element. How he wished that Brother Willim was there.

Visions again assailed him, this time of the Asran priest. They knew Brother Willim! Or at least
of
him. Hopeful, James projected the thought,
Can you show me how to get to his world?

Again he began to be assailed by the alien visions.
No!
his mind screamed. The visions stopped. His mind recoiled from the assault, but the brevity of the visions hadn’t affected him nearly as bad. Once his mind calmed again, he sent a thought giving a brief detail of what he planned to do to reach the world of Brother Willim. Then he asked if there was any route they knew in the way he intended to travel.

The earth spirits grew excited. He felt a swelling of magic coming from the beings around him. In his mind’s eye, he saw a line moving away from the Earth. Not in the physical sense did the line travel, but in the spiritual. Buoyed by the magic of the creatures, James was able to follow as it went until it entered a place where time and matter fluxed.

The line grew faint as it passed through a chaotic intermixing of magic and the physical realm his mortal mind couldn’t comprehend. Then when he was about to completely lose himself, the line passed back into the material realm once more. Shortly thereafter, the line intersected a planet, and he knew what planet it was. Somewhere on that spinning globe were his wife and child.

About to go in search of them, he was pulled back through chaos until he was once again sitting upon the ground before the amassed earth spirits. It took him several moments to regain his faculties and become aware that he was now ringed by hundreds, if not thousands of the creatures.

He tried to duplicate what the creatures had just done, but discovered such a feat was beyond his ability.

We will help.
When you are ready, we will show the way.

Then a map sprang into his mind. It was a topographical map of the earth. All was in shadow but for eleven points. Seven glowed brightly, while the remaining four seemed to draw all light to them like mini black holes.

Nexus. Must be at Nexus or die.
Came the thought.

The bright lights are Nexus?

A murmur of affirmation came from the assembled creatures.
At Nexus you live. Elsewhere, you die.

One light grew to prominence as the vision focused upon it. James knew where the light was coming from even before he recognized the outline of the southern California coast. Igor had been right. Disneyland was a focal point.

I will need lots of magic to make the crossing?

Yes.

And the Nexus are magical foci?

Yes.

What are the black areas?
He pictured one of the four dark points when he sent out the question.

An uncomfortable tremor ran through the assembled spirits. When he realized they were growing into an ever more agitated state, and that half the creatures had vanished, he removed the dark point from his thoughts. Almost instantaneously, the earth spirits calmed.

Though intrigued by their reaction and anxious to know more about why they reacted as they had, he instead kept his thoughts filled with positives, which was easy since he now knew he that could bring the three of them home.

The rest of the evening he hummed and sang little ditties as the earth spirits frolicked around him. Every once in a while his thoughts would drift back to those black areas, causing agitation among his newfound friends. Only when such thoughts were removed from his mind did the creatures return to their former, semi-friendly selves.

Chapter Eighteen

________________________

“We’re in business,” James announced upon returning to the campsite. “They are willing to help.”

Jiron was surprised. “I thought you might get information out of them. I can’t believe that we will have their active participation as well.”

“Perhaps ‘
active’
is a bit strong. Let’s just say they are going to point us in the right direction.”

“Still, that’s more than we hoped.”

“Indeed.”

They hurriedly broke camp and stuffed everything into the trunk without even bothering to fold the tent or pack things away properly; such was their hurry.

“Back to Vegas and collect the cocoa pods and crystals, then a quick jaunt across the state line and on to L.A.”

“Will we see mother tomorrow?” asked Jira.

“If everything works out,” affirmed her uncle. “The crystals should be fully charged by now, and with the earth spirits’ help, we’ll make it.”

Jira jumped and did a jig, so great was her happiness.

Once everything was stuffed in the trunk, they got underway.

James regaled them with his experience with the earth spirits as he returned to the Interstate. Jira of course wanted to see one but her uncle said such would be unlikely. “They are incredibly shy and timid.”

“Except around Hikuli,” Jiron commented. During their final expedition into the heart of Dmon-Li’s high temple, Brother Willim had summoned the earth spirits to deal with the Hikuli, and they had boiled forth. The savagery exhibited by these timid and shy creatures against their ancient enemy was something the one-time pit fighter had rarely seen, and hoped to never be on the receiving end.

“I would still like to see one,” said Jira.

“Who knows? Maybe one day you will.”

Las Vegas appeared in the distance a little past noon. Upon reaching the outskirts, James pulled off the interstate and began making his way along side-streets en route to the motel.

He was going to miss the sights and sounds of Earth after the crossing. Not least of which would be the showers, television, and chocolate; though if his plans for the cocoa pods worked out, the lack of chocolate would be remedied.

One shop they passed caught his eye, or rather, the manikin displayed in the window. Deciding to check it out, he pulled off the road and into a parking spot. The sign on the building read, “Don’s Surplus.” It was an older building, looking as if the shop had been in existence since the fifty’s.

“Why are we stopping here?” Jiron asked.

James gestured toward the window and at the manikin appearing to be wearing a radiation suit. “I want to get two of those if they’ll let me.”

Jiron couldn’t understand why his friend would want to burden them with clothing like that. They were unsightly and looked to be rather bulky.

“They might be useful when we return,” James explained.

“If you say so.”

Merely giving his friend a grin, James got out of the car and entered the store.

Don, as it turned out, was an aged man in his sixties, bald, and bore numerous scars that covered most of his exposed skin. He emerged from the back wearing camouflaged shirt and shorts, and quickly zeroed in on his customer.

“How’s your day going?” asked Don.

“Fine,” replied James. “I was wondering how much that radiation suit in the window would go for?”

Don gazed at him a moment. “Why in the world would you want something like that? Work in a nuclear plant or something?”

James shook his head and chuckled. “No, nothing like that. My buddy and I are planning this Haunted House, and two of those would be perfect for one of our rooms.”

“Kind of an end-of-the-world, nuclear disaster theme?”

“Something like that. Could use a Geiger counter too if you have one.”

“Got three of those. As for the suits, they’re throwbacks from the seventies. Got a whole slew of them when the army upgraded its inventory.”

“How much for two suits and a Geiger counter?”

“You just looking for cheap?”

“Pretty much.”

Don led him over to where another of the radiation suits was on display. Next to the suit sat a table with a dozen or more gadgets lying atop it. Picking up a rectangular black one bearing a small screen, he said, “This here is your DX-1. It’s popular with hobbyists, only $125.”

“$125?” James asked surprised.

“Yep. Brand new it’s $259.”

“Does it work?”

Pressing a button below the screen, a red LED lit up and the tell-tale clicking all Geiger counters made began to be heard, although at very intermittent intervals as there was only normal background radiation in the immediate vicinity.

“Is that the cheapest you have?”

“Unless you want one that makes no clicking noises at all?” When he saw James shake his head, he said, “Thought not.”

“Very well. I’ll take the DX-1 and two suits.”

“Great.” Picking up two bundles in a bin behind the table containing the Geiger counters, Don carried the three items to the front counter. “Cash or credit?”

James did a quick tally of available funds in his head and figured he would have enough left if he paid cash. Bills were transferred, change returned, and he was out the door with his purchases.

Jiron gave him a quizzical look when he returned to the car, but all he said was, “You’ll see.”

Purchasing the radiation suits brought to mind the notion that there may be other things of worth he could bring back home with him. Namely, books. Not far from Don’s Surplus was a bookstore where he bought a half dozen, including one which spoke of medieval inventions, another about different methods of harvesting to promote the highest yield, and of course, the refining of chocolate. He was surprised to have found that one, but while perusing books dealing with his favorite confection, came across one that explained the various refining techniques to separate the various components of the cocoa bean and other useful information. The other three dealt with the physical world, books that may be useful when creating spells.

He stopped at six because of the weight issue. Whatever they took, they were going to have to carry with them, and the two suits already encumbered them enough. Back at the car, he put the books in the trunk and left the parking lot.

“Once we’re back at the motel, we’ll clean up a bit and then gather up the crystals.”

Jiron nodded. “Then we leave?”

“Yep. Then we leave.”

It took several strikes upon the bell before the manager appeared from the back. When he saw James standing at the counter smiling at him, he hesitated a moment before coming forward.

“Did my package arrive?”

The manager nodded. “Yes. It came yesterday.” Reaching beneath the counter, he pulled out a package wrapped in brown paper. In the upper left-hand corner was the logo of the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory.

“Thanks,” James said as he laid a hand upon the top of the package. “We’re still paid up through tomorrow, right?”

“That is correct.”

“Great. We’ll be checking out in the morning.” Then removing the package from off the counter, he carried it outside and across the parking lot to their room where Jiron and Jira had already gone.

The “Do Not Disturb” sign still sat upon the door and the interior didn’t look as if anyone had entered. The beds remained in disarray and the devastated wall untouched. “You take a shower first,” James suggested as he entered and set the package on the table. “I’ll call for pizza.”

“Okay. Jira’s in there now.”