Mana in the Modern World non illustrated version (12 page)

The Khan’s health is improving. My escape
plans are made and I must soon flee but I have been able to gather
many gems from the treasury to take with me. Once I am free of
Aiguo I will return and kill the Khan as the leaders that hired me
have those who fail to perform drawn and quartered or flayed to
death.

Every time I find safety within the Asian
provinces Aiguo has shown within weeks and I cannot determine how
he finds me. I am finding it difficult to rest sufficiently. Once I
fought him only to learn he is a very dangerous Wizard, almost my
equal.

I have now fled across what is known as
Europe and still he finds me although it takes longer. Perhaps
something in the various terrains is interfering with his ability
to locate me. I have heard of a large island west of Europe so I
will have to go across the wide waters which may prevent, or at
least disrupt, whatever spell he uses to locate me.

First my teleport and now my fly spell no
longer work as the energy has continued to reduce in strength.

After being on the island for several months
I have now heard from the weakling plant worshippers of someone
searching for me. I am well rested and believe I have no choice but
to end this. I refuse to flee further from this man and will stand
and fight Aiguo to the finish. Once I kill the plant worshippers I
will set traps within their circle of stones and place defensive
spells on the center stone and another within one of the tall
stones. The stones radiate energy of some type which I may be able
to use against Aiguo but I need sufficient time to study the
strange energy. With these I am confident of victory.

Mana energy is fading so ten, counting myself
and wife, powerful wizards have come together to find, and
hopefully correct, whatever is causing the slow decrease of the
energy. Only the most powerful mages have noticed this decrease. We
have named ourselves the Circle.

To date our research has not turned up a
reason for this decrease. However, we are attempting to construct
an eight sided stone-like artifact that will slowly draw, store the
weaker energy and then transfer magic energy for use. So far the
effect, when working, is somewhat erratic but at least now there is
renewed hope. Once we have this stone perfected we can build more
which will greatly aid in our search.

Word has just reached the Circle that a
Warlock, Juneau from the adjoining province of Manji, has been
hired to assassinate the Khan. The Khan’s death would bring total
chaos and, in all probability, disrupt all attempts to stop the
energy loss. I, at 44, am the youngest and most physically fit
Wizard so have volunteered to keep the Khan safe.

I have become the Khan’s chief Wizard and
been in his camp for several months but have as yet located any
danger to the Khan. I have alerted all the Advisors and guards to
the possibility of a Warlock from Manji province has been hired to
kill the Khan. A careful watch is kept on all new comers less they
be the assassin while I also watch for auras.

Lately, but only occasionally, I have felt
the faint stirring of Mana energy being worked but so far cannot
locate where or to get a direction. I am attempting to work out a
new spell to seek this disturbance. The Khan has become sick and is
getting weaker. I have detected that there is Mana causing the
sickness but am unable to dispel it. I have learned the spell is
built of several spells woven together and is too strong for me to
dispel. Trying sickens me so I must find and dispel at the
source.

I have finally managed to built a seek spell
designed to find the complicated Mana’s origin and it led me to the
Khan’s favorite fountain. Within the fountain’s stones I found one
stone that has been ensorcelled with several powerful spells woven
together and is the source of the Kahn’s ills. I dare not destroy
the stone as I believe that would immediately kill the Khan.

I believe I have found a way to alter the
spells on the stone and prevent his death. To do this I will have
to work swiftly.

I have completed the counter spells and will
replace the stone back in the fountain. To accomplish this counter
spell I combined a drop of the Khan’s blood with special paints and
carved a large but crude Dream symbol on the opposite side from the
tiny but o so precise Death symbol. I was able to combine several
spells within the paints and thus into the symbol. Once I replaced
the stone within the fountain I could feel the death spell
changing.

The counter spells I placed on the stone are
working, the Khan’s health is returning. He now dreams about the
spirits of dead people but this seems to bother him not at all. He
explained to me that on rare occasions he actually held
conversation with the dream spirits. One spirit, a friend turned
thief, was quite happy now and told the Khan where he had hid the
treasure he stole. When checked, the stolen treasure was where the
spirit said to look. The Khan ordered the treasure left where it
was hidden.

Now that the stone’s energy is changed I have
found that my tracking spell has led me to the creator of the Death
stone’s abode where the spells were worked. The Khan’s guards have
searched the workshop for an indication where Juneau has fled. I,
and others, have begun a search for Juneau who appears, for now, to
have fled west.

No one remembers seeing a stranger but the
children remembered a very ugly small child that liked to play at
the fountain. I believe this may have been him veiled as a child. I
know Juneau must be totally destroyed or he will be back to make
another attempt on the Khan’s life. He knows the Manji leaders
solution to those who fail them.

Once I used wizard fire to destroy the
dwelling I discovered my tracking spell now provides me with a
faint direction for Juneau. At an audience with the Khan he
provided me with a writ, many gems, gold, twenty one guards, forty
horses, supplies and carts. He ordered the Captain of the guards,
Ung Kyu, to protect and obey me in all things. We begin the hunt on
the morrow.

I believe the search for Juneau may well be
long as he is very cunning and strong in Mana ability. Five days
ago we caught up to him in the city of Turpan. The city’s leaders
had agreed to provide him with succor in exchange for his services.
When I showed them the writ from the Khan we were led to his
location at the cities edge.

As we approached his dwelling Ung Kyu, in his
rage, ordered ten of his men to break in and capture him. Before I
could stop them they rushed the building. Juneau must have been
warned as he spelled a fireball at them, killing them all. He fired
another at the rest of our group but I was able to block most of it
with my shield spell. As we retreated to a safer distance a loud
noise was heard. He must have used a spell or something to
disappear as he was not found inside or seen running away.

Once the dead are properly taken care of and
burns seen to we will again take up the chase. I sense Juneau is
now in the northwest direction. I have been unable to determine a
distance and hesitate to attempt to modify my tracking spell as it
may then no longer work.

I have occasionally received updates from the
Circle on the progress of stopping the energy loss. I am excited
with the news of progress with the Octagon Artifact and am eager to
again see this wondrous object. I am deeply saddened at the news my
wife lost our unborn child.

I have been unable to restrain the captain
and guards as each time we find Juneau his taunts enrage them to
where their rage causes them to ignore my commands. Only the
captain and three others now remain when we again caught up with
Juneau. This time they finally listened to my orders, until they
saw him move into the open in front of heavy some bushes and again
began taunting them. Ignoring my warning that it was an illusion
they all charged, firing arrows as they rode at him.

The arrows passed through the figure but they
were too excited to notice. Suddenly a cloud appeared so close to
their front they did not have time to swerve around if they even
tried. Men and horses alike screamed from within the cloud. I
spotted Juneau’s location and fired a lightning bolt at him. He was
able to deflect most of the affect but then disappeared again with
loud noise. I must learn how to do that. When I checked on the men
they were all dead. Burned as if the cloud acted like it was a
strong acid.

I am now down to only two extra horses and it
has been months since I last communicated with the Circle. Possibly
the decrease in the Mana is preventing communication over the
distance as I continue being led further west and north. I am now
passing through what is known as Europe.

I missed catching up with him by eight days
when he took passage on a ship. I have booked passage on another
ship leaving in 22 days. My tracking spell is becoming weaker but
still points across the waters. Possibly it is due to the wide
expanse of water and I hope it will regain its strength once I
cross to the island. Thankfully the spell requires little energy to
maintain. At least I will be able to rest while awaiting passage as
this has been a very exhausting chase.

Now across I am once again able to track
Juneau. This has been a long chase and I have noticed he now uses
only mundane methods to travel.

It is over;

Juneau finally turned to fight within in a
ring of great stones that radiated a strange faint Mana type energy
which feels very different. Almost as if the stones gather a
different source of energy and looks somewhat green to my detect
spell. I had no choice but fight him on his own terms. We fought
with various and ever weaker spells. The fight seemed to quickly
diminish the Mana in the immediate area. Our battle only lasted a
short time but I was able to best him at the end but only by use of
my staff and dagger.

Using wood and the most powerful fire spell I
could still conjure I burned Juneau’s body to ensure the Warlock
stays dead. However, as the body burns, I began to think I should
not have used the central stone and Mana energy to burn the wizard.
I think some of Juneau’s life force was being absorbed by the
center stone and ring of strange tall stones. I scattered the bones
and ashes in the sea then returned to the site to stay for several
days to rest and be sure Juneau did not return.

With Juneau firmly dead I look forward to
seeing my wife, friends and to work on the eight sided stone
Artifact. I rested several extra days and studied Juneau’s Grimoire
and journal. Afterwards I packed his many gems, other items and
then set out on the long journey for home. I found the spell that
he used to disappear and why he no longer used it. It requires a
stronger source of Mana than is now available. Perhaps that
reduction helped me to defeat him? He certainly showed little
proficiency with material weapons.

At first I was attacked several times by
local tribesmen. After I stunned one with a minor spell and several
others with a sleep spell I was able to make them understand I was
not the one that killed their Priests. That I had in fact killed
the man that did the deed. I leave tomorrow for home.

Juneau had an interesting spell for a hidden
space which I have now mastered. The Mana is getting too low to
trust what happens should the energy get too low to maintain the
space so I will not use it to carry all my supplies and items. I
will experiment with the space to see what the smallest amount of
Mana needed to maintain the space.

A week of work while traveling with a caravan
has shown that, once built, only a tiny bit of Mana is required to
maintain the spell and it will draw it as needed. Therefore I have
placed all my supplies and items within which has made my travel
much easier and faster. Further I have devised another low energy
spell to combine with the space so I can call out a needed item by
simply by saying the name and it comes to my hand when I reach
within. Very useful.

Still no contact with anyone at home. I am
very weary and will be home in three more days.

***

Despair! When I finally arrived home I
learned that my wife and Circle of friends are all dead, their
bodies burned to ashes and the ashes widely scattered. They must
have been murdered by Juneau’s employers. After a great deal of
intense physical and arcane searching I have been unable to locate
any trace of the Octagon stone. The unknown killers must have taken
the Artifact. Resigned, I have decided to commemorate my wife and
the Circle by building a small monument to them inside a nearby
cliff face.

During the digging I broke into a small cave,
apparently manmade, that appears very, very old. The stone walls
appeared to have been melted and smoothed. Truly expert and
wonderful Mana workings! Inside a small alcove is a strange glowing
large diamond shaped crystal setting inside what appears to be hair
and living skin. All radiate the feel of strong Mana and I feel a
soothing warmth; both physically and mentally; while within the
crystal’s glow. Leaning against one wall beside the crystal are
three tablets. Two with very small strange writing and the smaller
one with a detailed painting.

The painting is of a series of ringed islands
with a large landmass to one side and a long very mountainous
island at the other side. Sailing craft were depicted in the waters
around and within the rings. I am unable, even with a language
spell, to read the writing on the tablets.

Deciding this was a sign, I built the small
monument within the cave and bundled up the crystal, pedestal and
tablets to take with me. I know of several learned people that
might be able to make sense of the tablets, or at least provide
some information on where next to search.

Many years have passed and still I cannot
find adequate help translating the tablets. Mana energy continues
to decrease but it does seem to have slowed the speed of its
decrease. It is very weak and severally limits what spells I can do
but still maintains the space spell. I have decided to leave my
homeland for the west. Staying here reminds me too much of what I
have lost. While chasing Juneau I learned there were great minds in
western Europe. Possibly they can help and I still have a great
fortune left from the Khan’s generosity, plus what Juneau had in
his possession.