The Archimage Wars: Wizard of Abal (17 page)

He nodded, “I am Toji, Fourth of House
Bakemono. I have journeyed to Abal on my honor quest.”

Hydan snickered.

Toji’s hand went to one of his
sheathed tantos and a hard look gleamed in his eye, “Do not abuse
the honor of my House, Friare, or I will challenge you and end your
line!”

Myrka answered, “No, if anyone gets to
kill the Friare, it will be me!”

Hydan held up both hands, and spoke to
Toji, “I did not mean to dishonor your House!”

Toji relaxed a little, releasing the
hilt of the Tanto.

Hydan continued, “I just know what a
Bakemono honor quest is, and what is about to happen amuses
me.”

I frowned, “And what is about to
happen?”

Hydan grinned, “Well, you saved his
life, and put yours in jeopardy to do so.”

“
So?” I asked.

But it was Toji who answered, “By the
honor of my House, I swear fealty to you for one Yaochi
year.”

I spoke eloquently, well, maybe
dumbfoundedly would be more accurate, “What?”

Hydan grinned as he replied, “He is
bound to help the first mage he meets who assists him in a life and
death matter, no matter who they are, or what they require.
Bakemonos are obsessed with honor.”

“
And what is a Yaochi
year?” I asked.

Toji answered, “Yaochi is my home
world.”

“
If it helps, that’s about
two Earth years,” Hydan noted, “or one and a third Abal
years.”

I turned back to Toji and said,
“Listen, thanks, really, but don’t worry about it. I would have
done it for anyone against those monsters. Besides, you saved me
from the beasty right afterward, so we’re even.”

Toji shook his head, “It doesn’t work
like that; you were only in danger because you protected me. I am
honor bound to serve you, and I will, on my family’s
honor.”

I opened my mouth, but Hydan said,
“You might as well give up, he already swore an oath, and Bakemonos
never break their word, not ever.”

“
Master?” Toji said I think
speaking to me.

“
What?” I said,
confused.

He gestured toward Myrka, “Why is it
you travel with one of the enemy?”

“
Myrka?” I
asked.

He nodded, “That was Derkaz power she
used, was it not?”

I shrugged, I wouldn’t know Derkaz
power from silly putty.

Hydan answered for me, “She swore an
oath, by her Archimage, to follow Nick’s orders, until he gives her
leave to depart.”

Toji nodded. He instantly accepted her
commitment, since it was an oath. “And what is your quest?” Toji
asked.

I glanced at Hydan and said, “Have you
seen any geese around?”

Hydan blinked and replied, “Perhaps,
could you give us a moment? We need to check something before we
continue talking.”

Toji gave a head bow.

We moved over to the woods for a
moment and Hydan said, “What do you need, Nicholas?”

“
Should I tell him
anything?”

“
He is honor bound to you,
he’s certainly safer than a Tarvos, and you told her some things, I
would assume it is safe to tell him the same information, but not
more.”

“
OK,” I said, and we walked
back over to the others.

I then explained about my quest to
find my parents, and how I was a Hidden Soul, and how I’d never
been to Abal. I even explained about the werewolves and necrosouls
back on Earth, pretty much exactly what I’d told Myrka so
far.

Toji nodded, “Then it is my sworn duty
to help you reach your parents, come what may.”

“
Peachy,” I noted, kind of
sourly. At this rate, I was going to have a whole passel of mouths
to feed. I swear it’s like feeding stray dogs.

Toji then said, “Master, shall we then
continue on your quest?”

“
Hold up a minute, what is
this ‘Master’ thing?”

“
I have sworn fealty to
you, therefore, until my onus is complete, you are my Master,” he
replied.

“
My name is
Nick.”

“
Yes, I understand this,
Master.”

“
Nick.”

“
Master Nick,” he then
replied.

I scowled, “Just call me
Nick.”

“
That would not be proper,”
he replied.

Hydan was snickering again, and then
said, “You see? This is even better than chickens. I knew I should
hang out with you, life is getting so entertaining!”

I ignored Hydan and spoke to Toji,
“Look, have you sworn fealty to me?”

“
Yes, Master.’

“
And does this mean you
must follow my orders?”

“
Yes, Master.”

“
Then I order you to call
me ‘Nick’,” I said triumphantly.

“
Yes, Master
Nick.”

“
Just NICK!”

“
Yes, Master Justnick,” he
replied dutifully.

“
No, just
‘Nick’!”

“
Yes, I’ve got it now,
Master Justnick,” he noted.

I turned and threw up my hands, walked
away and in total frustration exclaimed, “Ga!”

Hydan spoke to Myrka and Toji, “In
Earth dialect, I think ‘ga’ means, ‘this way’.”

They both nodded and
followed.

“
Ga!” I exclaimed again in
exasperation, and continued walking, and my three companions
faithfully followed.

Chapter Seven

I don't need one more
war

Whaz so civil 'bout war
anyway

-Guns and Roses

As we walked down the road, I finally
got my temper under control and said, “OK, Toji, what is the story
behind those stone creatures and you back there?”

“
I am here on my honor
quest,” he started.

“
Got that,” I noted
dryly.

He ignored me and continued, “So I was
seeking the leader of the enemy in her stronghold so I could
challenge her to a duel to the death so I could bring an end the
Civil War of this planet.”

“
Just like that?” I
asked.

He shrugged, “It was my honor
quest.”

He said it like that made it sane. I
mean, imagine you were back in the second World War era, talking to
some sergeant from the Allies who was walking down a road by
himself and said, “Well, I lost a bet, and to pay up I have to walk
to Berlin and kill Hitler, so that’s what I’m going to
do.”

Right, good luck with that,
Jack.

But I played along with the nut case
who was now sworn to follow me, “And, who is the leader of the
enemy?”

He looked at me strangely for a
moment, “The scourge of Abal, the Island Witch, she who has
embraced the Derkaz and become a necromancer, the villain who has
created an army of the undead and has captured or slain more mages
than any in recent history, you know, Morgain Dokkalfar, Derkaz
sorceress of the Second tier, Master Justnick.”

He said it like he was the one talking
to a nut case, no doubt reconsidering whom he had sworn an oath to
protect.

“
Oh, her,” I said as if I
knew what he was talking about.

He seemed to relax after I said
that.

Hydan then said, “How did you plan to
kill a Second? I mean, yes, it is possible for a Fourth to harm a
Second, but it is extremely difficult. Not to mention she is
guarded by an army of undead reborn.”

Toji nodded. “I did not actually think
I could kill her, but I was going to attempt to fight my way to her
side and challenge her to a duel. To accomplish my goal, I was
seeking one of the fabled Actuality weapons, made by the Sivaeral
mages before Morgain slaughtered the ones with the knowledge of how
to make such weapons.”

Hydan nodded, “Ah, yes that might have
helped, though to harm Morgain it would have to be one of the best,
and those are extremely hard to come by. In fact, there may only be
one which might work on a Second.”

“
Caliburn,” Toji
noted.

Hydan nodded, and then asked, “And,
you think you know where it is hidden?”

Toji answered hesitantly, “Not
exactly. I went to Earth and researched everything I could find.
That was the last place it was known to be used before it was
lost.”

Hydan prompted him, “And, what did you
learn?”

Toji looked reluctant to answer, and
said, “I’m sorry, but that information is for me alone.”

“
Or me,” I noted. “Sworn
fealty?” I reminded him.

“
Yes, Master Justnick,” he
said, nodding his head, and half bowing, “The last known holder of
the sword is a sorceress named Nimue, said to dwell in a lake. And
since the Sivaeral were originally a water race, I thought perhaps
Nimue was a Sivaeral sorceress. Besides, House Sivaeral made
Caliburn originally, as they made all of the Actuality weapons. It
makes sense that she brought it back to use in their civil
war.”

“
OK, what is an Actuality
weapon?” I asked.

Toji explained, “It is a weapon which
can hold reality around it to what it is currently to the wielder,
or actually at that moment, therefore, an Actuality weapon. The
mage holding the weapon holds complete control of the area around
them. No other mage can make a weapon which can harm them since
only the wielder’s image of the world will remain true.”

“
And, how many of these
things are there?” I asked.

Hydan answered that. “No one knows,
fifty, a hundred, but only a few are powerful enough to hold off a
Third, and perhaps only one which can hold reality against a
Second. None of them can hold a First, though.”

Myrka spoke, “So, you were headed to
find this Nimue?”

Toji shrugged, “No, I don’t know where
she is, but I was on my way to the Hall of Records in the capital,
hoping to find a clue to her whereabouts or identity.”

“
And, why were those stone
things attacking you?” I asked.

Toji shrugged, “Those were creations
of Morgain, or her minions, which are out to kill or capture any
mage who they can find.”

“
But, if those weren’t
mages, how come you couldn’t just change them to something else?” I
inquired.

Hydan answered, “Those were golems,
which are not living beings. Magic was used to create them; you
could see the sigils carved as petroglyphs. To change them you have
to supply more magic than was imbued into those petroglyphs by the
original creator. If the original creator was powerful or spent a
lot of time creating the petroglyphs, this can be difficult. Not
only that, but if the mage made one each day, and used all their
available power, then, assuming you were of equal power, it would
take all your energy over an entire day to undo the magic of just
one of those creatures, and then you would be out of power until
the next day.”

“
OK, I think I understand,”
I noted, frowning. I looked at Toji, “How did you come to be
fighting them?”

Toji answered, “They must have tracked
me. The Island Witch and her necromages are very good at sensing
living mages.”

Hydan looked interested as he asked,
“Necromages? I’ve heard rumor of those.”

Toji nodded, “Morgain has discovered a
way to raise a mage’s soul after death, and bring them back into a
dead body. They are like the necrosouls, but with mage powers.
Worse, they can function on their own, like a living mage, but they
are bound to the will of Morgain, no matter who they were in
life.”

Hydan digested this, and I asked, “If
these necromages are good at sensing living mages, won’t they track
us since there are now four of us together?”

Toji nodded, “Yes, but now we can
fight as a team and defeat them!”

“
Well, mostly,” I
said.

Toji nodded, “I understand, you lack
training in your powers, which is why you tried to tackle the
golem. I will teach you.”

“
It would be faster to have
him embrace the Derkaz,” Myrka replied.

“
No, I will not allow
that!” Toji declared, and the two turned on the road and faced each
other, hands on hilts of their knives.

“
Calm down, children,” I
exclaimed. “No fighting each other, that’s an order. Myrka, I’m not
about to embrace some power I do not yet understand.”

“
You are very wise, Master
Justnick,” Toji noted.

I scowled at him, but I continued
speaking, “However, that’s not to say I won’t do so in the future,
if it is necessary, and I’m satisfied I will remain in
control.”

Toji replied, “That will never happen,
for once you take the Derkaz it will forever grip your
soul.”

“
So you say, Toji Wan
Kenobi,” I replied and then I turned to Hydan and asked, “Is the
Derkaz really like The Force, some evil power?”