Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign

CHAPTER 27

A Taste of Death

GENERAL JUSTIN GRAYWIND arrived at the castle. He headed for the dining hall the king used when addressing his officers. He took his usual position to the left of the king, apologized for his tardiness and then introduced himself to the group as he took note of their positions around the table. BJ and Helga were sitting to Justin’s left, and to the right of the king was Prince Aaron, followed by Sam and Shalee.

Keldwin ordered the servants to bring their meal as he informed the general of everything he knew. For obvious reasons, the king did not mention the events that transpired in the throne room.

The king reached out and patted Justin on the shoulder. “The general has been the champion of Brandor’s arena for more seasons than I can remember, and like you, Sam, Justin has killed every being who has entered with him.

Upon hearing about Sam’s successes, the general lifted his glass. “That’s most impressive. I’m sure you’ll be a worthy opponent when we battle.”

Sam glanced at Shalee after listening to Justin’s comment. She looked irritated. He remembered his promise, and now that he knew the full extent of the sorceress’ power, he was not about to break it. Unsure how to respond, Sam’s mind churned to formulate a response, but the king saved him by pushing the conversation forward.

“General, I’m not going to allow you to fight each other. I have other plans for you. You’ll work together to strengthen our kingdom. With the knowledge Sam possesses and his skills with the blade, I’m placing him under your command.”

The general nodded. “Understood. It’ll be nice to have a sergeant who’s well-trained.”

The king could feel Shalee’s eyes glaring at him. He could hear the sorceress tapping her foot as she waited for his response. After taking a deep breath, he smiled. He knew the general was going to be displeased with his next statement. “No, my friend, Sam will not be a sergeant. He’ll be your second in command.”

The general stood from the table. “I must not be hearing you correctly. What does this man know about commanding an army?”

Sam was about to interject and inform Justin of what he felt to be extensive knowledge of the wars he had studied back on Earth, but Mosley appeared suddenly on top of the table.

Startled, Sam and the general drew their swords, but once they realized who it was, they lowered their weapons.

Justin bowed and was the first to speak. “I’m sorry, Lord Mosley. I didn’t know you’d be coming. I meant no offense by my actions. Forgive me.”

“General, you’re a man of war. I would have expected nothing less.”

Sam and Shalee took a different approach to the god’s appearance. They reached up and pulled Mosley close.

“Mosley, how are you?” Sam said, squeezing the wolf tight as he continued. “It hasn’t been the same without you around. One moment you’re traveling with us, and the next, you’re off with the rest of the Collective. I miss you, buddy.”

Shalee could not contain her excitement as she spoke in her cutest doggy voice. She rubbed her hands through his fur, “I missed my Mosley. He’s just so cute.” She laughed as she kissed his snout.

Mosley could not stop himself from laughing. Shalee was a favorite of his and her advances, despite the obvious looks of confusion from the king and the general, were welcome in his heart. “I missed you also, Shalee, but I’m not so sure about you, Sam.” He grinned wolfishly. “You still reek.”

“Dang,” Sam responded with a big smile. “Smack a guy in the chops, why don’t you?” Sam gave the wolf another hug. “Get another whiff while you can, big guy.”

After a moment of continued looks of disbelief between Justin and the king, the wolf spoke. “I’m sorry for my absence, but I’ve been tending to important matters. Being a god isn’t all it’s presented to be. The others are lazy and not much assistance. I wouldn’t waste your prayers on them.”

Mosley chuckled for a moment at his slight against the others and then continued. “Sam, I’m glad to see you’ve gained an audience with the king. Shalee, I watched the event unfold from the god world when you met in the throne room.”

Keldwin instantly felt uncomfortable when he heard that Mosley had seen what happened. He hoped the wolf would not say anything in front of his general.

Mosley could feel the reluctance of the king and turned to relieve his anxiety. He projected his thoughts into the king’s mind. They were heard only because Keldwin desperately wanted to hear them. Don’t worry yourself, Keldwin. Your secret is safe. I won’t tell the general of your fear of Sam and Shalee. You shall remain the dominant leader of your pack, and there’s no need to whimper.

Upon seeing the king’s relief, the wolf-god addressed the room. “I agree with His Majesty’s choice to place Sam as second in command. It’s the best course of action for this kingdom.”

Keldwin sighed. “Lord Mosley, is there anything else we should know?”

The wolf nodded. “Sam will be instrumental when helping your son, Aaron, defend this kingdom against all foes who stand against it. Sam does not need to be the leader of this empire to accomplish this, but he will be a critical asset to your heir.”

Mosley sat on his haunches on the center of the table and held Keldwin’s gaze. “I hope you’ll demonstrate patience while Sam works with your son to transform this kingdom into the archetype the gods want it to be. If you do this, the other worlds will adopt new customs, and the gods will allow the races to live where they so choose.”

The king was a bit unnerved. “Lord Mosley, you spoke of this transformation as if I won’t be here to see it occur. You have spoken of my kingdom as if it wasn’t mine, and made it Aaron’s. What is to become of me?”

Mosley jumped down from the table and moved to the king’s side. “Keldwin, I hate to deliver negative enlightenment, but your body is fighting a disease and has been for over a season. Your ability to fight this illness is beginning to weaken. By morning, you will start to feel the effect, and your healers won’t be able to stop it. Your Peaks as the leader of Brandor’s pack are few.”

“Then ... I am to pass right away?”

“No, Keldwin. I’m here to bless you. You shall see the end of your tournament. This will be my gift to you. As per your custom, your son will become king, and the general, his advisor. By default, Sam will become General Absolute.

“Your confidence in Sam has not been misplaced. This change will be hard for the officers in your army to accept, but I will be present when you tell them. I’m sure their loyalty will remain strong.”

Prince Aaron waited for the god to finish. He then jumped from his seat and begged for his father’s life.

The king held up his hand, silencing Aaron. “Be strong. Hold your head high, and be proud. Everything is as it should be.”

Keldwin stood and started to pace. He moved along Sam’s side of the table as he spoke, “My son is brave. He will make a fine king. When I pass, the general would be the best advisor. I agree, Lord Mosley, as per our custom, Sam will become general.”

Keldwin placed his hands on the back of his son’s chair. “Aaron, you don’t have an heir. I suggest you find a mate. I know this isn’t how you envisioned finding a wife, but you’ve enjoyed sowing your seed long enough. The moment has come for you to do your duty.”

The prince stood and embraced his father. “I promise I won’t let you down. I’ll lead the people with the wisdom you’ve imparted.”

The king smiled, and for a moment, he allowed himself to be proud. “I have a request. I would ask that everyone in this room call me by my first name when we aren’t in the company of others until the moment I pass. Let us speak as equals. I would like to enjoy this pleasantry before I perish. I find myself wanting friends right now, not loyal subjects. This isn’t something I wish to command. I want it to be from your hearts. It’s acceptable to reject my proposal.”

Everyone in the room responded at the same moment, calling the king “Keldwin,” confirming their acceptance.

After a moment of silence, the king kissed his son on the forehead. “But you still have to call me Father.”

Shalee and Helga had to wipe the mist from their eyes.

The king turned to the general. “Ready Sam for his new position. He’ll need to know everything about the army.”

The general stood from the table. “My King ... I mean, Keldwin ... it will take at least 10 Peaks to impart that much knowledge. The moments necessary to accomplish such a task are not available to us.”

Mosley responded, “Justin, you must remember, Sam was chosen by the gods.”

“ I remember, Lord Mosley, but this doesn’t mean he can learn a tremendous amount of information in such a short period of moments.”

Sam slapped the table. “Justin, prepare to be impressed. I think you’ll find I’m more than capable. You only need to speak the information once for me to have it committed to memory. The faster you speak, the quicker we’ll be finished.”

Justin looked at Sam. “I can speak for Peaks about our policies and our army.”

Sam turned to the king. “Keldwin, if what Justin says is true, then I’ll be ready to be sworn into command in a couple of Peaks. Trust me.”

Mosley looked up from sniffing the base of Keldwin’s chair. “Sam is able to see anything someone says as if it is written in his head. He can quote conversations from when he was only two seasons without missing a word.”

The general looked at Sam. “Impressive. Second in command may be a waste of your skills. Perhaps a messenger boy would’ve been a better choice for such a memory. With a mind like that, I could send messages throughout the kingdom and not worry about my letters being opened by the enemy. I’m sure you could handle that.” Justin made sure he smiled so that everyone would know he was jesting.

The group laughed and then the king spoke. “I’ll announce Sam’s position to the officers at Early Bailem. We’ll have the ceremony promoting Sam before the Royal Court and the kingdom in 4 Peaks when my tournament begins. The people will know of Sam’s victories, and with Mosley present...” The king paused.

“Lord Mosley, we have a problem. No one in our kingdom knows that you’re the God of War. How will your presence create an authoritative impact on my officers, let alone the mob inside the arena?”

Mosley smiled. “There are advantages to being a god. Call your meeting in the morning, and I’ll make a grand entrance. Further, have your runners spread word throughout the city that Bassorine has been destroyed. On the Peak your tournament begins, I shall make a second entrance. I shall turn the heads of the people, and they’ll receive confirmation that I’m their new deity. When the people see that I support Sam, they’ll recognize his new position.”

The king nodded. “I believe this will suffice, My Lord. Like my subjects, my prayers shall also speak your name.”

“ Thank you, Keldwin.” Mosley responded. “Upon your passing, I’ll ensure your soul has a pleasant existence.” The wolf then vanished.

After hearing what Mosley said, Sam bit his lip. He was angry because of the lie Mosley had told Keldwin. How could he promise Keldwin’s soul anything? If everyone ends up inside the Book, that’s not happiness or a pleasant existence. I wonder if Mosley knows something I don’t.

Before Sam’s mind could stray further, the general clapped his hands and captured everyone’s attention. A moment later, three slaves ran into the room. “Find my officers,” the general ordered as he stared at the tallest of the three women. She was also the largest and her belly rolled over the belt she had about her waist. “Make sure they don’t leave the city without attending breakfast at Early Bailem tomorrow.”

The slaves darted out of the room to fulfill Justin’s command.

The general looked at the group. “Since we’re all on a first name basis, we should toast these new events. It appears our king will be enjoying his afterlife, and it’s a fine evening for drinking.” His smile widened as he lifted his glass. “Here’s to my new friends and our new four-legged wolf-god.”

Everyone lifted their glass in a mutual cheer.

The City of Champions

Later that Night

George, Maldwin and Amar stopped for the night. The flight on the hippogriff from Angels Village had been uneventful, but George had enjoyed the ride. He hoped to arrive in Lethwitch the following evening before Late Bailem, and he was anxious to see Athena. He was also anxious about the plan he had devised with Maldwin. He hoped it would work and wanted to put it in motion as soon as possible. He intended to introduce the rat to Athena’s relatives and let the rodent’s visions do the rest.



But since they would not arrive in Lethwitch until the next evening, the group had a night to kill. They checked into an inn that was close to Champions’ landing platform. The inn was located just inside the city gates, and it was owned by one of Amar’s relatives. Matilda’s Brassiere was a dive, and it had about as much class as Amar’s brother.

Matilda was a large woman, and she had a nasty mole between her cheek and the corner of her nose on the left side of her face. The mole even had a hair that grew out of it and curled like a swine’s tail. It was all George could do to keep a straight face when she handed them the keys to their rooms.

As George walked up the steps with Amar, he chided, “Are you the only one in your family that’s not repulsive? No offense, but your cousin and your brother both look like garesh.”

Amar scoffed, “What would you have me do? I didn’t choose my relatives.”

“I feel you, man,” George replied, “but is your whole family like that?”

Amar shook his head. “My father’s side of the family is, but my mother’s side is filled with grace.”

A look of bewilderment appeared on George’s face. “Why would your mom marry such nastiness?”

Amar took a deep breath. “The marriage was arranged. My mother says love is blind.”

George grabbed the doorknob leading into his room. “Apparently, love comes without a sense of smell, too. I’ll see you in the morning, Amar.” He walked inside his room and shut the door.

George pulled his pack off of his back, set it down next to the end of the bed and smiled as Maldwin popped out. He had been carrying the rat in his pack since the rodent was too small to keep up, and this had given George the chance to teach Maldwin a new phrase, “Everything is A-okay, man!”

George realized he was becoming fond of the rodent. He grabbed some wood that was stacked next to the wall and started a fire. After a quick bath, he ate a couple of biscuits, fed Maldwin one as well and then lay down to get some rest.

It was not long before he was dreaming of Abbie and his beautiful Athena. The dream was pleasant, but Lasidious interrupted. The God of Mischief was requesting a conversation, and he wanted to enter his dream. As agreed that night in the Enchanted Forest, George allowed him in.

“George, my friend, how are your travels?”

“I’m sure you already know, Lasidious. Get to the point. What do you want?”

The Mischievous One snickered. “I’ve come to discuss important matters. I fear there’s an obstacle that could stop us from achieving our goal to get your daughter’s soul out of the Book.”

“Then let’s figure it out. What do I need to do?”

“As always, George, you don’t disappoint. The woman you arrived with on Grayham has discovered she has power. This will present a problem for us, and I need to know how you feel about Amar.”

“Why? What does Amar have to do with Shalee?”

“Nothing yet, but once he understands the power she possesses, he’ll seek her out to take it for himself.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” George replied. “Are you talking about the same Amar I know? He isn’t even worth having around. He’s a spineless chump. You should’ve seen the look on his face when I said I wanted to fight for the Crown of Bloodvain.”

“I agree, Amar doesn’t have the backbone to fight for greatness, but he’s the most powerful mage in Southern Grayham. I told him to keep the extent of his power hidden from you until the moment was right. If he goes after Shalee, he’ll become impossible for you to control. This will destroy your chances to get your daughter back. I don’t want this, George. Do you?”

“Hell no! So what can I do about it ... other than turn his ass to stone, or is that what you want me to do? Is that even possible?”

Lasidious gave a sly grin. “I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do. The choices you make must be your own.”

George rolled his eyes. “Really? Stop being condescending, and get to the point already!”

“I apologize. How would you like to become as powerful as Amar?”





From within his home on Ancients Sovereign, Lasidious stood next to the green flames that burned inside his cube-shaped fireplace. The god stared at the vision of George that was presented by the blaze and listened as the human responded. “Well, duh, of course, I do.”

Satisfied with George’s reply, the Mischievous One responded by speaking into the flames. “A person’s soul doesn’t immediately leave their body when they pass. This presents you with an opportunity. Under the right circumstances, the power a soul possesses can be acquired before it leaves to find its home inside the Book of Immortality, and only the most ancient of elves on the world of Luvelles know this.”

“Alright ... so you’re saying I can hijack Amar’s soul. That’s kind of cool, but what do you mean by ‘under the right circumstances?’”

Lasidious chuckled. “You would need to kill Amar in order to take his power.”

“Sweet. I’m down with that.” A smile appeared on George’s sleeping face. “I have to admit ... I’m glad Amar’s ass is expendable. I didn’t want him in my circle anyway.”

“Your response pleases me,” Lasidious replied, “but there’s a process you must follow, and you cannot divert from it, or Amar’s soul will depart for the Book before you can harvest his ability.”

“So what do I got to do?”

“You must be an artist.” Lasidious waited for a response.

George rolled his sleeping eyes. “Drop the drama, man. I’ve asked you to get to the point twice already. Tell me what I need do, and I’ll go drop his ass.”

Lasidious was surprised at how cold George had become since his arrival. Now that the human had taken life, he seemed to love the rush. The god knew George was only loyal to those he truly cared for, and this made the human the perfect machine to do his dirty work. Without these loyalties, George would not have the support he needed to complete the tasks that Lasidious intended to assign. He was happy about his choice to bring the Earthling forward.

“I’ll tell you everything you need to know, George, but it might be more than you can handle.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Blah, blah, blah. If this is what it takes to get my Abbie back, then I’m game.”

Lasidious smirked. “This is the only way to ensure you won’t be stopped by Amar’s magic. The addition of Shalee’s power would make him the ultimate force on all of Grayham.”

“How in the hell did Shalee get her power in the first place?”

“I don’t know, George, but does it matter?”

“I suppose it doesn’t.”

“Your love for your daughter is strong...”

As George listened to what Lasidious proposed, it did not take long before his facial expressions showed his disgust. “Are you kidding me? My hell, man!”

The conversation fell silent as George continued to digest everything Lasidious had said, and the Mischievous One allowed the Earthling the moments to think.

Eventually, George broke his silence. “You have one sick-ass mind, Lasidious. What you want me to do is repulsive. You can’t really expect me to do that. I mean ... so what if Amar’s power goes with him? He won’t be a threat any longer, and that solves the problem.”

Lasidious sighed. “George, you’re smarter than that. I told you Shalee is a dominant force. If you’re not able to command significant magic of your own, you’ll lose the battle with the Kingdom of Brandor. She’s one of many people who could destroy you without Amar’s magic. His power can make you nearly unstoppable on Southern Grayham. Once Amar understands he can dominate without you, you’ll be a waste of his moments. He won’t just go away ... he’ll get rid of you.”

“I see your point, but what you’re asking me to do is not my idea of a delicacy. Hell, I don’t even have a bottle of wine to chase it down. This is some kind of Silence of the Lambs garesh, Lasidious.”

“George, as always, your references to your movies of Earth are intriguing, but you need to be serious. You’ll need to keep Amar from speaking his words of power, and perform the task while he’s still alive.”

“What do I look like, Lasidious, some kind of Dr. Frankenstein? Even if I could do it, how will I keep him from dying from shock? I don’t have anesthesia.”

The god nodded. “At least you’re thinking in the right direction, but you won’t need medication.”

“I would love to know how that’s possible.”

Lasidious took the moments necessary to explain a process that George could use to accomplish the task. A wry smile appeared on George’s face. “Damn, Lasidious, you’re one morbid S.O.B. I love the way you think. So how do I…?”

It took a while for Lasidious to answer all of George’s questions and explain the rest of the details necessary to accomplish the task. “… as I have said, you cannot stop his soul from finding its place inside the Book of Immortality, but you can strip the power from it before it leaves his body. You only have one shot at this. You’d best do it right.”

“Damn! The thought of it makes me want to barf, but I can do anything for my Abbie.” George hesitated. “I swear, if it tastes like garesh, I’m going to haunt you forever, Lasidious.”

The god laughed. “I’m sure it won’t taste pleasant, but it’ll be worth it, I assure you.”

With that, the dream and the connection between the two faded. George was left dreaming of his Abbie. Slowly, his little girl turned, found her father’s eyes, and yelled, “Daddy, get up! Save me!”

George woke with a start. He pulled on his boots, buttoned up his shirt, and left Maldwin behind as he shut the door. He went to Amar’s room and knocked. The mage answered.

“I can’t sleep. Take a walk with me. I’ve got a plan, and I need to tell you about it.”

Amar rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Okay, let me get dressed. I hope this is important.”

George nodded. “Oh, it is. Don’t worry about that. It’s to die for.”

“Give me a moment.” Amar shut the door.

George made small talk as they walked through the gates and out of the city. He spoke of how he missed his Abbie and the desperation he felt to get her back. He further explained the pact he made with Lasidious and that the god had promised he would return Abbie if he took control of the Kingdom of Bloodvain. Every response Amar gave about how he would do the same for a daughter of his own, if he had one, only served to strengthen George’s resolve.

Not far outside the city was a barn that was used for smithing. The lock on the door was secure.

George gave it a tug. “I want to go inside. Amar, use some of your hocus pocus on this lock.”

“Why, George?”

“Because it’s chilly out here, and there’s a forge inside.”

Amar shook his head. “I can summon a fire out here. We don’t need to break in.”

George rolled his eyes. “Dude, just open the lock, and let’s go inside so we can have some privacy. When we leave, we can lock it, and no one will know we were here.”

Amar shook his head. “The forge would still be warm in the morning. The smith would know.”

George frowned. “Are you trying to kill me with all your objections? Would you just shut up, and unlock the damn door?”

Seemingly pacified, the mage held up his staff. He spoke the simple command, and the lock released. The men entered, pulled the door shut and then George lit the forge.

George took a seat on a wooden bench and tossed his torch inside the fire. He studied his surroundings as the ominous glow of the forge filled the room. “Amar, there are moments when I feel like I’m going crazy. I miss my daughter something fierce.”

Amar crossed his arms. “George, are we really out here to talk about your kin? We could have done that in the morning. What could be so important that you had to wake me up?”

George nodded. He was now in full manipulation mode. “I want to tell you something. When I first met you, I thought you were a chump, but I’ve grown fond of you over the last few Peaks. You remind me of my father back home.”

Not knowing how much George had hated his father, Amar smiled. “I’m honored you hold me in such high regard. Thank you.”

George shrugged. “Not a problem, Pops.”

Both men laughed.

A moment later, George allowed a feigned look of desperation to appear on his face. “I really need some advice.” He paused for effect. “If I’m going to take on the barbarians, I’m going to need help.”

Amar nodded, but he did not respond.

George made sure he was looking into Amar’s eyes when he continued. “I didn’t want Kepler and Maldwin to hear this, but I need a friend. I need a father figure. I’ve lost so much.” He paused again for effect. “But more than that, I need someone I can completely trust, and I see you as the person I can tell anything. But I may be assuming too much. I’m sorry, Amar, but do you think you could be all that for me?”

Amar placed his right hand on the manipulator’s left knee and squeezed. “You sound desperate. Are you okay, George?”

George shook his head. “No, I’m not okay. Look, I know I sound like some kind of sap right now, and I completely understand if you don’t think you can be there for me.” He paused again. “I mean ... what was I thinking? I’m sorry, Amar. I shouldn’t have bothered you.” The manipulator finished off his deception by allowing a tear to roll down his cheek.

Amar was unsure how to respond at first. The shed remained silent as he searched for the right thing to say. “I am old enough to be your father. I suppose I have it in me. I have to admit that I had my doubts about you as well. I didn’t think you cared for my companionship. I’m surprised at your request.”

George played up the part. “I’m not above begging. The people that I love will benefit by loving me back. So, what do you say?”

A few more moments passed, and then Amar nodded. “I will take you in as my own and try to replace the father you lost. I just hope I don’t let you down.”

The manipulator turned and straddled the bench in order to face Amar. “I cannot tell you how good that makes me feel.” George reached out and placed his hand on Amar’s shoulder. “I have news, my new father of mine ... news that might make you happy.”

Amar’s brows lifted. “What sort of news?”

“Well … it’s like this. I know where you can gain a significant amount of power above what you already command.” George enjoyed the surprise on Amar’s face. “That’s right. I know the depth of your power. I also know of a woman who has surpassed your ability. Her magic would increase yours if you were to seek her out and take it from her.”

Amar questioned, “How do you know the depth of my magic? I have said nothing of it. And how do you know the secret of the ancient elves?”

“I’m pretty smart, Amar. But your knowledge of this secret comes from the same source as mine ... Lasidious. Now that we’re united, I’ll tell you the woman’s name if you want to know it. This is my way of showing you that it is my true desire to be your son.”

“George, this is valuable information. Please ... I desperately would like to know her name.”

George’s bright smile widened. “Let’s take our relationship to new heights. Together, we’ll seize control of this world.”

Amar’s grin reflected his urgency to know more. “You must tell me this woman’s name, and where can I find her?”

George spit in his hand and stuck it out. “Before I tell you, we need to seal the deal.”

Amar stared at the saliva in George’s palm.

George explained. “It’s not gross or anything to take my hand. Where I’m from, this is how we become family. You spit in your hand, and I spit in mine. When we shake, it’s a done deal. You do want to be my father, right?”

Amar nodded. If all it took was one handful of spit to get the information he needed to acquire more power, it was worth it. He lifted his hand, spit in his palm and then smiled as he extended his arm.

George grabbed Amar’s hand and shook it. As he did, a sinister smile appeared on his face. “I’m so glad you fell for this garesh.”

Amar’s eyes widened. He tried to speak to defend himself, but it was too late. His tongue was already stone. He ripped his hand away and tried to take a step back, but his feet were too heavy. They were also petrified, and both of his hands were beginning to turn.

The pain was severe, and the grayness spreading across the backside of his hands frightened him. Again, Amar tried to move, but the weight of his feet caused him to become unbalanced. He fell backward to his butt and hit his head on the side of the forge.

George reached down, grabbed Amar’s arm and pulled him away from the heat. He then knelt and touched the tip of Amar’s nose, putting a stone blockage on the mage’s dorsal horn that was located on his spinal cord. The pain stopped. George readjusted Amar’s position so that he was flat on his back.

Amar wanted to call forth the power to stop his attacker in the worst way, but he could not. The entirety of his mouth was now stone, and the words necessary to command the devastation he wanted to inflict were impossible to utter.

“Cat got your tongue?” George sneered. “Just relax. Don’t be so bitchy. Your eyes are cussing at me. That’s not very nice.”

George noticed that some of the color had abandoned Amar’s skin. “You look pale, Pops. What have you been eating? I think you need some iron in your diet.”

George peeled back the sleeves of Amar’s robe. “You know what? I don’t think I did a very good job. Turning your hands to stone has made your forearms jealous. What was I thinking? We should have invited them to the party. How could I have been so rude? You deserve better from me.” He leaned down and whispered in Amar’s ear. “A father always deserves the best from his son, don’t you think?”

George enjoyed the irritation in Amar’s eyes as he straightened up and continued. “Allow me to fix the problem.” He touched the mage’s flesh again and again on various areas of his left forearm. Small, gray dots appeared beneath each poke.

George leaned forward and looked into Amar’s eyes. “I wish I had a marker on me. I bet these dots have a pattern. But how is anyone going to know which dot is first?” He put his hand to his chin. “I know. Check this out.” Again, George placed his finger on Amar’s flesh. Tiny stone numbers appeared by each dot. “That’s better.” He reclaimed Amar’s eyes. “I’ll tell you a secret. If anybody figures this out, it’s going to spell your name ... Gullible.”

After a brief chuckle, George lifted Amar’s left arm and allowed it to fall. He listened to the sound the mage’s hand made as it thumped against the floor. “I wonder if you would’ve had the ability to lift your arms if I didn’t put the blockage on your spine? Do you think you could’ve hit me with hands as heavy as those? Hmmmmm! I guess we’ll never know. What a shame.”

Standing up, George moved to a corner of the barn. On his way, he passed several shields that had been crafted earlier in the Peak, and they all bore the crest of Brandor.

George spoke from the shadows as he faced the corner. “Give me a moment, will ya? I gotta piss. I’m sure you don’t mind.” He looked over his shoulder at Amar. “Man, I hope you can’t feel anything. You’re kind of quiet over there.” He turned back to the corner. “Ahhhh, never mind.”

He was laughing so hard that he struggled to tie the fly on his pants. George reached into his right, front pocket and pulled out his cigarette lighter. He tapped it’s butt end on each shield as he moved past them and then knelt next to Amar.

George put the lighter back in his pocket and then ripped the mage’s robe open. “Yuck! I hate a hairy chest. You’re not a swimmer are you? Allow me to get rid of your fur.” He took his knife and started to cut away the flesh to expose the mage’s sternum. “You know what, Amar? I hate to say this, but I’m not a doctor. I’m not even qualified to be doing this. Heck, I don’t even play one on TV.” He leaned over and looked into Amar’s eyes again. “You know, it sucks that you don’t know what my jokes mean. I guess it doesn’t matter. You probably wouldn’t laugh anyway.”

Peeling the last bit of flesh away, George grimaced. “This may leave you a little out of it when you wake up. Oh wait, what am I saying? You’re not going to wake up. I know, I know, I know. I should probably say I’m sorry, but I think you know I’m not going to.”

Again, George looked into Amar’s eyes. “You wouldn’t have any idea how I should bust your chest open, would ya? Maybe that hammer and the chisel over there near the forge would work? I bet an ancient elf would know.”

The helpless expression in Amar’s eyes spoke volumes.

George responded, “Ahhhhh, you don’t like that idea, do you? I can see you’re upset.” He paused as if he was giving Amar the moments to respond. “Come on, Pops. Stop giving me the silent treatment. Geez.” Again, George laughed.

Amar desperately wanted to cram George’s malevolent smile down his throat, but all he could do was watch as the smithing hammer pounded against the chisel. Clank! Clank! Clank! The sound echoed throughout the barn with an eerie wickedness.

A tear rolled from Amar’s left eye and came to rest inside his ear. With his chest pried open, the mage watched his pumping heart get ripped from its cavity, and George took the first bite before the last bit of light faded from his eyes.

Outside the smith’s barn, Lasidious stood beneath one of the torches lighting the road leading to the city and watched as George discovered the special effects he had asked for. The light show was spectacular, and the Mischievous One knew that Amar’s power was now George’s to command. But he could not stop himself from wondering how the heart tasted.

Lasidious would appear to George in another dream later that night and teach the new mage how to use a portion of his power. The great thing about George’s new ability was that he could command it naturally. He would never need to speak words of power or use magical items. This was the Mischievous One’s most fascinating creation yet, and it was all accomplished without breaking the laws on the pages of the Book of Immortality. He had not taken anyone’s free will, but George had. He loved loopholes.

Later that night, George lay down on the bed. Despite the fact that he was still wearing his blood-soaked clothes, it was not long before he fell asleep—but rest would be short-lived. Lasidious was requesting access to his dreams.

With his mind open, the Mischievous One took just enough of the new mage’s moments to teach George how to teleport. He did not want George anywhere near the city of Champions when rumors began to spread about Amar’s death. Lasidious informed George that Matilda was suspicious because he did not return with Amar. The blood on his clothes had prompted her to call for the guards, and they were on their way up.

The dream ended. George rolled out of bed and moved to the far side of the room. After picking Maldwin up off the hearth of the fireplace that was still filled with glowing embers, he closed his eyes and concentrated as Lasidious had just instructed.

The door burst open and the guards charged in. They demanded his surrender as they held their swords high, but their orders fell on an empty room.

The next thing George knew, he was standing outside Athena’s mother’s farmhouse. He was about to knock on the front door, but realized he had to address the blood on his clothes first.

Grabbing a knife out of his boot, he set Maldwin on the ground and turned away so the rat could not see what he was doing. He cut the top of his head and allowed the blood to drip down his face.

He knocked. He would feign an assault and tell Athena’s mother that he had been jumped by the same mishandlers who had tried to rob him on the night he met her daughter. Mary would then tell Athena the story so he would not have to lie to her.

The door opened. To his surprise, Athena was standing on the other side. She freaked out when she saw the blood and pulled George inside, shutting the door behind them.

Maldwin looked up from the ground, unsure what he should do. He sat there on his haunches, twitching his nose, staring at the door until it finally opened.

George scooped the rat up to bring him inside. “Sorry, little guy,” George whispered. “Babe! This is Maldwin. I know he’s a rat, but I really like him, so don’t freak out. He’s my pet, okay?”

Athena responded in a scolding voice, “George, put the rat down and sit! You’re a mess! What happened?”

Well, fellow soul, I don’t know about you, but if it were up to me, I would’ve asked Lasidious to give me a nice Chianti before I agreed to eat a bloody heart. Yuck! I suppose the love we have for our children can make us do some of the craziest things!