Sorcerer from Another World

I heard a terrible scream then silence. I tasted dirt. 

The cold dirt was also moist. A nice start to a new fantasy life, I got to eat wet dirt for the first time in my life. 1 out of 5 stars; I don’t recommend it. 

Horror also tinged the moment. A young, slender woman crouched over a blood drawn pentagram. She banaged over one eye, for it lay in the centre of her pentagram willingly sacrificed. I knew she was not my summoner, and yet she was here dressed all in black with a pointy hat typical of witches. 

The next moment hit that cinematic spectacle, I yearned for.

A beautiful, buxom babe burst out from a small forest lake, of course, she was the most sexy woman I had ever seen before. Drenched in cold water that added to her allure and my noticing reaffirmed my place in the trash. She looked like a model ad, but the harsh reality could be seen in the dark sags at her eyes hinting exhaustion and wide-eyed fear.  

“Thank you.” She called out breathlessly. “Slánaitheoir, please rise.”

The setting sun blazed behind her and she glowed bright as torch light. No, the light of flame actually came from her dripping wet hand. Stunned, I did manage to breathe in cool, otherworldly air for the first time. Rough wind blew and she shivered. The shaking of her body made my lips wet; what was wrong with me?

 She paralysed me with wonder and shock. 

Her other, calloused hand helped raise me up. I looked around to find I was in some kind of mountain range woods. There was the fresh scent of fragrant flowers overwhelming my senses like walking into a cosmetic store. The stink of nature seemed to seep its way into my nose and mess with my head. 

My summoner, who addressed me, looked to be a young woman with a long mane of braided auburn hair, chestnut brown eyes, and the pretty face of a tv star. She wore a cream coloured cape with a hood, stained in blood, decorated in Celtic knotwork and a pair of trousers held by a woven belt.

Her wet clothes and skin dried quickly from the heat of her conjured fire.  

At her waist she had a long knife in one hand and in the crook of her arm a thick, wood staff: the top carved into round orb making it an effective cudgel, that she held in the other hand.

“Iris, right?” I asked in a language that was not my own. Strange, but not an immediate issue.

A second monstrous scream echoed through the trees and rattled my ears. Our conversation halted. Whatever confusion or doubt I felt shook out of me and was replaced with the sharp edge of fear. 

It bounded into view. The fantasy again kicked in seeing the two-headed creature for the first time. The size of a huge dog, horror followed fantasy for it was less creature than monster.  

Spitting and baying for blood, I got an eyeful of its rows of many sharp teeth. I tried to see some light of an animal in its black, pitiless eyes and found none. Was this the harsh gaze of a predator or the malice of a monster? 

Iris threw the flame in her hand, like a soldier lobbing a grenade. The ball of fire arced through the air smacked the creature on one of its noses.   

The two-headed mole-dog beast wailed as one of its heads scorched off into ash and it was flung back from the force of the explosion. Its back slammed into a tree trunk and it slumped to the ground. It lay there, weak, with its soft belly exposed. 

Iris didn't hesitate, she dashed forward and stomped on the remaining head. Crushing, the life left by harm of her burning flames. 

She cast another flame at her palm. I saw her standing over her victim. She was almost like a deer hunter posing for a photo over the latest kill. Unlike the clean image from a picture, her heel buried deep into its brain. She needed my help? 

To me, after that display of vicious violence in the act of self defence, it seemed like I was the lamb and she was the shepherd. 

“I’m not helpless.” She said. 

My eyes screwed up in protest, “I didn’t say you were.”

This wasn’t how I wanted this to go. 

“Your face did.”

I bit my tongue. Nothing I could say was going to give relief to her self righteous anger. I was confident she couldn’t read my thoughts. She was guessing. The fact that it was close to what I was thinking was beside the point. 

Her insight was too accurate for comfort. What right did she have to tear away my chances for a positive impression? 

“Lay off him druid. I didn’t sacrifice my eye for you to perate our help.” the Witch complained. 

“Sorry, Umbra Strega.” Iris fully enunciated the name of her companion that helped me learn her name, sounded sympathetic and mocking. Bizarre. Iris kicked the dead monster, “A foul creature and not our true hunters. We can handle this much.”

I could retrieve this. I’d dealt with plenty of tricky people before, for as a call centre worker I had to be polite. In this case, I wanted the pretty lady who had called on a saviour to like me. How do I get past her insecurity to actually bond with her?

“You can clearly handle such a threat on your own. You’re in control here. What do I need to know to help? Nothing else matters.” 

“I wouldn’t have asked…I wouldn’t have begged if… we’re capable. Morgana and I.”

“I would, I did.” Umbra butted in with a cute pout. The blood dripping down her eye made her a thousand times more scary than the monster though. 

“But?”

Iris answered, “The Unseelie numbers are endless, their noses keen and they bring hulking trolls who shrug off steel and flame. The threat is beyond our abilities. If you think my flames are impressive, wait until you see Morgana swinging her blade.” 

“Then you were right to call for aid.” I affirmed. “But, where is this Morgana?”

“I lost her in the woods. We must find her. I cannot lose her too.”

“Lead the way. We will find her.”

 Her brilliant flames illuminated the growing darkness. However, to keep the flames lit required a constant stream of magic and her face tensed with the strain of banishing the dark. She had too so we could see. 

I imagined it was like jogging after a hard day's work. The effort could be borne, but it drained her further. She’d need time to recover at some point in the future. 

We prowled into the dark. Iris rushed. Umbra seemed drained and in pain, so I matched her pace. She took my arm and I helped her along she used her staff as a walking stick.

If Iris had been wiser she might have asked about my abilities, or waited on her companion, but fear for Morgana drove her ahead. 

Frankly, I was a bit uncertain on how to use my magic. Would it come as a droplet or a waterfall? 

More monsters came, but with fist and foot Iris crushed them easily. She didn’t seem to be using a martial art, but she was evidently skilled in martial combat. The corpses of the monsters lay in proof of her skill.

My chest tightened, anxiety squeezed my heart. Would I perform when the moment came? Not the kind of performance anxiety I wanted to worry about. 

We heard them first. The sounds of combat and we bolted into the scene. A score of small monsters lay dead; they were red cap wearing creatures who looked vaguely human-like. Only two were left fighting. 

An armoured woman clashed with a bipedal fox warrior. The human used a steel sword while the latter used a sword that whipped about like a tongue of flame. 

Iris reached out and with a clenching fist snuffed the flameblade from a distance. Some kind of magic?  

The fox warrior stared at their now limp whip. The moment of hesitation cost them their life. 

Morgana decapitated them in one stroke of her blade. 

“Morgana!” Iris called out. 

“You’re safe.” Morgana replied and walked over to meet us. “Who is this?”

“A sent by Aisling. A champion, nay a Paragon of Magic. His sorcerous powers are greater than even Merlin’s.”

“Says who?” Morgana asked.

Indeed. I’d done fuck all so far. 

“I do.”

Morgana leaned close and stared into my eyes, “How come I have never heard of him?”

Iris shrugged. Wait, what secret was she keeping? 

“I can answer that.” I said. “My powers are rather new.”

“How new?”

I smiled, “Got them a few moments ago, I think. I had no phone to tell the time.” 

They stared at me like I was dead weight. 

Umbra, however, smiled, “Don’t let his inexperience fool you. I saw him for the price of an eye. We may be strangers girls, but I directed you true. My life is at risk too.”

Thanks for the support scary witch.T ime to bluff. 

“Both of you are obviously powerful women. I am here to support you.” Then I decided to lie. “You will see. You can count on me.”

Short and hopefully enough so they don’t drop me. I’ll pull through, I hope. I did just gain unfathomable power. Once I get a handle on it maybe I will be better than them? Here’s hoping. 

“Phone?” Morgana asked.

Oh, they were looking confused, not doubting me. Fuck me. 

“To tell the time.”

“What?” Iris asked, eyebrows knitted together.

I was saved by the coming of another red fox bidepal creature. Humanoid vaguely. This one wielded a lightning blade. 

“You killed my sister!” The Fox Warrior screamed. I understood its words. Somehow. 

A single blast from the blade fired and knocked Morgana prone. Iris threw her flame, but the fox warrior deftly stepped to the side of it. 

Another blast came for Iris, and by some and by instinct I stood in between the lightning and Iris. It sparked off my chest. Unharmed I looked at the fox warrior whose head tilted in confusion. 

I realised in an instant that the pair were unmatched by this new foe. Amazing as they are, they needed my help. I have lightning powers now. 

“I’ll handle it.” I shouted at the pair.

“No.” Iris refused immediately. 

The fox warrior fired again. Once more the sparks sputtered and dissipated on my body. I stood not even feeling a tickle. 

“Go!” I insisted. 

“How?” The Fox warrior raged. 

“I’m right behind you. Now go.” I said again. 

Morgana grabbed Iris’ wrist, “Come on. A Champion will not fall so easily. Let’s go.”

They rushed ahead.

The monster snarled, baring its teeth, “I will take your head, freak.” The Fox Warrior declared. 

I was scared. Back on earth I would be pissing myself with terror and fleeing. 

Umbra was still at my side, “Focus sorcerer. Reach into your magic. This is but a worm compared to you.”

I listened to her advice. A new, curious calm held the panic and contained the sparking emotion. I had a deep well of magic and possibilities to conjure. In response to my fear, something else and new and magical said no. There is nothing to be afraid of. 

I copied what Iris had done. I took the lightning away from the Fox Warrior’s weapon. It worked.

“How?” The Fox warrior screamed, raging, frustrated and confused all in one. 

I conjure lightning in hand. It tickled and threw it forwards, but it burned the ground and veered wildly blowing up a tree.

“Huh, that’s not so effective is it?”

The Fox Warrior stared blankly back at me in frozen fear. 

Had I won?

“Do you give up?”

It was the wrong thing to say, for the Fox Warrior snarled and charged with bared fangs, “Never!”

How about from the sky this time? I meant to scare them and give off a warning shot.

I pulled the lightning towards the Fox Warrior trying to blast in front of them. I missed, leaving the Fox Warrior’s head a smoky crater. 

I turned around, but the pair had already run off. I wouldn’t have been so insistent they leave if I knew the fight would be so easy. It was like playing story mode in a video game. Ah well, I knew another opportunity to prove my power would come. I wonder how they will react?

“Excellent work, Sorcerer. You’ll make a fine master.”  

There are worse things than earning the admiration of a beautiful woman. Scary, scarred and, as I now saw from the rush of adrenaline, pretty. 

“Shouldn’t you be the master? You know more than I do.” I said humbly. She’d plucked out her eye that demanded respect. 

She smiled warmly, but her cold eyes made me question her supposed kindness, “Power is what matters to magus like us. If I was cunning and more learned I might have tried to trick you, but I was alone until half a day past. I prefer a protector to a pet.”  

We started walking to catch up to the pair her arm linked with mine. She kept herself close to me like a moth to a flame. 

“You were alone?” I asked.

“Yes, it is a long story. I come from far in the north from a cold and desolate place. I left as a child. Magus can be respected so long as we are feared, but we aren’t druids and far more rare. I wandered, learned and grew in power. I went southwards hoping to learn what I could before the Romans destroyed these places. A summer’s past I found myself staying in the outskirts of Tean Valley. This is an old land with powerful spirits and magic. I stayed too long.”

“You sure, you got me by staying?”

She laughed, and it seemed genuine, “A fair trade for an eye.” 

We kept walking to catch up with the pair. I wasn’t a runner and the temptation to play with magic called me more than strange, if attractive, people. I took the chance to experiment calling on my different magics: mana, plant, lightning, metal, and body manipulation and from it wisps of magic grew into a daisy that fired with lightning and swirled into a metal ball that splashed into my palm that grew then reverted to normal. 

I could use magic. I was just like Aisling. 

Umbra watched and prodded me to go further with my casting. 

A battle cry resounded and metal clashed.

There was a terrible racket going on elsewhere in the woods. I heard a confusing mass of footfalls, the twang of clashing steel, shouts and dying screams, then there was the roar of something big and angry. I could sense the metal in the shape of swords and axes as well as Morgana wearing armour.

We rushed to see the commotion. Magic came as easily as moving my fingers.

There was a cluster of small, ugly, white-skinned creatures wearing bright red caps surrounding and fighting a tall figure - Morgana.

Iris stood toe to toe with what I guessed to be an ogre. Unlike the ogre from the movies this one was angry, naked brute three metres tall. Iris wrestled with the ogre each trying to overpower the other. 

I foolishly rushed up to the orge to try and help Iris. A sort of battle crazed madness, ill fitting for a coward with no combat experience, but true. The orge hearing my approach clumsily back kicked me and sent me tumbling back. 

I should have been dead or dying then. I instead healed myself by repairing my body. It hurt, but I was too dumb to consider that I could just dull the pain as well.  

Umbra shouted and a wolf bounded out of the woods and bit the orge’s ankles before dashing away again. She hid in the woods not daring to risk more danger to herself.

Healed up, I realised that I needed some protection and a smarter approach. A shield or some kind of cover like a video game. I took a moment to try, miscasted, but on the second attempt I threw down a thick energy shield made of magical energy down that reached up to my chest. It broke apart and I built it again and this time it held stable.

The magic shield was hopefully as effective as sandbags. The shield was a thick semi-transparent blue-ish rectangular cube. 

I felt a drip of energy drain from me casting magic was as easy as sitting down. However, I had the magical stamina of a marathon runner. 

I crouched down behind the cover. I took a closer look and saw a pile of bodies stacked around the warrior Morgana. She twirled a claymore with two hands to block attacks coming from multiple directions. 

She danced nimbly to avoid strikes by the creatures wearing the Redcaps. She was clearly the superior fighter, but she was overwhelmed and exhausted by their numbers.

A Redcap threw a spear with a bronze point at me, and it stuck into the magic shield like the spine of a hedgehog. The shield held fast; the point of the spear had only shallowly penetrated the protective barrier.

I ground my teeth, and I felt a complicated mix of confidence and anxiety about the barrier. It held, but it could be broken. 

What was the phrase? The best defence is a strong offence.  

I fumbled for the concept of electricity. It came to me easily. I raised a finger up high and I pulled lightning out from the sky, far more powerful than any natural phenomena. I pointed at the one who had attacked me. The bolt of blue arced down and fried the Redcap in an instant.

The battle stopped for a moment before the Redcap screamed as one in fury. They spat and then screeched as loud as they could.

Several bronze arrows pierced into the mana shield in retaliation for my attack. I peeked over the cover and called down three more bolts of lightning. The blackened, charred bodies sent them further into a frenzy. 

I attacked again. The Redcaps started trying to dodge, but the blue streaks sought their bronze sword and fried them to a burnt crisp. 

An arrow flew close as I was ducking an arrow heading straight to my head. I instinctively pushed away the bronze tip as it narrowly passed over my head. I hadn’t even had time to think about deflecting it before I did it. Now, this was power.    

A second roar drew my eyes to a huge pot-belly grey creature the size of a house. That would be an ogre or troll. Fuck, I guess ogre, damn it. 

A second Brute charging straight for me.  

The Redcaps parted before it, but one unlucky fool got crushed into a gristle beneath its massive feet. 

I wasn’t the only one to spot it, “Champion!” Morgana shouted. 

Morgana pulled out a knife and slit the throat of an approaching Redcap. She then dipped and rolled before she swung her claymore in a 180-degree arc decapitating three of the buggers. 

Having created enough distance, she sprinted towards me. She threw her sword first and then dived over the mana shield as arrows flew by her. 

Morgana threw out her arm like she was punching and the charging Brute stopped as if punched. She fell to one knee gasping, I noticed that her spell had caused a significant drain of energy. 

She picked up her weapon and slid in beside me.

I with a strained grunt hurled multiple arcs of lightning down from the now dark sky. Blue streaks sprouted out of the clouds like the roots of an ancient tree. They branched off and struck the crowd of ugly creatures.

The ogre stared stupidly at the carnage I had caused. It huffed and puffed in confusion. I don’t think the brute was used to losing. Then the ogre let out a great bellow that showed off its large and rather sharp molars. It charged, waving a stone club wildly in the air. 

I pulled with magic the dagger from Morgana’s belt and propelled it at the speed of a bullet to the ogre’s eye using my understanding of mana to compress the spell’s complexity to an instinctive strike. The mighty creature died with a puff of red mist and a long and loud, dying moan. 

I repeated the same move with the brute Iris was wrestling and the wolf biting. It dropped dead. She let out a sigh of relief. The rest scrambled away. 

Morgana clapped me on the back hard enough to knock the air from my lungs. She gave a rousing cry and I struggled to get my breath back. 

“Run away!” Iris goaded. 

The surviving Redcaps had turned their back to us and looked ready to run.