A reunion of worlds by D.A.Sanford - HTML preview

Making a country with magic

Both parents asked me to bring all their relatives here. They fear that they will become victims of that ruler. I wait until late night and do just that. Houses, barns and animals now populate the area around the mansion.

They all wake to strange surroundings. All see our mansion and come over to find out what the hell happened.

My parents completely explain the circumstances that caused the necessity of this action. All realized that they have escaped impending doom. Now I address all.

“Now that you know, I want to set up villages throughout Martignetti. I ask those of you that would like to be village chiefs to come into the mansion. I have already set up quite a few clear areas. That I can show you. I will move your homes to the area that you choose. Once you get settled, people will be showing up. Those will be from the old country and others that want to be free. The escaped slaves that come will be free no matter what race. Rule fairly. I will issue a warning. Don’t abuse your roles. Just as you have awoken to the surprise of a new land, abuse power and you will find yourself back in the old country with the guards at your doors and you will not remember this country.”

All agree to go to the new locations with the exception of a few. Both sets of grandparents want to stay next to us,

The ones that want to go are asked to wait a few days. Since all are here, it is a good time to gather as a family and celebrate good fortune and escape. Everyone is surprised that I am at the point that I was a challenge to the government. They are also thankful for getting them out of harm’s way.

Most say that if they are willing to kill a child, with you disappearing, they would come after them for sure if only for revenge.

It was a nice few days and then I sent them to their chosen area. I did send out the idea to those that wished to leave that country the locations. I did send the thought to bring their animals. That tradesmen would be needed.

Soon we were getting populated. I sought out minds to tutor me in the various subjects but especially magic. In that area, I had to be careful. I had to watch for them looking for me.

There was a family that entered our area. They asked for permission to settle. I now can feel what their intensions are. All were tired of the oppressive rules in the old country but for some reason that control grew tighter after the murders of a peaceful academy home interview team. That family is on the loose and are to be considered dangerous.

While they were talking, I noticed the grandfather staring at me. Walking over to him, I thought to him and he answered back in thought.

“So you are the one I felt.” The grandfather thought to me. “I felt you when you moved this mansion. I hoped it was you that sent out the call.”

I now speak to him out loud.

“How did you know. I do not sense that you are with the government.”

All are now looking at us. His family is looking in horror at their grandfather. They knew that he was powerful but always kept it hidden and forbade his family from ever mentioning that he was a very high rated mage. Wizard class. He has hidden it since the present government started ferreting out strong mages.

He had always worked in the background. Someone sick, he, at night, would creep up to that house and cast heal, curing the ill. Money would be found for those in dire straits, Crops would suddenly take off and grow almost overnight. He practiced in the shadows.

Now he knows that it is time to pass on his knowledge.

He looks at his family and nods. Then he turned to me.

“You are a god class wizard. You escaped destruction by negating the collar, did you not?”

I tell him yes.

“Then you are the one that the gods told me long ago when they told me to work in the shadows. They told me to hide until I met the chosen one. Then I was to train him and bring him to the level where the gods can complete the training.”

He looks to my parents and tells them that he thanks them for having the child that he was told about so long ago.

“I have waited so long and lost so many I loved just to meet your son. I will train him. He will be my student. Feeling his strength, it will be around five years until he is ready for the gods. I was told to tell you that this country you have set up will outlive that old country. You will eventually annex them. The gods are now protecting you and no one will try to invade until your son is fully trained.

Now he gets somber. “At that day, and only at that day will there be a war against your son. That will only last from sun rise until the sun is ready to set. All in this country will need to make underground shelters in preparation for that day. Anthony will be nineteen when they attack. The next day he will be twenty and this world will have been purged of the evil king. The day before his twentieth birthday is the day of hiding. No matter what you hear, anyone that emerges before the next morning will never be seen again.”

Then he looks at me and asks, “You know, don’t you?”

I tell him that I do.

“Father, send out a proclamation that everyone is to make those shelters. They must be at least ten feet below the surface. The vent will be hidden beneath a hollowed out stump or an out house roof vent. One person, the strongest willed person will have the key to the lock that will secure the door brace. Not one of those that look will live. The shelter will have an area for the animals.”

I look at the grandfather, “Montgomery Salas, I am in your tutelage. Fulfill your task. Know that sometime shortly after that day, you will go to the final life to be with the one you most miss.”

With that, they are accepted as part of our family. I created a new home for them. Under the observation of Montgomery. I was going to make the shelter but he stopped me.

“That is for the family to undertake. Almost like an admission that they trust in you and will show you that they will do what you say. Know this, the ones that do not dig are the ones we will watch. Your appeals to people may not have gone undetected. Having your father send out a proclamation rather than you projecting a thought is the key. The spies will just see that everyone has a root cellar. A necessity for the winter.”

Next morning I get a rude awakening by him in my room. A phrase that will haunt me for the rest of eternity. He is yelling, “Shit, shower, eat and be ready to be beaten senseless. Get moving.”

Every morning for the next five years that was my morning greeting. Every day I got my ass handed me and every night I slept like the dead. But I learned everything that he taught me.

For the first two years I did not learn any new magic. It was all the martial arts. That old man was spry for his age. Hand to hand, swords, daggers. All the assassins’ tools, including stealth. All this physical training was for me to discipline my mind and body to be able to handle the god level magic.

Without that discipline, I could destroy the world and possibly beyond.

He asked me about my home worlds weapons one day. It shocked me because I had not told anyone. “How did you know?”

“Did you not think that the gods would not tell me about you when they told me at the meeting you were the one. At that time they told me of the fact that you were a young man who was murdered, betrayed by someone close. Then you were betrayed by that healer.. I know all about your past life. Now, what is that piece of metal that exploded and killed you?”

I told him that it was called a pistol. I explained about the ammunition and how it was a controlled explosion that propelled a lead bullet. It was the bullet that killed me. He did something funny. He thinks about it. Points his finger and a metal bullet fires out of that finger.

I hear him say that what he saw was faster, so he tried again and now that projectile hit the tree he aimed at and went halfway into the wood. I knew that because he took a thin stick and probed it. Almost six inches into the twelve inch diameter tree.

“That is more powerful than I thought.” He mutters. Then he looks at me and smiles. “No wonder you were killed. I want you to think about that ammunition, the bullet and the explosion. Picture it in your mind. Point your finger and feel the power.”

Doing just that, I can see that action and then I open my eyes and shoot. My bullet distorted the bark on the other side of the same tree. Montgomery was amazed. He asked what variations of this weapon existed in my old world.

I told him of rifles and how they were used in wars. I got that far and an alarm went off in both our heads.

“That information along with that bullet technique is not allowed on this world.”

After we got over the effects, we both look at each other and laughed. Montgomery commented that it was fun but now we had to stick with swords and arrows. I light went off in my head. Arrows are a common hunting and defense tool.

“Cross bows allowed?” I say looking up. Nothing. No alarm so I conger up one along with the bolts. Still nothing. I explain how to load it but we called over a young man and had him pull the bow string back. I explained about the sights.

“Aim at that tree and when you have it sighted, pull the trigger.”

He did and the bolt hit the tree. No alarm. Again I ask the sky if this is acceptable, No alarm.

Montgomery is looking at the construction and has us walk with him. He grabs the woodworker and takes him with us to the black smith. He places the crossbow and bolts on the work bench.

“The two of you study this and make detailed drawings of each piece.” He explains the function in terms of a bow and arrow but tells them both that this works perfect, don’t modify it. “Be prepared to manufacture a large quantity.“

Soon hunting for game became much easier. A bow in the woods was still good but in tight areas, finding the space was easier with the smaller cross bow. With the sights almost no one missed.

No alarms, so we filled in my father.

“With the crossbow” I tell him, “Incursions by spies from that country can be picked off easily by our people. The thing that we need to reinforce is that no one indiscriminately shoots anyone without solid proof. If there is the slightest question, the person must be brought here for questioning. Blindfolded of course.”

The cross bows are a hit. More of the less accurate bowmen now prefer the crossbow. Not as elegant but just as effective. We are getting reports that now more people are getting the bigger game. This allows them to preserve the meat in various ways to have a supply during the winter.

They will not need to go out hunting in the worst winter weather. Good days, they will still go out to make sure that the preserved is wisely used.

Now we are starting to do more with magic. We still do the physical and weapons but now he is tasking me to make some of the things that are beneficial to the country but are not in the mass destruction.

Life here is dawn to dusk. We have candles but they are dim at best. Thinking of how we had electricity to light at night, Montgomery and I put our heads together. The gods wanted us to proceed in the benefit of the world. No large jumps and as we found out, they will put a stop to our wrong experiments.

With some experimenting and some natural items we made a lamp. Most everyone on this world has some magic. With that in mind, we found a moss that normally had a fluorescence but was just a glow. We worked out a fixture. It looks like an old hurricane lamp. This world does not have kerosine so we have a pad that they can input some low level magic and it will be bright enough to light a room to my old world normal.

I call out and get no alarm. As with the cross bow, we got the same people involved. To get people interested, We made others and put then on the main path . They caught the interest of our residents. Towards night time, when most people are set to go to bed, We walk and channel some magic into the first lamp. That draws out almost all out to see this wonder. We show them how easy it is , we have a child touch the plate and ask the child to push magic into it.

“Parents, this is good practice for the children. They learn how to control their magic and have an immediate results.”

Before we even ask, other children do the same with the results that the center of the town is basking in light while it is dark. We tell them that we are having smaller ones being made for Household use. Each had one for free and a low price is put on extras. Trade in community projects is a fair exchange.

Next was a refiguration unit and other things. The first new alarm was when I suggested was a combustion engine. I did not even get a full explanation out when the alarm was sounding.

“This item will be harmful to this world.”

“Can I make a bicycle?”

“That will be allowed.”

All the while we were doing the innovations, he is still drilling me but now it is the legitimate magical weapons. There is a need for lumber so he has me using different magic to fell the trees and then to divide them into the lengths that will be able to be cut at the water mill we made for this.

Getting game with magic arrows. Herding animals with many different methods. Each required both power but precise control. He keeps reminding me that control is the difference between a win or a destroyed world.

Soon the years have gone by. Our inventions have made life better. It is still hard work but it eased some of the burdens.

One day, Montgomery sat down with me. No training me today. We sat and he had a heartfelt talk with me.

“I have loved the time we spent together but now it is at an end. Your strength and abilities are now beyond what I can do. You are now ready to go with the gods. Never worry, I will be here to help protect but you know that the gods are protecting this country. How many warnings did we receive?

Trained by the gods

Anthony is told by his mentor Montgomery, that he has gone as far as he can. It is now time for him to go to the gods realm. They will come when they are available. He tells me that he will be trained by the duo god of all, Terry and Olga, in their realm.

“I have never been there so I will be awaiting your return and what it is like. Until they come for you, please keep up your helping the community.”

I thank him for the opportunity he has given me. “I will be forever in your debt.”

It was a week later “Anthony, “ I heard in my mind, “put your affairs in order today. At your dawn, we will transport you to our realm. Please be aware that our realm is similar to your old realm. See you then. Only one warning, the god of time’s fellows are here and very mischievous.”

I made sure that I told my parents and mom made me a special meal. While she was doing that Father and I went around to let people know. Each told me not to worry, they would look after my parents.

It was a comfort.

My final stop was at Montgomery’s. That was emotional. “You will always be my teacher.”

He wished me good luck.

Mom made a very good meal. We talked and she could not help it. She cried when she told me, “I do not care that they are gods, if they harm you, I’ll curse them with loss of bowel control.”

Come the morning. I woke up in a strange room. Looking around is saw a normal room but I see the window open and hear what sounds like small RC planes but I see them buzzing in and out of my room.

A woman comes into the room and one look and they all flew out the window. She looked at me and said,

“I’m sorry. I will give them a piece of my mind and they will not have any dessert tonight. Now welcome, In this realm, please call me Olga and call my mate Terry. You will be accompanying us to other worlds. On those trips, we will be addressed as the god of all. You will be an observer. Now you need a shower. The imps were pranking you. I hope for their sake that is a washable paint.”

She showed me the bathroom. In the mirror I saw that my expose skin was speckled. It did wash off but my bed linen was gone. I entered the hall and was shown to the kitchen. It was a great shock to see some normal height people but there were quite a few six inch people there waiting for me so they could eat.

Olga is casting them the stink eye and they were not saying a word. The one called Sam introduced himself and his mate Eva. “I’m the god of time. I apologize for my fellows. They will prank. It is in their nature.

I tell him that it washed off but Olga told them that she needed to get new linen. “Those stains will not come out.”

Looking at them, I told him that I was fascinated at the fact that they were piloting planes.

It was Terry that said that they used his knowledge and made a flight simulator in both sizes. They took to flying and they help in the assignments. He does say that they do use that spray function to torment the targets but I can tell that he wanted to say what they sprayed but decided it was best to leave that out.

I can figure it out when my drink came out with a lid,

After breakfast, I was shown around. At the privillion I panicked when I see a pile of dead imps apparently drowned if what looks like soft serve ice cream. It is Olga that calmly walks over and turns the hose on them.

“Next time you waste the ice cream, I’ll hold you in the sum until you get really sticky and stick each one to a board. I’ll make sure is spells out forbidden. Now each go in and shower until you don’t stick.”

They go. She tells me that they love doing dead imps on the newbies. “A word of warning. They cannot drown, so if you see floating imps in the pool, it is up to you if you want to jump in and fain panic. They will get a kick from it. You will make their day.”

We sit and have some soft serve as they tell me that we will go to one of the Watcher’s worlds and we will have you try some of the higher level magic. This will be one that is totally devoid of life in any form. “Mistakes will not be a problem other than world shattering mistakes.

When we are going to use that level it will be in space and focused on an asteroid.

Now they show me their airfield. This is where I see row after row of those imp sized planes. It is while I am watching, I see one plane not flying well and then a parachute came out from on top of the wing. Terry asks Sam if that is the same one and Sam just nods then says that he will put him back to the beginning simulator.

Terry says “Maybe he just is made for the commando carts.”

I have a lot to learn. Commando carts?

The first thing the showed me is the cold hard fact that all are not salvageable. We went to the world that caused the failed gods to be replaced. It is a grotesque burned up world. All you can see is evidence of a violent end. Twisted metal, broken remnants of concrete without any indication of what the original was before the destruction.

Looking at the two, I can see Genuine pain in their faces. Terry is almost in tears so it is Olga that explains that the failed gods only alerted us at the last second.

“We were the cleanup crew. We were to go to worlds and assess to what extent our duties were. Can the population be saved or only a portion. Sometimes the entire population is too far gone and we have ways to erase the population.”

Terry was now more composed. “Those gods were not proactive. The weapons of mass destruction were all launched. Most of the population was already dead. Time was stopped. I asked them to save at least the children. They just stood there. I saved one town in a valley. I had to close the door. Their time started. I still feel guilty but I now realize I cannot save anyone.”

Olga finishes by saying that you need to study and watch troubled worlds. Intervention needs to be before the instant of destruction but also when they are at the cusp of going down the wrong rabbit hole.

They do say that since this planet is going to be reclaimed in the near future, I was shown some of the higher magic and it was on the apocalyptical scale. What metal and concreate was just melted away. Nowhere to be seen.

“Good control” They said. We did a few others then went back to their realm.

We get back and “Damn Imps!” They are stepping up their game. I found out about the commando carts. Olive drab camo painted small golf carts with those six inch people in fatigue pants and bandoleros’ across fake muscular chests.

It is the popping out of the bushes and screaming a Comanche war cry that gets to you.

After being here for a while, I am starting to get used to their pranks. One day after a full day of them, Terry and Olga come to me and tell me that my god training is done. I am confused.

“What do you mean? We have only done a few magic exercises. Mostly we just hang around. I go with you on your assignment but that is just to watch. How did I complete my training?”

Sam and Eva come over. All the imps sit down on their seats on the table. Sam is the one to answer my question with a question.

“What do you think about my imps?”

“They were a pain in the ass at the beginning but after a while, I found them amusing. They have quite a mind. They put a lot of imagination into what they do.”

Olga now says “That is why you are finished. You worked through frustration to finally see the ingenuity of what they are doing. What do you think training you to control your powers is?”

And the imp’s smile.

I get it. Don’t just jump, look for the facts, the reasoning. Get to the root of the problem.

Telling them thank you for your lessons. “Why don’t you get some ice cream on me.”

All the imps go running. I signal the four to follow. We watch as they start to pour out the ice cream and nothing happens. They look at the nozzle. At that exact moment I hit my remote and they get sprayed in the face with the ice cream but it stops. Those go to get washed off and the next group try figuring it was clear. No ice cream, they look and get covered. After a few more groups, they hear us laughing.

“If you can prank an imp, you can handle the power.” Terry says. “You’re done but leave the remote. One last test. That will be on the day of hiding.”

Now the door is open to my home and I go through.