Walter
Chapter 9: A trip to the library
Rain smattered heavily against the window to their left, in the center of the small room a singular candle stood upon a simple round table. Its light was enough to make the three individuals' faces visible, all but the Spirit Walker who wore his hood far over his head.
”This is all very ominous, but would you care to explain the point to it now? Or do you suppose that I should guess it?” Walter leaned forward, he had been quiet in his protest until now but the mystery these two were shying away from was growing more interesting.
”It's best that you see it for yourself, Andalus.” Simoron replied, the witch sat casually in her own chair, her bright emerald eyes shone in contrast to the candle's and she smiles in sly knowing. ”I assure you it will all be quite clear.”
Walter looked at Larnicus, who said nothing. Then he peered back to Simoron and he swayed a hand.
”Then carry on, Simoron.” He said. And the witch did. Walter saw as she brought her hands forward, she performed rigid and stale motions, grasps and clutches of her hands that was different than any spellcasting that Walter knew, there was no fluidity, no motion or anchoring that was tied to wordly things. The spell was crude and dry, without emotion and its effect Walter could not guess. He looked back to the candle, its flame started to sway and flicker along with every move that the witch made. It contorted and twitched, as if the natural state of the fire fought against the witch's control. Walter started to wonder where this would lead, but before he could draw any thoughts he heard the voice of Larnicus to his right. The spirit Walker was finally speaking.
”From the Flame comes life. A power as mirrored as life's hypocritical illusions. From the Flame comes death. A truth defined by our existance in this Realm. For those who walk between it, in a world not of death, neither life – Flame is tangible, it is not our creator, nor our destroyer.” The voice came clear, Larnicus spoke in a way unhindered by any other sound, even the smattering against the window had silenced in respect of the Walker's chant. Walter sat frozen in his chair, listening to the Walker's words while staring at the flickering flame.
”The Flame is our tool. We are its masters and we shall dictate the fate of worlds, ours is the jurisdiction, ours is the vote and ours... Is the Execution.” There was a pause, Walter felt goosebumps rise across his back.
”Look into the fire, Andalus. And you shall witness the truth.”
Walter did. He felt his gaze draw toward the candle where it stood, now entirely azure blue, it flickered and twitched no longer. It stood tame and controlled, awaiting its receiver. Walter stared at it and as he stared the blue flame became larger, it spread out across his field of vision and blotted out both the Spirit Walker and the Witch. In the end all that he could see was the blue fire that encased him, it danced and weaved around him, blinding bright but he could not stop staring. The blue flame took over, there was nothing else. Until...
A courtyard. He had been moved, maybe even teleported. Walter looked around himself and saw the cobbled streets of a city he did not know, it was a ruin, decrepit and wasted past a millennium. In the central square stood the moss-covered remains of a fountain and on all sides were the fallen ruins of houses, cathedrals and castles. They spread far into the thundering skyline, towering crumbled spires and opulent statues of kings and heroes who had been slain long ago. Finally he looked down upon himself, his arms emitted a strange glow as did the rest of the body. As if he had been coated in an azure colour that shone a mild blue. He moved his hand and observed it for a minute, after a moment he concluded this must be spiritual magic. While his body wasn't here, he assumed his entire spiritual essence was. A manifestation of his own soul in corporeal form.
”How peculiar.” He noted and set his eyes back around himself. The dark square was empty but for him. How was it possible that a witch and a Spirit Walker could draw forth such magic? How had they discovered it? Walter took an uneasy step and noticed that walking was just the same, as was all of his physical actions. He canted his head and pondered before extending his right arm, he shut his eye and focused for a moment upon the arcane power around him, searching for something to bend. ”That can't be right...” He muttered and flexed the spread hand and the very air around him drew in. Wherever he was it held such a magical force that even the air was subject to a mage's grasp. Walter weaved his hand and looked as the air infront of him split in two. A tear in the very fabric of the world, on its opposite side he could see the dark void of the next realm. Walter swung his hand back and the tear promptly closed. He stopped all casting in fear of tarnishing reality and looked around the ruined city once more. ”Tara'Sufal.” He concluded, in only slight disbelief.
The city must have been the wonder of the world in its time. Walter could imagine where buildings once stood, beaming with alacrity and well being. Now the buildings lay crooked and fallen. A testament to what this city once was, and what it could have been. As Walter progressed he came to realize the city was empty. Not a soul or a single creature. From what he had read about the Outworld, which is where he assumed to be , it would be swarming with various creatures and Fables. There were none now and he made his way up a tall staircase unhindered by anyone else. The stairs led to a pantheon building, it was rounded and stood untop of a tall hill in the center of the city, Walter could see how the cityscape spread like a gray, ruined mass miles and miles in every direction. Towers and spires pointed up to the thundering clouds above but most were fallen short and crumbled. Walter made his way to the large doors of the building and opened them, he was met by a most wondrous sight. Information. Inside stood bookcases on every edge of the room, they spread in a labyrinth of wooden shelves littered with unending literature. Here was the knowledge of an entire civilization that had mastered science, magic and philosophy. Walter smiled and took a step inside. There was a sound, a rumble in the distance of the vast library. Walter looked toward the sound and then jumped in a startled noise. Several of the shelves came crashing down, something stampeded across them, tearing through wood and paper in its wake. Walter gasped at the wanton destruction and narrowed his eyes. A shelf came flying far above his head and smashed into the wall, splinters rained down upon him but he was fixated upon the creature responsible. It stood upon four limbs, indifferent from each other they were all pale milky white, its skin was that of blisters and scorch marks, the long limbs ended in thick cloved feet that scurried through the library in a frenzy. The creature turned its small, horrendous head to the sorcerer and fixated its two eyes on him, bloodshot and wide they looked upon him with murderous intent, it opened its maw and revealed the pincers that would undoubtedly tear him apart in seconds. Walter stood his ground, staring back at the creature. He would stand no chance against this beast in any actual battle. But he was no ordinary man, especially here. The Spider creature came rushing toward him, its limbs contorting unnaturally as it sprung toward the entrance where Walter stood. He took a single breath and locked his eyes upon the far end of the library, looking past the beast. With a single flutter of his eyes and a single breath taken he had moved, and now stood on the opposite side of the room. He turned and saw the creature crash against the smaller door, it scrambled and shrieked, furious as to have lost its prey. Walter had been right, moving across the void here was no consequence, which implied so much more... Walter rose his hand, swinging it in a singular pattern that he repeated, back and forth. After three turns around he brought his other hand upward as well. The creature had located him again and prepared its charge, shrieking into the air, spitting some sort of liquid upward. Walter rose his hands and with it every splintered piece of wood that lay across the floor hovered up, floating precariously in the air above them. The creature came at him again, clopping its cloves in a mad charge, Walter narrowed his eyes, took a breath and quickly thrust both of his hands forward and down. The debris he had grasped all flew down, honed in on the charging creature's warpath. They pierced with great speed into the creature's limbs, its small body and its weak head from above. The splinters of wood struck deep into the beast and it roared in tremendous pain, immediately stumbling and falling onto the floor in a terrible crash. It spun its limbs about in fury but failed to rise, bleeding sickly blood upon the ground and splashing it upon itself. Walter narrowed his brow in focus and spun his arms about in a secondary spellcast. He focused upon the blood spilt by the beast and by clenching his hands he gained control of that as well. The blood began to putter and boil, and the further Walter focused and the longer he held it, the warmer it became, the creature shrieked and stumbled again, crashing its head against more of the bookshelves as the searing heat left burns and pains across its body as well as within. This battle was forfeit.
”Out with you!” Said Walter, he could feel the rush of the arcane come upon him, he acted by instinct now, letting the blood within him and the power around him guide his actions. He spun his hands in a fluid motion and then thrust his palms forward. The creature seemed to freeze up mid-motion as the air around it cracked open. Several seams of reality suddenly burst open and were again promptly closed. The creature could not shriek any longer, the few parts of it that were still left in this realm fell down to the floor with a plain thud. As for the parts that had been moved. They would hardly bother anyone again.
Walter sighed and dropped his hands to his sides. He looked around and noticed the destruction caused by both him and the beast and he solemnly realized what had happened here so long ago. He shook his head and huffed out a tired breath before turning away from the destruction – There were books to be read.
Chapter 9: A trip to the library
Rain smattered heavily against the window to their left, in the center of the small room a singular candle stood upon a simple round table. Its light was enough to make the three individuals' faces visible, all but the Spirit Walker who wore his hood far over his head.
”This is all very ominous, but would you care to explain the point to it now? Or do you suppose that I should guess it?” Walter leaned forward, he had been quiet in his protest until now but the mystery these two were shying away from was growing more interesting.
”It's best that you see it for yourself, Andalus.” Simoron replied, the witch sat casually in her own chair, her bright emerald eyes shone in contrast to the candle's and she smiles in sly knowing. ”I assure you it will all be quite clear.”
Walter looked at Larnicus, who said nothing. Then he peered back to Simoron and he swayed a hand.
”Then carry on, Simoron.” He said. And the witch did. Walter saw as she brought her hands forward, she performed rigid and stale motions, grasps and clutches of her hands that was different than any spellcasting that Walter knew, there was no fluidity, no motion or anchoring that was tied to wordly things. The spell was crude and dry, without emotion and its effect Walter could not guess. He looked back to the candle, its flame started to sway and flicker along with every move that the witch made. It contorted and twitched, as if the natural state of the fire fought against the witch's control. Walter started to wonder where this would lead, but before he could draw any thoughts he heard the voice of Larnicus to his right. The spirit Walker was finally speaking.
”From the Flame comes life. A power as mirrored as life's hypocritical illusions. From the Flame comes death. A truth defined by our existance in this Realm. For those who walk between it, in a world not of death, neither life – Flame is tangible, it is not our creator, nor our destroyer.” The voice came clear, Larnicus spoke in a way unhindered by any other sound, even the smattering against the window had silenced in respect of the Walker's chant. Walter sat frozen in his chair, listening to the Walker's words while staring at the flickering flame.
”The Flame is our tool. We are its masters and we shall dictate the fate of worlds, ours is the jurisdiction, ours is the vote and ours... Is the Execution.” There was a pause, Walter felt goosebumps rise across his back.
”Look into the fire, Andalus. And you shall witness the truth.”
Walter did. He felt his gaze draw toward the candle where it stood, now entirely azure blue, it flickered and twitched no longer. It stood tame and controlled, awaiting its receiver. Walter stared at it and as he stared the blue flame became larger, it spread out across his field of vision and blotted out both the Spirit Walker and the Witch. In the end all that he could see was the blue fire that encased him, it danced and weaved around him, blinding bright but he could not stop staring. The blue flame took over, there was nothing else. Until...
A courtyard. He had been moved, maybe even teleported. Walter looked around himself and saw the cobbled streets of a city he did not know, it was a ruin, decrepit and wasted past a millennium. In the central square stood the moss-covered remains of a fountain and on all sides were the fallen ruins of houses, cathedrals and castles. They spread far into the thundering skyline, towering crumbled spires and opulent statues of kings and heroes who had been slain long ago. Finally he looked down upon himself, his arms emitted a strange glow as did the rest of the body. As if he had been coated in an azure colour that shone a mild blue. He moved his hand and observed it for a minute, after a moment he concluded this must be spiritual magic. While his body wasn't here, he assumed his entire spiritual essence was. A manifestation of his own soul in corporeal form.
”How peculiar.” He noted and set his eyes back around himself. The dark square was empty but for him. How was it possible that a witch and a Spirit Walker could draw forth such magic? How had they discovered it? Walter took an uneasy step and noticed that walking was just the same, as was all of his physical actions. He canted his head and pondered before extending his right arm, he shut his eye and focused for a moment upon the arcane power around him, searching for something to bend. ”That can't be right...” He muttered and flexed the spread hand and the very air around him drew in. Wherever he was it held such a magical force that even the air was subject to a mage's grasp. Walter weaved his hand and looked as the air infront of him split in two. A tear in the very fabric of the world, on its opposite side he could see the dark void of the next realm. Walter swung his hand back and the tear promptly closed. He stopped all casting in fear of tarnishing reality and looked around the ruined city once more. ”Tara'Sufal.” He concluded, in only slight disbelief.
The city must have been the wonder of the world in its time. Walter could imagine where buildings once stood, beaming with alacrity and well being. Now the buildings lay crooked and fallen. A testament to what this city once was, and what it could have been. As Walter progressed he came to realize the city was empty. Not a soul or a single creature. From what he had read about the Outworld, which is where he assumed to be , it would be swarming with various creatures and Fables. There were none now and he made his way up a tall staircase unhindered by anyone else. The stairs led to a pantheon building, it was rounded and stood untop of a tall hill in the center of the city, Walter could see how the cityscape spread like a gray, ruined mass miles and miles in every direction. Towers and spires pointed up to the thundering clouds above but most were fallen short and crumbled. Walter made his way to the large doors of the building and opened them, he was met by a most wondrous sight. Information. Inside stood bookcases on every edge of the room, they spread in a labyrinth of wooden shelves littered with unending literature. Here was the knowledge of an entire civilization that had mastered science, magic and philosophy. Walter smiled and took a step inside. There was a sound, a rumble in the distance of the vast library. Walter looked toward the sound and then jumped in a startled noise. Several of the shelves came crashing down, something stampeded across them, tearing through wood and paper in its wake. Walter gasped at the wanton destruction and narrowed his eyes. A shelf came flying far above his head and smashed into the wall, splinters rained down upon him but he was fixated upon the creature responsible. It stood upon four limbs, indifferent from each other they were all pale milky white, its skin was that of blisters and scorch marks, the long limbs ended in thick cloved feet that scurried through the library in a frenzy. The creature turned its small, horrendous head to the sorcerer and fixated its two eyes on him, bloodshot and wide they looked upon him with murderous intent, it opened its maw and revealed the pincers that would undoubtedly tear him apart in seconds. Walter stood his ground, staring back at the creature. He would stand no chance against this beast in any actual battle. But he was no ordinary man, especially here. The Spider creature came rushing toward him, its limbs contorting unnaturally as it sprung toward the entrance where Walter stood. He took a single breath and locked his eyes upon the far end of the library, looking past the beast. With a single flutter of his eyes and a single breath taken he had moved, and now stood on the opposite side of the room. He turned and saw the creature crash against the smaller door, it scrambled and shrieked, furious as to have lost its prey. Walter had been right, moving across the void here was no consequence, which implied so much more... Walter rose his hand, swinging it in a singular pattern that he repeated, back and forth. After three turns around he brought his other hand upward as well. The creature had located him again and prepared its charge, shrieking into the air, spitting some sort of liquid upward. Walter rose his hands and with it every splintered piece of wood that lay across the floor hovered up, floating precariously in the air above them. The creature came at him again, clopping its cloves in a mad charge, Walter narrowed his eyes, took a breath and quickly thrust both of his hands forward and down. The debris he had grasped all flew down, honed in on the charging creature's warpath. They pierced with great speed into the creature's limbs, its small body and its weak head from above. The splinters of wood struck deep into the beast and it roared in tremendous pain, immediately stumbling and falling onto the floor in a terrible crash. It spun its limbs about in fury but failed to rise, bleeding sickly blood upon the ground and splashing it upon itself. Walter narrowed his brow in focus and spun his arms about in a secondary spellcast. He focused upon the blood spilt by the beast and by clenching his hands he gained control of that as well. The blood began to putter and boil, and the further Walter focused and the longer he held it, the warmer it became, the creature shrieked and stumbled again, crashing its head against more of the bookshelves as the searing heat left burns and pains across its body as well as within. This battle was forfeit.
”Out with you!” Said Walter, he could feel the rush of the arcane come upon him, he acted by instinct now, letting the blood within him and the power around him guide his actions. He spun his hands in a fluid motion and then thrust his palms forward. The creature seemed to freeze up mid-motion as the air around it cracked open. Several seams of reality suddenly burst open and were again promptly closed. The creature could not shriek any longer, the few parts of it that were still left in this realm fell down to the floor with a plain thud. As for the parts that had been moved. They would hardly bother anyone again.
Walter sighed and dropped his hands to his sides. He looked around and noticed the destruction caused by both him and the beast and he solemnly realized what had happened here so long ago. He shook his head and huffed out a tired breath before turning away from the destruction – There were books to be read.