Tremors

PART 12

DATE: 15TH VERI 1490

He walked in the circle, and in the blink of an eye, dark flames engulfed him and he was in another place.

Claessen looked around and saw nothing but a barren wasteland. But the thing that most surprised him was the color of the sky. It was red. As if someone had slaughtered a lamb and let its blood spill all over the fabric that was above his head.

He looked to his left and saw a man sitting there, with his head in his hands. Claessen asked, "Where am I?"

The man looked up. Claessen saw ruby eyes on the man's beautiful face. It mesmerized and scared him at the same time. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"Claessen Anders. Head of the Spirit Mage order."

"Get used to saying former head now. Avinith! Escort this man to hans's layer."

As soon as the man said that, a strange creature appeared out of thin air. Human and inhuman at the same time. Its face looked like the demons in the stories Claessen's mother used to tell him.

The demon said in a deep voice, "Come with me." But Claessen did not follow.

"Are you Marlow?"

"No, Im the town ventriloquist around here. What else do you think?"

Claessen looked at his right hand and closed his fist. Then pulled out the index finger. And let it remain that way. "I have a few questions to ask."

Marlow thought about it for a second and then said, "Might help me to take off my mind from what happened. Sure come and sit here."

And then he pointed towards a chair that Claessen could have sworn wasnt there before. "Before you ask questions Mage, I have a few of my own."

"Im listening."

"Good. Now tell me the reason why you supplied gemstones to Ulnoria."

"How did you know?"

"Got a friend who likes to meddle in everyone else's business. Now tell me."

"...to survive. I had no other way but to comply with the king's order. Or else he would've wiped us as he did to the rest of the Mage orders."

"I didnt quite understand the reason why you were the ones to survive."

"Partly because we have the ability to conceal our magic. And partly because our order does not allow us to wield weapons. So the king did not deem us a threat."

Marlow grinned. "But he was wrong, wasnt he?"

"Can I ask a question now?"

"Sure."

"What happened here? What were you so eager to take your mind off from?"

"Well thats a useless question. But, Ill answer it anyway. My, what do you call it?, yes, demon subordinates decided that they didnt need me anymore. They found for themselves a leader among their ranks. Avinith! what was his name?"

Avinith appeared out of thin air once more. "Rivanith, sir." and then disappeared once more.

"Yes, Rivanith. I wonder why I decided to give them these stupid names. So yeah, there you have it."

Claessen looked at the ground and stayed silent for a while. Emotions swelled up on his face. "Im not going back, am I?"

"Thats how it goes for all of us, Claessen."