ULTRAMagic Shadowland - Chapter 17
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Sten was in a very good mood, a bit of a rarity in recent times. Not only did one of Dunja’s compatriots join them, but his royal advisor had returned safe and… well, sound was a whole other can of worms. Sten’s former mentor had gone to several universes in the Cosmos proper, looking for help. Two were well off while the other two were on the brink of collapse. He did not have a good time in the latter two. Despite not finding any viable assistance, Sten still wanted to hear all about them.
“So let me get this straight, Fyodor: Not only does this one universe have a man arrogant enough to declare himself master of the universe, but his entire empire runs on annelid excrement?”
“An oversimplification, but an accurate one at that.”
This made Sten laugh, his amusement bellowing throughout the great hall. He banged his hand on his arm rest, trying to catch his breath. “HA! The ignorance of certain parts of the Cosmos never ceases to amaze!”
“Father, are you alright?” Folkvar asked once he entered the throne room. He was followed by his mother.
“Something amusing, no doubt,” She continued.
“Folkvar, Yngvild…” Sten answered, starting to compose himself. “...Fyodor was just telling me of one of his adventures.”
The queen took her seat next to Sten. “Have you heard from the other members of the royal court, Fyodor?”
“Yes, I have, your majesty. They should be returning as we speak. Maxim was a bit roughed up, but he is no worse for wear.”
“Good, because we still got a score to settle in chess,” Folkvar stated. This made his parents chuckle.
“Folkvar, I heard there was some trouble relating to you during my absence…”
The prince groaned, slouching on his throne. “That again… Milosh had some cockamamie scheme surrounding me, but Dunja dropped it pretty quickly and apologized recently, so it’s all good I guess…”
Fyodor noticed that the boy was being vague. It must have been particularly bothersome, so he decided not to press the matter further. He would get the details from Sten later. “Speaking of her, I trust she’ll be here soon?”
A guard came rushing over right as he finished speaking. “Your royal highness? Barna and Dunja have arrived.”
“Good, good,” Sten replied. “Send them in.”
Outside the throne room was the whole group. Barna, Dunja, Claudius, Albrecht, Odo, and Andelin were needed first while Torunn, Aureolus, Weaver, and Gabriella waited to be summoned. Sten wanted to get the primary business out of the way before anything else. Two stewards took the four to a parlor in the castle while they waited. It was quite cozy, with the expected furniture and a nice fireplace. Torunn took the moment to relax and take off her boots for once.
“You guys don’t mind if I kick back a little?” They had no objections. “Alright then… ah, that’s better. These old boots get the job done, but they aren’t the most comfy.” Her feet were calloused and her toenails were in rough shape. Some scars could also be seen.
Gabriella was taken aback. “My goodness, woman! Do you even know what a pedicure is?”
Torunn laughed while Weaver chuckled. “Of course I do, it's just that I don’t have time for that stuff… though I will admit these calluses are getting annoying.”
A stewardess with a soft voice spoke up. “Miss Craddock? I could speak to Queen Yngvild in regards to her upcoming wellness session. I’m sure she’d love to have you along.”
“Yes, please do,” Gabriella cut in. Torunn smiled and shook her head.
Weaver reached over for a biscuit from a tray of light food. “We had bigger things to worry about than our feet back where we came from.”
Aureolus looked at Torunn, then to Weaver. “Speaking of that, Weaver? Why is your skin such a different color?”
“Honestly we’re not too sure. I was going to look into it as our biology is pretty fascinating, but then we had to leave…”
“And why was that?” Gabriella wondered. “The reason for your departure?”
Weaver groaned. “Reasons… various reasons…”
“So I guess you want me to tell them?” Torunn asked.
“Sure, go ahead…”
Gabriella was concerned. “What’s the matter? It’s not traumatic, is it?”
“The only traumatic thing was how much my intelligence was insulted…” Weaver muttered.
Torunn chuckled. “Maybe not as heavy as that word suggests, but it certainly wasn't a great time. I guess I’ll start with our home. It was a bit behind one could say.”
“Behind?” Gabriella inquired. “How so? Technology? Ideals? Infrastructure?”
“Compared to places like The Market District and The Great Uncity, our world was like Shadowland, with more combustion machinery.”
“Obviously life wasn’t the easiest, but we got by,” Weaver added. “Of course it didn’t help that we had to deal with earth beasts running around everywhere…”
Gabriella nodded as she had heard of those before. “Oh dear, those wouldn’t happen to be earth spirits now, would they?”
Torunn nodded. “Bingo. Annoying little buggers. So much so that it warranted consistent hunting. Hunters were obviously a dime a dozen. If you needed beasts gone, there were many options at your disposal. Our family was one of them and we were pretty good at it.”
“Well baring me as I wanted to be a blacksmith…” Weaver looked annoyed.
“Really?” Aureolus wondered. “Did your parents not allow it? Seems like that line of work could use a smith or two.”
“Uncle Howard and Aunt Susan were always indifferent,” Torunn answered. “They weren’t against it, but they also wanted Weaver to be a hunter. His older brother, Faolán, was all for it… but his younger brother? Oh boy…”
“Grimwald…” Weaver subtly growled.
“Weaver, are you okay?” Gabriella questioned with concern.
Torunn rubbed her temple and sighed. “Grimwald was a bit of a problem child. He was born late to the party, well into Uncle Howard’s prime and had Faolán’s efforts to slack off on. Some say he was spoiled, I say he lacked grit. The issues arose when Weaver started learning to smith. Grimwald picked on him for ‘being lazy’ in his eyes… and yeah, the irony was lost on him.”
Weaver groaned again and got up to pace around. “Arrogant little… he was one of those types that were never wrong and never lifted a finger to help out.”
“Mm-hm” Gabriella noted. “Those that do not know conflict tend to have an inflated ego. Was he ever trained to be a hunter?”
“Yeah, but then he would just sit around and listen to the radio all day.”
Torunn nodded and resumed her account. “For a while I stood up for Weaver. Grimwald was annoying in that he would take subtle jabs at him and had this weird habit of walking out of conversations. And then he’d get loud and ornery when called out. So naturally I’d tell him to get off his arse and go hunt. That’d usually shut him up.”
Gabriella giggled. “My, well played, Torunn. Now you said ‘for a while.’ Did something happen to you or Weaver?”
“I wandered into the Unlight after a chaotic hunt and then fell in with Dunja and Milosh…” The regret was nearly visible on her face.
“Oh dear…”
“That’s not good,” Aureolus commented. “How’d you deal with that, Weaver?”
Weaver sighed and went for another biscuit. “Firstly, things were rocky given the search for Torunn. It was a trying time. Second, I was stupid enough to think Grimwald had finally grown up. We were both adults at that point, so was I wrong to think that?”
“Of course not,” Gabriella replied. “I’d also expect someone to mature upon reaching adulthood. Of course, I have been proven wrong before.”
“Well, given the caliber of man that Milosh is…” Aureolus pointed out. This got some chuckles.
“Exactly, Aureolus,” Weaver agreed. “See, the thing was that Grimwald was subtle, luring me into a false sense of security. And I know he was doing it on purpose. He was a powder keg, just waiting to go off. Honestly I should’ve seen the lit fuse when Faolán turned into a beast…”
Gabriella took a second to process that. “My God, what would even cause such a transformation?”
Weaver leaned against the mantle. “No idea…”
“Not to cut you off, kiddo, but that may have been because of The Beast of Old,” Torunn pointed out.
He was surprised. “Wait, really? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well, Milosh has been running us ragged and lord knows where Faolán is. Plus I’m a little fuzzy on the details…”
“Fair. Anyways, Grimwald naturally blamed me for everything…” There was a quiet anger in Weaver’s voice, albeit it seemed like he was misinterpreting some details. “Apparently it was all my fault because Faolán had to carry me and I was a lazy bastard that needed to be taught a lesson.”
Gabriella was horrified. “How dare he! How… how did you respond?”
“He showed up to my workshop with iron knuckles and a shotgun… only to be greeted by an eight foot tall dog that oozed and radiated lava. Evidently that’s my beast form…”
Aureolus had a realization. “Wait, so you’re like dad?”
“In a way. No clue why I have it, so don’t ask. Ahem, naturally me and Grimwald rampaged throughout the town, dead set on killing each other. I eventually ended up cornered, but then Torunn just showed up out of nowhere.”
She took that as her cue to continue. “After some time fighting for Sten, I realized that I had forgotten about the boys. I sought out Leif, The Dragon of Old, for help getting back to my universe. Everyone was surprised to see me and were glad I was back… up until I started punching and sending them flying. We then got out of dodge, picked up Faolán, went through the only viable gateway, had Leif destroy it, and then had a pint at The Dashing Ram. The rest is history… aside from a slight hitch.”
“That’s not good…” Aureolus quickly realized what was missing. “So um, where’s Faolán?”
“He went missing,” Weaver answered. “He’s here, in The Unlight. No doubt about it, as we’ve received letters from him. We just don’t know where or when he is… God, I hope he’s alright…”
Seeing how worried Weaver was, Gabriella got up and gave him a hug. “Weaver, I will help you find your brother… assuming something doesn’t come up on my end.”
“Thanks, Gabriella… I mean, you don’t have to…”
“No, I insist. Besides, it'll give me a good opportunity to explore The Unlight for my home realm.”
“Well there you go!” Torunn complimented. “Nab two birds with one stone.”
“And Weaver?”
“Yes, Gabriella?”
She cleared her throat. “Just know that anything that bumbling Grimwald said about you is not true. You are noble, brave, considerate, capable, and a real gentleman. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Weaver blushed. “Thanks, Gabriella.”
“If you’ll allow me to indulge in an anecdote: I may not have had to deal with someone like Grimwald since I’m an only child, but I did have an awkward time with my education when I was young.”
“You had issues?” Weaver was surprised (also hoping he did not come as inconsiderate).
She nodded. “You see, being an angel in the Inferno, a realm of demons, is a bit odd. I had trouble making friends in school, but a demon by the name of Stolas befriended me and would invite me to hang out with his friends.”
“That’s fantastic… Can I meet them sometime? I don’t mean to be pushy, it’s just that you’ve got my curiosity.”
“Of course. I’m sure they’d be pleased to meet you. I was planning to briefly head back home once the cult’s been dealt with. You could come with me then.”
“Fine with me… say, could we do our date then?”
Torunn nearly choked on her drink. “A date?! My favorite cousin’s got a date!”
Weaver gave her a slightly incredulous look. “Torunn, we’re all your favorite cousins… barring Grimwald. And yes, I want to go on a date with Gabriella.”
Aureolus did a gesture with his hands, as if trying to put things together. “So you two are a couple then?”
“Um… are we? Gabriella?” Weaver asked.
“I don’t see why not?” Both of them were blushing now.
“Stop the presses, Weaver finally got himself a girlfriend!” Torunn declared. “It’s like I kept telling you: Just go up to a girl and ask her out.”
He sighed. “Okay, fine. You were right…”
“Well of course I’d be, you little goofball” She said as she ruffled his hair. “I just wish someone had been that upfront with me. I’ll admit I'm not the most feminine of women, if you catch my meaning…”
Gabriella put a hand on her hip. “Really? You couldn’t find yourself a man? From what I’ve seen of my timeline, a good chunk of men love tall, strong women. Those who don’t are fools.” She took off her frock coat and rolled up her sleeve. “What do you think, Weaver?” She asked as she flexed. Her arm was nice and toned.
“Not bad, not bad at all. Have you lifted weights before?”
“Most certainly, given the career I choose and the expeditions I’ve been on so far. Torunn, perhaps you need to take the first step in this situation?”
“Huh… you think so?” She wondered.
Aureolus nodded. “Yeah. They probably think you’ll flex on them so hard they’ll get squished! Find a man you like and go hang out with them. Throw some darts, have a drink, maybe do some arm wrestling… and I’m sure you’ll find someone.”
Torunn gave a hearty laugh. “Alright, I’ll keep my eyes peeled then.”
“You can do it, cousin,” Weaver assured. “Also hey, are they done yet? Jeez…”
“Actually, Mr. Craddock, they’ve been done for a while,” another stewardess replied. “They’re all waiting for you.”
Gabriella giggled at the folly. “Well let’s not keep them waiting any longer then.”
Next: Chapter 18
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Master Post - Patreon
Sten was in a very good mood, a bit of a rarity in recent times. Not only did one of Dunja’s compatriots join them, but his royal advisor had returned safe and… well, sound was a whole other can of worms. Sten’s former mentor had gone to several universes in the Cosmos proper, looking for help. Two were well off while the other two were on the brink of collapse. He did not have a good time in the latter two. Despite not finding any viable assistance, Sten still wanted to hear all about them.
“So let me get this straight, Fyodor: Not only does this one universe have a man arrogant enough to declare himself master of the universe, but his entire empire runs on annelid excrement?”
“An oversimplification, but an accurate one at that.”
This made Sten laugh, his amusement bellowing throughout the great hall. He banged his hand on his arm rest, trying to catch his breath. “HA! The ignorance of certain parts of the Cosmos never ceases to amaze!”
“Father, are you alright?” Folkvar asked once he entered the throne room. He was followed by his mother.
“Something amusing, no doubt,” She continued.
“Folkvar, Yngvild…” Sten answered, starting to compose himself. “...Fyodor was just telling me of one of his adventures.”
The queen took her seat next to Sten. “Have you heard from the other members of the royal court, Fyodor?”
“Yes, I have, your majesty. They should be returning as we speak. Maxim was a bit roughed up, but he is no worse for wear.”
“Good, because we still got a score to settle in chess,” Folkvar stated. This made his parents chuckle.
“Folkvar, I heard there was some trouble relating to you during my absence…”
The prince groaned, slouching on his throne. “That again… Milosh had some cockamamie scheme surrounding me, but Dunja dropped it pretty quickly and apologized recently, so it’s all good I guess…”
Fyodor noticed that the boy was being vague. It must have been particularly bothersome, so he decided not to press the matter further. He would get the details from Sten later. “Speaking of her, I trust she’ll be here soon?”
A guard came rushing over right as he finished speaking. “Your royal highness? Barna and Dunja have arrived.”
“Good, good,” Sten replied. “Send them in.”
Outside the throne room was the whole group. Barna, Dunja, Claudius, Albrecht, Odo, and Andelin were needed first while Torunn, Aureolus, Weaver, and Gabriella waited to be summoned. Sten wanted to get the primary business out of the way before anything else. Two stewards took the four to a parlor in the castle while they waited. It was quite cozy, with the expected furniture and a nice fireplace. Torunn took the moment to relax and take off her boots for once.
“You guys don’t mind if I kick back a little?” They had no objections. “Alright then… ah, that’s better. These old boots get the job done, but they aren’t the most comfy.” Her feet were calloused and her toenails were in rough shape. Some scars could also be seen.
Gabriella was taken aback. “My goodness, woman! Do you even know what a pedicure is?”
Torunn laughed while Weaver chuckled. “Of course I do, it's just that I don’t have time for that stuff… though I will admit these calluses are getting annoying.”
A stewardess with a soft voice spoke up. “Miss Craddock? I could speak to Queen Yngvild in regards to her upcoming wellness session. I’m sure she’d love to have you along.”
“Yes, please do,” Gabriella cut in. Torunn smiled and shook her head.
Weaver reached over for a biscuit from a tray of light food. “We had bigger things to worry about than our feet back where we came from.”
Aureolus looked at Torunn, then to Weaver. “Speaking of that, Weaver? Why is your skin such a different color?”
“Honestly we’re not too sure. I was going to look into it as our biology is pretty fascinating, but then we had to leave…”
“And why was that?” Gabriella wondered. “The reason for your departure?”
Weaver groaned. “Reasons… various reasons…”
“So I guess you want me to tell them?” Torunn asked.
“Sure, go ahead…”
Gabriella was concerned. “What’s the matter? It’s not traumatic, is it?”
“The only traumatic thing was how much my intelligence was insulted…” Weaver muttered.
Torunn chuckled. “Maybe not as heavy as that word suggests, but it certainly wasn't a great time. I guess I’ll start with our home. It was a bit behind one could say.”
“Behind?” Gabriella inquired. “How so? Technology? Ideals? Infrastructure?”
“Compared to places like The Market District and The Great Uncity, our world was like Shadowland, with more combustion machinery.”
“Obviously life wasn’t the easiest, but we got by,” Weaver added. “Of course it didn’t help that we had to deal with earth beasts running around everywhere…”
Gabriella nodded as she had heard of those before. “Oh dear, those wouldn’t happen to be earth spirits now, would they?”
Torunn nodded. “Bingo. Annoying little buggers. So much so that it warranted consistent hunting. Hunters were obviously a dime a dozen. If you needed beasts gone, there were many options at your disposal. Our family was one of them and we were pretty good at it.”
“Well baring me as I wanted to be a blacksmith…” Weaver looked annoyed.
“Really?” Aureolus wondered. “Did your parents not allow it? Seems like that line of work could use a smith or two.”
“Uncle Howard and Aunt Susan were always indifferent,” Torunn answered. “They weren’t against it, but they also wanted Weaver to be a hunter. His older brother, Faolán, was all for it… but his younger brother? Oh boy…”
“Grimwald…” Weaver subtly growled.
“Weaver, are you okay?” Gabriella questioned with concern.
Torunn rubbed her temple and sighed. “Grimwald was a bit of a problem child. He was born late to the party, well into Uncle Howard’s prime and had Faolán’s efforts to slack off on. Some say he was spoiled, I say he lacked grit. The issues arose when Weaver started learning to smith. Grimwald picked on him for ‘being lazy’ in his eyes… and yeah, the irony was lost on him.”
Weaver groaned again and got up to pace around. “Arrogant little… he was one of those types that were never wrong and never lifted a finger to help out.”
“Mm-hm” Gabriella noted. “Those that do not know conflict tend to have an inflated ego. Was he ever trained to be a hunter?”
“Yeah, but then he would just sit around and listen to the radio all day.”
Torunn nodded and resumed her account. “For a while I stood up for Weaver. Grimwald was annoying in that he would take subtle jabs at him and had this weird habit of walking out of conversations. And then he’d get loud and ornery when called out. So naturally I’d tell him to get off his arse and go hunt. That’d usually shut him up.”
Gabriella giggled. “My, well played, Torunn. Now you said ‘for a while.’ Did something happen to you or Weaver?”
“I wandered into the Unlight after a chaotic hunt and then fell in with Dunja and Milosh…” The regret was nearly visible on her face.
“Oh dear…”
“That’s not good,” Aureolus commented. “How’d you deal with that, Weaver?”
Weaver sighed and went for another biscuit. “Firstly, things were rocky given the search for Torunn. It was a trying time. Second, I was stupid enough to think Grimwald had finally grown up. We were both adults at that point, so was I wrong to think that?”
“Of course not,” Gabriella replied. “I’d also expect someone to mature upon reaching adulthood. Of course, I have been proven wrong before.”
“Well, given the caliber of man that Milosh is…” Aureolus pointed out. This got some chuckles.
“Exactly, Aureolus,” Weaver agreed. “See, the thing was that Grimwald was subtle, luring me into a false sense of security. And I know he was doing it on purpose. He was a powder keg, just waiting to go off. Honestly I should’ve seen the lit fuse when Faolán turned into a beast…”
Gabriella took a second to process that. “My God, what would even cause such a transformation?”
Weaver leaned against the mantle. “No idea…”
“Not to cut you off, kiddo, but that may have been because of The Beast of Old,” Torunn pointed out.
He was surprised. “Wait, really? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well, Milosh has been running us ragged and lord knows where Faolán is. Plus I’m a little fuzzy on the details…”
“Fair. Anyways, Grimwald naturally blamed me for everything…” There was a quiet anger in Weaver’s voice, albeit it seemed like he was misinterpreting some details. “Apparently it was all my fault because Faolán had to carry me and I was a lazy bastard that needed to be taught a lesson.”
Gabriella was horrified. “How dare he! How… how did you respond?”
“He showed up to my workshop with iron knuckles and a shotgun… only to be greeted by an eight foot tall dog that oozed and radiated lava. Evidently that’s my beast form…”
Aureolus had a realization. “Wait, so you’re like dad?”
“In a way. No clue why I have it, so don’t ask. Ahem, naturally me and Grimwald rampaged throughout the town, dead set on killing each other. I eventually ended up cornered, but then Torunn just showed up out of nowhere.”
She took that as her cue to continue. “After some time fighting for Sten, I realized that I had forgotten about the boys. I sought out Leif, The Dragon of Old, for help getting back to my universe. Everyone was surprised to see me and were glad I was back… up until I started punching and sending them flying. We then got out of dodge, picked up Faolán, went through the only viable gateway, had Leif destroy it, and then had a pint at The Dashing Ram. The rest is history… aside from a slight hitch.”
“That’s not good…” Aureolus quickly realized what was missing. “So um, where’s Faolán?”
“He went missing,” Weaver answered. “He’s here, in The Unlight. No doubt about it, as we’ve received letters from him. We just don’t know where or when he is… God, I hope he’s alright…”
Seeing how worried Weaver was, Gabriella got up and gave him a hug. “Weaver, I will help you find your brother… assuming something doesn’t come up on my end.”
“Thanks, Gabriella… I mean, you don’t have to…”
“No, I insist. Besides, it'll give me a good opportunity to explore The Unlight for my home realm.”
“Well there you go!” Torunn complimented. “Nab two birds with one stone.”
“And Weaver?”
“Yes, Gabriella?”
She cleared her throat. “Just know that anything that bumbling Grimwald said about you is not true. You are noble, brave, considerate, capable, and a real gentleman. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Weaver blushed. “Thanks, Gabriella.”
“If you’ll allow me to indulge in an anecdote: I may not have had to deal with someone like Grimwald since I’m an only child, but I did have an awkward time with my education when I was young.”
“You had issues?” Weaver was surprised (also hoping he did not come as inconsiderate).
She nodded. “You see, being an angel in the Inferno, a realm of demons, is a bit odd. I had trouble making friends in school, but a demon by the name of Stolas befriended me and would invite me to hang out with his friends.”
“That’s fantastic… Can I meet them sometime? I don’t mean to be pushy, it’s just that you’ve got my curiosity.”
“Of course. I’m sure they’d be pleased to meet you. I was planning to briefly head back home once the cult’s been dealt with. You could come with me then.”
“Fine with me… say, could we do our date then?”
Torunn nearly choked on her drink. “A date?! My favorite cousin’s got a date!”
Weaver gave her a slightly incredulous look. “Torunn, we’re all your favorite cousins… barring Grimwald. And yes, I want to go on a date with Gabriella.”
Aureolus did a gesture with his hands, as if trying to put things together. “So you two are a couple then?”
“Um… are we? Gabriella?” Weaver asked.
“I don’t see why not?” Both of them were blushing now.
“Stop the presses, Weaver finally got himself a girlfriend!” Torunn declared. “It’s like I kept telling you: Just go up to a girl and ask her out.”
He sighed. “Okay, fine. You were right…”
“Well of course I’d be, you little goofball” She said as she ruffled his hair. “I just wish someone had been that upfront with me. I’ll admit I'm not the most feminine of women, if you catch my meaning…”
Gabriella put a hand on her hip. “Really? You couldn’t find yourself a man? From what I’ve seen of my timeline, a good chunk of men love tall, strong women. Those who don’t are fools.” She took off her frock coat and rolled up her sleeve. “What do you think, Weaver?” She asked as she flexed. Her arm was nice and toned.
“Not bad, not bad at all. Have you lifted weights before?”
“Most certainly, given the career I choose and the expeditions I’ve been on so far. Torunn, perhaps you need to take the first step in this situation?”
“Huh… you think so?” She wondered.
Aureolus nodded. “Yeah. They probably think you’ll flex on them so hard they’ll get squished! Find a man you like and go hang out with them. Throw some darts, have a drink, maybe do some arm wrestling… and I’m sure you’ll find someone.”
Torunn gave a hearty laugh. “Alright, I’ll keep my eyes peeled then.”
“You can do it, cousin,” Weaver assured. “Also hey, are they done yet? Jeez…”
“Actually, Mr. Craddock, they’ve been done for a while,” another stewardess replied. “They’re all waiting for you.”
Gabriella giggled at the folly. “Well let’s not keep them waiting any longer then.”
Next: Chapter 18
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
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