ULTRAMagic Chaos - Chapter 6
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“You ever get that feeling that someone you think you know is having trouble and you get a knot in your stomach?” Tusk asked as he took a seat.
“If we’re thinking about the same person, don’t worry. He has more answers than he realizes,” Cyneberht assured.
Waltheof turned away from the window overlooking the forest to face his guests. “I have never envied those of the third dimension within the Cosmos Proper. That is a fate I wouldn’t even subject Wulfric to… maybe Karnage though.”
Mizuki was a little confused. “It can’t be that bad, can it? Is this mystery person dealing with his own demon lord?”
Cyneberht gave a remorseful chuckle. “I take it you're unfamiliar with the digital age?”
“Lady Arlotti told me to avoid those ‘computer’ things. She said they’re nothing but trouble.”
“A good call on her part,” Waltheof commented.
“Well, I mean, video games seem pretty fun,” Razor pointed out.
“Absolutely,” Cyneberht agreed. “The issue arises when you pair the messiness of computing with a close minded society obsessed with gain and wealth.”
Razor exhaled. “Oh, so we’re talking about those nutcases. Dad warned me not to leave The Unlight over that.”
Waltheof nodded. “Agreed. You don’t need to enter the Cosmos Proper to protect it. Some of the civilizations there are quite backwards. Most 20th to 21st century Earths make the Void Orcs look like Kleitos’ scholars. And that’s not an insult to either of them.”
Mizuki nodded with a look of amusement. “Normally I would rebuke that, but I’ve seen my fair share of bakageta hito in my time…”
Tusk laughed. “I don’t even want to begin to imagine how General Skull Thrasher would react to the Earth Milosh came from…” He then exhaled, letting out a bunch of air. This was noticed by Razor and Mizuki.
“What the… Tusk, did you just… oh what’s the word?” Razor said with a few finger snaps.
“Photosynthesize?” Cyneberht suggested.
He nodded. “Yeah, that.”
Tusk stretched his arms out. “Yup. Sometimes I go a little overboard when I’m worried. It eases my nerves regardless.”
“So you’re actually a plant then?” Mizuki questioned.
“What do you think?”
She was amazed, giving a respectful bow. “Thank you, honorable tree.”
That made him smile. “Well on behalf of my people and forests everywhere, you’re welcome. Honestly you should spend some time in The Unending Forest regardless. I think my family will like you.”
Mizuki giggled. “Thank you, I graciously accept.”
“You’ll definitely like Sigmund, Mizuki,” Waltheof replied. “He’s a good man with a strong soul and a heart of gold.”
“No surprise there given that he idolized Ealdhelm growing up,” Cyneberht pointed out as he shuffled his deck of cards.
Razor and Mizuki looked at Tusk, who was smiling. “How do you think I found Ealdhelm in the first place? He was my dad’s teacher.” Feeling bored, Tusk got up and retrieved a toy from Waltheof’s shelves. It reacted to ULTRAMagic, taking various shapes as it was influenced. “Enough about me though. I want to know what Ealdhelm’s been up to.”
“Yearning for love,” Waltheof answered. “Ealdhelm’s dam finally broke in the best way possible.”
“We’ve been concerned about his mental state for some time now,” Cyneberht continued. “Ealdhelm has been a bit stiff, prior to Wulfric and Delhpine’s wedding. One of our tenants used to be no romance to keep our minds clear, but that went right out the window when Ealdhelm began seeing Adelheid.”
Tusk thought about it, recalling his past with his godfather. “Yeah, I can easily see that. Ealdhelm was a real off the cuff mentor, so I could see him together with someone disciplined like her.”
“The irony being that Adelheid thinks this is breaking her free of her nature. Her domains are Blood, Man, Vigor, and Medicine. All of these require her to be more orderly than the other gods, obviously being a contradiction given where we are. Adelheid desires to be more like Delphine. She thinks she can cut loose with Ealdhelm when in reality he’s satisfying her deepest desires for order. It’s a brutal cycle that we think Ealdhelm can tame.”
“That’s very touching, but does Adelheid truly need a man in her life?” Mizuki wondered. “I’ve been fine without one…”
“A fair question, Mizuki,” Waltheof answered. “It’s a ‘let’s wait and see’ kind of situation. I feel it’s best if we don't interfere.”
Mizuki noticed Tusk, who was giving her a weird look. “What?”
“You’re single, aren’t you?”
“Yes, and?”
“You’ve never had a lover?” Razor questioned.
“No?”
Razor was flabbergasted. “You can’t go without a lover!” he cried. “Tell you what; I’ll be your boyfriend!” The others were starting to laugh.
“Sumimasen?” Mizuki was starting to blush.
“Yeah! I mean you're nice, polite, helpful, incredibly pretty…”
Waltheof noticed Mizuki had turned bright red and laughed. “Lad, lad, I think she’s out of your league at the moment.”
As Mizuki stormed off, ranting in Japanese, Tusk took Razor and gave him a noogie. “You little dog, you…” Razor laughed as he tried to get out of his grip. “You’re putting the puppy in puppy love!”
“A word of advice, Razor,” Cynberht said once he was listening. “While some ladies appreciate boldness, some prefer a more refined approach. Get into their head, then into their good graces.”
He chuckled. “Okay, Cyneberht. I just felt bad for her after seeing how well Tusk and Donia are doing.”
His mentor laughed with a hint of pity. “Can’t fault you there. Isn’t there a lady wolf for you back in the forest though?”
“I… I don’t know. I was so caught up in achieving ULTRAMagic that I wasn’t paying attention.”
Mizuki eventually calmed down and rejoined the conversation. Things went smoothly after that, as the conversation had been steadily shifting away from love and romance. Mizuki was not mad at Razor, just confused. She had always been a rather independent tomboy, so a proposal like that threw her for a loop. All of it was making her question just what she had stumbled into.
Dinner that night was fantastic as Osbeorn and his wife got to cook. They were fantastic chefs who took pride in their work. Razor and Mizuki were definitely interested in learning from them, as the former had always admired his father’s cooking. Mizuki shared a similar sentiment, recounting how her parents always made fantastic meals. Following dessert, Tusk went for a small walk around the monastery that fine, starry night. He encountered Maxima, who had been looking for him and was happy to have run into him.
“Tusk, do you have a moment?” Her voice was very welcoming, like that of a friendly teacher.
“Sure. What’s up Maxima?”
The two started walking. “I heard Ealdhelm wanted to address Kleitos first. Is it alright if I accompany your group tomorrow?”
“Of course. Looking to sneak in some learning while you’re at it?”
“Absolutely. It’s the primary reason why I’m here at the moment. Tusk, I have a proposal for you. Would you like to be one of my acolytes? Learning is something that is paramount to me and I’ve heard a great deal about you. Personally I think I can help you with your alchemy and magic.”
Tusk pondered that. “Dad always said that you never stop learning. What do you have to teach me?”
“Atlantis made great strides before the schism that caused Vita and Antonia to move it to Atlangea. Personally I think a fresh perspective would be a boon to anyone’s alchemy.”
It sounded very appealing, but something occurred to Tusk. “Alright, but what if I already know all you have to teach me? What then?”
“While I doubt that’ll happen, I would simply study under you Tusk. This relationship goes both ways: You learn from me and I learn from you. And if things go well, I could still end up teaching you something new regardless.”
“A very good point, Maxima,” Tusk conceded as he stroked his jaw. “Tell you what; if you want another good student, follow me.”
Tusk led Maxima to the room where Randalph was staying. The goatman was busy divining, meditating while a sphere of energy hovered around him. It was an entrancing sight to behold as he hummed rhythmically with his eyes closed. Sensing his guests arrive, he slowly stopped, causing the energy orb to slowly fade away.
“Hello Tusk, Maxima. What can I do for you?”
“Maxima’s looking for students,” Tusk answered as he sat down.
“Goodness, how forthright,” she quietly remarked. “Yes, Randalph. Tusk indicated that you also seek knowledge?”
“I’d say so” he replied with a hint of pride in his voice. “It’s the main reason I took up necromancy and divination.”
“I see. Could you tell me about yourself, if that’s okay with you? Also I’d like to hear a little bit about Limbo, if you don’t mind.”
Randalph was happy to oblige her. He was an average goatman from the wandering city of Thundee. His people were primarily alchemists with some necromancers. As a whole they were predominantly scholars with a knack for exploring Limbo, thanks to the mobile nature of Thundee. Randalph then explained how he met Tusk. The two had become acquainted with each other at The Thundee Academy of Mages and would not stop getting into trouble. This made Maxima laugh, endearing Randalph to her.
As for Limbo, Randalph definitely had some things to say about it. Limbo was a sub-realm of the insanely chaotic Purgatory, a place arguably more hectic than the Realm of Chaos itself. The irony was that Purgatory was supposed to be the realm of order. Randalph recounted entire land masses breaking away and falling into the abyss, only to reappear minutes later. He had always speculated that Purgatory, in trying to force itself to be orderly, turned into a realm of unholy chaos. Truthfully he preferred the Realm of Chaos as it understood its role in the Cosmos.
“Despite your lack of enthusiasm for it, Randalph, I would like to visit Limbo someday” Maxima admitted.
He chuckled. “If you have the fortitude for it. Why haven’t you done so already, if I may ask?”
“Oh, I’m just busy keeping watch over Earth, Atlangea, and my sisters. I’ve been worried ever since the relocation of Atlantis. It’s safe to say that things have been incredibly shaky since then.”
“I imagine the nonsense with the Discordant Gods isn’t helping either.”
“Not in the slightest.”
Tusk sighed. “I know how you feel, Maxima. It sucks having the weight of the Cosmos bearing down on you. Take it from me, don’t ever plant your feet in the ground and do nothing. You won’t go anywhere… literally.”
She smiled and chuckled. “Thank you, Tusk. I wish we had upstanding men like you two in our pantheon back in the day.”
“If I may say, you can’t have a union of opposites with just one part of the union,” Randalph replied. “It just won’t work because you have nothing to work with.”
“I know, right? I’ve talked about this countless times with Drusa and Octavia. In fact, it’s a contributing factor as to why Drusa went looking for Ermenrich, aside from wanting to see her husband again.”
“Ermenrich?” Tusk inquired.
“Her husband’s original name,” Maxima answered. “It’s rumored he’s going under another identity known as ‘Vexation.’”
Tusk banged the desk he sat at. “Girl, if that’s the same Vexation I know, he is literally in The Iron City as we speak!”
Maxima gasped. “Oh my goodness…”
“We’ll have to visit Drusa once she makes her way to The Iron City then,” Randalph declared. “I presume he’s staying with Blood-Wraith, Tusk?”
“Yup. He’s also going to be teaching Blood his signature magic.”
“Tusk, could I meet Mr. Raynot sometime soon?” Maxima wondered.
“I don’t see why not, given that he’s doing the guild thing and all.” Tusk then looked around and nodded. “You know what? I got a good feeling about tomorrow. Want me to bring you back some books, Randalph?”
“If all goes well and Kleitos allows it, sure. We can have a jolly old book club and see what we can learn.”
Maxima gave a slight laugh in joy. “You two are just the nicest alchemists I’ve ever met. I can’t wait to start working with both of you.”
“Don’t be afraid to stop by the forest when you get the chance,” Tusk said as he shook her hand. “We’d love to have you.”
“Thank you, Tusk. I’ll definitely visit when I have the chance.”
Next: Chapter 7
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Master Post - Patreon
“You ever get that feeling that someone you think you know is having trouble and you get a knot in your stomach?” Tusk asked as he took a seat.
“If we’re thinking about the same person, don’t worry. He has more answers than he realizes,” Cyneberht assured.
Waltheof turned away from the window overlooking the forest to face his guests. “I have never envied those of the third dimension within the Cosmos Proper. That is a fate I wouldn’t even subject Wulfric to… maybe Karnage though.”
Mizuki was a little confused. “It can’t be that bad, can it? Is this mystery person dealing with his own demon lord?”
Cyneberht gave a remorseful chuckle. “I take it you're unfamiliar with the digital age?”
“Lady Arlotti told me to avoid those ‘computer’ things. She said they’re nothing but trouble.”
“A good call on her part,” Waltheof commented.
“Well, I mean, video games seem pretty fun,” Razor pointed out.
“Absolutely,” Cyneberht agreed. “The issue arises when you pair the messiness of computing with a close minded society obsessed with gain and wealth.”
Razor exhaled. “Oh, so we’re talking about those nutcases. Dad warned me not to leave The Unlight over that.”
Waltheof nodded. “Agreed. You don’t need to enter the Cosmos Proper to protect it. Some of the civilizations there are quite backwards. Most 20th to 21st century Earths make the Void Orcs look like Kleitos’ scholars. And that’s not an insult to either of them.”
Mizuki nodded with a look of amusement. “Normally I would rebuke that, but I’ve seen my fair share of bakageta hito in my time…”
Tusk laughed. “I don’t even want to begin to imagine how General Skull Thrasher would react to the Earth Milosh came from…” He then exhaled, letting out a bunch of air. This was noticed by Razor and Mizuki.
“What the… Tusk, did you just… oh what’s the word?” Razor said with a few finger snaps.
“Photosynthesize?” Cyneberht suggested.
He nodded. “Yeah, that.”
Tusk stretched his arms out. “Yup. Sometimes I go a little overboard when I’m worried. It eases my nerves regardless.”
“So you’re actually a plant then?” Mizuki questioned.
“What do you think?”
She was amazed, giving a respectful bow. “Thank you, honorable tree.”
That made him smile. “Well on behalf of my people and forests everywhere, you’re welcome. Honestly you should spend some time in The Unending Forest regardless. I think my family will like you.”
Mizuki giggled. “Thank you, I graciously accept.”
“You’ll definitely like Sigmund, Mizuki,” Waltheof replied. “He’s a good man with a strong soul and a heart of gold.”
“No surprise there given that he idolized Ealdhelm growing up,” Cyneberht pointed out as he shuffled his deck of cards.
Razor and Mizuki looked at Tusk, who was smiling. “How do you think I found Ealdhelm in the first place? He was my dad’s teacher.” Feeling bored, Tusk got up and retrieved a toy from Waltheof’s shelves. It reacted to ULTRAMagic, taking various shapes as it was influenced. “Enough about me though. I want to know what Ealdhelm’s been up to.”
“Yearning for love,” Waltheof answered. “Ealdhelm’s dam finally broke in the best way possible.”
“We’ve been concerned about his mental state for some time now,” Cyneberht continued. “Ealdhelm has been a bit stiff, prior to Wulfric and Delhpine’s wedding. One of our tenants used to be no romance to keep our minds clear, but that went right out the window when Ealdhelm began seeing Adelheid.”
Tusk thought about it, recalling his past with his godfather. “Yeah, I can easily see that. Ealdhelm was a real off the cuff mentor, so I could see him together with someone disciplined like her.”
“The irony being that Adelheid thinks this is breaking her free of her nature. Her domains are Blood, Man, Vigor, and Medicine. All of these require her to be more orderly than the other gods, obviously being a contradiction given where we are. Adelheid desires to be more like Delphine. She thinks she can cut loose with Ealdhelm when in reality he’s satisfying her deepest desires for order. It’s a brutal cycle that we think Ealdhelm can tame.”
“That’s very touching, but does Adelheid truly need a man in her life?” Mizuki wondered. “I’ve been fine without one…”
“A fair question, Mizuki,” Waltheof answered. “It’s a ‘let’s wait and see’ kind of situation. I feel it’s best if we don't interfere.”
Mizuki noticed Tusk, who was giving her a weird look. “What?”
“You’re single, aren’t you?”
“Yes, and?”
“You’ve never had a lover?” Razor questioned.
“No?”
Razor was flabbergasted. “You can’t go without a lover!” he cried. “Tell you what; I’ll be your boyfriend!” The others were starting to laugh.
“Sumimasen?” Mizuki was starting to blush.
“Yeah! I mean you're nice, polite, helpful, incredibly pretty…”
Waltheof noticed Mizuki had turned bright red and laughed. “Lad, lad, I think she’s out of your league at the moment.”
As Mizuki stormed off, ranting in Japanese, Tusk took Razor and gave him a noogie. “You little dog, you…” Razor laughed as he tried to get out of his grip. “You’re putting the puppy in puppy love!”
“A word of advice, Razor,” Cynberht said once he was listening. “While some ladies appreciate boldness, some prefer a more refined approach. Get into their head, then into their good graces.”
He chuckled. “Okay, Cyneberht. I just felt bad for her after seeing how well Tusk and Donia are doing.”
His mentor laughed with a hint of pity. “Can’t fault you there. Isn’t there a lady wolf for you back in the forest though?”
“I… I don’t know. I was so caught up in achieving ULTRAMagic that I wasn’t paying attention.”
Mizuki eventually calmed down and rejoined the conversation. Things went smoothly after that, as the conversation had been steadily shifting away from love and romance. Mizuki was not mad at Razor, just confused. She had always been a rather independent tomboy, so a proposal like that threw her for a loop. All of it was making her question just what she had stumbled into.
Dinner that night was fantastic as Osbeorn and his wife got to cook. They were fantastic chefs who took pride in their work. Razor and Mizuki were definitely interested in learning from them, as the former had always admired his father’s cooking. Mizuki shared a similar sentiment, recounting how her parents always made fantastic meals. Following dessert, Tusk went for a small walk around the monastery that fine, starry night. He encountered Maxima, who had been looking for him and was happy to have run into him.
“Tusk, do you have a moment?” Her voice was very welcoming, like that of a friendly teacher.
“Sure. What’s up Maxima?”
The two started walking. “I heard Ealdhelm wanted to address Kleitos first. Is it alright if I accompany your group tomorrow?”
“Of course. Looking to sneak in some learning while you’re at it?”
“Absolutely. It’s the primary reason why I’m here at the moment. Tusk, I have a proposal for you. Would you like to be one of my acolytes? Learning is something that is paramount to me and I’ve heard a great deal about you. Personally I think I can help you with your alchemy and magic.”
Tusk pondered that. “Dad always said that you never stop learning. What do you have to teach me?”
“Atlantis made great strides before the schism that caused Vita and Antonia to move it to Atlangea. Personally I think a fresh perspective would be a boon to anyone’s alchemy.”
It sounded very appealing, but something occurred to Tusk. “Alright, but what if I already know all you have to teach me? What then?”
“While I doubt that’ll happen, I would simply study under you Tusk. This relationship goes both ways: You learn from me and I learn from you. And if things go well, I could still end up teaching you something new regardless.”
“A very good point, Maxima,” Tusk conceded as he stroked his jaw. “Tell you what; if you want another good student, follow me.”
Tusk led Maxima to the room where Randalph was staying. The goatman was busy divining, meditating while a sphere of energy hovered around him. It was an entrancing sight to behold as he hummed rhythmically with his eyes closed. Sensing his guests arrive, he slowly stopped, causing the energy orb to slowly fade away.
“Hello Tusk, Maxima. What can I do for you?”
“Maxima’s looking for students,” Tusk answered as he sat down.
“Goodness, how forthright,” she quietly remarked. “Yes, Randalph. Tusk indicated that you also seek knowledge?”
“I’d say so” he replied with a hint of pride in his voice. “It’s the main reason I took up necromancy and divination.”
“I see. Could you tell me about yourself, if that’s okay with you? Also I’d like to hear a little bit about Limbo, if you don’t mind.”
Randalph was happy to oblige her. He was an average goatman from the wandering city of Thundee. His people were primarily alchemists with some necromancers. As a whole they were predominantly scholars with a knack for exploring Limbo, thanks to the mobile nature of Thundee. Randalph then explained how he met Tusk. The two had become acquainted with each other at The Thundee Academy of Mages and would not stop getting into trouble. This made Maxima laugh, endearing Randalph to her.
As for Limbo, Randalph definitely had some things to say about it. Limbo was a sub-realm of the insanely chaotic Purgatory, a place arguably more hectic than the Realm of Chaos itself. The irony was that Purgatory was supposed to be the realm of order. Randalph recounted entire land masses breaking away and falling into the abyss, only to reappear minutes later. He had always speculated that Purgatory, in trying to force itself to be orderly, turned into a realm of unholy chaos. Truthfully he preferred the Realm of Chaos as it understood its role in the Cosmos.
“Despite your lack of enthusiasm for it, Randalph, I would like to visit Limbo someday” Maxima admitted.
He chuckled. “If you have the fortitude for it. Why haven’t you done so already, if I may ask?”
“Oh, I’m just busy keeping watch over Earth, Atlangea, and my sisters. I’ve been worried ever since the relocation of Atlantis. It’s safe to say that things have been incredibly shaky since then.”
“I imagine the nonsense with the Discordant Gods isn’t helping either.”
“Not in the slightest.”
Tusk sighed. “I know how you feel, Maxima. It sucks having the weight of the Cosmos bearing down on you. Take it from me, don’t ever plant your feet in the ground and do nothing. You won’t go anywhere… literally.”
She smiled and chuckled. “Thank you, Tusk. I wish we had upstanding men like you two in our pantheon back in the day.”
“If I may say, you can’t have a union of opposites with just one part of the union,” Randalph replied. “It just won’t work because you have nothing to work with.”
“I know, right? I’ve talked about this countless times with Drusa and Octavia. In fact, it’s a contributing factor as to why Drusa went looking for Ermenrich, aside from wanting to see her husband again.”
“Ermenrich?” Tusk inquired.
“Her husband’s original name,” Maxima answered. “It’s rumored he’s going under another identity known as ‘Vexation.’”
Tusk banged the desk he sat at. “Girl, if that’s the same Vexation I know, he is literally in The Iron City as we speak!”
Maxima gasped. “Oh my goodness…”
“We’ll have to visit Drusa once she makes her way to The Iron City then,” Randalph declared. “I presume he’s staying with Blood-Wraith, Tusk?”
“Yup. He’s also going to be teaching Blood his signature magic.”
“Tusk, could I meet Mr. Raynot sometime soon?” Maxima wondered.
“I don’t see why not, given that he’s doing the guild thing and all.” Tusk then looked around and nodded. “You know what? I got a good feeling about tomorrow. Want me to bring you back some books, Randalph?”
“If all goes well and Kleitos allows it, sure. We can have a jolly old book club and see what we can learn.”
Maxima gave a slight laugh in joy. “You two are just the nicest alchemists I’ve ever met. I can’t wait to start working with both of you.”
“Don’t be afraid to stop by the forest when you get the chance,” Tusk said as he shook her hand. “We’d love to have you.”
“Thank you, Tusk. I’ll definitely visit when I have the chance.”
Next: Chapter 7
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
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