The Newt and Demon - Book 7 Chapters 79, 80, 81 (Patreon)

Chapter 79

Why Do You Get To Have All The Fun

The Arbiter's Citadel was a place known for polished stone surfaces and straight edges. The office at the top of the massive tower provided a beautiful view of the metropolis below. It stretched far into the distance, revealing only a patchwork of greenery here and there, designated for parks and recreational areas. The office itself was no different from the rest of the planet. Everything within had its place. The stone walls were polished to a shine, and the massive wooden desk dominating the area before the sprawling window had been rubbed enough that Theo could see his reflection in the surface. The books on the shelf were ordered alphabetically, and none had a speck of dust on them.

Marring the beautiful image of the pristine office was a shimmering field of shadows that rested just on the edge. Theo felt the gods pressing in, looking for a weakness in his recently bolstered willpower but finding nothing but an unmovable barrier. He smiled to himself as he looked over his friends. Tresk, Fenian, Khahar, and Theo had gathered for a meeting of the throne holders—a most necessary meeting.

“Recent events have resulted in an imbalance of power,” Theo said. “I was locked away in some hell dimension for about 30 years before breaking out. Unfortunately, I seem to have brought something with me.”

“A hell dimension?” Fenian asked, cocking an eyebrow as a gentle smile played across his face. “Why do you get to have all the fun?”

"You have adventures all the time,” Tresk objected, throwing her hands into the air. “Just listen to the man, you fool."

"Anyway, I figured this would be a perfect meeting for the holders of the thrones. It relates to us specifically. This barrier I have established prevents any god from listening in."

"Is that why my fingers are tingling?" Fenian asked, looking down at his hands.

"No, I think the barrier is blocking some of the system as well," Theo said, "but not all of it. That has concerning implications, but that's not why we're here. I wanted to talk to you, Fenian, about the man I brought back."

The facade Fenian had become so good at putting up dropped away as his features darkened with a nod. He wasn't an idiot. He could piece things together through his own information network and typically knew far more than he let on. Theo was happy that the holder of the Throne of the Herald wasn't a moron.

"Which one was it?" Fenian asked. "Which of the ghosts from my past wants to come calling today?"

"The once king of Perisart… Leon." Theo didn’t have to wait long to see the reaction on Fenian’s face.

"Now, why would you bring him back?" Fenian asked, looking more serious than ever. "I know you're not altogether too familiar with the timeline of events, but he wasn't a good guy."

"I didn't truly know who he was down there," Theo said with a shrug. "The dimension I was in has a way of addling one's brain. I didn't even notice how many years had passed, even though I was counting my meals. I must have been skipping them for months at a time without realizing it. Anyway, he seemed like a different person, senile rather than malicious."

“Why don't you explain why we should be so afraid of this man?” Khahar said, breaking through the tension with a few words.

Fenian released a heavy sigh, a sigh laden with the pain of years. It was rare for the elf to show any weakness, but Theo saw it in that moment. This was a point of pain for him.

“How to put this as plainly as possible?” Fenian asked, tapping his chin. “When we defended the city of Perisart, it was madness. We had worked hard to create the defenses and man the lines. We lost quite a few soldiers that day. And when we went on to the next city to defend it, what did King Leon do? He murdered his wife and ascended to the realm of death. Then he siphoned the souls of the dead from both Iaredin and Earth to power his own schemes, imprisoning his brother and siding with Kuzan.”

“Okay, that’s pretty heavy,” Theo said.

“Yeah, what the hell?” Tresk asked. “Guy sounds like a real jerk.”

“Shall we kill him?” Khahar asked.

Fenian scoffed. “If you can. Remember the souls I was talking about? He absorbed a lot of them, making himself more powerful.”

So, Theo had accidentally released a random evil guy who didn't really fit into his schedule, but he also wasn't certain if Leon was anything to worry about. His thought on the matter was that people could change. At least he could confirm a few things that Fenian had said. Leon was strong, that was for sure. The barriers he had established in his own world should have been powerful enough to hold just about anybody. Khahar was likely the only person who could escape. Maybe Fenian, if he tried hard enough.

"We should try to reason with him first." Theo said, "My first problem there is trying to find him. My Dreamwalker's core didn't respond when he was near, meaning he isn't actually breaking any rules."

"He likely piggybacked on the same system that allowed people like Fenian and Elrin to enter this world," Khahar said. "You'd be hard-pressed to convince the system to unlock your core to deal with it, so we've got to do it the old-fashioned way."

"Another problem," Theo said, punctuating the statement with a pointed finger in the air. "He can travel through the void."

"Which means you can be anywhere on the planet," Tresk said. "That's disconcerting, but I guess we could deal with it. Assuming he’s in the mortal world."

“Well, finding him won't be difficult,” Fenian said with a shrug. “He'll be where the old city once stood, over in Tarantham.”

"Road trip?" Theo asked.

“Might as well get it over with,” Tresk said.

“Alas, you’ll need to do it on your own,” Khahar said. “I’m still bound here until the reset.”

Khahar's situation was unique. When he assumed the Throne of the Arbiter, he was in an astral form, an ascended state. This status had removed his mortal body, granting him faux godly powers that prevented him from treading into the lower realm, which was a shame.

"I think we can manage," Theo said, looking between Fenian and Tresk. "Right, guys?"

They both shrugged.

“Well then, I guess there’s no time to waste,” Theo said.

###

"What was that?” Fenian asked, his face turned slightly green as soft grass appeared beneath their feet. Theo smiled to himself while looking at Tresk and winking.

Theo enjoyed showing off his new power. They had been standing in the arbor one moment, and then they appeared in the elven kingdom the next. It had happened in a snap, and he couldn't have been happier with the overly dramatic response from the elf. "I no longer have to move through the void," the alchemist said. "I can just go from one spot to another."

"Well, you've certainly accomplished bringing us to the seat of the old Elven Kingdom, though it isn't anything like it used to be."

Theo looked out over the rolling fields, his eyes lingering on clusters of trees that dotted the area here and there. Far in the distance was a low town with wooden walls and ramshackle buildings. From what he understood, this was once the seat of an elven house long since destroyed 60,000 years ago. It would have been the ruins of the old city. Nothing was left of it, not even a stray stone here or there.

"This place is boring," Tresk said. "Is there really nothing left of the old city?"

"Not even a whisper," Fenian said. "The locals have no idea what their people used to be. And with Kuzan gone, they've been aimless ever since. Which makes me think that… Well, I'd rather not think about Leon taking over."

Theo nodded to himself and pressed forward, making note of anything interesting he saw. Mostly, he was interested in spotting any of the ruins of the old city, but as they drew closer to the small town, he saw nothing. Comparing his knowledge of this area to what he saw in Fenian's world, he was certain they were standing before the once massive gates of the city of Perisart. Instead, there was only a field stretching out and dipping here and there. As the party pressed forward, he saw his first sign of the old civilization.

“Stairs,” Theo said, crouching low to find stonework hidden beneath a layer of soil. He brushed away both grass and dirt to reveal aged grey stones that were pockmarked here and there.

"This was the stairway leading down to the port," Fenian said, gesturing to the west. "That connects with the coastline and gives access to the sea. That's where the ships and airships used to set sail from. Ah, what a time."

The group spent hours searching the area, finally finding what Fenian was looking for. To their surprise, they actually found something resembling ruins. A series of hardened stone walls denoted the shape of a long-gone building. However, after careful excavation, the Elf discovered stairs leading down. They followed them, moving through turns and switchback stairs that eventually opened into a massive underground cavern.

Rotating in the center of that cavern was a shard, glittering brilliant shades of blue and humming a gentle song. Theo watched as a figure stepped from within the shard. He shouldn't have been surprised to see Elrin appear, striding over with a grimace on his face.

"If you could go a half hour without causing trouble," Elrin said, shaking his head, "it would make my job a lot easier."

"I didn't intentionally release him," Theo said. Feeling the need to jump to his own defense, he figured Elrin already knew what was going on. If Fenian was well-informed, Elrin was omniscient.

"Let's get it over with then," Elrin said, striding over. "I don't think you'll find him around here. He'll head to the true capital... Tarantham City."

No one questioned it. They simply gathered close to enter Theo's shadowy barrier. One moment they were standing in those old ruins; the next, they were in a busy street, with elves walking here and there, conducting their business. Theo felt his breath hitch in his throat. He had to try several times to fill his lungs before he could look upon the city he had heard so much about. He wasn't surprised that it reminded him of old Perisart. The buildings were made from thick stone, and nothing was higher than a few floors tall, except for the massive spire lingering to the north.

"Where should we start?" Theo asked, looking around as his eyes locked on his group. They saw outsiders, and the only thoughts they had were to attack or flee. Some weapons were in hand, but Elin pressed forward without a question.

"The palace," Elrin said, giving his whistle a sharp blow. Above them formed the massive dragon form of Trevor, who took to the sky and roared. Those crowds that had seemed so interested in them moments ago now fled in fear, with a bell ringing far in the distance.

“Well, that’s one way to make an entrance,” Tresk muttered, looking around as the streets cleared.

“I suppose if you’re going to declare war, this is one way to do it!” Fenian shouted with a cackle. “Kneel before your new masters!”

Elrin grunted a response. The streets cleared before him as he progressed. The group pressed forward, moving through the various gates and between businesses until the citadel loomed overhead.

“So, who wants to knock?” Theo asked. A large force assembled before them, silver armor glittering as they brandished an assortment of weapons.

The massive wooden doors swung open, revealing yet another armored figure. This one had its helmet off, revealing all-too-familiar features. Brushing golden locks to one side, the handsome man tutted. “How many times must you attack my fair city, Fenian?”

Chapter 80

The Choice Is Yours

Theo felt his hands sweating as he gazed up at the man behind a curtain of steel. He had a commanding presence that washed over both the soldiers and the alchemist’s party like a wave. His power clashed against the dark aura, unable to penetrate but never probing from the outside. Fenian moved to the front of the formation, arms held wide with a broad smile on his face.

"My dearest Ealar," Fenian said, giving a deep bow. "Sorry for the show, but we're looking for somebody."

The commanding elf looked to the sky, his eyes narrowing as he tracked the dragon through the air. His gaze shot back to Fenian, and he shook his head. "Call the dragon off. Perhaps we can talk."

High in the sky above, Trevor released a gout of white-red flames that streaked through the air. Even far below, Theo could feel the heat against his face, and he smiled when he saw the elven soldiers flinch. Perhaps they weren't as battle-hardened as he had originally thought.

"Perhaps you can call off your goons,” Fenian said. “I believe that being in possession of a dragon gives us the upper hand."

Elrin shook his head, grunting as he strode forward. His signature halberd appeared in his hands, and the soldiers prepared for a fight. But there wasn't a fight—not when the man's strength came out to play. Instead, he vanished for a moment, appearing behind Ealar, grabbing him around the chest, and then reappearing with the group. Theo didn't miss a beat. He dropped them through the void to the first place he could think of. In a blink, they were standing on Fenian's world, outside of the version of Perissart that Fenian had imagined.

Ealar sputtered, his silver armor clanking as he fell to the ground.

"The best way to get information is to question the commander," Elrin said simply, looking back at the imagined city of Tudding. There were crowds of people moving toward the gate. “This thing is an affront to my memories.”

"I think it feels like home," Fenian said, preening. "Now, let's get down to the questions."

"What do you want, Fenian?" Ealar said, standing to his feet and dusting himself off. He could have drawn the sword at his hip, but he didn't. Instead, he stood there in indignation, looking over his captors with contempt.

"As a dude made of paper showed up in your town recently," Tresk asks, placing her hands on her hips, "he looks really weird and he's super powerful. You can't miss him."

"What are you even talking about?" Ealar said, looking down at the marshling and shaking his head.

Theo explained the basics of the situation. He left out a lot of information, but he detailed what Leon looked like, his name, and his old station.

"Tarantham prides itself on keeping tabs on visitors. We have wards placed everywhere that alert us when someone crosses our borders. We even saw you people appear on the continent, in the west. If this being had appeared, we would have known about it."

Theo needed to gather more information. There was a simple way to determine if their wards were powerful enough to detect a being nearby. He asked if they had detected when Balcour's shade had entered their territory, and the elf confirmed that they had. This only meant one thing.

"Leon didn't go to the mortal plane," Theo said, his brows knitting. "And I don't think he went to any of our worlds either."

"Well, what does that mean?" Fenian said, huffing.

"Is there anywhere to go but our planets? Or the mortal plane?" Tresk asked. "Do you think he's hiding out somewhere?"

"Underestimate King Leon at your peril," Elrin said. "Assume the worst. If he's out there, free in the void, who knows what he could do?"

"What kind of trouble did you get yourself into this time, Fenian?" Ealar said with a chuckle. "I can assure you that Tarantham had nothing to do with this entity. If he had appeared, we would have fought him with everything we had, down to the last man."

“Now that I believe,” Fenian said.

“I’m not the emperor,” Ealar said. “But I have control of the nation until the reset. During this time, we have no intention of starting a fight with any other nation. For any reason. We’re eager for a new start.”

“That’s refreshing to hear,” Theo said.

“Archduke Theo,” Ealar said, bowing his head slightly. “I assume we’re welcome to the games.”

“Of course,” Theo said, blinking away his surprise. “We just didn’t know if you were planning to attend in the spirit of cooperation. Now with the kidnapping…”

Ealar shrugged. “This isn’t the first time I’ve been captured, and I doubt it’ll be the last. Now that I know Fenian isn’t trying to break into the capital to assassinate me, I’d invite you back to the palace for some food.”

Theo and Tresk shared a look. “Okay,” they said in unison.

As the group chatted about whatever—all tension broken in an instant—Elrin’s gaze was fixed on the imagined version of Perisart. The scars in the walls still resonated with his soul, the sound of the eastern gate shattering still echoing in his mind. The hallowed halls of the palace were stained with the queen’s blood shortly after the assault. And the man responsible had just fled into the void.

The end days of the world would be an interesting time indeed. The hunt was on.

***

The void was a mercurial thing. It was a space that spanned an uncountable distance. There were places that hadn't been graced by people since before the change. The system had seen fit to segment the places from here to there, the places that were merged during the change. Yet the people of this iteration didn't understand the enormity of the world they found themselves in. The galaxy spanned space, lying just beyond a border on the edge of this void.

But Leon knew.

Since before his world was destroyed and his throne dismantled, Leon had understood the void. The place between places was more of a home to him than anywhere else, even his ancestral homeland. Kuzan had cast him into the void before the change. No matter what story that ghost of a man concocted, it would never be the truth. The truth was that Kuzan had dismantled the Throne of Death before Iaredin was sealed, casting Leon into the void and ensuring the realm for himself.

It must’ve been easy enough for the shade to conquer the realm without a master. Now Kuzan sat within the endless road of Death’s Realm, ferrying souls from one side to the other. Leon no longer languished in that realm of banishment. More of his mind returned to him as the moments passed. A familiar sound fluttered into his ear as he approached the edge of the local iteration. The barrier near the end shimmered like a collection of stars ringing the endless void.

“I would advise against it,” the bird-like entity said, fluttering close with a snapping beak and sword-like talons.

“And what would you do to stop me?” Leon asked with a chuckle. He reached out to the seal, pressing his hand against it and passing through as though moving through the threshold to another room. The bird came along, passing with equal ease. “I must see it.”

Once within the void, Leon angled himself toward a familiar drop of energy. It lingered on the horizon like the setting sun, bleeding orange energy into the space between spaces. The humans from Earth had a way to think about universes, but they were stunted. Once incorporated into the system, the concept of ‘space’ was replaced with ‘void’, making travel between these words easy… So long as the monitor system allowed it.

“The other worlds aren’t ready,” the bird said.

“I have no intention of landing,” Leon said. “Has the entire local iteration been time-locked?”

“That’s right,” the bird said. “This was the special resolution we discussed.”

“What happened to the other?”

“Twelve was destroyed for violating the sacred laws,” the bird said. “It is the reason we picked this resolution.”

“I suppose it works,” Leon said, banking to one side as he finally spotted it. Sol, lingering in the distance. “I’m unsure what I expected to see. Thought you might be a liar.”

“When Earth and Iaredin were drawn through the void, Twelve took special measures,” the bird said. “It sealed the worlds away, but made a grave mistake, thus breaking the sacred laws.”

Leon’s eyes lingered on the Baleful Eye, still hovering near where Earth should have been. The planet-sized crimson eye gazed at a world that had been gone for a year. “I feel you have failed to prepare the world for what comes next.”

“Perhaps you are right,” the bird said. “But to do anything else would have violated the sacred laws by which I am bound. As the Baleful Eye lingers, so must I persist.”

“They may kill me before this is over,” Leon said. “But I would like to volunteer. I don’t have your power, but I’m willing to do what I must to ensure the survival of my people.”

“Your people faded sixty-thousand years ago in that bubble,” the bird said. “Like this ‘shade’ you speak of, you are a spectre.”

“Unlike the shade, I’ll have my moment of redemption. Not as a ferryman, but as a teacher. Come, let’s return to the local iteration,” Leon said.

Before long, the pair floated outside the massive sphere. From the outside, the local iteration the bird had created appeared as nothing more than a large black ball floating in the void. Within were the millions of souls bound to this mistake.

“Maybe they’ll never be ready,” Leon said. “When the iteration is released into the greater universe, what are the chances the local system will endure?”

“Fifty percent.”

“That’s higher than I expected,” Leon said. “You don’t mind if I get to work, do you?”

“As discussed, your special exception stands,” the bird said. “So long as the structure is confined.”

“I was thinking more like a pocket world bound to the iteration,” Leon said, scratching his chin. “An academy, of sorts, for those brave enough to venture out.”

“And that will wash away your sins?” the bird asked.

“Maybe. Perhaps it is only enough to ease my troubled mind. I spent too long in that place, losing my mind for untold eons,” Leon said. He tilted his head to one side. With a flick of his hand, he released his authority over the aspect of Death. Matter collected outside the iteration, turning concept into fact.

A new planet appeared just outside the containment zone, floating in the vastness of the void. Upon it, the bird layered the required wards and seals the Greater System demanded for incorporation. Time slowed, matching that of the space within.

“Now we only need to recruit some people,” Leon said, turning his eyes to the heavens. “Which world should we start with?”

“The choice is yours,” the bird said.

Chapter 81

Epilogue

Theo Spencer,

45th Day, Season of Death,

873rd Year of Balkor’s Betrayal

I thought things were weird back on Earth, but stuff around here has grown even stranger than I could have imagined. Just when I think that the plot hasn't unfolded enough, another layer is revealed for me to peel back. Here I sit, in my manor, looking over the people who helped build Broken Tusk into something greater and marveling at their resolve.

The latest layer of the onion we revealed was a long-forgotten king named Leon. He was trapped in some hell dimension, and I may have accidentally released him into the world. That's fine. It's not the first time I've unleashed some horrors on this planet, but this one's different. I don't think he stayed in the mortal realm. I don't think he's in the heavens either. But that leads to the question: Where the hell did he go, and what is he doing?

Well, that's not the only thing that has happened in town since the last time I penned one of these entries. Things around here are very busy. My greatest fears never came to pass, though. The nations didn't turn against us when the end of the world was announced. Maybe it was the games we are planning to undertake, or maybe I misjudged them. But everyone took it well. The people in this world don't view the end the same way I did back on Earth, and perhaps that's a good thing. I still can't tell.

Anyway, we've done a lot to improve the town, but the progress we're making now is slower than ever. With all the basic needs of the locals met, it's hard to find things to work on. That's what led to the idea for the arena. What better way to get the world's mind off current events than to create a grand arena? I'm reminded of the Romans back on Earth, but I'll leave my thoughts on that out of this. I'd rather not be compared to those emperors. With magic throughout the entire world, things like basic needs are much easier to meet.

So far as the heavens go, I believe I have the approval of enough gods to bring the Southlands with us, and perhaps even more than that, considering how much my power has grown. I was trapped in that hell dimension for 30 years. More so, I'm told, during those years, time fell away for me, and I did little more than increase my willpower.

Perhaps now I don't even need the approval of the gods. My aura is strong enough that they can't eavesdrop on my conversations, and I'm certain I could block interdiction events from them if I try hard enough. Under the influence of one of my aura enhancement potions, there might be nothing outside of my reach. That leads to the question: Do I abuse this power or still play within the rules, even if those rules are stupid?

I’ll decide on that later.

For now, I’m happy that everything has lined up for the events to come. We’re going to have some interesting games here in Broken Tusk. I don’t know exactly what they are, but we’ll have some fun. People from all over the world are going to come, although I doubt the entire world’s population will be here.

I only have two things dangling that need to be snipped. Leon, and Balkor’s remnants. Yeah, Balkor left behind about a thousand pieces of himself here on the mortal plane. It’s messing up the local energy and we really need a fix for it. Fenian has a plan, but I don’t care for heading to Slagrot and pilfering their volcano. You know what ogres don’t like? People stealing crap from their volcanos.

Honestly, my wrist hurts. I can’t even remember why I started writing these, but I get some pleasure out of it. Not like “yay, we’re going to the park” but close enough. While I’m looking forward to the next leg of this adventure, I’m not sure what to expect. Perhaps when I find Leon, I’ll have some answers to that question. If we’re lucky, all those questions will come with answers. But only time will tell, huh?