Superhero Adventures, UK Style

Banshee was spending the weekend in Edinburgh overseeing the opening of her latest Container Town Project, leaving Akira and Paragon to respond to any issues or situations that might arise in Wessex over the weekend without her ‘wisdom and guidance’. For once, it was quiet and they were enjoying the peace of not being at some meta-criminal’s beck and call, when Seven arrived after school. Both had forgotten that she was due to stay over that weekend and realised that they hadn’t arranged any activities or training for her. After an awkward evening sitting around the lounge, everyone retired early, to their bedrooms leaving Jeeves to clean up.

The three of them were subsequently ‘woken up’ in the early hours, by an ethereal, disembodied voice calling to them out of the darkness. Akira instinctively reached for his bedside light and smiled as his hand slid through the lamp. So, the intruders voice was not actually present, at least physically. This was either an extremely vivid dream or he was being visited psychically. He rarely dreamed of being incorporeal so this was most likely a visitation on the astral plane – an amorphous realm where will and imagination influenced the surrounding space. Some creatures and species, such as the Fae, had been living on similar realms for a long time and had learned to shape this amorphous matter and energy into structures and objects; it was a skill that Akira was still learning.

As the voice began to speak, Paragon (interestingly the face was Paragon’s not Peter’s) and Seven floated through the walls to join him in the room. Seven seemed extremely comfortable navigating in her astral form he noted, thankful that their astral forms had been summoned forth fully costumed. He fingered the Medallion of Modrossus as he listened to the summoning voice in the dark.

“Hear me masters of the mystical arts and take heed.” said the voice, “You are summoned to a contest of sorcerers to settle a question of power. Come to the land of the Three and face your destiny, if you are worthy.

On behalf of their Eminences, the thirteen guardians of the Parliament of the Dawn, you are hereby summoned into their presence. It is imperative that you, and your chosen partners or servants, come with the utmost haste, as the guardians require your participation in the selection of a new Master Mage to protect this realm against supernatural threats most dire.

You may be curious as to why you were selected to receive this summons. Their Eminences feel that the time has come to choose a new Master Mage to replace Adrian Eldrich, who has abdicated his guardianship responsibilities on this realm. You are either mystically powerful enough to participate in the selection or have been subconsciously chosen as a Mage’s partner to support those who are. The Master Mage will be selected, not based on morality or loyalty to the light, but solely on their potential ability to protect this realm against the gathering forces of the dark as well as having a strong connection to this world, powerful enough to want to protect it against all odds.

I assure you this is an act of grave importance, as the Earth may soon be facing a great and terrible threat and needs a Master Mage to stand as its defender. Come! You are hereby summoned to prove your worth.”

The world around them began to shift and shimmer and they found themselves standing in an astral echo with several others. They were standing in front of an ancient oak tree, around it the sky and ground shone like the aurora borealis, beautiful dancing waves of multi-coloured light, displaying dynamic patterns of brilliant lights that appeared as curtains, rays, spirals, or dynamic flickers covering the entire realm. Now this was the type of astral plane Akira knew best.

Before they could try to identify their fellow summoned, several figures began to flicker into existence at the base of the tree in front of them; first to appear was a thirty-year-old man with an arrogant smile. He was dressed in a dark Savile Row suit and appeared to be smoking a large Cuban cigar! Next to appear was a young, muscular female dressed in a psychic copy of ancient Greek armour, a large snowy owl on her arm. An ancient-looking Indian mystic appeared next followed by a stern, hard-faced Anglican Bishop, then an elderly woman, barely five foot tall with a friendly smile and a grandmotherly manner about her. Something about her made Akira think she had to be a Wiccan High Priestess. Next to appear was a familiar man with dark skin and African features, dressed in the robes of a North African nomad; Akira knew him, he had participated in their Duello Arcane in the faerie realm; his astrally-boosted memory supplied a name – Kalam ibn al-Hawari. Next was an aborigine elder then another familiar face, an Asian female with striking blue hair and an angry stare that could stop hearts beating, dressed in traditional Japanese armour. Again his mystically-enhanced memory supplied a name; Saiin Shikishi Nyōgo. She had also been a participant in the contest to replace Rhymer as the Summer Knight of the Seelie Court.

Then the remaining members of what he now assumed was the Parliament of the Dawn appeared; Dr Bradbury of the London branch of The Library and a Mongolian-looking priestess followed by a scholarly looking man in horn-rimmed glasses, then a heavily tattooed Tibetan priest followed by Queen Titania of the Fae in her glamour. She was accompanied by a familiar white furred, majestic-looking weasel that, when they had met previously in the faerie realm, had called itself Mèirleach Urramach “The Honourable Thief”. His subservient attitude made it clear he wasn’t a member of the Parliament. Despite his apparent lowly status, he immediately waved at Akira.

Then the last member appeared. To their surprise, this was an extremely young girl that apparently attended the same school as Seven going by her surprised outburst; a first year student Seven called Nikki Reilly. What was she doing in such auspicious company?

Two of the Parliament, Saiin Shikishi Nyōgo and Kalam ibn al-Hawari, nodded towards their fellow guardians then wandered down the hill to stand with the other contestants. Akira had to wonder if they already had inside information as to why they were there?

For the first time since arriving, they took in the others who had also been summoned. Gathering beside them was Thomas Rhymer, who they had last met in Eldrich’s home. Paragon remembered he’d nicked something before running off, leaving them to deal with Dracula; not someone to be trusted.

Then there was the reptilian reprobate Og of the Rephaim; king-sorcerer of Bashan and High Priest of Yig, who had once stolen Akira’s body and exiled his friends to the faerie realm as well as several others they don’t recognise but who announced their names as though you should have heard of them: such as Volodya Drakov.

It took Paragon a few seconds to recognise him as the tattooed Russian wild man they had nicknamed Rampage in Vietnam not so long ago. So, he was a mystic? Why then had he relied so much on just using brute strength during their previous confrontation?  He appeared especially hostile towards Seven, but then again she HAD been Eldrich’s apprentice, his Chosen One.

As he contemplated this, several misty figures began to appear amongst the gathered mages in the shape of humans, Akira wondered if these where the shades of defeated wizards from previous contests.

In their minds, the combined voices of the remaining eleven guardians spoke as one. <<Welcome. We agreed to bring together this world’s greatest Mages and for the Court to preside over a contest of sorcery, skills and abilities for the office of Master Mage. Any who do not wish to participate may depart, as these challenges must be undertaken of your own free will.>>

Thomas Rhymer smiled as he turned and began to walk away, fading out as he did so. “Sorry fellas, don’t need a title to know me own self. I’m outa here. See you soon.”

The voices in their minds continued, <<This contest will be to decide who will become the next Master Mage. ​The title will be granted to the “practitioner of the mystic and magic arts who can best guard the world against the darkness beyond. By tradition it is usually awarded to the practitioner of the mystic arts who has greater mystical skills or commands a greater portion of the ambient magical energies than any other in the world.>>

As they finished speaking, the final contestant appeared, an alien form that Akira immediately recognised; that of Jarth of the Unspoken who seemed determined to force himself into the proceedings. Jarth was an alien, centipede-like creature, its legs or arms seemed countless as it reared the upper segment of its towering body. This creature was easily 4 or 5 metres long, with sharp pincers on its tentacle mouth. Jarth pushed himself in front of the other potential contestants and bellowed.

“Ah, found here we have. Of the Unspoken are we. Offer make we –this Earth mine is and power seek we, against all threats mystical in return we offer. Bargain make we. Participation in contest we demand.”

The remaining eleven ‘Eminences’ gathered beneath the ethereal branches of the tree, conferred together for a few minutes, then nodded their approval.

While they were occupied debating, Seven explained that Adrian had once told her that he had been chosen as Master Mage without any form of selection and, at the time, he had no actual mystical skills or knowledge. In his case, the Parliament had responded to Malador’s escape and empowered Eldrich to the position of Master Mage as the position had been empty for several years following Doctor Clinton Avery’s injury and subsequent retirement in 1917 and Dimitrios’, his apprentice’s ascension and subsequent mysterious disappearance two years later.

In 1935, Eldrich had discovered the lost Temple of Sirrion. Inside, he’d found a tomb older than any known civilisation. It contained the mummy of the Atlan sorcerer Malador, who revived once Adrian unwittingly disturbed the magical seals and wards that trapped him in the tomb. Malador imprisoned Adrian in chains of magical force and left him to die beneath the claws of the tomb’s guardians unleashed with Malador’s awakening. The Atlan himself went to reclaim the magical talismans he’d lost millennia before when he was entombed.

Luckily, Adrian Eldrich did not die so easily. The guardian creatures, upon reaching the central tomb chamber, merely sniffed him and halted their attack. The spirits of several wizards, members of the Parliament of the Dawn he subsequently discovered, appeared to him, and explained that Eldrich was the reincarnation of the first Master Mage, the wizard who’d initially defeated and imprisoned Malador. They said he had volunteered to follow the long path of reincarnation, until the prophesied time when Malador would return and the Earth would need a mystical protector. They roused Adrian’s latent magical potential; giving him the power he needed to escape the chains and the tomb. They also awakened the memories of ancient Master Mages, granting him the power to overcome and imprison Malador again.

The initial rush of power faded, as did the full memories and lore of his previous lives. Adrian had to learn how to use magic all over again. He became a dedicated student of the occult and learned through those studies and regressive hypnosis that he had lived at least seven other magically powerful lives in the past.

Before she could continue her tale, an image formed in the branches of the tree, seemingly an amalgam of a lion, a serpent, and an eagle, each with a glowing rune on its forehead. Akira realised that they were standing before divinity – one formed of three potent mystic entities: the triluminary formed by the merger of Abbridon, Heshem, and Lamal, better known as the Modrossus; the single greatest force for positive and protective magic known to earthly magicians.

The three heads of the Modrossus spoke with one voice, <<Be aware mortals, once begun, the trials may not be halted. Let the challenges begin.>>

As they spoke, several of those gathered suddenly vanished including Paragon and a youth that Seven clearly knew and called Cadet, leaving just the mages gathered together. Then the great tree began to transform into a giant crystalline shell, inside which Akira could see Paragon and another familiar figure, Icarus in the hollow centre. Paragon tried to figure out what had just happened to him but quickly gave up when he realised that his ‘dad’ intended to attack him.

While Akira could only see Paragon and Icarus inside the crystal ‘prison’, each of the other mages saw different people trapped inside, either a friend or servant facing a threat familiar to them. In Seven’s case she saw her friend Cadet facing off against the vicious and cruel Gamemaster.

What Akira did see was that all of the other mages were taking up defensive positions facing the crystal or were manifesting mystical shields as the misty figures around began to slowly solidify and take solid form. Akira smiled, it helped being paranoid he thought, that way nothing surprises you as he assumed they were part of the test.

The nomad mystic Kalam and Og were the first to act as they unleashed mystical blasts at the crystal. Their attacks were deflected straight back at them and the returning blasts were if anything even more powerful. It shattered Kalam’s mystical shield and Og was forced to duck and hide behind Drakov’s towering form. Whatever the crystal was, it was somehow magnifying their deflected attacks.

Akira could see that inside the crystal that Icarus was preparing to throw a lightning bolt at Paragon, who was trying to establish a dialogue with his currently mute progenitor. He had to act and if he couldn’t shield his friend, perhaps he could misdirect his attacker?

He immediately began to mutter the words of power and perform the gestures that created the mental state that he needed to summon the Illusions of Idolon, using it to create an identical duplicate of Paragon inside the crystal prison, standing in front of the real Paragon. He tried to form multiple copies of his partner but they failed to appear. Something about the structure was interfering with his magic, still one duplicate was better than none as his illusion took up a stance in front of Paragon.

Outside, the other mages were still firing blasts or casting spells against the crystal but each and every attack rebounded, shattering shields and injuring the casters. Akira just couldn’t work out why they were all trying so hard to rescue his teammate, though perhaps they just wanted to get hold of him to emasculate him? Thankfully, the Medallion of the Modrossus provided instant psychic communication and seemingly, hopefully, mental language translation while they were out of the mortal realm.

<<Paragon, time to do a switch and dodge until I can figure out how to free you!>> He saw Paragon nod and ‘heard’ him reply that he <<understood.>>

Paragon immediately flew behind Icarus, leaving his dupe still standing in front of them, a case of divide and conquer – he hoped. It seemingly worked as Icarus unleashed a lightning blast at the illusion. Peter’s duplicate dodged the blast as the ‘real’ Paragon power-slammed into the back of Icarus’ head. Paragon’s fists smashed into his neck as he turned, but only succeeded in bruising him.

Outside Akira noticed that Seven was trying a different approach to the problem in comparison to the other mages, she had flown over and was touching the crystal’s structure, possibly trying to figure out its composition? Given she was also only present in her astral form, that wasn’t as easy a task as it sounded.

Kalam was still trying to shatter the crystal with blasts but had taken a couple of return hits and was starting to fade out. Og had elected to thin out the competitors and now elected to attack Akira. He unleashed a mystical blast at Akira’s back, but Akira was prepared for treachery and was able to dodge even as Kalam created an ectoplasmic wall behind them both to absorb the energy. Akira nodded his thanks as he realised that Drakov had just taken out Saiin with a sneak attack that caused stone hands to emerge from the ground and drag her down. Had she been physically there, she would have suffocated. As it was, her presence was forced to dissipate back to the physical realm.

Seemed some of the competitors were determined to thin out the field. Akira threw a mystical blast at Og. The blast hit its target and left him staggered and he was forced to shield himself even as Akira hoped Paragon would be able to take Icarus down unassisted. Inside the prison, Paragon unleashed a second power-attack and flew up to the top the crystal then dropped down on top of Icarus, but his target was able to shield himself against the strike. The bad news was that he was now focusing all of his attacks on the real Paragon. He unleashed a widespread eye blast. It failed to connect but he carried on blasting as his gaze swept past him and Paragon watched the blast pass through the dupe, confirming it was an illusion.

Outside, the mages were still attacking both the crystal and each other. Several were knocked out by the rebounding blasts and disappeared from the field of combat. Akira watched an ‘injured’ Kalam completely dissipate into the ether. Unfortunately Og, though staggered, was still present and despite its size, Jarth remained completely uninjured as it cast multiple shields while casting several dark spells at the remaining competitors.

Og unleashed his inherited TK ability and used it to grab Drakov from behind, then flew him with extreme prejudice into the side of the crystal, while casting the Bitter Lash of Bal’Hemoth at Akira and Seven. A crackling whip of dark energy materialised in Og’s hand as its painful tendrils thrashed through the air towards them. Unholy flagellation really wasn’t his thing thought Akira. He felt the rancorous taste of the whip on his wrist as he attempted to shield his face with his arm. It allowed Seven enough time to dodge out of the way even as his own powers created a hardened air barrier round his arm sufficient to allow him to escape the rest of its painful effects.

Having been injured by being picked up and thrown at the crystal structure, but not knowing by whom, Drakov unleashed a mystical blast at the prison, which was deflected towards Akira. He managed to dodge but the force of the blasts, both from the other competitors as well those bouncing off the crystal, were proving extremely dangerous.

Akira blasted at Og, concentrating all his mystical strength into the attack. It meant he could no longer maintain the illusion of Paragon though, which now vanished. The blast hit Og square on the chest and the staggered creature vanished – presumably vanquished, for this round at least.

Inside the crystal cage, Paragon was trying to get Icarus to agree to a truce, at least until they had escaped but Icarus was not responding to his pleas, not even to insult him. Enough! Paragon stepped back, then flew straight at the crystal structure and slammed into it with all of his strength and might. He found himself being bounced back harder, bouncing off the other side even harder again. He was effectively beating himself up but at least he now knew the ability to deflect attacks was integral to the structure and not just a spell cast on its exterior. The rebounding was leaving him dazed and slightly bewildered as the still not speaking Icarus (who Paragon now assumed wasn’t actually really there otherwise he would have replied to him, wouldn’t he?) unleashed a series of lightning blasts at Paragon as he tried to dodge. He felt at least one blast ‘tickle’ him as he dodged out of the way.

Outside the ghostly figures that had materialised earlier were now trying to reach out and touch the remaining opponents. Akira managed to dodge being ‘cuddled’ and ‘groped’ by one, even as other contestants collapsed in agony. Even Jarth seemed affected by their touch and screamed in agony.

Drakov and Seven were similarly affected. Drakov tried to smash into the crystal again before collapsing. Physical attacks didn’t seem to be having much effect, realised Akira.

Hoping he wasn’t about to regret his actions, Akira ran towards the crystal prison and unleashed the Shining Sun of Sirrion inside the structure. A ball of blazing reddish-gold light manifested itself in the middle of the chamber. He then focused on using the sun to nullify any magic inside the construct. Icarus immediately began to fade under the rays of the sun and turned ghostlike, seemingly weakened. Paragon immediately power-attacked Icarus and watched as his punch left his opponent staggered.

Outside, the ghostly figures were grabbing the others, seemingly draining them of their vitality. Akira again managed to dodge their touch, just. He needed to get Paragon out without actually attacking the crystal. It was Paragon who suggested transforming the crystal structure into a pinkish, pudding-like goo only for Akira to confirm we was already planning to transform a segment of it into sugar glass and hope that he could then push it enough until it shattered and provided a way out for Paragon.

That was the theory anyway. Akira rushed over, avoiding the ghosts’ outstretched embrace, and placed his hand on the crystal, changing its atomic structure. The crystal around his hands began to change. He slowly tried to push against the altered substance but to his annoyance, the altered material was not breaking. Instead, it stretched while maintaining its structural integrity. Worse, the crystal pushed back stronger than his attempts to break through. On the other side, Paragon could see two large ‘blisters’ appearing under Akira’s outstretched hands as they expanded into the chamber.

Paragon grabbed hold of the fading Icarus and rammed his head into the expanding bubble of sugar glass. His head collided with the blister only for it to cause a resulting shockwave that threw them both across to the other side of the chamber. Once more, he was bouncing from one wall to another as the force magnified with each hit, until he was ping-ponging around the inside of the prison uncontrollably.

Meanwhile Icarus vanished completely, leaving paragon alone inside the crystal. Akira immediately cast the Third Wheel of Weyan, also known in mystical circles as the Wheel of Warding one-handed while maintaining the transformation with the other. The Third Wheel was a spell that deflected and reflected attacks. He hoped that applying two positive and opposing forces might result in the magic cancelling each other out, allowing him to break his teammate free through the transformed section of the crystal. He focused on his task even as the remaining ghosts clambered towards him.

Inside the crystal, the bubble cracked and began to open like a lotus petal. Paragon immediately flew through the gap, out onto the astral plane once more. To his surprise, he was followed out by the teen Cadet who walked over to Seven. “What’s going on? What happened to Gamemaster? I was sure I wasn’t going to survive his attack this time.”

Behind him, several other figures also stepped through the breach and approached their returned masters or friends. Even a restored Og acknowledged one of the escapees, a female warrior, with a taciturn “Magog!”

The crystal prison dissipated into the light as they heard the combined voices of the Parliament in their heads, <<Akira is awarded the first challenge. Your next challenge awaits.>>

As they finished speaking, the scene around Akira and Paragon faded leaving them standing together in middle of a lifeless, blood-red coloured desert. They almost gagged on the overwhelming acrid stench of sulphur, also known as brimstone, that assaulted their senses and made their eyes water. The hellish landscape appeared totally deserted but there was something stirring up the sand some distance away, though even Paragon’s extended sight was unable to discern what was causing it.

They wondered what had happened to the other contestants then they heard a disembodied voice state, <<The second challenge is upon you. You must rescue a soul from hell and we have chosen someone who means something to you.>>

Akira saw what looked like the ghosts of both his parents appear close by, floating above the burning sands. They initially seemed unable to see or hear him and they held their hands and feet together as though they were bound, though no bonds were visible. Their faces showed pain and total despair and they screamed and sobbed as though they were being tortured though again there was no obvious cause. They didn’t appear to have aged since they had perished in the fire that had consumed their cottage home when he had been a baby. He’d only ever seen photographs taken while his mother was pregnant with him as a reminder of what they had looked like.

Before he was able to get over the shock a large humanoid creature appeared behind the pair of them. It was the very personification of a demonic entity, with horns, wings and claws though one of its eyes had been ripped out, leaving a bloody empty socket. It touched his mother’s cheek with its oozing green-tipped claw and she shuddered in apparent terror.

Paragon immediately responded by stating he wanted to try and take out the demonic figure only to stop short as another being appeared nearby, levitating in the sky. The creature seemed to consist of multiple sets of wings and an excess of eyes, but that was all. Behind it glowed a portal that apparently had brought it here.

Paragon blurted out, “That looks like an angel from the Bible.” Akira was fascinated by the fact that it appeared to have no actual body; just a confusion of feathered wings and eyes, no limbs to hold harps or anything.

Paragon went on to explain that according to Isaiah, that was exactly what an angel was supposed to look like, at least if they were Seraphim. He admitted he had never seen one before, but he remembered how they had been described from his religious education classes when he’d briefly attended school.

 Akira noticed that Ol’ Red Eye wasn’t attacking his parents but seemed determined to attack them while Wings and Glory above just looked on. So much for the war in Heaven then, if this was how opposing entities acted towards each other.

The demon advanced on them. Paragon flew straight at him, aiming for his empty socket. He slammed into it at full speed but to his surprise, it didn’t appear to be hurt by the attack as it tried to grab him. Akira unleashed a mystical blast between the eyes. It hit but only managed to bruise it. It snarled and they heard its sneering voice in their heads state that the two damned souls before them were his property now and he wasn’t willing to give them up. After all, it had been responsible for taking their lives in the first place and as part of the bargain, it had gained the rights to their eternal damnation, to feast on their pain and eternal suffering.

Akira felt himself getting angry. This thing was admitting it had been responsible for killing his parents and presumably had tried to kill him that day, then it had enslaved their souls, tormenting them ever since. Akira hated feeling this way, as it wasn’t going to help him deal with the creature.

As though in response, both Paragon and Akira felt a wave of despair and pain wash over them. Somehow, this thing was trying to attack their minds. Akira had to remind himself that he had to work out how to save a soul, or in his case souls, as there was no way he wanted to have to choose which of his parents to save from this nightmare. Above a flock of giant skeletal crows, the size of giant eagles had just appeared and was now flying towards them from the sandstorm.

Akira realised that this Hell, like the faerie realms and Astral Plane, appeared to be formed of some sort of ectoplasm – a substance part thought, part matter but that was where the similarity ended. Whereas that those realms were formed by will, this hellscape seemed to be formed out of fear and despair.

Akira forced the fear and guilt out of his mind, trying to stop himself feeling angry as he reminded himself that there had to be a way out of this predicament if he could only figure out what he needed to do. In his mind he could ‘hear’ the demon’s voice, **You could fight me for a thousand eternities and never win their release, or you could barter for their freedom. I offer them the opportunity to undergo mortal resurrection, a chance for you to have your parents alive once more.** He gestured and the sand began to shape itself into their physical bodies, that took on the colour and features of his dead parents. They were still lifeless as the souls of his parents were still standing bound in front of the demon, still in torment.

**If you are willing to take their places, both of you, then I will resurrect them into physical bodies and restore them to life once more. Your souls for theirs.**

He heard Paragon’s thoughts. “It’s a trap I’m sure of it.” As though it could hear them, the demon again explained that it would **resurrect them into physical bodies, give them their lives back but only if you agree to take their places – a life for a life, a soul for another’s.**

That was wrong on so many different levels Akira thought. He couldn’t, shouldn’t, give his parents life once more no matter how much he might want to. It was not the way things were meant to be. He was confused as to what to do.

Paragon tried to grab the demon and despite his hands burning on contact, he held on intending to fly him to the Seraphim and the light of the Almighty. Instead, the demon was both stronger and heavier than he had suspected and he was unable to raise him up off the ground. Instead, Paragon was torn loose and tossed towards the Angel, his hands still burning.

Akira meanwhile had reached a decision and was summoning the Obelisk of Obrosos to his aid.

Obroros was an ancient intelligent artefact, a levitating double-terminated obelisk of gleaming black stone that served as the guardian and gatekeeper to the netherworlds of the Cosmic Coil.

As it materialised between him and the demon, Akira noticed that glowing eyes and mouths had begun to form on the surface of the spire. Akira wanted it to reveal to him a vision regardless of the cost to his mind. Instead, it spoke in their minds, in a voice that caused everyone, except the Angel, pain. <<Anshar.>> As it spoke, the demon was forced to take a step back.

It again spoke, once more just a single name, <<Raphael>> and the Angel now moved back, ever closer to its portal.

In the sky, the flock of giant skeletal crows instantly turned into a cloud of dust at the sound, and fell to the ground. Silence reigned as Akira felt a probe at his mind and he found himself hoping that the obelisk would reveal how he and his companion could safely leave this realm. As though in response, a river of red fluid appeared flowing around the spire, like a water-filled tunnel lapping at the edge of this realm. Akira could feel the mystical energy radiating from it. Akira had been there before; this was an access point to the Convergence, the space that existed between all dimensions, realities and realms, a network of liquid mana that acted as an inter-dimensional buffer zone while connecting them all together. The mystical highway to everywhere and, possibly, even to everywhen.

The presence of the obelisk made all truths known and, in its presence, they knew that if they left they would have failed this challenge, that saving themselves in this way was not saving a soul from hell. Paragon and Akira could now leave but at a cost.

It also revealed that this realm, like all hells was a mental construct; that sentient minds created as a way to punish themselves for their perceived failings while alive. While demons like Anshar might deceive their prisoners into believing that they deserved to be punished for eternity, it was only the immortal intelligences that exist within all sentient creatures themselves that bound them to these realms. Intelligence and sentiency, like mass, can neither be created nor destroyed, although it could be rearranged in space, time and realities.

As Mary would have said, this hell was a form of self-imposed punishment. Those present felt they deserved to be here even as they hoped against hope for a means to escape – a very Judeo-Christianic concept of Hell. Thankfully, it was not a concept that Akira shared.

Akira looked at his parents. Not only were they bound to each other but they were also bound to Anshar by their guilt and fear that they felt that they deserved to be here. Though Akira wasn’t sure why.

Paragon was not party to this psychic exchange and only knew that a weird portal leading into an organic-looking tunnel had just opened, one filled with red fluid and strange, aquatic humanoid creatures that passed by this breach with casual interest before swimming on, travelling deeper into the red. The presence of the black spire in front of them had also stopped all hostilities, for the moment at least.

Akira had to ask if he needed to get at least one of his parents into the Convergence only to discover that would not help, instead if he wanted them to leave he had to convince his parents that they wanted to move on and it would happen. Their bonds were guilt after all, but guilt about what?

Akira realised he had to talk to them, convince them that they no longer needed to be punished or stay in this place. He turned and spoke to them both. “I can understand your torment but I can’t understand your guilt. Why do you feel guilty, why do you punish yourself?”

It was his mother who replied, “Because we allowed our son to be put at risk from the demon Anshar and from its master, Lucius. We allowed him to die because we failed to realise the risks his bloodline exposed him to. We should have been the last to die at Lucius’ bloody hands. Instead, we gave our son life and Lucius decreed that he too had to die. There was no way he could have survived the fire and the attack. We failed him. We should have left him somewhere he could be safe but I couldn’t abandon our son, we were too selfish and took him with us and, as a result, he died.”

Akira knelt down and touched their hands. His touch was sufficient to free them from their psychic bonds. “No” he said softly, “I survived.”

“You? Our son?” spirit tears rolled down her face. Akira smiled, “Can you not recognise me, I’m that baby, your son.” As he talked to them, encouraging them that they had nothing to feel guilty about he could see them stand straighter and watched the guilt roll away.  Then the Angel Raphael spoke. **Come forth. Without the chains of guilt, you can freely enter your own heaven.** Akira turned and smiled at his parent’s spiritual remnants, “Go, this was a hell of your own making. I am fine and I’m happy. I’m fulfilled and…”

His father interrupted him. “The demon has tormented us for decades over our failings claiming that we were responsible for your death. How could you not have died in the fire?”

“I can only put it down to grace or fate. I was found safe outside, after the fire and I grew up protected and loved. I was rescued, brought up in a loving, nurturing environment that in no small part you helped create. I am living proof that your lives were not in vain.”

The two figures smiled in return and began to turn insubstantial even as Anshar tried to grab at them and failed. His claws passed through their floating forms as they headed up towards the Angel Raphael and the glowing portal. With a final wave, Akira’s parents passed through into the light and into a heaven of their own making.

The light dissipated as both the demon and angel disappeared, though not before Anshar glowered at them with hate in its remaining eye and a muttered threat. Paragon shouted after him, “You’re lucky I didn’t get to finish our encounter. Next time we’ll leave you a bloody mess…” Paragon felt it was important that he got the last word.

The two physical shells that Anshar had formed as vessels for Akira’s parents, turned to dust and collapsed to the ground just like the flock had previously. Paragon and Akira, having helped the two souls escape from this hell, stepped through the Black Spires’ breach and into the red river beyond.

They found themselves able to breathe the liquid even as the mana restored their energy. The aquatic inhabitants of this liquid environment flowed passed them. They soon reached a crossroads, they could either follow the river or tunnel to its source or take a detour down one of the side branches; the choice was simple, either continue on or head into another reality.

Which to take? Several of the Luminae, that seemingly being the natives’ name for themselves, pointed to a breach in the tunnel wall (Paragon couldn’t get rid of the idea that they were actually swimming inside the gigantic vein or artery of a dead, forgotten God).  They seemed to be indicating that was where they had to go next.

They stepped through the wall breach into air and a mountainous region with vibrant pink skies. In front of them stood a monstrous figure, ten times taller that the human it was blasting with its cyclopean eye. Its grey body was covered in spikes on its back, arms and tail, its mouth was a vertical slit in its head surrounded by fangs. It was attacking a human traveller struggling to climb up the side of a stone mound. As they watched, it shattered his mystical shield with its latest blast.

Paragon asked who was the bad guy and who was the good? There was no reason to assume the cyclops had to be the bad guy. Perhaps they could intervene and stop this before it got any worse.

Akira stepped up and erected his mystical shield between them while using the Medallion to ask both of them what was going on? Paragon joked about it being easier to just become friends than continue fighting. What Akira could work out was that the human was not native to this realm. Was this a matter of trespass or something else?

Paragon flew over, grabbed the human and flew him to safety while Akira used the Medallion to find out from him what had happened. He could sense the human had just been passing through the region and hadn’t a clue why he had been attacked by the creature – he referred to it as a Gug, and it was native to this region. Then he felt guilty, something to do with lunch. It was after that he was attacked and he had to flee here where he was forced to defend himself.

Akira felt his heart fall. “What did you have for lunch?” “Eggs” was the reply. Suddenly Akira and Paragon understood. He’d raided the Gug’s nest and eaten its young. No wonder it was attacking him!  Akira was still emotional over seeing and helping his parents to pass over into the light after all these years and this was another parent that had been wronged.

Akira poured all of the empathy that he was feeling into summoning the First Wheel of Weyan, or the Wheel of Workings. This was a spell that was intended to be used to repair damage inflicted upon the world by various unnatural forces, in this case could it also restore a nest of eggs?

The spell flowed out of him. The remnants of the eggshells started to gather together at the feet of the Gug even as the guy Paragon was holding began to vomit up the yokes and remaining contents of the eggs all over Paragon’s chest and trousers. Thankfully, it didn’t remain on him as it flowed off, straight back into the eggs which continued to repair themselves until they were fully restored.

Using the Medallion, this time on the Gug, to explain that these really were it’s eggs and that they were again being restored as they had been, in return it needed to protect them and let the traveller go. That the visitor was sorry and hadn’t understood what he had done, until now. He wrongly assumed the nest had been abandoned and therefore its eggs were all right to take. Akira finished with “Sorry and, to coin a phrase, may your children live long and prosper.” The Gug gathered up its clutch of reassembled eggs then headed back down the hill, towards its nest and away from the savages.

“Thank you, I think you saved my life. Where are you heading?” asked the traveller. On being told that they needed to head back to the Convergence, he immediately offered to help and cast a spell to open a breach so they could continue their journey.

They found themselves back again in the bright red fluid of the Convergence, drifting with the flow and they were no longer alone. Seven and her companion, the male youth Cadet, were also there and he seemed to be trying to make sense out of his unexpected preternatural ability to breathe while submerged in the fluid. Also nearby were several of the natives.

The members of the Balance were well known, so Cadet immediately knew who they were. On the other hand, he was just an unknown costumed teen to Paragon and a vaguely remembered previous encounter from his visit to Claremont Academy to Akira, but he was clearly a friend to Seven.

Nearby, the mermaid-like aquatics that Akira thought were Luminae, started to flee. Their faces showed their abject fear mingled with hatred at their sudden presence.

The Medallion of Modrossus merged their mind into a collective telepathic communications network and each party found themselves ‘reading’ the other team’s experiences since they emerged from the crystal prison. Seven and Cadet had also visited another version or different parallel reality of the ‘Hell’ that they had experienced. This time they had to try and ‘liberate’ Seven’s dead parents from the demon who they both recognised from a previous encounter, though they didn’t know how it had lost one of its eyes.

Paragon still angry and frustrated at not being able to finish his assault on the demon, found himself getting even angrier on realising that others were having to undergo a similar torture as the bastard beastie had inflicted on Akira. If only he’d been allowed to finish it! He wanted nothing more than to return to the hell realm and tear that abominable creature limb from limb. He ‘saw’ Seven volunteer her own soul in exchange for her parents release. She also didn’t accept the physical resurrection offer that Anshar had tried to fool them with. Only for the boy, Cadet, to selflessly offer his own life for hers and refuse to stand down. Such selflessness by both of them had ‘inspired’ the Angel Raphael to intervene and transport them both to the Convergence after promising Seven that it would free her parents from their bondage and allow them to proceed on their journey of enlightenment on the winding way. In time they either could choose to be resurrected or would ‘find’ their own heaven like Akira’s own parents had. After that, they had found themselves miraculously transported here.

Presumably, the other remaining competitors had found their own solutions to the same test, or not. Given so many Master Mages of other realms turned into Dark Lords, it was clear that the role didn’t always fall to the good. Akira felt that Og might well be powerful enough and have the strongest desire of them all to protect the realm but he was sure that the people of his Earth wouldn’t enjoy his reign or that he’d be the safest pair of hands, claws, whatever.

Unlike now, the natives had been immediately friendly towards Seven and her companion, despite seemingly being sad and frightened. That friendliness had instantly changed however when Akira and Paragon had appeared before them. Now Seven and Cadet’s aquatic guides were swimming away as fast as they could, terrified, though Akira and Paragon could think of nothing they had done that would account for this sudden change of behaviour.

What could have scared them so badly? They appeared to be fleeing away from them but they didn’t know why? Paragon did wonder if his anger at the demon was creating some sort of negative energy they could feel. He still carried all that anger with him and he knew if he had any say in the matter, it wasn’t over. Anshar had got off lightly and he really wanted a rematch at some point, preferably sooner than later. He tried to let go of the anger in case that was the cause but he just couldn’t. Alternatively, was it a taint they had brought with them from that ‘hell’?

Any attempt by any of the four of them to approach one of the Luminae resulted in them panicking and fleeing as fast as they could upstream. They seemed particularly scared of Akira and Paragon for some reason. Then Akira caught sight of a cluster of recently damaged coral buildings on the opposite wall of the tunnel. There was also a strong taint of darkest magic connected to the damage emanating from them.

He assumed something or someone had attacked them and very recently. Perhaps that had left them distrustful towards any visitors, yet they seemed to have been friendly enough towards Seven and Cadet until their arrival. Was there any chance their actions had caused this somehow? They couldn’t see how though.

 They had no choice but to continue their odyssey. Several minutes later, they saw a major settlement spanning the ‘river’, reaching both sides of the massive mana-filled ‘artery’. Again, they saw that several of the limpet-like dwellings had been damaged.

Both Akira and Seven felt sure that their next destination lay just beyond the settlement where several tunnels branched off. However blocking their path was a massive creature a hundred times bigger than they were, or the gathered Luminae.

It was a cross between a massive whale and an intelligent squid. Akira felt sure that it was determined to deny them passage. The glowing tendrils on its forehead flickered towards them as it opened its mouth menacingly. It was so big that they felt like fleas in comparison.

It had the front limbs of a turtle and a scaled body, a head shaped a bit like a hammerhead but with four eyes set in a head that looked benevolent and sentient; its rear body had a long tail surrounded by several tentacles.

Cadet did take comfort in the fact that he had realised that he wasn’t really here and therefore, hopefully any attack by this thing wouldn’t actually hurt him. He just wished Seven had taken the time to explain where they were and what had happened to him. She wasn’t great at explaining things at the best of times and this certainly wasn’t the best of times.

A loud ‘voice’ spoke to them, so loud that it almost deafened them. **You DARE return? Wasn’t enough of our light extinguished during our last encounter when you attacked the settlements of my children? You dare to risk my wraith by travelling through the Convergence again. Do you think use so defenceless, so powerless that you can return here and we would allow you passage UNHARMED?**

Paragon blurted out, “But I, we haven’t been here before.” Akira quickly interrupted, “I believe your eminence that this may be a case of mistaken identity.”

The gigantic creature replied, **NO, I remember you in particular. You attacked my children of the light.**

Suddenly Akira realised what might have occurred, “There is a lookalike who has duplicated me before, goes by Og, a shape changer, and he might have looked like me having taken on my appearance to do mischief. He might have had another with him, either my friend’s brother who looks like him or a creature wearing the illusion of him.”

Paragon muttered, “I very much doubt it was Icarus, I don’t think this is his style. Can I ask, when we apparently came through before, were we together or did we come through individually?”

The massive creature exclaimed, **Three there were that came through, you two and a fiery female.** It pointed its flipper towards the riverbed and a picture formed in their minds of the attack. They ‘saw’ the two of them, seemingly revelling in the destruction accompanied by the female Akira knew as Magog.

“I understand your anger, but that isn’t us.” Said Akira while Paragon muttered something about being nervous around women and not being any good at small talk. The image of the redheaded beauty seemingly fighting alongside ‘him’ had freaked him out a bit.

Akira smiled, being celibate he didn’t have that type of struggle in his life though why the image of Mai-Li suddenly came to mind and why he immediately blushed, was something he really didn’t understand.

In front of them several Luminae had got hold of tridents and were advancing towards them.  A couple tried to throw them but they clearly weren’t designed for flight through the fluid and missed.

“Paragon swam forward until he stood between the natives and the others as he implored with them to try and find a peaceful solution.  Again the large creature ‘spoke’. ** Why did you attack this and the other settlement? We are a peaceful race.**

Again Akira tried to explain that it hadn’t been them who had carried out the attack, “but I can imagine WHY Og would have attacked – because he’s a nutter, a megalomaniac and psychopath, who wants to win at all costs and wanted to rile you up against us when we came through after him this would happen. If you kill or delay us, his chances of winning increase.” he explained. “We’re not like that, we’re peaceful.” A spear flung by one of the Luminae shot past Paragon’s head as he spoke. He tried to act as though nothing had happened.

In response, Akira began to call forth the first of the Wheels of Weyan to begin repairing the damage inflicted by his look-alike, hoping that he didn’t need it to recall the dead. That aspect of the spell didn’t always work the way it was supposed to. Thankfully, the damage to both the town and settlement they had passed had been inflicted from a distance and while it had injured several of the natives it thankfully hadn’t killed any of them. The spell unravelled from his hands and was helped by a further summoning by Seven. Together they healed the injured and repaired the damage done earlier before sending it to do the same in the settlement they’d passed earlier even as they continued to plead their case that they weren’t responsible for the attack.

Seven called forth the Revealing Light of Abbridon, which compelled those exposed to its mystical rays to speak the truth though it couldn’t compel them to talk. Under its unearthly light whatever Akira and Paragon said had to be true, at least as far as they knew it.

With the repairs and healing ongoing, the giant creature, known to its own as the Emperor Leviathan or the Father-of-All, listened again to their pleas even as the light shined down on them forcing them to state the truth as they knew it. Had Seven been in another realm, casting such powerful magic would have drained her completely of all her magic but in the Convergences the mana fluid restored her almost immediately. If anything, it overcharged both Akira and her.

With the damage and injuries repaired and the Light of Abbridon forcing them to speak only truth they eventually managed to pacify the Luminae and convince the Emperor that they were not responsible for the original attack though, under the light they had to admit that they couldn’t confirm who really had carried out the attack.

In return, the Emperor Leviathan promised them free passage through his realm to wherever they were heading. Pity they had no idea where that was. What they did agree was that it would be better, safer for the four of them to stay together for the rest of the challenge if at all possible and let the Parliament decide who was more worthy.

Then the Emperor spoke again, **A treaty offered. Earth open, Earth closed or Earth guarded? You must choose.** After a minute or two of discussion in which they sought clarification, only to have the treaty wording repeated unchanged.

They felt sure Earth open meant that interdimensional travel to Earth via the Convergence would be open to all including those they would prefer not come, while Earth closed likely meant all access via the Convergence would be closed throughout the Mage’s lifetime, including possibly to themselves, leaving their Earth isolated.  They would apparently be allowed to return to Earth then the gateways to Earth would be closed to all, even them. As Paragon proclaimed that closure might also change the natural order of things in ways they couldn’t imagine.

Neither option felt right.

Akira asked, “Guarded by yourself your Eminence?” **Guarded by the Convergence** was the cryptic reply. **The path would be guarded from the Convergence and the Master Mage would be notified of any intrusion, no less, no more.**

 In the end the option of guarded seemed the most appropriate option though how it would work was another matter, seemingly one they would have to negotiate if successful in becoming the next Master Mage.

Having agreed that option was their choice, The Emperor pointed its flipper towards a breach in the arterial wall a half kilometre beyond the town. **Go there, your duplicates did.**

They headed over and stepped through the breach. They found themselves standing on a hill overlooking a familiar-looking stone circle. Seven and Cadet were still with them.

There were two suns in the sky, one orange and dimmer than they were used to, the other smaller but brighter, closer, seemingly in geosynchronous orbit though over a location some distance away.

Akira recognised that the stone circle was this realm’s version of Stonehenge. Around the altar stone in the centre of the circle were gathered several figures. Akira smiled, there was a once-familiar odour in the air, fresh, natural, untainted by centuries of industrialisation as he realised that he was back in the faerie realm though the second, smaller sun shone brighter than he remembered from when he was last here.

Cadet was very confused by the transition from one realm to this. A small pixie flew passed them, their presence activating its glamour, rendering it temporarily more human looking, despite its miniscule stature and wings. That confirmed it.

They headed down the hill towards the gathering around the altar stone. As they got closer, Akira recognised and identified those he knew who were present. On one side was Queen Titania of the Seelie, Queen of the Summer Court with a young princess representing the maiden and an elderly priestess the hag of the triple Goddess. Titania was beautiful, too beautiful for it to be real, her glamour making her seem almost human.

On the opposite side of the altar stood a glamoured Queen Maub of the Unseelie or Winter’s Court. To one side of her was the Morgaine, Winter’s knight and standing in as Winter’s maiden while on her Queens opposite side was an elderly unaltered Sidhe, haggard and twisted with age.

Paragon whispered, “What are all these ladies here for?” Seven confirmed to the others what Akira knew but hadn’t yet shared, that they were in the faerie realm, in the presence of Fae royalty. As for why they were gathered? Queen Titania had seemingly been a member of the Parliament of the Dawn so this had to be connected, otherwise why were the two Courts gathered?

They were met by Thomas Rhymer first, the Summer Knight who wandered over and bowed to them very dramatically. His smile however was as insincere as always. “Their majesty’s, the Queens are expecting you. I believe they are expecting you to ask for their support in your challenge to ascend to the ranks of the Master Mages of Earth.” Paragon asked for a few minutes first to confer only to be interrupted by Akira who explained that you don’t make any woman wait, never mind Sidhe royalty. The two squabbled as Thomas looked on; openly laughing at them as he directed Seven and Cadet to approach the altar stone.

As they all approached, Paragon whispered to Akira, “Do you really want to become the Master Mage?” Akira admitted that he didn’t know but if not them then who? Someone was going to be appointed and gain access to the authority of power that he assumed accompanied the title. Nor did he know if Seven wanted the title. Again, Paragon leant forward and asked her.

Seven admitted that she didn’t feel sufficiently qualified but she accepted that the Earth needed a Mage to protect it and if not Akira or her then who? If it came down to her, Og or Jarth then she would rather she became the Master Mage than them.

He replied, “The only way to get the experience is to do it and we will always be there for you.” even as he realised that he didn’t wish the responsibility to fall on her if she wasn’t ready for it. She was only seventeen after all.

Reverently they approached the two Royal Courts. As though a sign of approval, the grass beneath their feet changed into a field of flowers, however they noticed, as they got closer to Queen Maub that they changed again, this time into brambles. A barefooted Akira noticed the Morgaine’s fingers gesturing and her lips moving, as she tried to alter the landscape beneath their feet.

Akira moved closer to Titania’s side of the circle as they approached and bowed deeply to both Queens in turn. Akira spoke “We have come your majesty’s to petition you for your support in becoming Earth’s Master Mage.”

 Queen Titania bowed back and smiled. **We are aware of your need to gain our approval and our support. In the case of the Summer Court, the Balance and it’s allies already have it, having proven previously your worth and therefore we offer you our support without any hesitation.  We offer our support to both candidates present and your allies. Unfortunately, I cannot speak for the Winter court. Sister?** Akira thanked her and turned to bow towards Queen Maub and her entourage, wondering what it would take to gain their blessing.

Titania continued, ** I require no challenges or tasks to prove your worth or your value to the Faerie race. We recognise you as friends of the Court of Summer.**

Akira began to address Queen Maub only to hesitate as she smiled at him, revealing more teeth than he felt should be on show. It immediately reminded him of Banshee when in full fear mode.

She spoke quietly, menacingly, **You have already sworn a solemn oath to undertake a task on behalf of the Court of Winter. Do you not agree Sister? At that time, we agreed that your allies and you would undertake one task on our behalf, in equity to rescuing the Summer Knight, your involvement limited to one task and one alone, at a time of your own choosing. I now offer you the opportunity to prove your value to the Court of Winter. We ask you now if you would be willing to undertake a task on our behalf?**

Akira looked at his companions and responded, “We will. We swore we would do that previously and we will keep our promise.” Paragon asked what was the task they wished them to perform.

**The task is simple. Travel to the Twilight zone and there you will find a castle. In the castle is a creature that has stolen something from me. That item is hidden within a chest, I want you to find it and return it to me. If you succeed, you will gain my blessing and support.**

“What is this item?”

**It is an egg, a piece of the original creation of this realm.**

Akira turned to Queen Titania and asked, “Are you happy for us to undertake this task for her Majesty, your sister?”

She responded, **I cannot comment on this task, nor can I advise. This is for you and you alone to choose if this is a task you are willing to undertake for Winter. You have the right to refuse but to do so may have consequences for your ascension. Queen Maub has promised us, and you, that you have the right to refuse when and if you will undertake Winter’s task.  However, you did promise to undertake a task for Winter and it’s fair to expect your team supports you in achieving it.**

Akira turned back to Maub, “What do you want with this egg, your Majesty?””

**to return it to the creature that formed this reality, it is a spark of the infinite, of creation. It is the only thing capable of forming another realm, or expanding this one.**

“Whose chest do we have to break into?”

**He is known as Koschei the Deathless.**

Deathless? As though reading their minds the Morgaine spoke up, “He can die, once the egg is returned.” “So, if gives him immortality?” “It is part of original creation; immortality is a minor side-effect of its influence. After all, it contains a spark of life itself.”

A brief debate followed about whether this was the time to undertake this task and what would happen if they refused. In the end, they decided to agree because if they succeeded they would gain the support of Winter’s court.

 Cadet wondered if other contestants had already approached the two courts and if so had they been given tasks or gained the Court’s approval? If they refused this task, would it mean they had won? He really wished he knew what was the answer. He wanted to ask but knew the Queens would not respond. At the end of the day, the Parliament was judging this on who was the best candidate to protect the Earth, not on who was the nicest or most moral.

They agreed to seek the egg. The Morgaine smiled at them wickedly as a gap in reality appeared in front of them. The last thing they heard was Queen Titania; **Beware, do not rely on your mystical abilities.**

They stepped though and fell towards the ground, as the exit was two metres above and horizontal to the swampy ground below. Both Akira and Cadet managed to roll with it and land on their feet. Their companions weren’t so lucky.

The sky in this twilight realm seemed devoid of sun, moons or stars and they were surrounded by bleached, dead scrub and stunted, dead trees. A mist smelling of death and decay assaulted their senses and caught in their throats. On a mount nearby, they could see the silhouette of a castle.

Paragon tried to fly as soon as he realised what was happening, but there wasn’t enough room below him to activate his flight and he belly-flopped into the mud and stagnant water. Seven also landed face first in the stagnant marsh below the portal.

Paragon felt something crawl onto his face and try to bite down on his near impenetrable skin. He stood up in panic and clawed at the creature. Standing in the dark water Cadet and Akira felt something crawl onto their legs and feet and saw Paragon rip a creature that looked like a cross between a metre-long facehugger from the film Alien and a leech but with a squirming stinger of a tail, away from his face and fling it towards the castle.

It squealed as it was pulled free. It sounded very much like a Banshee scream, sapping at their will as it landed back in the water. Its scream seemed to summon other leeches to appear floating out of the stagnant water.

Cadet had a hugger clinging to his boot, which tried to bite and sting it. He pulled out his escrima sticks and smashed it back into the water even as he stood on its tail. One successfully bit Seven on the face as she was still trying to scramble to her feet and she shouted out, “Beware, they drain…” as she collapsed back into the ground unconscious. Another swarmed over her and started to bite at her arm.

Paragon rushed over, grabbed Seven and pulled her unconscious body out of the water before flying up high into the air away from any further attack before pulling the leeches off her and flinging them off into the distance. Re-entry would be a bitch.

Akira found that the one on his leg was about to bite him even as he tried to create a portal to the outside of the castle. He shouted at Paragon and Cadet to follow him through then he pulled the leech off him and jumped through the portal, followed by Cadet.

To his horror, several of the leeches began to levitate out of the mud and slime and tried to follow them through to the castle mount. The gate to the castle was open and they could see the mother of all leeches inside the keep between them, a set of stairs and apparently the only lit window in the building. He immediately closed the portal before any of its smaller kind followed them through.

Paragon elected to fly over to them with Seven still unconscious his arms. Her face and leg were bleeding, though how that was possible if she was only there in astral form was beyond his comprehension.

Outside the castle, Akira tried to unleash a mystical blast at the 25-metre long leech crawling between them and the stairwell. To his horror, nothing happened; it was as though someone or something had turned off his mystical abilities. He levitated slightly above the ground for a second to confirm that his other abilities were still working. Had that been why Seven had reacted so badly to the leech attack in the swamp? She’d found herself unable to mystically defend against them?

Something about this place drained mystical abilities. Thankfully, his other abilities and powers were unaffected. Cadet looked at the castle defender, trying to see if it had eyes that could be blinded but it had none. Okay, time for plan B. He rushed in, shouting “rebreathers” to the others even as he started throwing knockout gas pellets by the handful straight into its open leech-like mouth. They exploded on impact as the gas started to mix with the air and expand across the courtyard. He bite down on his own rebreather even as the creature tried to take a bite out of him but he managed to dodge it by doing a 360 degree tumble-roll in the air before bouncing off its jaw even as he used its momentum to propel him across the courtyard. He landed with another roll and got back onto his feet, running, even as his attacker tried to get another bite at him. Thankfully, its head hit the wall even as he ducked and threw himself back towards the gate. One of the arch stones cracked under the impact even as Akira threw a force-cage around it and floated it back towards him and away from the stairwell. Now he’d caught it, he did wonder what he should do with it.

Cadet felt in his belt and pulled out his second rebreather, which he tossed over to Akira who put it in his mouth before sprinting across the gas-filled courtyard. Above them, Paragon floated down with his still unconscious passenger, unaffected by the gas as they headed up the stairs towards the light.

They pushed the door to the illuminated room open and found themselves staring at an elderly, emaciated man, bare chested and wearing a gold crown on his thinning hair sitting on a gold throne. In one hand, he held a large doublehanded broadsword, blade point down, while his other hand hovered over a small gold chest, like a jewellery box, resting on his lap. He glowered at them and spoke, in ancient Russian or something similar that they couldn’t understand. Even the Medallion failed to translate it.

If that was the chest, it was a lot smaller than they had expected. Paragon placed Seven down carefully on the landing outside the chamber before stepping forward. “I would ask your name, noble warrior” he asked. The figure replied and this time they understood him, “I am known as Koschei the Deathless, ruler of this realm. I am he who can summon forth the dead. What brings you here, mortal?”

Akura jumped in to claim that they had been sent by the witch Baba Yaga to check that his egg hadn’t been stolen. He bared his teeth in what was presumably a smile as he confirmed there was no chance of that and stroked the lid of the chest on this leg. “Are you sure?” Akira insisted. “I am still here.” was the solemn reply, “So there is no risk of that!”

Paragon felt that given the man in front of them was presumably a ‘noble warrior’ that they should be honest and just tell him that they wanted the egg. He spoke up, “Noble sir, we’ve been request by Queen Maub of the Unseelie Court to bring back the egg.”

To no-one’s surprise except his, the figure raised his sword one-handed and pointed it towards them, “No…” Akira tried to activate one of his mystical spells, but they still weren’t working. The Medallion was also drained and powerless here. Instead, he used his ability to view the past even as he spoke up and stepped in close enough to touch him. “Listen Koschei …” even as he reached over. He found himself blasted across the room. He still gained a vision from the split second of physical contact however. He ‘saw’ his opponents fear of dying, of oblivion, of disappearing into an endless void. His seeking out a way to immortality while ignoring all other gifts that his prize might impart over the thousands of years he’d been alive and had access to the egg.

Akira again crossed the room and this time gently, carefully reached out a single finger to touch the box. He hoped that Koschei would not see that action as a threat, then he transformed it using will to shape the ectoplasmic box into the most hideous skull he could imagine, hoping it would cause a reaction.

His fear of death, of mortality, kicked in. He reacted by dropping the box. The lid sprung open revealing a living hare inside it, which proceeded to jump back on his knee. Akira reached over and again touched it and again transforming into a skull, just before he got smashed across the face by Koschei, who then unleashed a psychic blast at him. Akira dropped to the ground in agony but still managed to maintain his hold on the hare, which was still looking like a skull.

Cadet fired off his grapnel gun but it failed to snag the hare/skull primarily due to Paragon hitting the floor hard to create a shockwave hoping it would cause Koschei to drop the hare/skull. It did knock Akira away from the throne and shattered the window as well as breaking several decorative pillars but failed to make Koschei release the hare.

He responded by unleashing a massive mental ‘headache’ that caused them all to collapse for a second. Then Cadet got to his feet and rushed in, cartwheeling past Koschei, grabbing the hare, which transformed into a duck, leaving its furry skin to drop to the ground in front of Koschei’s throne. He hit out with his sword at the spinning figure rolling by, and missed.

On seeing the hare transform into a duck, Akira wondered if this was this some form of nesting objects, like some sort of mystical, living, Matryoshka doll?

Paragon flew up to the ceiling of the room, then proceeded to drop down and smack him hard in the face as he stood up and tried to grab him. The blow knocked Koschei semi-conscious.

Akira grabbed the duck and transformed it into an egg but was this THE egg that they were seeking?

Cadet and Akira started to leave but Paragon refused saying he wanted to search the room as he wasn’t convinced that they had found the object. He felt it had all been too easy. He wondered why the Fae hadn’t tried to recover it themselves? Akira suggested that stripped of their magic as they had been perhaps they couldn’t, but Paragon wasn’t convinced. One of their mortal servants such as Thomas Rhymer could have tried and given how easily he’d taken him out, could possibly have done the same. No, this whole thing felt contrived and he wasn’t leaving until he’d searched the room (the castle?) properly.

He continued to search and knock on the walls and discovered that one of the walls sounded hollow, thinner that the others, as though there was a cavity behind it. A secret passage perhaps? He smashed through the wooden panel and to his surprise, saw an ancient monastery on an island in a wide dark river. The cavity was in fact a permanent portal to somewhere inside the Summerlands, going by the amount of daylight, or possibly somewhere on Earth?

He shouted for Akira and Cadet to return, “I’ve found something, an island.”  He rushed over and picked up the still unconscious Seven deciding if this was a trap then at least they would be together. Akira returned with his egg. Paragon considered taking Koschei’s sword with him as a souvenir, until Akira reminded him that it was an astral manifestation and couldn’t exist on Earth. They stepped through the hole in the wall and found themselves on an island under a single, bright, yellow sun, outside the seemingly abandoned monastery.  Inside the chapel where an altar would have usually presided, was a large gold-covered chest, decorated with precious jewels.

Three familiar looking figures stood beside it. Og, Magog and Jarth had got there before them.

Og shouted over, “You know, it doesn’t matter who wins the contest; might is right and whoever can defeat the others will ultimately earn the prize. I will be declared the winner simply by being the last sentient alive. Jarth and I have agreed on a compromise. I will be declared the Master Mage and we divide the spoils between us. We just need to deal with you and retrieve the Spark of creation for ourselves.”

“What’s the prize? To be the Master Mage?” Asked Paragon, but Og didn’t reply.

Akira could feel the magic flow back into him even as Og soapboxed.  Akira immediately began casting the Somnambulant Spell of Sirrion while signalling to Cadet to slip his rebreather into his mouth. A thin, pinkish mist began to rise from the ground and pour forth from Akira’s hands. If it worked it should put them all into a deep sleep.  It stunned Magog who was caught unaware. It had no effect on Jarth and Og was left dazed but still able to respond. Jarth responded by casting a spell intended to warp Akira’s ‘flesh’, which risked altering his body. Instead, he managed to dodge behind a pillar and watched it warp even as Jarth also cast another spell, one that warped the mind apparently aimed at a somersaulting Cadet. It also missed and it gave out a bellow of rage.

Paragon put Seven down carefully behind a wooden panel next to the pews then flew towards Jarth, intending to hammer it into next week. Caught unawares, Jarth went down, staggered, having one of his mandibles broken by the blow.

Og blasted at Akira but missed as Cadet swung across the room and slammed feet first into the stunned Magog, finishing her off with both feet to her chin rendering her completely unconscious. Akira fired off mystical blasts at both Og and Jarth.  The blast at Og missed though the blast aimed at Jarth hit it in the thorax and knocked him on the ground.

Cadet swung back and slammed into the back of Og’s head before letting go and rolling to safety behind a bench. Paragon, using the distraction, flew behind him, grabbed him by the back of the neck and slammed his head into the floor. He went unconscious and vanished. Jarth and Magog also dissipated.

They walked over to the chest and opened it. Inside was a single large metal needle, its magical potential felt off the scale. It was as though someone had turned the dial beyond ten to infinity. Just being near to it gave Akira a mystical migraine. They closed the chest without touching the needle and putting the chest on his shoulder, he walked over, picked up Seven and carried both back through the portal to the Castle on the mound. An unconscious Koschei still lay on the floor, the swamp outside was still full of leeches and the Mother-of-All outside was once more free to roam and attack. Where do they go from here?

Paragon wondered if Akira could portal them away but to where? If they went back to the Monastery he would again be able to use his magic to try and get them back to the Faerie Realms. They stepped back through where Akira called up Ahgrazul’s Airts to guide them on the winding coils between worlds and back to the Stone Circle.

Soon after they found themselves back on the hill overlooking the two courts.

They headed down and placed the chest in front of Queen Maub. Akira wasn’t sure what to do with the egg he was hiding, while he respectively asked Queen Titania to heal Seven and restore her to consciousness. Looking over they could see that Maub was surprised to see a needle inside the chest and Akira quipped that perhaps he should give her the egg he’d transformed from the duck instead.

He passed it over and as it left his hand, it reverted to being a duck. She ignored its metamorphosis, then smiling she grabbed up a knife and slit its throat and chest open to reveal a crystal egg inside it, where its heart should have been. She pulled it free and a spark of energy blazed inside the shell.

Had the presence of the small chest openly on display been a double bluff? Were they intended to assume that finding the chest in Koschei’s personal possession had been too easy and therefore start to look for something else? Something grander, perhaps? If so, why place a needle and not an egg inside the large chest or perhaps an enchanted needle was used to fulfil another legend? Or..?

Their chain of thoughts were interrupted as Queen Maub handed the egg reverently to the Morgaine even as she addressed them. **I thank you for a task well done, as promised you will have my support.** She turned to stare at Queen Titania and with a vicious smile on her lips, whispered **Now things change, sister of mine.** Titania reached over and picked up the needle and smiled back as it disappeared into the folds of her robes.

What had they done? Even as they thought it, they found themselves once more in the aurora of the astral plane staring up at the full thirteen members of the Parliament gathered under the shining branches of the great tree. The female dressed in Greek-style armour stepped forth. <<Well done, we are happy to offer the office and authorities of the Master Mage to Akira. Do you accept the challenge of being Master Mage?>>

Akira felt his doubts surface as he stated, “I better accept hadn’t I, otherwise it leaves the door open for Og and his ilk. Yes, I suppose. I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

Seeing Akira’s response, she continued, <<But, perhaps having won the prize you no longer desire it? Unfortunately, it’s clear that Seven is not yet ready to take on the responsibility, for the present at least.>> She turned to face her companions. <<Can I suggest a compromise your Eminence’s? I propose a caretaker Regency as a stop gap? That they together are allowed to form the Regency, to undertake the role as a collective of mages, powered and heroes until such time as Seven comes into her power or someone else worthy comes forth to take up the mantle and claim the title?>>

The Parliament began to discuss the suggestion as Akira let out a sigh of relief. He also didn’t feel ready for such responsibility. They appeared to be in agreement.

“Does the Balance and its allies agree to take on the responsibility for protecting the Earth against the Darkness, for the present?”

They nodded, though in Cadet’s case extremely hesitantly as he wasn’t sure that he was included given he lacked powers or access to the mystical arts. Then the land around them started to dissolve and they found themselves waking up in their own rooms, wondering if it had been a dream.

That was when the realised that each of them had a little tattoo on the back of their right hands consisting of thirteen little stars.

Akira reached out and touched the Medallion of Modrossus but it failed to activate. Akira sighed, now that he was no longer a contender for Master Mage in his own right it seemed the Medallion would no longer work for him, or at least for him alone. He had to wonder whether or not the mystical rooms from Eldrich’s home that he’d absorbed into his house were still accessible to him? He had a feeling that that would no longer be the case.

He had to wonder if the boy, Cadet formed part of the Regency? Did Mary as a member of the Balance, even though she hadn’t been with them? Only time would tell.