“Good afternoon, Lord Breeden.”
Eric bobbed his head politely at the random passersby, who bowed and curtsied in reply, then turned resolutely toward the front door of his home, barely suppressing a tired sigh. Lord indeed! It was the last thing he wanted. He’d fought off any sort of nobility for years and years, and kept a low profile, only known by a few people. It had been perfect for his work as the Captain of a mercenary outfit. But now he was recognized by all, and everyone seemed to find him and slow his walks through the city with a greeting and a bow. It was exhausting!
He opened the door and slipped inside, finally letting out the sigh he’d been holding since the morning. At last, he was home. Here, he could be himself and he didn’t get any respect he didn’t deserve. Sure, there was the staff of his estate, but they knew by now to address him only by name, and not to give him any special treatment outside of a polite greeting. They worked harder than he did, after all, maintaining Raven Hall and teaching his daughter while he and his wife worked.
“Papa!” And there was Emily now. Just three years old, but Eric had trouble remembering a time when she wasn’t in his life. Not that he wanted to. She was the center of his universe, and everything he did, he did for her. He stooped down to scoop her up as she came barreling into him, lifting her high into the air. She giggled as she was spun around at arm’s length.
“Welcome home, Papa!” She said brightly, and perhaps a bit too loudly.
“Why thank you,” he said, smiling back at her as he hugged her. “Did you miss me?”
“Uh-huh. Me’dith said you’d make dinner if I behaved. I was a good girl!”
“Oh, did she?” Eric said, arching an eyebrow, but grinning nonetheless. “What’s wrong? You don’t like Liam’s cooking?”
She shook her head, screwing up her face. “Uh-uh! It’s yucky.”
He laughed at that, carrying her deeper into the house. “That’s just because he makes you eat your vegetables.”
A woman in an apron came bustling into view, clearly searching for Emily. She had a harried, care-worn expression on her face. “Emily, you little rascal, where have you run off-”
She stopped in her tracks as she saw Eric, and her eyes widened as she realized what she’d been saying. “Oh! Apologies, Lord Breeden. I didn’t expect you back so soon.”
“That’s alright, Meredith,” he said easily. “I take it she’s been a handful today?”
“No more than usual,” she said, straightening up. “She’s a lovely girl, if perhaps a bit stubborn.”
“Just like her mother,” Eric laughed. “And I’ve told you before. No ‘Lord Breeden’ inside the house. My name is Eric, and that’s what you’ll call me.”
“Of course, sir,” she said.
“Now, as I understand it, I’m cooking dinner?”
Her eyes widened in horror again, and she clapped a hand to her mouth. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Lor-, err, sir. I only said it to get her to behave. I wouldn’t dare to make you-”
He held up the hand not holding his daughter to cut her off. “It’s quite alright, Meredith. I enjoy cooking, after all.”
She curtsied, accepting his reply at face value. “Very well, sir. Shall I take Emily while you bathe and change?”
“Yes, thank you,” he said, handing the girl over and tapping her lightly on the nose. “You behave while I get cleaned up.”
“Yes, papa,” she said solemnly, and Meredith swept away. Emily gave him an energetic wave as if he’d be gone for hours. Smiling and shaking his head, Eric made his way up the central staircase to the second floor. Pausing only to stop at his wife’s outdoor herb garden on the patio and embrace her, he went to take a bath.
-
Eric had pondered for the past months what Ahya had meant during their meeting about one of her children giving him a request. He’d asked Samuel almost immediately if he could understand what that meant, but the Archmage had only shaken his head, looking just as confused as he was. “I can’t think of anything at the moment.”
“Do you know of anything else that might go awry in the near future?” He’d asked, his brow knitted in concern. “I was kind of hoping for some time off before the next crisis.”
That had drawn a laugh out of Samuel. “I should hope that we’ll have quite a while.”
So, Eric had been left to stew over the words in silence. As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks blurred into months, he’d actually managed to forget about it. Maybe Ahya had been mistaken, he thought. It didn’t seem likely, but the more time dragged on, the more he became content with his return to a normal life. Eight months later, he’d nearly forgotten all about it. That was, until Grimr Longfang, the God of Nature walked through his front door.
For that momentous meeting, Eric was neck-deep in dinner preparation, slicing vegetables and trimming the large slab of beef he was going to use in his stew. He was fully in his own world, humming happily when the head butler Ethan entered the kitchen.
“Evening, Ethan,” Eric said, sparing the man half a glance. “I hope you’ll be hungry around dinner time.”
“Quite, sir,” Ethan said, allowing himself a slight smile that didn’t entirely manage to mask his look of anxious unease. “You have a visitor, sir.”
“Well, let them in,” Eric said. His staff was more than familiar with the way he treated guests by now. If he wasn’t asleep or out of the house, he wasn’t inclined to make people wait. “Who is it?”
“The last person you’d want to see right now, I’m sure.”
The voice, which he immediately recognized, did not come from Ethan. He could feel his entire being shiver as he heard the words and instinctively knew that the thing he’d forgotten about had come. Even as he turned, he knew what Grimr was here for. Still, he tried to at least act polite. “Grimr Longfang! What a pleasant surprise. You may return to your duties, Ethan.”
Ethan gave him a swift bow and almost flashed out of sight, eager not to spend too much time in close proximity to a god. Grimr watched him go with a smirk, then turned his violet eyes back on Eric. “Samuel tells me that The Mother spoke to you, and warned you of this meeting.”
“She didn’t give me the specifics,” Eric said. “She just told me that another of her children would have a request for me.”
“I see,” Grimr said, accepting the correction. He seemed especially awkward, a state that Eric had never seen in him before. “Did she give you any hint as to what it might be, or what your reward would be?”
“I don’t know what you’re about to ask if that’s what you mean. And if it’s all the same to you, I’ll leave any mention of reward out of it.”
It wasn’t that he wanted to keep it a secret. He just didn’t know how Grimr would react if he found out that Eric might become a permanent addition to Ahya. Doubtless, his interest would be low, he reasoned. But there was always the worry that he’d view it as a threat to the balance and just kick him back to Earth. Either way, he’d rather put it off as long as possible.
“I should tell you,” Grimr continued, affecting not to notice his evasive reply, “That I have not arrived alone. Young Megan is with me, as well as one of your men, Jerik.”
Eric let out a snort of laughter, not at the words, but at the realization that he’d completely forgotten about Jerik too. He’d left Johan in charge of the mercenary outfit, as he hardly had time to work in that regard anymore. “Why have you brought them?”
“Because, as they are both also from Earth, I will be needing their assistance as well.”
And sure enough, Jerik and Megan both appeared at that moment. Megan was holding Emily, and talking to her in a silly voice that had his daughter laughing. She only looked away long enough to give Eric a nod of greeting. Jerik nodded as well, but he looked supremely disinterested in this collection of strange characters.
“How did you know that Jerik was from Earth?” Eric asked. “Samuel didn’t summon him, did he?”
“No,” Grimr replied. “It appears that he was able to come here of his own free will. I don’t know how, but I don’t care. What I do care about is the information he’s shared with me about your home world.”
Eric said nothing, sure that the Ancient would continue his point in due time. But, to his surprise, Jerik spoke next, that usual sarcastic smirk firmly in place. “Remember when I told you that a lot on Earth had changed?”
Eric nodded. Jerik continued. “Well, one of those changes was the Nexus.”
“I don’t know what that is.”
“It’s magic,” Grimr said, his face going even more serious. “I know where it’s from, and I do not want it in the hands of ordinary mortals. It should either remain in Naturas where it was born, or under my control.”
“That.. Doesn’t exactly explain what it is,” Eric replied. “I mean, I’m surprised that magic can exist on Earth, of course, but what exactly is it? What kind of magic?”
“It is the ability to harness and manipulate natural elements. It requires a lot of training, but it is very powerful. I understand that it has already caused quite a bit of damage in your world.”
“Okay,” Eric said slowly. He could see what Grimr was getting at now. “And you want our help in acquiring it. I’m not exactly the magical type, you know. How can I possibly help you?”
“Simple,” Jerik answered. “Two of the Nexuses, those are groups of a specific element, live in Fairbanks.”
Now that really put Eric on his heels. He whipped around. “Fairbanks? As in Alaska?”
Jerik nodded. “That’s where you’re from, isn’t it?”
Eric nodded. “So you want me to spy on these Nexus people, and help you reclaim their power?”
“Yes,” Grimr said. “It may take a while, but I need your help. Once it’s finished, you can come back here straight away. Even if it should take us years, you’ll only be gone a matter of months here.”
“If it helps,” Megan said, speaking up for the first time, “We get a pretty hefty reward for doing this. Not that I think you need that for a reason.”
Her eyes met Eric’s, and somehow, he could tell that she’d had a similar dream featuring the creator of this world. Was she also promised the ability to stay in Ahya forever? He pushed the curiosity away and nodded. “Of course, I don’t really need a reason. I’ve had a pretty long vacation. Might as well get back to work.”
Grimr’s sly smirk widened. “I’m beginning to think that Samuel had the right idea, summoning you. Alright. Here’s the plan, because we have no idea if we’ll even be able to meet on Earth. You and Jerik will infiltrate the Nexuses, and learn their powers. Once we get an opportunity to reunite, we’ll discuss the next step.”
Eric nodded his understanding, as did the others. “When do we leave?”
Grimr stepped forward and placed one hand on Eric’s chest. He felt a swooping sensation in his stomach, as well as a flash of cold that rushed through his body. As quickly as it had appeared, it was gone, and he felt normal. “I’ve just begun the long process of manually dissolving your runes. Without them, you will return to your home immediately. It will take several hours, so you have time to explain it to your family.”
And without another word, he turned on his heel and left the house. They could hear his voice a few seconds later, echoing from the entry hall. “I’ll take you up on your offer for that fragrant stew later. For now, I have work to do.”
Eric rose his eyes as he locked eyes with Megan again, bemused. She grinned back, shaking her head. “Sometimes I think Samuel is the strangest person I’ll ever meet. Then I see him, and realize I may be wrong.”
“Nah,” Eric said, returning to his dinner. “I still think Samuel is weirder.”
“Well, I think I’ll be taking off early,” Jerik said, catching their attention. “I’ll have to book a flight to Fairbanks. I just hope the Anchorage airport isn’t too busy.”
“Should be a short flight anyway,” Eric guessed. “At least it was the last time I took one. How do you do it?”
“Like this,” Jerik said. He closed his eyes and assumed an intensely concentrated look. Then, quite suddenly, he was gone. No sound, no magical presence. Just empty air. Emily let out a gasp of surprise as he disappeared, and cried out, “Tepetation!”
“Teleportation, silly,” Megan corrected, poking her on the nose. Emily let out a giggle, then repeated, “Tepetation!”
-
Grimr had quoted him several hours, but it ended up being just over two. Eric could feel it taking effect as they finished the evening meal. Judging by the sudden look of concern on Megan’s face, she’d noticed it as well. They shared a quick glance, then Eric nudged his wife, keeping his voice above a whisper. “It’s time.”
Emma’s face tightened somewhat, but she nodded her acceptance. “Please make it as quick as you can. And once this is over, no more saving the world for you for at least five years.”
“I’ll do my best,” he said, laughing as he hugged her. Then he scooped Emily up as Megan hugged his wife goodbye, and told the girl, “Alright. I have to go to work, and I’ll be on a ship for a while. You make sure to behave, and focus on your lessons.”
“Okay,” she said, pouting. “Will you bring me back a present?”
“Of course,” he promised her. “You’re gonna love it.”
That seemed to cheer her up, and she returned to her dinner. She took a big bite of beef from her stew, chewed, and then looked up, speaking thickly around a mouthful of food. “I love you, Papa.”
Well, great, he thought. That felt like a knife to the heart. “I love you too, dear. Keep your mother company for me.”
They exited the house without another word and walked around to the back of the estate, where there wouldn’t be any observers. Leaning against the wall, Megan let out a sigh. “I don’t know how you’re able to leave them, even if only for a few months.”
“Personal responsibility,” he said. It was starting to get a little harder to breathe, he notice. “Any second now, I bet.”
“Yep,” she replied, drawing the word out. “Michael’s not going to be happy with me.”
“You’ve told him that you’re going back for a while, right?” He asked. She didn’t reply, so he looked around. “Megan?”
In the time it had taken him to blink, he’d found himself back on Earth. He was sitting on his favorite armchair by the fire, which of course was dark and dull. There hadn’t been warmth in this house for years, possibly a decade. He shivered violently as he felt the cold take effect. Almost immediately, as if by instinct, he tried to warm himself with Ki, before realizing that it wouldn’t work. He was back in his normal body, with no magic, not even of the physical variety.
“Hunter?” He asked tentatively, just to check. Nope, nothing. He was alone.
He quickly shook off the melancholy and went about building a fire in the grate. The heat would take hours to spread throughout the house properly, he thought, but he wouldn’t be here the entire time. He wasn’t tired, and the light outside was bright, indicating that it was in the middle of the day. Might as well get a jump on things, he decided. He had to learn as much about these “Nexuses” as he could, and find a way to get into one.
