AN UNEXPECTED GUEST

  The group slows as they approach the Combat Center, watching the small group waiting on them. Claire is the first to speak. “Mother, father what are you doing here?”

  Bree tells her while rubbing her eye, “We were asked to come. We were told it was important.”

  “So all of the Imps came, and Richard?”

  “This gives us an opportunity to meet your new friends, can we talk in private dear?”

  Penny introduces the Imps to the newly formed party. Claire and Bree step to the side, Bree waving Tanner off. Claire starts, “What is going on? You had a vision?”

  Bree explains, a grave look on her face. “I did, but I am uncertain about what. It was not clear. Something is going to happen that may be terrible or it maybe good. Tanner will be upset afterwards, and Richard is involved somehow.”

  “How bad, will bad be?” A wide eyed Claire asks.

  “Think dungeon break in the middle of the Capital bad.” Bree waits for her daughter to process this information.

  Claire squares her shoulders and says, “This is why we are Attuned, we are to be the shield for the weak.”

  Bree wraps her arms around Claire, hugging her tight. “I am so proud of you right now.”

  They part, each wiping tears away, Bree continues. “You and the red-haired girl will stay by Tanner’s side. If things go sideways, Instruct your friends to grab Richard and flee, some of the Imperial bodyguards will accompany them. Under no circumstance are you to tell Tanner.”

  Claire nods her head. “Got it. This whole day has been insane.”

  “That is because today has been a pivot moment. Many important events have happened and are continuing to happen. Just try to remain calm and in control. Use your head and follow your instincts, you will do fine.”

  “Why tell me this now?”

  “Tanner is the focal point at present, he just needs your support.”

  “Do I get any clues as to what is going to happen?”

  “Sorry dear, I have not seen enough to even guess, just vague images and feelings.”

  Claire moves to Connie’s side, whispering in her ear. She smiles, nods, then guides Tanner toward the compound gates, separating him from the group. Tanner smiles at her and resumes brooding. The others hang back, awestruck, meeting the imperial couple and The Voice of the Goddess. The entire group walk to the Combat Center’s gates. Tanner in the lead bows open hand over fist close to his chest, to the young martial artists manning the gate. He pulls a scroll out of his sleeve pocket, he presents it between the two, announcing he has been commanded to attend Grand Master Rialto on this day. The girls bow and the older one takes the scroll. Reading it, she nods her head, handing the scroll back to Tanner. While the other girl opens the gate. The imps and the new forming party follow Tanner into the large training yard. Several men and women of all ages are moving through martial forms at different speeds, some fast, some slower. Combatants, armed or unarmed, engage in sparring matches. One match features a woman versus five foes. Everywhere they look, they see men and women wearing white robes with symbols on the back. Robes tied with multi-colored belts and similar symbols appear together. Other men and women walk among the practitioners wearing black robes with white belts, colored stripes on the end. Stunned by the unique sight, the Imps, Tanner, and their group paused, gazing around in wonder. A young man approaches the visitors. Tanner once again bows and tells him he is to report to Grand Master Rialto. “Please follow me.” is the only response. The young guide follows the outer wall to a rear keep. Tanner's attention is drawn to a covered side yard with a small fence surrounding it. Wards of some type are engraved deep into the wall and paving stones of the area. Various weapons line the racks while a path winds between them. Tanner's attention shifts to a woman walking the path, eyes closed. Upon a closer look, he sees she is walking the wards, not the path. Unable to help himself, he walks towards the woman. Bree stops everyone but Claire and Connie, and nods her head to them, showing they need to stick close. Tanner, with the girls close behind, walks to the woman charging the wards. She opens her eyes with a start and says. “Sorry I am charging the selection wards and did not see you approach.”

  Still looking over the wards. Tanner asks, “Is that what you are doing it, looks beautiful.”

  The smiling woman freezes, face white. She asks, “Jack is that you? Where have you been? Wait your not Jack,” The lady falls to her knees and says, “Tanner? You must be Tanner, we thought you died. Oh Goddess, you are Tanner aren’t you? Please be Tanner.” The sobbing woman tries to stand but stumbles.

  Tanner rushes to the woman and kneels in front of her. Claire and Connie each kneel with him and place their hands on his shoulders. Tanner asks the Mage how she knows his name. She grips his face, gazing into his eyes, then speaks. “You are Tanner James Wilson, right? Son of Janet and Jack Wilson? You have to be. You look so much like him. Sorry I’m babbling.” With a hiccup, she continues to hold Tanner’s cheeks, looking him in the eyes.

  Tanner takes a deep breath and says, “My mother and father were Janet and Jack Wilson. My name is Tanner. Now please for Goddess’s sake, who are you, and how do you know what my father's face looks like? How do you know my name?”

  The strange woman cries harder, but the tone of her sobs change. She wraps her arms around Tanner’s neck, holding tight. “I am your mother’s sister, we looked for you after the event. We couldn’t find out anything about you. We thought you dead. Oh Tanner thank Goddess your not. You were a babe the last time I saw you, around two I think just before…” she trails off. Tanner's stiff body breaking through her hysterical manner.

  Claire whispers, “Tanner stop. It is not her fault she looked for you. So many looked for you, none of them could find you, Tanner listen to me.”

  With heaving breaths, Tanner stands. Stiff with anger, face white with outrage, snarls. “You left me, you all left me.”

  Tanner’s aunt cries out. “No wait, I can prove it.” She stands and casts a summons spell. “Berlgartyquitamen. I summon you.” A line of yellow energies appear and swirls out from a point in the center, and form a perfect circle plunging outward to the edge locking in place. Green iridescence energies pulse from the center in prefect circles and slam into the yellow border building pressure until the portal shudders and turns black. A gigantic eyeball gazes out of a space crevice and drifts through, suspended at head level. The eye ball’s slit pupil spins around, not locked in place like a normal eye, then focuses on the woman summoner. Several long oily looking tentacles wiggle out from the bottom.

  The pupil winks closed, then open. After rotating around the eyeball, it focuses on the summoner. “Katrina Marget Swanson why have you summoned me?” a voice asks.

  “I have found my nephew Janet’s son. Please tell him we looked for him for days and could find no sign.”

  “Katrina Marget Swanson has your mind slipped? No Human males are here except those standing there.” Several tentacles point toward the Imps and Tanner’s party. “You stand with two human females.”

  Katrina’s eyes widen in shock then narrow, “Will you look for signs of a veiling? It would have my sister’s signature. You know us both.” The pupil disappears again like it closed its eye. Briefly, the creature grows larger before deflating. The pupil reappears and focuses on Tanner's position. With a sideways tilt of it’s the pupil, the creature jabs several tentacles through Tanner's head, exiting the back faster than anyone can react. The creature removes the tentacles. “There you are. You are indeed Janet Kristen Swanson-Wilson’s son. Your mother hid you from view. Therefore, you were not found. Hmm there is something…” The pupil widens in surprise, and folds itself in half. “Forgive this one lord. It has been long since one of the Arcane walked the worlds. I had almost forgotten what your Essence tasted like.”

  Claire and Connie frenzied with worry about Tanner, running their hands over his head, looking for wounds. Stunned, Tanner sits gazing at the creature. The creature points behind the two girls. “You must stop the attack on the barrier or your city will suffer. Eldritch Essence will release and possibly destroy parts of it.”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Claire spins around to see several bodyguards and the Imps attacking a dome surrounding her, Tanner, Connie, and the strange being. Claire runs to the edge, waving her arms, desperate for them to stop. Bree spots Claire’s wild gestures and commands everyone to halt and back off. Claire, cut off from others outside, waves contacting those outside to preserve the dome. Bree and Harry nod understanding and set up guard positions around the dome. Claire rejoins her friends, both now sitting on the ground in front of the strange creature.

  “Please sit with us Princess Claire Penelope Contigo. I was just explaining you three have been warded against Eldritch Essences and the barrier is to prevent the Essences from moving throughout the city. I mean you no harm, the opposite, in fact.” Tanner looks at her and says, “It wants to read you and Constance Willow Vandine like it did me. It doesn’t hurt, it just surprised me.”

  “Tanner this is an Eldritch Horror. They are evil.”

  “Are all Humans evil? Are all Elves, Dwarfs, Beastmen, Halfmen, and Giants Evil? We are as varied as you other lifeforms that inhabit this world. We are from a macrocosm that exists alongside yours. Just like not all of you in this dimension are not evil, the same applies to my kind.”

  “But all the stories talk of the destruction your kind has caused.”

  “My kind has caused? Are you not aware we can not exist in this plane unless summoned?”

  Tanner, sensing the Horror’s anger, speaks up, “No, we did not, we three are not very learned as we are new to our attunement. We lost much of our human knowledge during the Chaos Wars.”

  The creature calms down. “Apologies, I would like to help The Arcane. May I read you? It is only out of politeness, I ask. I forgot myself with Tanner James Wilson-Alexander, he feels the two of you also have what you humans call Origin Affinities. Let me confirm, I understand that your human knowledge is incomplete. I can help.”

  Connie says, “I trust Tanner he says it doesn’t hurt and he seems fine. You can read me.”

  Claire takes a deep breath to steel her nerves and nods her head.

  Berlgartyquitamen’s tentacles flash through the distance between it and the girls faster than they can register. The time between one blink and the next and it is done. The creature give a delighted laugh, “You are A Celestial and A Primal. Origin holders are once more traveling the planes. You must survive.” The horror bounces in place in slow motion, almost like pacing. “You need knowledge, this I can give you.” Reaching into itself, it removes three bags and places items in each bag. Then hands them to each Tanner, Connie, and Claire. “Inside these storage items are books on each of your Origin Affinities. They cover the basics of each along with what Affinities compose each. There are also books on the basics of each Prime, Sub-Prime, and Basic Affinities. They are in the language of my race. You have been given the Ability to read, speak, and understand it. Guard these tomes well, for the contents here in this world are priceless. The bags will bind to you, a drop of your blood, and they become an Inventory Ability. No one will ever see or detect you have it. Look through them after I leave, please. Tanner, your aunt will awaken a few minutes after I leave this plane. The Essences trapped in the dome will be removed as the portal closes. No one has observed what transpired in the last few minutes. This is all the help I can provide. You three and your party must get stronger. Be well.” Berlgartyquitamen moves to the portal and shrinks to a small dot, then nothing. The trio feels a of suction toward the portal as the dome shrinks. The dome harmlessly passes through the teens, collapsing around the portal before disappearing.

  Harold walks to Claire, “Are you alright? Are the three of you alright?”

  “We are all okay.”

  “Where is the Sorceress? I want her in chains.”

  A shouted “No,” resonates across the training yard. Shocked, everyone looks at Tanner, supporting the woman in question.

  “I am still a bit woozy Tanner can you help me to the wall there?” Tanner leads his aunt to a seat on the low wall. She gives Tanner a timid smile, “Sit beside me? We did not abandon you.”

  Tanner sits next to her. “I know that now. Mother placed a veil over me.” Tanner, looking everyone over, says, “This is my mother’s sister, my aunt Katrina.”

  Harold, now angry, glares. “Tanner. I said she is to be placed in chains and arrested, she endangered the city.”

  Meek, shy Connie blazes back, “No, you endangered the city with your reckless attack.” Stepping in front of Katrina. Claire also moves in front of the woman and to Connie’s side.

  Eunice says, “Everyone stop this now. Connie, Claire he is still the Emperor and you will both show respect.” The girls bow their heads.

  Harold smiles in satisfaction, until Eunice whirls on him, casting a privacy barrier. “And you will cease this instance. You are making decisions based on fear. Not fear for yourself but fear for your subjects. That you put in danger. This is not anyone’s fault we just had incomplete information. So everyone stand down.”

  Bree explains to Tanner and Claire’s party. “I was informed about the possibility of this event. However the information was not complete. The danger I was warned about was caused by us.”

  Tanner clears his throat, “Not entirely correct, I may have been able to trigger something if Claire and Connie were not with me. I got this impression that Barty had some interest in me. My temper flared. I got the sense it was feeling my Essences stir and wanted to help me.”

  Connie asks, “Barty?”

  “I’m not pronouncing an alphabet name every time I talk about it, so Barty.”

  Eunice shakes her head at Tanner, smiling, “This misunderstanding was caused by ignorance.”

  Harold flairs, standing straighter, “Excuse me, Eunice you go to far.”

  Eunice fires back, “Harold, stand down. I spoke the truth. What we know can fill a book. What we do not know can fill a library. That goes for each and everyone of us. Do any of you know the difference between a Summons and a Summoned? Do any of you know that other planes of existence are side by side with us every day? The universe is enormous and multifaceted. Just because you think you know something does not mean you are correct.”

  Katrina stands and says, “You being here may have averted a disaster. I was so upset that Tanner didn’t believe me. I was impulsive and summoned Berlgartyquitamen from his plane, but Berlgartyquitamen can not exist on this plane. If the portal were to be banished, it would have died. It is an Eldritch Being without Eldritch Essences. They can not exist here. That goes for all Beings summoned from their microcosm to this plane. Questions?”

  Iris raises her hand, and asks, “Why would you summon something from another plane?”

  “All kinds of reasons. Certain beings can give a temporary increase to your spell power. Some collect knowledge like a dragon hordes its gold. Others are friends and will help with many matters in your life. My Affinity is Eldritch, Berlgartyquitamen is one such for me. I have always found it helpful and willing to teach me a few things. Eldritch beings are knowledge hoarders. They like to exchange knowledge for knowledge. Sometimes they will take rare items in trade. Something about Tanner changed the dynamics of the summoning. Which means you have an Affinity that interacted with it, like my Eldritch Affinity. Your entire family on your mother’s side has Eldritch Affinities. So I assume it is related. I am not asking you, and I don’t want to know until you trust me enough to tell me. To clarify, a Summons is when a spell is cast in a dungeon or during a fight, summoning a being to aid you. This is common knowledge, right? She pauses and looks at her audience. “Those things that appear are not real. They are constructs of Essence created for a short term, directed by the summoner’s will. So every story, or report you have read is untrue or the witness never saw the Mage responsible.”

  Harold says, “I find this hard to believe that every report of say Eldritch Horrors destroying a village is false.”

  “So, in any of these reports, was there crazy amounts of Eldritch Essence, or weird stuff growing, or people turning into something else?”

  “No never, could something like this have been missed?”

  “Doubtful, do any of you have a plant or piece of meat on you? I can demonstrate in a small way.”

  Iris removes the flower in her hair and sets it on the courtyard pavers, while Harold places a meat skewer next to it. Claire mock glares at him. “And you did not share.”

  “I was going to. We got interrupted.” Tanner snickers while the Imps all smile or laugh. Claire sniffs loudly and pulls her chin higher. Katrina, ignoring the byplay, draws a circle around the items and concentrates on the small area. As the Eldritch Essences build, a change can be seen in the iris as it grows and changes color from pale pink to dark blue. Green thorns grow from the petals. The wood skewer holding the meat curves, its ends joining to create a ring. With small bone spurs sprouting from it, the meat falls off and attacks the wooden ring. The iris lunges and gobbles the meat.

  “That’s it I am done.” Katrina says, wiping her brow. “Now you can feel the change in that small area. This Essence aura would be on a much larger scale for an entry portal. But you should get the idea.”

  Now thoughtful, Harold says, “Eldritch is powerful. To affect changes like that in ordinary objects.”

  “Oh, you misunderstand all Essences will do similar if concentrated enough, even Healing.”

  “How long would this last? The effects and the Aura?”

  “It would depend on the size of the portal. The aura will last two days to one week for the larger portals. Changed creatures or objects will die off when the Essences are depleted. They will, however, leave bodies behind. Any reports of that? If not then people or a dungeon overflow are the culprits.”

  “Tolbur and I have to get back to the palace, this needs further investigation.”

  Tanner sighs and says, “No, you will not. Whatever has happened has waited this long. It can wait a few hours longer.”

  Harold, restraining himself, says, “Tanner, this is twice in the last few minutes. You have told me no, you realize who I am and my position as emperor...”

  Tanner stands and cuts him off, “Sir, I have the utmost respect for you as emperor, and as my guardian. Most of all, I have respect for you as a father. As a father, you are needed here for the next few hours.”

  “Tanner I appreciate your words, but I have duties that must be carried out.”

  “Then sir, I appeal to you as a son that wishes he had a father to attend what is coming. I have no father, but you have two children. I was going to bring Richard here tomorrow for testing, since he is here now we should do it.”

  “Daaammnn Slugger, that’s like a Tier Four guilt spell you got there.”

  Eunice says, “Nice one Penny. On that note, I am taking down the ward. We have a few people waiting for us.”