Beginning of chapter 12
“So, you have no idea how difficult the task you’re promising to shoulder is. Do you wish to know how one allows an Irani to descend amongst the Physicals ?”
Calian opened his mouth to respond but Koshan didn’t leave him the chance, the energy-based lifeform visibly excited that a human was crazy enough to discuss such a subject with him, “Us, Irani and other energy based entities, often attempt to descend to material worlds or establish links with material planes to feed. Not on you directly though !” laughed Koshan, “But rather on your will, the remnants of will that float around after you’ve executed a spell, on the fragments of will that escape when you strive for your dreams and hopes. We’re not predatory creatures or interested in your downfall, on the contrary, the more you prosper the more you feed us. For us to feed in the physical world is a challenge however, that often requires the cooperation from humans on the other side.”
Koshan paused for a moment, seemingly reflecting on his next words, “Most often a portal is opened by agreement on both side, otherwise it doesn’t work, or we connect to naturally occurring dungeons. But another option is available, we can incarnate in an Avatar. We come inhabit the body of a willing person, or unwilling but bound by contract, and we use their body to interact with the material plane. The possession is however always for a short duration, the body is fighting back against the foreign soul inhabiting it, and our vast power also drives the body above its limits. The legends said that long ago one of my people managed to inhabit a particularly powerful and well-prepared man for five years before the body couldn’t handle it anymore. But I’m merciful and not delusional, you wouldn’t accept throwing your life away. I’d make you my avatar for a time but before your body would degrade too much I’d retract. That means I’d take roughly a year of your life.”
Koshan grinned a toothy smile to Calian, almost rubbing his hands together, “Since you’re so desperate to the point of begging for a solution I’ll give you one. I’ll give you access to the knowledge you request, and 20 years from now, when you’re at your prime, you’ll forfeit your life and allow me to descend into your body for a year. I want to make you my Avatar.”
Calian looked at the higher being with calculating eyes, no emotions showing on his face, but his mind racing. When a deal with a higher being was concluded a geas was imposed on both parties. Geas were a useful tool but not an all powerful one, contrary to most folklore tale they can’t make a man drop dead the moment he breaches the contract.
Geasa are more subtle than that, they depend on the relative strength and will of both parties, if Calian were to make a pact with Koshan right now and break it just after he’d probably be paralyzed or at least highly limited in his abilities, making him an easy target even for a higher being having issues affecting the material world. However, if Calian were to break the vow later, say when he’s got years of experience, magical knowledge and fighting supporting him, the geas would annoy him, make him suffer chronic pain, reveal his position to Koshan, maybe neutralize part of his mana reserves, but he wouldn’t be defenseless. The major drawback would be that until the deal was completed or one of the parties died, the geas would still affect him.
A plan was forming, there were a lot of variables and unknowns, but that wouldn’t really matter would it ? Calian was going to accept the deal, it was his only escape. He knew that the higher being was giving him one last chance to seize the offer before departing. But Calian knew, when the 20 years were up, he was not going to surrender his body to become someone else’s avatar. Even if Koshan upheld his promise, he wouldn’t take one year. Once the energy lifeform retracted from the body the damage didn’t disappear with the entity. Calian would lose control of his body for one year, and he was losing his vitality for how many after that. Calian closed his eyes, his plan was formed, he’d accept the deal and the knowledge. But in 20 years, with knowledge, connections and experience behind him, Calian was going to break the vow.
Calian nodded, “I accept your offer on the condition that I know how you’ll deliver the knowledge I request.”
Koshan gave Calian the toothiest grin he’d ever seen, probably due to the mana body not obeying by physical laws, “But of course, I wouldn’t dream of cheating a dear friend ! Well it’s a bit tricky in your situation… Most people ask me for a specific knowledge, you know. ‘Quick Koshan, I forgot my wife’s birthday, how do I make pancakes ?’. I thought about giving you only the spells to make an interplanetary teleporter, but you’d lack the resources and knowledge to make most of the components needed, and we both need you in the Empire for our best interests. Really, you’re in a tricky situation, on an unknown planet, with strange societies and foreign rules, you might need a bit of everything to vanquish the problems that come your way. So, I thought about giving you a bit of everything, but I’d fry your brain. We’re stuck here, I can’t really give you what you request exactly. But ! I can give you better, not knowledge but a path to knowledge. Literally.”
Koshan marked a pause, apparently evaluating Calian’s reaction to his exuberant speech, seeing a calm face and scrutinizing gaze as his only response the energy lifeform decided to continue a bit more calmly, “I’ll offer you one of the gates to Knowledge. It’s an ancient artifact created by dragons that allows one’s spirit to transcend the physical limits and tap into a portion of the dimension of knowledge. I’ll be honest, the artifact is only a gate, the rest is on you. Finding and retrieving the knowledge you’re searching for is up to you and your capabilities. So, my human friend, what do you think of our deal ?”
Calian steeled his gaze, he was probably making the biggest mistake of his life but to hell with it ! He wasn’t going to spend one more minute than necessary away from his peaceful life and he certainly wasn’t leaving this world without saying goodbye to his parents. Calian stood up from his chair and stood straight like a steel bar planted deep in the rock. He gazed in the illusory eyes of Koshan and declared with a grave voice, “I accept your conditions, I, Calian Rhys, will forfeit one year of my life to become Koshan’s avatar 20 years from now. In exchange, Koshan will hand me the Gate of Knowledge and expect no return of it for the rest of his life.”
Koshan nodded and replied, “I, Koshan, will inhabit Calian Rhys’ body for a duration of one year, 20 years from now, as repayment I’ll hand over the Gate of Knowledge and expect no return of it for the rest of my life.”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
When both had finished no fancy lightshow manifested nor mystical wind, instead both parties felt a weight in their spirit, the sign of the geas settling in and their vows being recognized.
Koshan was the first to speak, apparently used to the process, “I believe we’re both done here, I’ll go now. If you’re having trouble be sure to call me, I’ll do my best to help”, he winked.
Calian nodded back but didn’t answer, too focused on the feeling of the geas settling in. As he was still lost in thought space rippled around Koshan. The cracks that had been torn in space earlier during the ritual burst open once again. Reality was receding in the area, a junction between two dimensions opening, the laws of physics blending and fighting between two different universes. Once again, the ripping and booming sound signaled the passage between planes had opened, Koshan didn’t wait around, diving in the brightly lit hole and disappearing from the physical realm. As the hole closed and space was healing a small object made its way through. The object had barely made it, scraping the edges of the passage before thudding softly on the floor. As it made contact with the soft soil of the Clearing the wind ruffling the trees leaves and the bright lights died down, everything going back to its original calm.
Calian had made it, he’d made a deal with a god ! He’d managed to buy himself a way out of this planet ! Satisfied, he dropped to his knees and flopped down, laying on the floor and looking at the darkening sky. With the adrenalin receding and his stress going back to acceptable level he relaxed on the ground while promising himself not to do that too often. Hell, dealing with a higher being, even a somewhat nice one was tiring. Eh, it was quite the chatty entity, Calian had even felt some business owner bargaining vibes from Koshan, but maybe it was stress playing tricks on him.
Calian had closed his eyes and was on tracks to take a nap in the middle of the clearing when a sound of rustling leaves startled him.
“And what the hell did you just do here !?”
Calian groaned, for Gods’ love, he’d asked Melody to leave him alone in the Clearing especially because he didn’t want her snooping around when he was bargaining with a god. And now she was here questioning him while he had no idea what she’d overheard. He loved this woman, she was smart and had helped him so much, but she was a bit too curious of his personal matters to Calian’s liking. Calian sighed, forced his drooping eyelids open and groaned more than talked while still laying on the ground, “What the fuck are you doing here Mel’ ?”
“I’m here to check on you dumbass ! You sent mana waves so strong a kid got a mana core and I was thrown off my feet ! Hell, the magic pulse was so powerful I managed to cast a spell when it washed over me ! I was worried you know, I feared you’d blown yourself up in a failed experiment. So I’m asking again, what the hell are you doing here ?”
Calian laughed while still laying on the ground, “Eheh, I got myself something a bit more peachy than our original greenhouse ! But damn, I knew the mana pulses were fat, but to be felt so far from the forest, it was even bigger than I expected.” As he finished he sat on the ground and looked over at Melody. She was sitting on Koshan’s chair and was holding a large bag. She had both a worried and angry look on her face.
She shot him a glare before slouching a bit and resting her elbows on her knees, “What were you doing just now Cal’ ? I saw a bright light, a scary sound and everything was gone. Please tell me it wasn’t anything dangerous.”
“Uhh, it’s a bit complicated to explain, but basically I got myself a way to gain more knowledge,” said Calian, he got up and picked the object that had been thrown out of Koshan’s gate. It was an unassuming spherical black sphere. It fitted perfectly in the palm of Calian’s hand and it felt neither hot nor cold, it had almost no texture, no particular weight. If Calian had seen Vantablack he’d compare the sphere to that, it reflected no light, just pitch black with a few stripes of changing colors floating and moving around the sphere. With a satisfied look Calian threw the sphere up and caught it with his hand midair, “I’m touched you were worried for me Mel’, but don’t worry too much about me, I mostly know what I’m doing and I haven’t planned on dying yet,” he declared with a small smirk.
As Melody was about to answer he decided to continue and cut her off before she could start, “With this little thing here I’ll be able to make whatever magical construct and spells I want, I have all the knowledge I want. So rest assured I’m going to repay your generosity, I’ll give you what even the magical academy couldn’t offer me !”
Melody shot him an interrogating look and asked, “You’re saying this thingy here gives you knowledge of whatever you want to know about magic ? How does that even work ?”
Calian laughed, “Hell if I have any idea, but it’s none of my concern until tomorrow morning, I’m taking the rest of day to relax, I’ve had a… stressful afternoon. Wanna share a meal before you go ?”
Melody shrugged, “Sure, I had packed for the night, in case you needed assistance or something, so I might as well eat here.”
As both went in the house to prepare a half decent meal with the nonexistent utensils of Calian they continued discussing.
“So what exactly did you do to make such a big mana pulse dude ? It was one intense feeling, I was pushed against my car and I thought I had made a dent in the side or something.”
“Ah ! I spent quite a bit of time preparing that project ! I made the area around the Clearing produce mana for me, the Greenhouse was good for my more mundane needs but clearly wasn’t enough for heavier spells,” Calian explained while grabbing two can of ravioli and making them casually float above a fire contained inside his palm. “I made some runes that coral the mana inside the Clearing. I bet you’ve felt it while coming over, I know you’re getting quite skilled at detecting mana. Then I just punched a hole on the side the Greenhouse and let the mana slowly fill up the area. The rest is history, the same that happened in the greenhouse but far bigger, a large mana cycle snapped into place over the whole forest and sent a mana pulse over the whole region.”
As Calian finished explaining the cans were hot enough and he opened them with a flick of the hand. Melody grabbed two forks, handed him one and they both started eating. As she was chewing Melody asked a question that had been bothering her for quite some time, “So… Now that you’re settled, you know, house mana and knowledge,” she pointed at the Gate of Knowledge resting on a shelf in the living room, “What exactly are you going to do ? I know you’re going to give me magic lessons and stuff, but I mean, long-term.”
Calian took a second to answer, he was chewing on his words and his ravioli, “My end-goal is going back home, in the empire you know. But there a long way to go before that, it’ll likely take years to get everything ready. Before that my main goal is getting a bit more proficient with potion making and transmutation. I’ll need lots of materials and money to go home, and those two fields look particularly interesting to make money in your society. So I think I’ll spend the next year learning new things !”
On that note both continued to discuss the future and their plans. After a while Melody declared she needed to go to sleep, and Calian offered her to sleep in the house, he was going to sleep in the greenhouse anyway. A happy and excited Calian and a relieved Melody both went to sleep separately. Calian had brought the Gate of Knowledge to the greenhouse with him, first because he didn’t fully trust Melody yet, but also because he was planning on trying something new before going to sleep.