Earth, UN Headquarters, North America
Her day had been a remarkable shit show. As UN Secretary General every member nation had been trying to contact Shereen since the bizarre message had gone out. No sooner had she quelled accusations of responsibility in the delicate balance of political negotiation than every head of state had discovered the list they had been delivered. She assumed whoever had written the list was remarkably informed on the state of every nation and its activities given that the list was different for each country and largely revolved around ending long standing internal and external conflicts as well as ending certain events that had turned her stomach to hear admitted. She’d had more nations self-report themselves for committing war crimes than the international courts had tried in their entire history. She had more than once contemplated stepping down from her position and leaving the entire headache inducing mess to whatever poor soul the Security Council put forth as her replacement except that would still be weeks before she was actually able to discharge her responsibilities.
“Excuse me Madame Secretary I apologize for the interruption but there is a large box here with a letter addressed to you.” Shereen rubbed at her temples and sighed at her aid’s interruption.
“Has it been screened?”
“No, it appeared in the General Assembly Hall ten minutes ago and nobody has been able to open it since. It’s not radioactive but every attempt to scan it beyond ambient measurements results in the machine dying until it’s moved away. We did confirm the attached letter was safe but nobody has been able open it.” The young woman looked exhausted and a bit frazzled. Understandable after the day they had been having.
“Fine, I’ll look at it. Maybe the Tigerman plans to assassinate me as a mercy killing.” She took the offered letter and noticed the handwriting addressing it to her was nearly perfect aside from a trailing line at the end of her name. She tried opening the envelope and was surprised when it opened without resistance. The page inside had the feeling of the thick vellum of high class invites rather than proper paper.
For the eyes of Shereen L. Younes, UN Secretary General;
I do not know what struggles you are facing at this time. By necessity this letter and the attached package were made prior to me raising the barriers and making our announcement. Unfortunately, aside from a few agents that are unable to exercise their power I do not have any well-informed eyes on Earth. As such as the closest thing to an elected representative for the planet I am designating you as my proxy. Your primary goal should be to mitigate the loss of life over the next eight years at least and bring rival nations to the negotiating table. To facilitate this, I leave in your hands alone an incredible power and a way to ensure your safety. The box is enchanted, simply designate an area on the included maps and any person located inside it will collapse for twenty-four hours. Use this with consideration as repeated exposure can be harmful to individuals.
As this places you at incredible risk, there is also a set of enchanted items. Wearing any of the items will provide you with protection from any known weapon on Earth. Be forewarned though that they have limited use, such magic is difficult to create in a self-sustaining was and so has limited uses available, research indicates that any one item could potentially block two direct missile strikes before losing their power. How you choose to employ them is up to you. The box and its contents will only respond to your touch, or to whoever you designate as your replacement. Exact directions on how to do so can be found inside the box. Please accept my apologize again for the situation, I would provide more details if possible but that poses a risk that I cannot take. If necessary, you can use the authority I’m granting you to seize power and declare yourself Governor General of the planet though I hope you can find a less tyrannical method to end present and future hostilities.
With all sincerity,
Isa, Prime Elemental of Ice, Lord of Frosthome, Commander of the First Tactical Battalion, Heir to the Cyngof, and Guardian of Earth.
“I’m going to be the first Secretary General to get assassinated in office because of this bastard. Let me see the box.” A quartet of security officers carried in what looked like a plain but well-made wooden sea chest. There was no visible lock beyond a plain silver square of metal on the top inscribed with the words “open alone”. As she touched it a chill swept up her arm and into her body that made her shiver and there was a gentle snapping sound as the lid raised up, she gestured to her aid and the security to leave before touching the silver plate open revealing a. she pushed the lid open the rest of the way to reveal a set of maps, a tray of what looked like charcoal sticks, and a crystal clear box covered with carvings that she thought looked like runes, she opened the box and lifted out a single sheet of what felt like basic copy paper covered in the same precise hand writing.
When you’re done reading this letter place it back in the box with your signature on the back. What you read next is for you and the limited number you trust. The magic of fantasy stories is real, the barriers I erected are a temporary measure to contain it until such time as preparations can be made to help humanity as you know it adjust to its reality. Unfortunately, unlike in childhood books it is an extremely volatile power. Stray emotions can cause unexpected reactions and I would prefer a hapless teen doesn’t cause an earthquake that erases the British Isles during a quarrel with their first love.
The missing soldiers will be trained to use this power, and to respond to it’s untrained use to prevent loss of life. They and their families will be returned when that training is complete. At that time the barriers will also be removed and the individuals trapped inside will also be returned.
-Isa
PS, you may designate a successor and place their name and picture the box. I’ve made arrangements for authority over the box to be transferred if needed. In event of your death without being transferred. For leverage you can let the General Assembly know that in event of your death or separation from the box someone has already been designated to receive it. I’ve also designated several individuals to ensure your safety and the death of any responsible for attempting to harm you.
“Well, that’s not ominous at all. Nothing like knowing your being spied on for safety.” There was a flash of light and a slip of paper with an almost childish scrawl on it appeared in the still open box.
We don’t like it either. This planet is stifling, your food is horrible, and you people are boring.
She frowned and looked around. Her office was routinely checked for bugs. which made the notes prompt appearance after her stament disconcerting. She was about to reach for her phone when there was another camera like flash.
Your thoughts are loud. We have limited use of our power but can still hear everything in the area. You will only see us if the Commander approves it.
Prove your worth and he may let us teach you
“Right, well thank you then.” She said feeling foolish as she addressed the air and then silently signed the first letter and placed it in the box. Hopefully this whole day was a nightmare and she’d wake up soon.
----------------------------------------
Frosthome Fortress, unlisted void space
John and Marriam Misolten proved to be genuinely kind souls that emanated a welcoming warmth to my metaphysical senses. Despite his advancing age Marisa’s father had the broad and powerful build of a man who was not only accustomed to manual labor but enjoyed it and a bald suntanned head to testify to his time in the sun. To his credit he hadn’t been at all intimidated when we first met despite having to look up to meet my eyes, though he looked almost as uncomfortable in the five piece deep grey suit he was wearing as I felt in my formal uniform. By contrast his wife was a petite woman that walked with a cane and I had to make a conscious effort to block out the waves of arthritic pain the rolled off her. Still, she sat straight backed in her chair with a dignity and stubbornness to match any monarch I had ever met and the dinner dress she wore was a match to both the severe braid she wore and her husband’s suit.
The meal had passed in polite discussion, mostly them complementing me on my cooking while I asked simple questions about their day and the abrupt relocation. Being mostly agnostic the two had taken it in stride when told about some of the more arcane ingredients and items featured in the meals preparation and had accepted Marisa’s assurances it was safe and the myths around them were largely exaggerations. I decided it wasn’t my place to point out if her parents had a few less wrinkles and her mother’s hair was a bit darker after a few glasses of cyser made from Idunn’s apples.
“John, Marriam, you don’t have to worry about upsetting me. I know you both have questions your avoiding. Please speak freely.” I refilled mine and Marisa’s glasses as I spoke and offered the clay bottle to her father who took it and refilled his own glass.
“Very well, I’ll be blunt then. Marisa explained what you two have done in the last year and while it sounds like a fever dream, or nightmare at times, I can’t ignore the reality facing me. However, there is an impossibly large age difference between you two and her explanation of what it means to be ‘bonded’ sounds suspiciously akin to marriage.” Marriam spoke with an accusatory tone before her husband could say anything.
“I assure you the situation isn’t my ideal either. Frankly I’m not sure how we became bonded only that it happened in this lifetime before I regained my memories. Which means for reasons even the most educated and studied souls in existence can’t understand, our souls resonated and connected when I was seventeen and she was sixteen. I can’t really say much about the age difference, except that we knew each other long before my memories started coming back about three years ago now.” John placed a hand on his wife’s arm and gave me a look that reminded me of the first time I’d picked a girl up for a date as a human.
“I spoke with some of your people today, and while I had expected a very different person from their comments about you I understand age has less meaning to people like you, and I suppose Marisa now. What I’m more interested in knowing is if you’re going to protect my little girl and treat her right.”
Stolen story; please report.
“Only as much as she’ll allow sir. Much as I’d like to place her on a pedestal and shelter her; I’m sure you know how she would respond to that. I respect her to much to treat her like a green house flower instead of the wild rose she is.” Marisa blushed at the comment but Marriam’s face transformed into a broad smile that made her eyes sparkle.
“Clever boy. Mari was right about you having a glib tongue.”
“My first father made sure to instill in me the virtue of honesty and taught me to use it for flattery Ma’am. Truthfully, I’ve done what I can to ensure Marisa is able to protect herself be it in power or skill, and in return your daughter has saved the lives of myself and my warriors a great many times.” I grunted as Marisa drove an elbow into my side drawing a speculative glance from both her parents.
“Unfortunately, her importance to me means she’s drawn the attention of olde enemies, a risk you two now share which brings me to another subject.” I made an idle gesture over the edge of the table and two boxes appeared. “It’s tradition in most cultures to give gifts when you meet others. After some discussion with Marisa, I made these for you.” I opened the first box and presented it to Marriam showing a simple butterfly shaped pendant with delicate glowing wings and an iridescent black body. “Jade and corundum wafers for the wings, and the body is formed from eitr. If you’re in danger it will notify Marisa and create a protective cocoon around you.” She examined the delicate necklace for a moment before looking at me with a suspicious glance.
“What is ‘eitr’?”
“Actually, perhaps that is something Marisa can help with. Mari why don’t you show her the library? The details on eitr are in one of the material encyclopedias in the open shelves.” Marisa grinned at the suggestion and stood up waving to her dirty dishes causing them to float across the room to a basin of water.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea, mum you’ll love the library.” I watched as the two vanished out the door noting that Marriam followed Marisa out with the stride of a much younger woman. I glanced at John who was eyeing his wife’s cane where it leaned against the table.
“It’s the drink. Idunn is a goddess of youth, in myth her golden apples are what give the Æsir immortality. Marisa picked out the cyser expecting that it would take a few years off your age during the meal. Enough to fix arthritis and I doubt she realized it but it’s made that tumor in your pancreas shrink to about half it’s size.” He gave me a look of surprise.
“How did you-“
“I’m sure Marisa already explained what I am to you. Vampires like me, though I prefer the phrase pranavore, can instinctively sense illness. Couple that with my experience and while I can’t fix everything, I can sense the degree and nature of a person’s health issues.”
“You just happen to have a drink that can cure cancer?” He asked eyeing the clay jar suspiciously.
“No, it just rewinds your physical age, the disposition towards your health issues means they will come back if not treated. Fortunately we have some talented and discreet healers among First Tactical Battalion that can treat you without Marisa or Marriam knowing about it.”
“What would be the cost?”
“I’m not sure you understand your current position, John. While you yourself may not have much power at the moment Marisa is loved by everyone in the First and she has earned their respect, she’s also my partner in their eyes as well as mine which means they would treat you with the same courtesy and respect they would give my own father if he somehow returned from his current state of non-existence. They would treat you without any cost beyond what their nature demands. Marisa said you already have experience with Exzo’s form of healing, Davina’s is more painful due to her nature, Ferith could literally build you a new body and transplant your consciousness to it. Honestly, I recommend asking Davina, she feeds on pain like I do from energy but it’s a passing thing and far less disturbing than Exzo’s methods.”
“Exzo was the one that fixed my heart?” He asked pensively.
“Yes, his talents let him separate parts of complex systems while allowing them to continue working, hence him being able to remove your heart without preventing it from pumping blood.”
“And I assume you found an excuse to get my wife and daughter out of the room to talk about this for my sake?”
“Oblivion’s end no. Frankly your wife intimidates me, and despite your observations about my age I have no experience dealing with a mother-in-law. I do have an actual gift for you that’s a bit more elaborate than the one for Marriam.” I lifted the lid from the neglected box on the table to reveal a silver pin with the same open hand as the First Tactical Battalion’s emblem though I’d replaced the circle and star that was my family sigil with a twisted sunburst of red and gold. “While her orders to the First Tactical share the same weight as mine she doesn’t have a force of her own. The sunburst is her emblem, I was wondering if the man who raised her would be willing to be her first knight. If you trigger the pin’s enchantments it will wrap you in a protective armor and give a substantial boost to your physical abilities. I also wanted to extend an offer to train you, Marisa said you were a soldier which would give you a solid foundation for the kind of fighting we do.”
“You really think you can teach me more about fighting than the royal marines did?”
“I was waging war before Sol had even formed an accretion disk. I have quite literally forgotten more about warfare than the people of earth have ever learned. Which is another thing I want you to discuss with Marriam tonight after this. Marisa and I are both functionally immortal due to the power we hold, frankly elevating her to godhood and giving her the ability to control her power as well as she does was a stroke of luck. I lack the resources to give anyone else the same chance, but I can return both of you to your prime, and I have enough favors owed that if you show aptitude in an area there are people that would teach you so you can reach her level by more traditional methods. I don’t know how long that would take but within a few centuries you could both reach the level of a minor divinity and possibly forge the connections needed to get support for your own ascension rites.”
“I can accept that, I’m still not sure about being given power like Marisa. She was vague on the details of it but I gather it wasn’t a simple matter. But I would want to know what kind of training you would offer.”
“Ascension is easy if you can get a few existing gods to cooperate, in Marisa’s case I secured the aid of Hades, Odin, and Iusaaset. But it can be harrowing to have multiple gods force power into your soul until it breaks down and rebuilds itself. As for the sort of training, I have pretty much every active member of Earth’s special forces starting their own training tomorrow if you want come and observe what they go through.”
“I’ll, consider it. In the mean time I want to talk about you. Marisa explained some of what happened, and emphasized you can shapeshift,”
“Not quite. Shapeshifting is talent some people have. All I can really do is force my body to take shapes I’ve had in past lives and the process is rather painful if done wrong.”
“Yes, she said as much. She also said you’re a, I think she said energy vampire?”
“I psychic vampire would be more accurate, but yes. In short, I feed on the vital energy of others. An annoying and self-inflicted flaw resulting from experimenting with things that I shouldn’t have with the limited understanding I had at the time. I’m unable to naturally restore the energy I expend with rest and time like most can, the trade off being that I’m particularly sensitive to energy and also able to manipulate and hold much more than most beings. And before you mention it yes, I’m an elemental, more accurately I’m the original ice elemental which means I instinctively manipulate cold and with an effort can utilize it and sense it in ways literally nobody else can. It’s also how I got the moniker Ice Father.”
“Hmm, which raises my question. Why are you interested in my daughter?”
“Because she’s beautiful, intelligent, and capable of most anything she chooses to be. More importantly as I said before my affection for her developed before I remembered who and what I am. My hunger for energy is a result of permanent changes to my soul, it partially severs my link to the natural process of reincarnation so my memories aren’t entirely erased between lives. Truthfully, I don’t really have a solid grasp on how it works just speculation. I only remember a handful of lifetimes; the others let’s just say were significantly longer. What I can say previously it took a few centuries before I started regaining my memories, longer than any human on Earth can hope to live. But that time growing and living without my memories means by the time I regain them I am a different person with new desires and hopes. Although “Lord and defender of Earth” certainly wasn’t an aspiration I had in this life and a title I hope not to keep. I can say from experience being a ruler is more tedious and boring than it’s worth.”
“I can’t help but notice that this dinning hall seems rather empty, much like a mess after hours. And Marisa also mentioned that you have an army.” He said swallowing down the last of his cup.
“The First Tactical Battalion is a military unit of sorts, but as a cohesive group they have existed since my second life time. You’ve served, imagine what a regiment of soldiers would be like after fighting together for several million years. There are other issues most of them have but those are their stories to tell. They are skilled, and more than capable, but there is a reason they are referred to as the Element’s nightmares, granted no sane person would do so to their face. I also figured maybe the first time I met my mother and father-in-law shouldn’t be surrounded by a bunch of rowdy soldiers with ages of experience with military mischief. Unfortunately, Frosthome was built as a garrison fortress. While it has some luxuries and a wing of private rooms it’s very much a place built for function. When I first started carving out these halls, I had other homes. Most of those places though have either been destroyed or claimed by others.”
“I see. I don’t think Marriam would have appreciated being surrounded by a bunch of drunken soldiers. That still raises the question of your intentions with my daughter, I understand being bonded to someone is akin to marriage to people like you but Marisa was rather vague on what it means.”
“As the phrase implies, we are bound together, our souls are quite literally linked and have a general sense of each other’s emotions, in close proximity we can even hear each other’s thoughts. It’s even possible if we want to share our senses so she can see, hear, and taste what I do. After regaining my memories, I made a conscious effort to block the bond to prevent her from knowing but after she came here with me she gained a sense and we spent some time teaching her to block it in a similar way. So you don’t have to worry, right now we are both alone in out own minds. And I swear sir, by all that I am, all that I have been, and all that I may ever be that I bear your daughter to ill will and would sooner vanish into Oblivion that harm or bring her harm.” There was a sudden pressure in the air that snapped like a taunt strong and he looked at me with a startled expression. “A consequence of having power is that our oaths are quite literally binding and enforced by our own power.”
“I… see. Do you mind if I ask why you and Marisa both speak of Oblivion with the same tone a christian speaks of hell?” I paused at the question and studied my empty cup.
“I think she picked up the habit from spending time around me and the First. It’s not a secret but, and I don’t mean to be rude, you don’t really have a frame of reference for why it’s a source of fear. Simply put though it’s the end of reincarnation, no more lives and no more chances to reconnect with lost friends and family. Death is a temporary thing for us, but oblivion is permanent and there are very limited ways to reach that point.” My tone was more bitter than it sounded and I shoved the emotion aside and waved at the air. “If your curious you can ask the others about it, or read through some of the text in the library about reincarnation. There’s always someone in there perusing their own interest and anyone can explain how to find things.” John sat silently examining me as I refilled my cup and sipped at it quietly.
“It’s somewhat disturbing you know.” He finally said continuing as I raised an eyebrow quizzically at him. “You look like your in your early thirties at most, and you sound like it most of the time, but then you’ll say something and you get a look in your eyes like some of the old veterans I knew talking about their time during the World Wars.”
“Hmm, I am a young man; I just happen to have several eons of memory crammed in my head.” I tilted my head as I sensed a shift in my bond with Marisa and stood up. “It looks like our better halves are done with their talk.” As I stood Marisa and Marriam entered their hair damp though their clothes were still dry. Marisa gave me a firm hug as she came over and leaned against me.
“Everything okay love?” I asked through the bond.
“Wonderful kitten, Mum enjoyed the main bath and it was a fight to pry her away from the library once I showed her how to use it. Don’t worry she only has access to the lower shelves. Did Dad behave?”
“He’s worried about you, and is still uncertain about me, but I don’t think he’s going to kill me for stealing his little girl from him if that’s what your worried about. He said he’d talk to your mom about the offer to restore their bodies and teaching them.”
“That’s good, let me get them settled and we can see about getting you some less solid food before we sleep.” I grinned at the suggestion, for a psychic vampire like me feeding from someone I was close to was uniquely energizing for both of us. Marisa’s subtle telepathic offer of sex was hard to refuse even when I wasn’t drained from a day of heavy energy work. I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and then gave my best courtly bow to her parents.
“I’ll let Marisa show you to your room. I have a few things to take care of before my day is over, and I’m sure you two have a lot to discuss as well. It was lovely to finally meet you both, and I hope to see you at tomorrows training John.” I gave Marisa another short hug and left heading towards the bedroom and my writing desk to sort out any correspondence from the day.