Novels2Search
The Thaumaturge
Chapter 32 - Evaluation

Chapter 32 - Evaluation

"As far as I know, I’m the only one in this whole city that’s from another world," Jack says as we head for the gate. "Apart from, well, you guys of course."

"I see. In that case, let us leave this city post haste." Although I am sad that we’re leaving. It was perhaps the most fun I’ve had since all this happened.

We exit the walled city through the gate and travel for about 5 miles on dirt paths. "If my map is correct," says Jack, "we should arrive at the capital of Unun within three days on this route. Unun is ruled by a council of fifteen nobles, and it’s one of the strongest kingdoms in the world."

"Those are the bastards that sent raiding parties to my tribe," says Ican. "They killed so many of us."

As we walk, I signal for the group to stop moving. In the distance, partially obscured by a tree, is an animal I recognize as a bobcat, albeit much, much larger, about the size of a human. "Julius, Ican, Jack. Until this point I haven’t been able to safely assess your abilities or combat prowess. When we travel through dimensions, you won’t retain your magic, but it’s important we at least know your limits. I want one of you to kill that beast up there."

The three of them look at each other, each expecting another to take up the challenge. Finally, Ican relents. "I’m never one to back down from a fight," he says.

We watch as he sneaks up behind the beast and activates some sort of power that creates a massive glowing slash to appear midair and slice the beast’s back open. It cries in pain and turns to pounce on Ican, but he quickly dodges to the side before it can land a hit. He opens his jaw and a stream of crystal shards shoot out from his mouth, shredding the beast to death. "Very good. Your turn, Jack."

I use my gauntlet to heal the bobcat-creature moments from death and walk back to allow Jack to engage in combat. When it sees him approaching, it screams some sort of magic and creates a shockwave from its mouth. Jack braces in time and is able to stay on his feet from the attack. He stops the ground and instantly appears behind the beast, his knife in its neck. "I see… some sort of speed skill. Finally, Julius, it is your turn. I know you don’t have a weapon, so if you want one I can procure one for you."

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Oh, no thank you. I’ve been working on my hand to hand combat in my free time." Really? What free time? She approaches the bobcat, who I revived once again, and it charges at her. She holds back its charge with her bare hands, skidding along the dirt to a halt. She then grapples its jaw and flips it on its side, beating it into submission. "Very impressive. I can see you can all hold your own in a fight. My power is likely enough to eliminate any threat, but I wanted to be sure in case any of your lives were in danger. Jack, now that we have a moment to talk, what would you say about going back to your home dimension? To live with your family?"

Jack considers this a moment, his thick eyebrows bending in contemplation. "I think I’d like that. I know I look different now, but there must be something you can do to fix that, right?" I nod.

"Apart from growing you a wholly new body, I’ve been experimenting in the Essentia alteration of living beings. I could likely change how you look without causing serious damage." He smiles.

"I see. Well, I’ll stick with you until we head back to wherever you came from." He says.

----------------------------------------

As we walk along the dirt trail, I once again find that night is close to falling. Jack, Ican, and Julius all find a spot to sleep inside of a shallow ditch and I instruct Winter to watch over them and protect them while they sleep. I decide to take some time to myself and take a short walk away from camp. I gaze up at the stars illuminating the grassy savanna we traverse. As I admire their shining beauty, I can’t help but wonder how many other planets in this dimension alone also harbor sentient life. Whoever sang "It’s a Small World" couldn’t have been more wrong.

As I walk, I sense a strong aura of Essentia emanating from a nearby cave. Curious, I walk into the cave, and what I see absolutely shocks me to my core: a third book, identical in energy to the Thaumonomicon and Aninomicon. It sits on a pedestal, just sitting in the cave. It is titled Psychinomicon. Latin for "Book of the Mind". How did this get here? Who made these books? What are the odds I would come across this? Is this some sort of twist of fate? I have no patience to ponder these thoughts. I must know what is inside. As I have done twice before, I open the book, and my mind becomes an unfathomable cacophony of sound, experience, and pain.