Spending time with Mars

The stench of rot that clung to us all didn't go away with the devil.

For that reason, when we arrived back at the camp, they sent all of us to our cabins to clean up. Since Mars was in a much worse state than me, I let him go first. Well, we could go together, but with how he smelled I preferred to wait.

While I waited, I finally started to look over the items that I found in the luggage marked as mine. Some I had already used, like a bible, but now I had some time on my hands I could make a proper inventory. Five of them were quite peculiar: a key, a diode, a radio, a blanket, and a bible.

I was curious about how radio worked, but as Mars should be finishing soon, I didn't have time to properly examine it, and by that, I meant starting with putting it apart and then back together.

I reluctantly put the matter of the radio aside for later.

Next the key.

When I looked for it where I left it, in the bag, it was gone. I spent a few minutes searching for it, only to find it in my pocket.

I didn't remember putting it there.

It was a small modern metal key. Thin, with teeth through all of its length. I had no idea what it unlocked for one I was yet to see any locks at this camp.

Maybe there were some in the ambulance or the counselor's cabins, but why did I have to key for that? I had no idea. I put it back in the bag.

The strange diode was where I had left it. It was an old-fashioned diode, with two wires at each end and a body made of glass. There was some sort of red crystal in the glass, zincite by the looks of it. I knew precious stones. Booth how to recognize them on sight, and their more esoteric properties. 

For example, all colors of zincite had a strong Solar Plexus and Navel Chakra connection, making it energizing and mood-lifting. It bestowed inner strength, and it could aid grounding. Zincite was considered a synthesis mineral, as it brings together many aspects of self.

There was also a strange sense of potency about it. It was not that it was imbued with mana. That I would not miss. Something else then. But what?

I put it next to the radio. I would examine them together later.

The blanket, supernaturally cozy, was a soft white-blonde in color, and tender to the touch with its fuzzy down. Overwhelmed by its inviting warmth, I couldn't resist rubbing my cheek against it, feeling a wave of solace wash over me. Even the lingering stench of the rotting devil, which had until now pervaded my senses, seemed to fade into insignificance under its comforting embrace.

The last item was the bible. It was a sort of bible you could find on the nightstand of a motel. Black covers. Strangely it did have an index. It was easy to find what I wanted. The passages were mostly the same as the ones I was used to, but forbidden things were more clearly defined. What was even better was that the text was cross-referenced, and there was quite a lot of annotation.

So to summarise what magic was forbidden: one necromancy, two predicting the future, three using human sacrifice, four astromancy, although it was uncertain if only predicting the future using was forbidden, or it was a general ban, and five communing with spirits.

And there was one more thing, sexual immorality was mentioned in a lot of passages concerning magic so that cut a lot of my arsenal. Especially those concerning the hunger for strange flesh. I suppose that was no clearer warning than Soddom. 

Not that I planned to use those spells here.

That part of Toshaka's legacy came from heretical Christian text, a more recent addendum to the Book of Enoch said to be dictated by one of the fallen Watchers. Although it wasn't mentioned which one, just that it wasn't of twenty leaders.

But they still left the Jewel Magecraft as well as other miscellaneous spells I knew.

That lifted a load off my chest, how would I leave this world using magic if I had been forbidden from using it? 

I continued to flip through the bible without a clear purpose and found that there were some free pages stuck in it.

Some pamphlets and a comic strip. One of them was about the dangers of masturbation. Possession was included. Another was about the dangers of vanity. Possession was also included.

I left pamphlets aside and moved to the comics. That seemed the most interesting thing there.

I was fond of comics. That used to be a rather large collection of them in my room.

It wasn't that I outgrew them, I merely started reading them on the computer. You see, there was a little problem with storage.

Also, there was one that was very special to me, the Rin me.

That one was a superhero comic book. And later a cartoon and video game. There were even propositions for live-action films.

I was its origin, although not the one who drew it. Nor was I one who created its plot.

You may say that it was based on a true story.

After the first war, I had taken Shirou, the living one, as an apprentice. Guiding others to the truth was the duty of the Wise.

But there was a limit to what I could teach him. Both because of his own talents and interests and because I was not about to initiate him into those Mysteries that should be limited to my successor only.

Magi generally disdained practical uses of magecraft, but I have found that it was a productive way to train apprentices. Nice way to keep them motivated.

The trouble was there were a limited number of people that needed saving nearby. After all, I was a responsible Second Owner. Unneeded suffering drew in the worst kind of predators, and I preferred preventative to curative measures.

Well, to be honest, there was also my yearly Holy Grail War. Shirou didn't take well that I would be in peril without him. Even if I had Archer with me. Especially because I had Archer with me. So he had chosen to leave our hometown to travel. 

In truth, I hadn't thought then that it was a bad way for Shirou to advance his craft, and I still didn't. It suited his personality.

It was my belief that we should all seek Truth in our own way. Perhaps it was because I had already reached the end of the path that all Magi walked before I started to shave.

Or perhaps I was simply wrong.

After all, I had stumbled onto the path to Root completely by accident. I knew that most Magi believed that I gained and used the Grail to open the path, and I let them keep that assumption.

In truth, I had become a Magician almost a year before Fifth started.

As a parting gift, I gave him a Mystic Code. A superhero suit. Skintight, with a cape. Half cape, it would be a shame to cover that behind. It was almost Nighwing worthy. 

By giving a Mystic Code appearance that evoked the image of a comic book superhero, I could more easily tie it to its generic power that was expected of a comic book superhero.

More people believed in superheroes than in fairies. But it was one particular function that gave birth to my favorite comic.

The lack trick was a pair of linked gems, one as part of the suit, the other linked with a familiar that had residual memories of several dead comic book illustrators and writers.

It completed the feedback. Heroic deeds inspired stories, that power the heroic deeds.

Despite what some said, even recent Foundations like Chaos Magic could be utilized if one was clever enough. 

I hadn't expected much from publishing the resulting comics. I had mostly done this to both strengthen the spell and create plausible deniability. 

How popular it became came as a surprise. As well as one other thing. It seemed that I wasn't the only one with this idea, because there were whole issues where Shirou had to fight what appeared to be supervillains.

So that was the origin of my favorite comic. I was even in it as a mysterious teacher figure. Like Ra to Batman. 

But that was enough reminiscing. Happy memories became sour with loss. I turned back to what doing before I went for a short walk in my memories of happier times. 

The comic strip tucked in the bible was a short one, just two pages. No title, but the content was amusing. It is a magical boy Jesus versus the demon Legion. It was an interesting interpretation of that part of the bible.

I called magical boy Jesus because Savior looked like fourteen at most in that comic, and even had a transformation sequence. Legion on the other hand looked like a human ball, and by that, I mean a giant ball made of humans. Or perhaps an orgy. It was hard to tell. 

"I have heard what happened. So I have come to see if you two are all right," the voice interpreted my reading. I looked up from the comic, and it was Director. Stern man in his thirties, with short military cut black hair, and a hawkish nose. "Where is the other one?"

"In the shower," I replied. I wanted to ask if the man we rescued from possession was all right, but he spoke first.

"Alone?" I didn't like his tone. He sounded both accusing and surprised.

"Yes?"

"You shouldn't have left him alone, especially not now," he lectured, "We assign buddies for a reason. He could still be hurt, slip and fall in the shower, or be overcome with lust and start to masturbate."

"What!?' He didn't just say that. Not to what paper to be a kid. 

"I know that you believe that he would never do that," he reassured me, completely missing the point, "But near-death experiences can affect us strangely. All that adrenaline. But we are stronger together because we can hold each other up when we are weak."

Nice speech. If only it wasn't about preventing a boy from jerking off. But then considering the consequences. But I couldn't believe that just masturbation was enough to get possessed. Otherwise, the world would be overrun by the devil.

"Now strip," he then calmly commanded.

"Why?" That was unexpected.

"I came here among other things to take your uniforms, so they could be properly cleaned. Those two should have done so before sending you all back to your cabins. I suppose there is no replacement for experience. Where are the other boy's clothes?"

"In the hamper."

"Then I will have to take it too. Come let us join..." He made a small pause there. "Mars?"

"You are coming too?" I mean there were things to be said about adults who visit naked young boys in bathrooms.

"Yes, I need to look him over. Also, he deserves a lecture for what he did. Truly he deserves more than a lecture, but we don't use corporal punishment here." He then began to mumble. I just caught a few words like 'spare the rod', 'weak ass', and 'liberals'.

I stripped naked, and we went together to the bathroom. To my disappointment, Mars hadn't been so overcome with lust that had started wildly pleasuring himself. He was just under the shower.

I was being sarcastic there. I was in no mood to deal with another devil.

This was the first time I saw Mars completely naked. The water flowing over his back framed his muscles perfectly.

He had a lot of muscles for fourteen old. But I suppose that would be needed for a junior devil hunter. My eyes were drawn a little downwards.

An ass one could bounce a quarter off.

Now I was one in danger of being overtaken by lust. Luckily, I had the Camp Director at my side to help cool the ardor.

"Mars!" I called him since he had his back turned towards the door and had seen us coming in.

"What are you doing here!?" He cried after he turned and saw us both. He used his hand to cover his genitals, but not before I caught a good glimpse. Natural redhead. Not that I doubted.

"A scout does not leave his buddy alone," the Director lectured, and then commanded, "Come here. I need to check if you are hurt."

"I'm not injured," Mars sullenly replied, but complied with the order. Director had him place his hands over his head and then checked his body. He even had Mars open his mouth to look inside. Even with that, the exam was quickly over. Surprisingly Mars was completely unharmed.

"Good. Now I will not keep you long so I will only say this: Zeal is to be commended, but obedience is a virtue. Next time take time to listen. And for you both, keep together always. When we are alone we may be tempted to sin." And with those words, he simply left.

I stood there naked, feeling a bit awkward. It helped that Mars was naked too. 

"Tempted to sin?" Mars asked, sounding amused.

"He meant," and here I paused, since Mars was fourteen, "playing with ourselves. He was more explicit earlier."

"So you here to prevent that?" He sounded even more amused. "What would you do if I started right now? Grab my hands."

"Only if you will do the same for me." I only partly joked and joined him in the shower.

After the shower, we both lounged in the room just in our briefs. I had taken my radio out and was looking it over. I would need a screwdriver to open it up.

"Did he have to take our shoes too?" Mars complained.

"Considering where yours had been," I replied, tinkering with radio, "I can't say he was wrong to do so."

Structural Grasping would really help with the non-destructive examination of inside components. There was another reason that I was reluctant to use magecraft, besides possibly avoiding the wrath of God.

Magecraft was sorely dependent upon the world, or more precisely Thaumaturgical Foundation inscribed upon it. I had neither place nor time to ascertain which of my spells would work. I had to start sometime.

And being alone in a cabin with Mars was good enough, Alone would be preferable, but since Mars was my camp buddy that was unlikely to happen. I suppose I could go to the bathroom, and pretend to take a dump…

No. I was careful not to activate my crest while I was casting the spell. There were no abnormalities, it worked perfectly. I could see in my mind's eye a complete schematic radio. And there was one curious thing, it was as if there was another schematic under the first one.

Mars was loudly sniffing. He looked a bit like a puppy who got the scent of a rabbit. I stopped what I was doing, "Are you alright?"

"What?" he said, breaking from a wierd trance-like state. "No, I thought I smelled something familiar. Never mind." 

I put the radio down. I had said to myself that I would pay more attention to Mars. Radio can wait. "So no shoes."

"No shoes." There was a minor pause, and then he said, "We haven't talked much have we?'

"Well, we only met yesterday." I tried to joke. It sounded like an excuse even to me.

Mars smiled. He had a nice smile, although it also seemed sad. "No, I didn't mean it like that. I know that I remind you of someone who is gone." He gestured, then added, sounding gentle. "You don't have to talk about it until you are ready." He paused for a moment there before he continued, "That wasn't what I wanted to talk about. I have also been distant." Another pause. "What I wanted to say…"

"You don't have to talk about it until you are ready," I said back to him, repeating his words. I felt even more guilty. In truth, I failed to notice that there was something wrong. 

"No. I want to talk. Just... I don't know how to say this. For a long time, I didn't think there was any future for me, so I lived in the moment."

"Were you sick?" I had to ask.

"You could say that. But then a miracle happened."

A miracle. I suppose it was possible in this world.

"I'm happy for you. So you are all right now? Healthy?"

"Yes, but that isn't the problem. I don't know what to do."

"Was that reason you were so reckless with the devil in the woods?"

"I wasn't being reckless," he said. He seemed to want to say more but then he stopped.

There was an awkward pause, then I asked, "Are you worried about relapse?"

"No," he replied, "my condition was my own fault. I know better now."

I didn't know what to say to that. Was he right, or was he needlessly blaming himself? So then I changed the topic, "Well, I think we fought well together."

Mars smirked this time. For a moment I could have sworn that I was looking at Archer. "Yes. Not as good as my old partner, but you did well."

"You old partner? Is he here at camp? Could you introduce us?"

"No, he is far too old for this camp. But I promise to let you meet him when he comes to pick me up."

Since the Director took our only uniforms, Mars and I went to lunch dressed only in our undershirts and briefs. The trouble with going so sparsely dressed was mainly a lack of pockets.

Well, there was an embarrassment, but I was something of an exhibitionist. And maybe cold, but it was a rather warm summer. 

We passed by the victim we had rescued on the way to the "Manna" cabin. Adults had him hanged by his hands and had set up a hose to constantly pour water on him. There was a pool of filthy water under his feet.

I wanted to take a sample of that water.

This morning, when I had listened to that lecture I had thought that I knew what being possessed by the devil meant. After seeing the phenomena in person, and remembering some additional information about four more cases, although they were second-hand accounts, through a less-than-accurate medium, I could only conclude that I was probably wrong.

And not only me, but also the director, and those from whom he had learned those theories. I wanted, no I needed more data.

Approaching the victim was out, there were too many witnesses, and I had yet to test whether hypnosis worked.

On one hand, all of the scouts, and almost certainly adults had some sort of supernatural power, on the other as I have seen that power didn't require any control of magical energy as I knew it. So it could have been that they were susceptible to hypnosis or utterly resistant.

No way to tell. Since I wanted more information, the most basic divination, simple Structural Grasping of the victim, and water carrying the taint would serve two goals. Using distance through vision would certainly be possible, although it would result in a loss of data. I wish I had some gems, so I could do more advanced divination.

Interesting. And data that I was getting from it. That could mean… But first.

"Mars, why are you sniffing me." Because while I was focused on the spell, which from outside should just look like me staring at the victim, Mars had gotten really close to me and started to inhale my scent.

"I thought I smelled it," he mumbled more to himself, then he said to me, changing the subject. "Do you think he will be alright?"

According to the game: "He should be. Once they wash all of the remaining pieces of the devil."

When we arrived, we saw that we weren't the only ones without uniforms. Every kid at lunch was wearing only their underwear. The same group of scouts from breakfast served lunch too.

"Silence," the Director said, "You will receive your uniforms tomorrow after they are properly cleaned. After lunch, we will have a fun afternoon. First wall climbing, then rope pulling, and we are finishing with transformation sequence training."

As with many things in camp, wall climbing was done in pairs. The bodies were tied with rope, so if one fell there was a chance that the other one could either pull one up or more likely that they both fell together. Falling was not dangerous, there was an inflatable landing zone. 

The wall was wide enough that four pairs could climb it together, so were divided into two groups.

"Come on!" Mars yelled. He was much faster than me. Perhaps he has done this before.

"Coming!" I yelled back. This was trickier than I thought but strangely fun.

Afterward, I lay on the ground exhausted, while Mars sat next to me.

"Have you done this before?" I had to ask.

"No."

"Really, you were quite good. Sorry, I couldn't keep up."

"Did you have fun?"

"Yes. More than I expected."

"That's what matters most."

When the other group finished, Cook gave us a five-minute pause and went somewhere. Mars went to talk with other scouts, while I rested some more.

Cook was soon back carrying a tray. On it were a lot of cheap rosaries with small crosses on them.

"In the next round, you can use your gifts."

We each took on. I put mine on my right hand.

I could have done this alone, but the point was to both have fun. "You make a platform, I will take us up."

Mars was holding his rosary a little bit away from his body like it was going to bite him. He then came next to me, nudged me, and whispered "How do I use this?"

I was confused. Didn't he summon swords just this morning? But still, I tried to explain, "Just like prayer. Focus on what you think connects you with the Divine. Ask and you shall be given."

He seemed to think about it for a moment then raised his hand and said "So I pray..."

It started with a single black spot, the iron sand multiplied and the blades unruffled like a flower. Of course, the platform was made of swords. But we stood comfortably on it barefooted, sharp points faced outwards. I needed no words. I asked and the quicksilver answered. It gathered under the iron. With a simple gesture, the platform lurched upwards. We were flying.

Then I realized that I didn't really think this through. "Jump," I yelled as we reached the top of the wall, and jumped.

I landed on a wall and would have toppled over if Mars hadn't caught me.

"This was fun!" he exclaimed smiling. I smiled back.

We sat on the wall for a moment, watching how other scouts used their various powers. One covered the wall with vines, another raised a rampart of earth. The last group did not even use their gifts. I suppose neither boy had an applicable one. This time we were first up.

The rope pulling was organized by cabins. Since there were just two of us in ours, Mars and I were roped in as judges. Either they all were good kids and no one tried cheating or they were good cheaters.

Mark cabin won in the end and they were given the right to speak in tongues the next day.

Afterward, there was a short period of rest. Cook had brought chilled lemonade in a plastic cup. And finally: transformation sequence training.

"This is both the easiest and the hardest thing you will ever do. Not everyone can manage it. At the core, it is very simple: by letting the Holy Spirit into your soul, you can transform into an altered, empowered state. To be filled and led by the Spirit of God does not require any great spiritual work on our part. It does not require a specific prayer or a holy and sinless life before the Holy Spirit enters into us."

Bonfire Captain was one that lectured us on how to do it. We, scouts, stood in a single line, that he walked up and down while lecturing.

"You just need to let it in."

Visualization was one basic tool of magecraft, so I had been trained well in it. The association was also important. I imagined myself opening like a flower, welcoming sunlight. And for a moment I could almost feel, soothing golden light like I was sunbathing naked.

I found myself completely dressed. In a crisp, demure outfit, which looked very similar to one I usually had worn to Sunday mass.

I used to go regularly, while Kirei had been alive. Silk shirt, red as blood, black pants, and jacked. Elegant, yet humble. And a single silver cross, hanging around my neck completed the look.

Transformed, I stood dressed in the garb of righteousness (cruelty). 

I was the first to have managed it.

"Good. Not go there," the counselor said, showing me towards the empty field, "and practice with your gift." 

I went. It was a bit strange having shoes, after walking barefoot the whole afternoon. I looked at my feet: black dress shoes. They were strangely comfortable, even better than sneakers.

The first thing I tried summoning mercury. That was what I needed to be seen doing. It came even easier and in greater quantities. It was also faster and more responsive. Also, I needed no holy symbol while I was in this state.

Testing it, I first started with basic shapes, orbs, cubes, and pyramids. Then I tied more complex things like animals. Finishing with a model of the solar system.

Compared to both magecraft and True Magic, this new ability was very plug-and-play. It was so user-friendly. I needed no comprehension, I just had to ask, and it would be done. But on the other hand, it was black-boxed. I could not improve it, or modify it. It had its Divinely appointed use and that was it.

I created a double made of mercury and pretended to examine it, while I really looked into my magical circuits. Somehow they have jumped in quality.

I think that half of Clocktower would generally repent for this opportunity. While the other half would hunt these children for dissection.

But that was not all. There was one more thing to do. A thing I could, after a decade of practice, manage for about half of a second.

The second postulate of the Kaleidoscope was something that they discovered in quantum mechanics: an observer influences the event.

A master of this spell could by just observing choose which of the potential parallel universes becomes a real one. For someone like that, observing the World would be like playing a video game. He could choose the main charter, his action actions...

If I dared to think about it Wizard Marchall was terrifying, and not just because he blew up the moon. 

Someone at my level could only watch the timeline branching from their own decision for a very short time.

Simple was best. In one branch double raised right arm. On the other left.

Second. Two. And my magical energy was exhausted. I could no longer observe both. I chose the left, and the other one faded. That was quite an improvement. Still too weak for practical use. But I was satisfied.

It would take a few days for my prana to recover, so I continued to practice with what needed none. Summoning, dismissing, and controlling quicksilver.

We practiced until dinner. In the end, only four more boys joined me after succeeding. However, the counselor seemed happy with the results. Mars wasn't one of them.

"That outfit," Mars said during dinner, "It kind of reminds me of my old partner."

"Really." I was interested in this world beyond this camp so prompted him to continue. "He can do the transformation sequence too?"

Mars just looked at me. And then began to chuckle as if to some private joke. "No. It just seems like something he would wear. But it's not just that. I mean I don't know anyone else who could manage to look elegant in just their underwear, but you have managed that whole day. That outfit just drew a point home."

"Thanks?" I didn't know what to say to that. It wasn't something that consciously did. So I changed the topic, "I'm sure you can manage to do it."

"I'm not worried about that." Well, as long he was confident in his skills.

So our evening chores were to check all the sirens. When I asked about the cooking chore Director informed me that chores were pre-assigned to the cabin.

Sirens served as an early warning system. As I had seen this morning when the devil appeared they would wail in alarm. But they could malfunction so they had to be checked regularly. After all, one could never know when the devil would appear.

"So how are we going to do this?" I asked. Checking sirens, and even fixing them wouldn't have been too difficult.

I had looked at schematics of the radio and was well-versed in occultism. Radio seemed to be based on the principle of medieval Western alchemy, like a large portion of Jewel Magecraft I used, although the fact that it worked went against many theories of Modern Magecraft.

But then this was a different world.

I didn't need to know the underlying principles for repair work. Although now I thought about them it seemed that I did. Or rather it looked really obvious. Instinct or revelation?

And I had some ideas on how to apply the same principles to my magecraft, or maybe even my magic.

Could I use normal batteries to store magic? They would certainly be cheaper than jewels. Or would a data storage medium be better?

"I am good with mechanics, so I will check them," Mars said, breaking my line of thought, "You can hold the ladder."

Work went quickly, even with lots of sirens in the camp. Although I could have sworn that I felt a trace of magical energy from Mars a few times.

There was a campfire afterward. We roasted smores and Capan Bonfire led in a few songs. With that, my second night at camp ended.