Larger Problems

I kept returning to Cedric's injuries. Sword fights and arrows being shot at people simply didn't happen on Earth. Knife and gunfights. But even those occurrences were rare. Even if more murders and injuries happened in the United States could be attributed to a gun as a weapon, as a percentage of deaths and injuries those instances were small. And in the rural areas where I grew up and lived, they never occurred.

Emotionally, I knew Cedric wasn't a child and could take care of himself, make his own decisions. He had reached Ascension and was ranked a Squire, higher than the Commoner rank of Gil and Ril. But even if he was twice my age, the Squire label was messing with my preconceptions of who and what he was capable of. Pages and Squires in my world were children being trained in the way of battle.

And children had no business having arrows shot into their chests

Ril interrupted my musing by detailing the loot he had gathered. "Sir. Each person was wearing a trinket that has been melted into slag, I think it may have been what they used to cast their illusion spells.

"The Gorgon did have an array medallion, probably what they used to place a Portal lock on the area. With that deactivated, we should be able to open a portal to return to Talahm.

"There were some miscellaneous coins, all Seelie denominations in gold, totaling less than 100 gold.

"I didn't find any clues, documents, or orders that would identify who among the Seelie is helping them, but I did notice something interesting on the weapons.

"If you look closely, you will see that the maker's mark has not been removed. Every one of these weapons was crafted and enchanted by Blacksmith Dar's shop. On its own, that doesn't really tell us much.

"Other than the Keep's personal blacksmiths, he is probably the most prestigious weapon maker in the fief. His wares are highly sought ought by nobles and highly Ranked fighters.

"Perhaps if we bring these weapons to his shop and allow him to examine and identify them, he may have records or remember who bought them. I think he may even be required to keep these records for audit and tax purposes."

I spent a few moments examining each of the weapons. Even the bows had Dar's maker mark. Or what I assumed was his mark. A blacksmith hammer striking an anvil with sparks being generated. I found the mark interesting, in that it had a 3D effect, and could be animated.

If you didn't concentrate on the signet, it was simply part of the weapon, but by applying even the slightest perception, the maker's mark became that much more. And the mark responded and recognized the perception skill allowing for movement and animation. The hammer struck the anvil. Sparks were generated and flew haphazardly as a result.

It looked like items that were well crafted by Grandmaster craftsmen, came with their own form of advertisement. What really interested me was that even the bows and arrows, weapons that would be more suited to a fletcher or bowyer, had the same mark.

"Blacksmith Dar works with all weapon types including bows?" I asked.

"His shop is a multi-tiered establishment. He has floors dedicated to melee weapons, ranged weapons, armor, and accessories," Ril answered. "An apprentice or journeyman craftsmen probably made these items.

"Blacksmith Dar himself only creates items on commission. And his prices are truly exorbitant."

"Would the Blacksmith keep track of those sales for items he didn't create himself?" I wondered.

"Probably with even more detailed information," Cedric answered. "Certainly, who made what, when, and the quality of the item.

"It wouldn't pay for him or his shop to sell or distribute shoddy weaponry with his maker's mark affixed."

"Cedric," I said decisively, "split the gold among the three of you. Look over the weapons and choose any that suit you and are better than what you have. Gather the rest and when we return, seek out Blacksmith Dar and see what you can find out from him.

"After you've questioned him. Keep one bow and sword so that we can demonstrate the truth of our story to Lord Kel.

"The rest.

"Sell them and split the proceeds with Gil and Ril.

"As for the array and melted trinkets, I'll keep those. Maybe it's possible to track and identify the magic signature that was used in creating those items."

Gil and Ril seemed surprised I was willing to share the loot. I'd noticed the looks of jealousy and envy they'd given Cedric after he pledged his loyalty. I didn't know their story, maybe they were already pledged to Lord Kel. Maybe as Guardsmen, they weren't allowed to pledge. Or maybe it had something to do with their rank.

At the moment, I didn't really care about their envy or motivation. I didn't trust them. Their vanishing act may have been tactically sound, but it had left Cedric and me on the front line, and I didn't like the expediency of sacrificing our safety based on strategies that I wasn't aware of.

But I saw no reason not to reward their efforts. Maybe by ceding a portion of loot, they may be more amenable to me and my interests.

"My Lord, are you sure?" Cedric asked. "That is a month's wages in just loose coin for each of us. The weapons will fetch at least another 100 gold."

"The gold is the least I can offer," I assured him. "Our lives are worth much more than a few coins."

Placing the destroyed items I'd chosen to keep in my ring, I gave the clearing another going over, looking to see if there was anything we'd missed. I'm sure there were things I could do with magic, but I was too new to this world. I didn't know what abilities I could call on, yet.

"I wonder who might have opened a Portal for this murder attempt?" I asked aloud.

"It's not only that someone opened a Portal to kidnap you, Your Highness, but that individuals that are members of the Olympian faction were able to use the Portal," Cedric said.

"He's right," Gil responded, "System has strict rules about who and how people can enter and exit the Summerlands."

"Exactly," Cedric agreed.

"The Summerlands have been ceded to the Sidhe by treaty and convention, System denies all other Pantheons access. No individual may break this proscription.

"System will not allow it.

"Those that try, find the portal will collapse but not before destroying any bodies that would make the trip. Bodies that are completely vaporized. Destroyed on the molecular level."

"How are they getting here then?" I mused.

"There have been rumors," Ril suggested, "that System has been compromised. That experience, quests, and rewards are no longer always appropriated.

"Those are just ghost stories," Cedric said refuting Ril's claim.

"I don't think so," he responded, "one or two rumors, maybe. But the instance of people reporting System errors and irregularities have grown. Social Media and forums have exploded as more and more people, of all Ranks, report these discrepancies."

Plus, the evidence and corpses had all been absorbed by Danu and the Summerlands. There really wasn't anything left for us to do here.

"Caraid," I asked. "Do you know anything about this?"

[The same rumors and reports that Ril mentioned.]

[But I believe they may be correct, especially when you examine our own situation.]

"What do you mean?"

[SYSTEM seemed to rush you through the creation process at the end, almost as if It wanted to make sure you couldn't change your mind.]

[And our memories.]

[We weren't supposed to remember the encounter with SYSTEM, the creation process, how Karmic balance works, or that there are multiple Universes.]

"That's true.

"And our memories," I said reminding him that SYSTEM had warned me, my memories of my past life would be dreamlike. Something that was vague and tenuous at best.

[Yes!]

[Our memories have improved. I have knowledge that I never had in my previous life. And I can access your past life memories as if they were stored eidetically.]

"So, not only do we have to worry about Thom and his schemes. Zeus and his response. The normal political intrigue that is associated with my Rank, I also need to worry about System corruption?" I asked, outlining the discussion I'd had with Caraid.

The three of them glanced at each other uneasily. Obviously worried, and afraid that my conclusions may be correct.

"Just great," I complained.

"Caraid, do we each have to open a portal to Talahm or will all of us be able to use the same one?" I wondered.

[You can open a group portal for all of you.]

[It's the only way to make sure you all return to the same time and place.]

[If everyone opens their own portal, it's hard to tell when you might end up.]

"When?" I asked confused. "Why is time affected by portals?"

[Magic opens and controls portals. But they obey some of the rules of physics that you are familiar with.]

[You should think of them as temporary wormholes. The farther you need to travel, the larger the need for time and space to be warped.]

[Summerlands is another dimension. It is unique because it intersects will all multi-verses, all universes, and all times. So, traveling here will almost always skew time. We may return to find we've been gone seconds, days, or months.]

[There are records of Seelie visiting the Summerlands and not returning to Talahm for thousands of years. For them, only a few weeks had passed. It's how the myths about mortals from Earth being tricked by the Sidhe and who are forced to live forever in Underhill began.]

[ Strangely, eating the food or water Summerland offers does seem to increase the time disparity.]

"I suppose that only makes sense. There have to be Universal laws that magic adheres too.

"Ok. Then.

"I'll open a portal for all of us. Thanks for warning me Caraid."

"I think it's time to go," I informed Cedric, Gil, and Ril. "Hopefully we haven't been gone too long."

"It might be better to be armed when we travel through the portal. There's no telling what or who is waiting for us or our kidnappers to return," Ril suggested.

Each of us drew our weapons, and I activated Belenos Aura, sending out a pulse of energy that enveloped the four of us. Gathering my will, and channeling my magic, a task that was becoming easier and easier, I cast the spell to open our way back.

The portal I summoned manifested as a black vortex, so devoid of light that it actually appeared to pull the light from the surrounding area into it. It was nothing like the transportation that had brought us here. That was a matter of flickering between here and there before we stabilized and transitioned with our arrival in the Summerlands.

This was different.

Maybe the portals were constructs that took form and function based on the individuals understanding and conception of what a portal should be. I was now biased to think of a wormhole, so my portal constructs were going to take that shape.

Gesturing to the three to proceed, they stepped smoothly into the tunnel I had created and through.

There was no drag or change to my magic as they transitioned. My will was required to maintain the portal, but it didn't seem like it mattered what or how much went through the opening.

Quickly following the others, I entered the portal.

There was no sense of movement, time, or distance. I was simply here then there.

Exactly in the same room, we'd been in when this entire ordeal had begun.