Nigkala Tales Pt. 29: Dragon Quest

I found my dragon and trouble too

Thanks to my editor kenjisato. Also, to LanguageTool. Combined, they put me right. Any problems left all belong to me.

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My searching for a way to get to my friend, Jiao-long, would have to wait. I was hired as a fight trainer and coordinator for a trio of films, for the 'Game of Thrones' storyline. I wasn't in the movie, but I helped a number of actors train for the movie. I even had two assistant trainers helping out.

During the shoot, I was behind the scenes, ready to assist in any fight scene. What I didn't expect was to also assist with the sex scenes. I was happy to show them the ropes. Sometimes, literally. All told, it consumed six months of my life.

I spent the next month studying my books for portal information. I was wary of making such, as I could see danger if they were wide open. I also saw problems in our society if they were found to exist. So I decided to make them keyed, and secret. I wanted the key to be simple, yet unexpected. I decided a strong magnet low down, like an anklet, would be the key. People don't usually carry magnets, and when they do, it is carried much higher. I felt the locations for my first portal would be my garden and Death Valley. I liked the portals used in the Stargate franchise, but they are far too obviously something. Instead, I felt a horizontal portal would work better.

For the material, I liked the idea of sand and glass. The glass would be beneath the surface, and hold the matrix of magic, while the sand would hide it from above. I chose a size of eight feet in diameter, as a set of wedges, as I could easily transport that in the back of a pickup. It would also fit through my access to my secret underground room. Researching it showed I had to handle the transporter problem. That is, what goes and what stays. Otherwise, I would lose some sand every time, or risk not sending part of a shoe or foot. I eventually realized I could simplify things by having the portal be aware of its surroundings. This would let me detect what is not usually there, and only send that. I still needed to detect sand as sand, as even footsteps would disturb it, and move it out of place.

Having come up with a plan, I researched the enchantments. I spoke with Alec, for his opinions on making the portals safe and secure. He recommended some changes, which I then added. When it came to testing, I used some remote-control cars. The first test wound up scrapping the toy. The fifth one was the first to survive intact. Next, I sent bagged goldfish on the back of the toys. Those worked fine. Next, I sent caged mice. After they made a few passes without a problem, I sent a laptop running a video. When it arrived, the video was still playing. When I ran the computer diagnostic after ten passes, no errors showed up. It was now time to set up the first portal in the garden.

I had been planning this for a while, and had a place selected. There were several areas of open sand, as a part of a rock garden. I had already decided it would be buried six feet down, with sand over it. It was also in an out-of-the-way part of the garden. I set up a bottomless tent over the area, and used Everest's power to remove the dirt, after using my own ability to clear the sand on top. Once I placed the first set of wedges, I filled in the pit with sand. Then, I relocated the tent over another area. This one I placed beneath two inches of sand, as it would later be placed in Death Valley. I used the toys to test that everything worked. When the fish, mice, and laptop tests worked in both directions, I pulled up the second ring.

For the Death Valley side, I chose a set of GPS coordinates, a mile, or so, away from the spiritually living part of the valley. I chose the location by the numbers, as I wanted it only to be found by its position. Both rings were enchanted to be hidden magically. Once it was in place, I had the guardian work the remotes on this side, while I teleported home to handle the other side. We coordinated by cell phone, and made our tests. Everything worked. Finally, I declared it was ready for people. The guardian walked in with the controller, and once inside the circle, drove the toy in. I was surprised at the toy, as I had expected him to take the magnetic anklet off the toy and onto his ankle.

I teleported back, and collected the toys and other equipment we used for the testing. While I left a pair of anklets with him, he told me something interesting. Apparently, his own link with the valley let him sense the portal directly. I realized I could also sense it that way, as well as by my rock sense. As the enchantment also kept them covered by sand, they would be extremely hard to find if you didn't know where they were. They also didn't react unless the magnets were above for several seconds, so you could walk through without triggering it.

Having succeeded on a portal, I now wanted to see about making a portal that could send me to a place visualized. For this kind of a portal, I felt a vertical one, within a doorway, was more appropriate. It would show where it went on this side, and if you walked through, you would appear where you saw. This one would need a magical key, so not to work for just anyone. As to aim, I felt the technique I used to send images with my mind would be good. This was harder, as I needed both a clairvoyant effect, and then a teleport effect. While a crystal ball is more traditional, I felt a picture frame would be less noticed. I chose a picture from Red Horizons to frame. It shows Mount Olympus on Mars at the bottom, and the moons Phobos and Demos to one side against black space. I wanted a large area of darkness to allow the vision to display.

I designed it so that you had to feed it some magic to make it work. The central part was the image you fed it, but if it was able to find a place that matched it, where you imagined it, the image would gain clarity and expand to fill the glass. Thus, you knew it was found when it went full frame. It could also use any connection you had to help find things. This took nearly six months of research, experiment, and refinement.

Well, I wasn't the only one thinking of Mars. The Red Horizon project had successfully reached Mars, and was producing results. Hollywood decided to remake 'John Carter on Mars', and I was cast as one of the main characters. As the original stories had the Martians with little clothing, and the bad guys having evil, sexual, intentions to the heroines, I got to play a semi-helpless sexpot. Being R-rated, they got to show a lot of sex. The funniest thing, to me, was there was no mention of my four breasts being notable. Given the bestial martians he first encounters, my form was almost unremarkable, until we had sex. They also were casting five of the young ladies I had recently encountered with four breasts and who had aspirations in film. They were all background parts, but one needed to start somewhere.

I soon learned those ladies were sexually active off the set with the cast and crew. I, at least, waited a week before I accepted requests for sex. Some other women on set had sex, but not nearly as much as us. The men, on the other hand, were far less private about it. In fact, some of the on-screen simulated sex wasn't. While I was a heroine, I was actually the secondary heroine. The leading lady was in her twenties, as was the leading man. I played the leading lady's mother. As a number of scenes were on the open 'Martian' surface, I played a little making my own special effects with swirling sand and dust. I would read the director's mind to see how to make it just as he wanted, but without making him too suspicious by being too exact.

What I hadn't expected was to feel another priestess of Inanna on set. It took a few days, but I learned it was one of those ladies. I did a little snooping and learned she did not know of my internet forum for priestesses, nor did she have a holy symbol. So I made her one, with her real name, Azura Ortiz, on it. I also made a card explaining it was from another priestess. I left it in a plain wooden box in her car, and waited for her to find it. Inanna later told me she accepted it, and began to use it. So I left another note in her car explaining the priestess' forum. Soon, she was online and asking all sorts of questions.

When the filming was over, I went back to my research. I decided to use the link the picture made rather than duplicate all the other enchantments. Instead, it would use the nearest link to make its own link. This time, it took nearly a year and a half. In part because I was in the Barsoom sequel, reprising my role. Getting the enchantments to hide when not in use was really hard, since it was a powerful device. Testing was harder, as I couldn't use radio control. But by selecting places with wi-fi, I was able to control the newer toys even without direct contact. There was a bit of a lag, but hey, this is new magic I'm inventing. When I could send fish, mice, and tablets without incident, I decided to try it, myself.

First, I made sure my own magic journal was up to date. Then I had a discussion with Filipe about what I was going to test. That took nearly a week, with me finally convincing him I had done everything I could to make sure it was safe. I was about to go through, when Alec said he would go first. We set up a way for him to be heard here, once he was there, and so he went through. He reported everything was fine, so I followed.

Woah. I felt... something... as I crossed. I picked up Alec, and the other stuff here, and teleported back home, and spent the rest of the day having sex with Filipe. He was quite inspired, so it took a few hours. That night, I had a discussion with Inanna. She was proud of all I had done, and we discussed the magic I used to create things, and the limitations they had. She warned me that trying to pop in on another power was likely to get me shot. While I might survive, there is a reason portals are not that close to where powers live.

When I spoke of what I felt, she was surprised. Apparently, I was sensing far more than most. Eventually, we decided it was because of my enhanced neural speed, combined with multiple senses that I used. She seemed to think that I was combining her healing sense with other senses and seeing the workings of the magic. She then offered me help with my 'itch' of Isis' tattoo. I asked for her patience, as I tried to learn it on my own with Jiao-long.

In the morning, I tried targeting Death Valley, and using my own connection to get the link. The picture frame picked up the image quickly, and the link solidified it nearly instantly. Walking through, but this time prepared to study what I felt, I arrived. It felt like it only lasted moments, yet I experienced a lot more than I expected. I then used the lesser portal to get back. It was nearly two miles away, so I teleported near it before walking to it.

Now that it seemed to work, I began my preparations to visit Jiao-long. First, I made a scrying picture to give as a gift to him. I chose our lonely practice island as the image to include. The lighthouse was on one side, and it was nearly dusk, leaving the image rather dark. I then tested it, both as a scrying device, but also as the master on my doorway portal. Since I planned to focus on the lake rather than him, I packed it in a watertight bag, and also packed a duffle bag with clothing, shoes, and jewelry. While it wasn't watertight, everything inside was sealed in bags.

I said my goodbye to Filipe, and then imagined the lake. It seemed to have difficulty, but when I focused on my connection to it, where it allowed me to walk on its surface, it started to come into focus. Even so, it took a while. To ensure things were right, I changed my viewpoint to appear in a different direction, as though I looked about while there. The image changed, and kept full focus, and I did recognize things that I would not expect on another similar lake. I even saw the hill hiding his place. With that view, I stepped through. It seemed to take much longer, and I felt and even saw additional things. More to ask about.

My foot went down halfway to my knee before the lake recognized me. Then it stopped. My next step was on the surface, and I could lift my other foot up. I then walked to the shore, even as I said hello to the lake. Once on shore, I felt for Hugeng by my dragon tattoo. I was in luck, he was somewhere nearby. Opening my other senses, I headed his way. When I got close, I realized he was with someone, so I hung back, intending to wait until he was alone. After an hour, I made a chair to sit on. Two hours later, they came to me. Recognizing the fancy dress of the other, I cast a few spells to replace my outfit with something more formal. After creating the robe, I sent what I wore into the duffel, then tied my robe. Then I made suitable jewelry to accent the outfit. I finished before they were halfway to me.

When they stopped ten feet away, Hugeng said, "Becky Sue? Is that you?"

I bowed to them, then replied, "Yes, Lord Hugeng. I come seeking your guidance."

The stranger, clearly an official, warned, "Careful. This could be an impostor. She was doing some sort of magic."

"You are right. Given the situation, we must be sure. Becky Sue, do you mind?"

"I trust you. Do what you need to do."

He did a number of spells, and seemed to be curious about my duffle, and also about my outfit. "Captain Zhu, there is some sort of magic device in the bag, and she has the magic tattoo I expected, but does not seem to have any active magic about her. Nor is she under any magical influence. She does have some divine influences about her."

"Is the magic dangerous?"

"For one like her? Extremely. She is a very competent warrior, and everything is a weapon in her hands. More to the point, the magic in the bag seems to be strong in divination. The tattoo, I gave her, and I am not worried about it."

"And what of the divine? The gods can make things complicated."

"They are the same as before. Two strong Sumerian gods, a mountain god, and a minor forest goddess, I think. It is the weakest. When she was here before, there was no difficulty."

"So, she is not a spy."

"No. But she does seem to attract trouble, at times. At least this time, trouble is already near. So, are you satisfied with her?"

"I will report this, but for now, I think things are quiet here." Turning to me, he said, "So, you are Becky Sue. I have heard of you. Have a care here, for these are dangerous times." Lastly, he turned back to Hugeng, and said, "I must go now." He turned and marched off toward the gate house.

Hugeng waited for him to leave before looking at me. When I felt the gate energy, I realized Hugeng did as well. He said, "Well, this is unexpected. I was near enough that I would have felt your arrival at the gate house, so you found another way here. Most unexpected. You bring some sort of magic device, again unexpected. And you seek my guidance, curious. Clearly you have been busy, and learned some new stuff. Let's head inside, and talk over lunch."

When lunch was served, I said, "Indeed, I have been busy. I've worked out how to make two different kinds of portals, and a scrying device, all so I could come visit you on my own terms. It seems I may have come at a bad time."

"Not yet bad. One of the outer provinces is being rebellious, and the court is dealing with it. They are worried it may come to fighting, which is where I come in. As a potent warrior, and mage, I will likely be asked to help if it does explode into violence."

"Is that likely to be soon?"

"It's politics. Nothing might happen, or war. Overnight, or in a decade or two. Who knows,"

"So, it is not a bad time?"

"No. Not a great time, but for now, things are quiet. That's a lot of work. What is so pressing?"

"I encountered another goddess, and it did not go well."

"Yet, you are here."

"Thanks to the efforts of my daughter. She stood up to the goddess, and argued against what she had done. Eventually, the goddess decided to release me."

"That sounds like a tale."

"It is. Have you heard of Isis?" He nodded. "I was cast as Cleopatra, and at one point she proclaims herself as being the goddess. What we didn't know was that my costume had an artifact holding her dormant self. She woke, and brushed aside my mind and took over my body. I didn't wake until she left, apparently to die by choice. But she left me a souvenir. Examine me again, concentrating between my breasts. I have a second tattoo now, purely magical. It is hidden."

Hugeng looked at me, and I nodded, so he cast one spell, waited, then cast another, and then a third. "You are right. I can tell there is something, but I can barely see it."

"Inanna said it was powerful, but hidden, and mainly mental in its power. I know it can levitate me. I don't know what else it can do. I did a lot of research before I felt I might be able to explore it without being targeted by it. I think it can also do powerful telekinesis, as she did while in my body. It may even have some healing abilities."

"That sounds like it could take a long time to figure out."

"While I would appreciate your help to return without taking a lot of time in my place, I am fine if I am returned with no time squeezing."

"That may not be up to me."

"I knew the risk when I chose to come. I will deal with whatever happens."

"Ballsy, but then you don't lack courage. What's in the bag?"

"A gift for you. Both as something I think you might value, but also an example of the fruits of my studies."

"You made something? It seemed complex, and I could not say what it does."

"It is a scrying device of sorts, as you suspected, but it also can be the control of the unique portal I created."

"What do you mean, control?"

"To control the portal, the picture frame brings forth the image, and transfers the clairvoyant link to define the teleport link. I used my first one to control it and come here."

"That is impressive. Not only have you made a variable portal, but one that goes across realities. That can be quite dangerous in the wrong hands."

"That's why it requires a magic key to use. Without that, it won't accept the link, and will sit there doing nothing. So, you want to take a look at it?"

"Sure."

I went over to the bag, and dug in for the picture. I then handed it to Hugeng, once I took off the waterproof wrapping. "Here you go. I chose the image to remind you of where we practiced. Any picture can be placed there, as it only serves as a backdrop and as disguise. Who imagines a picture frame to be a scrying window?"

"So, how do you work it?"

"I'll tell you, but perhaps you should try to discover it, to see how 'secret' it is, and how 'secure' it is."

"A good point. Let's see what I can figure out." He then started casting spells. "It is obviously magical, but not that strong to a cursory look... I can tell it is divination, but with some odd ancillary aspects... Odd, it interacts with the user beyond just picking up the mental desire... Oh! That's neat. The user has to start it up with their own power. Uncommon, that, but not unheard of." He stopped casting spells, and said, "I think, like the picture behind it, you made good use of diminishing magic. That can get it overlooked by a casual search, but not a thorough one. Likewise, some will be unable to access it because they don't know how to power it. In all, it is obscured, not hidden."

He paused, and attempted to access it. "It is not easy to casually use, and seems to only show a small blurry image. Wait a moment. Huh? It's changing. Oh my! The image has expanded and clarified. What happened?"

"That initial image is not a true divination, but rather the image you supply. As it seeks out the reality, that's all you see. But once it locates it, the image changes as you saw. Now imagine you are looking around. Try focusing on something on the edge. See? You can change the viewpoint."