The Eldritch Realms Pt. 01

"Wait what? You used to be a duchess?" I gasped.

"Yeah. I allied with Cawl, then my duchy was overthrown by a combination of rebels and outside help... in particular Lord Autumn and his allies. Since then I've been serving in the brothel."

"That sounds pretty harsh," I commented.

"Nah, not really. I was a terrible duchess."

"Just for allying with Cawl? I don't think you were that horrible."

"Not in the mood to talk about what I have done, sorry," she said. "Anyway, what about you? You don't seem like a noble if I'm being honest."

"No, I am just a bounty hunter."

"Huh. Not many bounty hunters are as good as you, and not many enter the Arena either. Are you trying to become a Phantom or what?"

"My goal here is just to gather as much resources, prestige, and connections as possible," I said. "I have someone to kill."

"Oof. Legally, I hope?"

"Hopefully legally. But from what I've heard, few will miss that elven supremacist bandit."

"What's the name?"

"Sylvia... it's Slyvia Vanhel."

"Huh, that sounds familiar. Oh, right, now I remember. She was the subject of one of the ridiculously many diplomatic tensions between Phantasma and Maluscia. If I remember correctly, Phantasma suspected she was being hidden in Maluscia, who denied it."

"And what came of it?" I asked.

"It cooled down eventually."

"Whatever the case, I'm still hunting her down," I said grimly.

"Good luck with that, then, Robin. For now, shall we go to sleep?"

I woke up early enough to see Janine heading out of her room. I quickly took a bath, took my blade, and, with Josh, headed to the Arena.

Some of the other mages were set up in duelling matches. We were hurried to the main stage, and all else stopped. "Greetings, both of you," Lord Autumn said. "It is rare indeed to see two mages like you, so we have decided to add a special event. It is less a fight, more a demonstration for fifteen minutes. We begin shortly."

Fifteen minutes, huh? Jose offered me a handshake, which I accepted. "Let's do this!" he exclaimed.

"Yes. Let's do this."

Lord Autumn leaped from his elevated platform, landing on the grass. The bird on his shoulder morphed into a black blade--one similar to mine. "Wait--what is going on here?" I asked.

"You two will try and beat me," he said. "Don't worry, I'm using magic suppressing jewellery to make things fair."

"Well then... let's begin." He lobbed a few black fireballs into the air.

Josh reacted quickly, sending volleys of fireballs of his own. I backed him up with a storm of bluish daggers. Lord Autumn's blade morphed back into its bird form, which shrieked horribly, generating a shockwave that repelled the daggers.

"Damn it!" Josh cursed.

"We can't take him down with small spells," I said. "You hold him off, I'll charge up a huge spell!"

"Roger that!"

Josh slammed his axe against the ground, cracking it. Fire burst from the cracks, forcing Lord Autumn to take shelter in a dome of energy. Bright pinkish orbs were hurled at us, but Josh defended me with stalwart axe swings and shields of fire.

"Alright... just a bit more...."

Lord Autumn dashed past Josh and aimed his blade at me. I swung my own sword wildly, barely parrying the blow. I drew on one of my secret weapon: a strange pink fire burst from my hands. It skirted Lord Autumn's face, but didn't manage to harm him.

"That spell!" he gasped weakly.

I gathered all my power into a single shot. A massive ball of blackish energy was formed on my hands. "Gggh," I groaned. I couldn't control this much energy for long.

And then it all shattered.

The energy ball was gone, but the sky had turned completely dark. The atmosphere became heavy. Drawing breath was hard. I glanced and saw many of the spectators almost fainting. The High Lords immediately rose from their seats.

"Karl, Anise, stabilize the situation!" High Lady Magna roared. "I'll get us out of here!"

A second later we were back to normal. Lord Autumn pointed at me. "You. With me. Now! Andrea, escort him!"

"Come on now, kid. Don't make this hard for us. Or for you," the bulky, dark-skinned woman named Andrea said.

And so I was brought to the office. This time I was met with two pairs of cold, analyzing eyes. "Well then," Lady Magna said, putting my grimoire, which she somehow acquired, on the table. "You've been playing with fire, kid. Fire too big for you to control."

"I-I'm sorry."

"Nevertheless, Magna, he shouldn't be able to use such spells, grimoire or not."

"If you want to make the check, go ahead."

Out of nowhere, Lord Autumn produced pinkish flames and hurled them at my hand. I felt nothing. "Uhh... is that supposed to do something?"

"You felt nothing?" they asked simultaneously.

"Nothing at all."

Lady Magna sighed. "This is going to be tough, kid... you are a half-demon."

"... I'm sorry, what?"

"It's what it sounds. You're a half-demon."

"That's impossible. I mean, biologically impossible."

"There's a reason why there are only two, well three with you, half-demons in existence. It's technically not possible, but well...."

I gulped my spit, trying to grapple with this revelation. "How do you know about this?"

"You understand about arcane and emotional types of magics, right? Combined they produce eldritch magic, an entirely different school of magic. In turn, other half-demons are immune to it," Lord Autumn. "And before you ask, yes, I am a half-demon."

A few tense moments passed. "You have two options now," Lady Magna said as she walked towards me. "One, we could all pretend this never happened. We'll use our connections to land you a spot in your local mage guild and we'll take your book. Or two... you can join us."

"Join you?"

"That's right. As a half-demon, I'm best suited to teach you magic," Lord Autumn offered. "Of course, your current life will have to be abandoned."

I bit my lips. "If I do learn from you, will I become stronger?"

"Strong enough to defeat Sylvia Vanhel, eventually? Sure."

"You know-"

"We're the High Lords. We have eyes and ears all around Phantasma."

"Then I accept!"

I was given a room in the Tower of Mist itself. I bode farewell to my friends in the village and a Phantom with spatial magic helped me teleport my stuff to the room. A week later, I was brought to a training ground.

"Welcome to Master's training ground." Caitlyn awaited me with a grin on her face.

"Oh, hello, uh, Caitlyn," I said. "Are you teaching me eldritch magic? I thought only half-demons could."

"Eldritch magic? Oh, dear, no. Not yet. With your current skill level, you're going to open another portal to the Eldritch Realms or something like that."

"Eldritch Realms?"

Caitlyn coughed. "I've said too much for now. Whatever the case, Master sent me here to teach you how to use a sword."

"Swordfighting?"

"Yes. Your sword is one crafted for half-demons, so it suits you perfectly. Now it's time to cultivate that power."

She unsheathed her own blade. "I want to see you fight!"

For two whole weeks Caitlyn trained me. I learned how to thrust and how to parry, how to block and how to counterattack. She also taught me how to channel some of my mana into physical enhancements. It wasn't what I expected, but I accepted it gladly. More than few mages had fallen in combat thanks to neglecting close combat.

"Good, good," Caitlyn said as I parried one of her somersault jumps. "You're getting better. You shouldn't be overwhelmed easily now."

"I could be overwhelmed easily back then?" I wondered.

"Pretty easily, especially if you're ambushed. Anything can kill anything in the right conditions," Caitlyn said. "But yes, you're progressing quickly. A true half-demon, indeed."

"Is that so? That's good."

Seira approached us with a grin on her face. "Seira? I thought you were sorting the diplomatic mess with Maluscia in the north."

"Nah, Anna is taking care of it. Anyway, Master wanted me to tell you to prepare for your first mission," Seira said. "Oh, and I almost forgot. Your official rank now is a private bounty hunter working directly under the Tower of Mist."

"I see," I said. "Uh, what does that mean in practical terms?"

"Think a Phantom, but less restricted. Come on now, Master wants to talk to you directly."

I was brought again upon Lord Autumn's office. I sat across him. "Hello there. Reports from Caitlyn indicate that your training has gone well, so I thought it's time for some practical experience."

"There is a cult worshipping a being named 'Evershadow' prowling around the eastern parts of Phantasma. Normally we ignore them as this is not the Baroque States and the Church has little power here, but this cult has actually overran a local baron's castle, whose owner contacted me for help. I will be bringing two war airships to destroy them."

"I suppose I'll help with them?"

"Not really." Lord Autumn said. He handed me a flyer of a woman; she was black haired with her long hair wild. Judging from the flyer, she was perhaps in her late twenties or early thirties. "She is Cassandra, one of the Tower's entertainers on lent to the baron. She was captured by the cult and is likely held in the castle's underground prison."

"I'm sorry, entertainment?" I wondered. "Do you mean--"

"She's able to cook and clean, as well as provide stripper services and so on. It's not your concern," Lord Autumn coughed. "It is imperative that you rescue her, lest the Tower of Mist will look weak. Now let's hop on the airships. I'll answer further questions there."

Airships; these were the pinnacle of Phantasma's trade (and war). They were faster than regular ships and flew in the air, where few could pose a threat.

I stood next to Lord Autumn on the deck. "I see you still have questions. Ask away."

"Well... mostly about me, if I'm being honest. Why did you help me to this extent?" I asked. "You gave me a room, had your bodyguard train me. There has to be something you want from me."

"I like your bluntness, and you are right," he said. "When you botched the spell in the Arena, you opened a portal to the Eldritch Realms."

"The Eldritch Realms? What is it?"

"Think of it as a separate dimension from our world. When you're strong enough to handle the pressure, I'll take you there," he said. "Even being in the Eldritch Realms improves your magical defences, and there are many methods to gather spells and power there."

"I see... how does that tie to my help?"

"We can talk about it once you're strong enough," he said. "Shortly, I'm working on a massive project in the Eldritch Realm, but there aren't a lot of people capable enough to even survive there: in Phantasma there are we three High Lords and a number of the more powerful Phantoms. In Baroque States and Acacia merely a handful of priests and mages, and in Maluscia a few strange stirrings. I need more hands on the deck."

"Well, I look forward to the day I can repay your favours."

"For now, let's see about taking down this cult."

Soon we reached the baron's castle. The flags of Phantasma were gone, replaced by a flag made of ragged cloth with a blood red triangle. "Begin!" Lord Autumn shouted. From the decks of the airships men, elven, goblin, and vampire crossbowmen and archers shot their arrows and bolts, killing the guard cultists outside. They quickly retreated back to the castle.

"Right. Take this map," Lord Autumn handed me a map. "We're dropping you off next to a secret entrance. Infiltrate the underground tunnels, retrieve Cassandra, and get the hell out of here. Go straight until you see a monkey ladder."

"Roger!"

The underground tunnels were long, but well-lit. My blade I held firmly as I jogged across the tunnels, which were empty, but not for long. A pair of patrolling cultists spotted me.

"Intruders!" one of the culprits shouted. I conjured a shockwave and quickly knocked them out.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath. I approached them. One of them was completely out cold, but one was still conscious. I hurried to the monkey ladder and climbed it.

To my surprise, the prison was empty. I quickly climbed back down, spotted the still conscious cultist, and seized her collar. "Why is the prison goddamn empty?" I hissed.

"Er, uh, we don't have any pris-"

"You tell another lie, your fucking neck goes off."

"Eeek! Okay, okay! They were all in the throne room for the Great Ritual!"

"The what now? What does that entail?"

"I don't know, I'm just a neophyte! It's the elders' business!"

Whatever that was, I hurried to the throne room. I landed a swift kick powered with magic, knocking down the ornate door. The elders, perhaps there were twenty or so of them, were chanting some sort of spell. There were many bodies impaled with spears around them, and only one naked woman left: Cassandra!

"Someone's here! Quick, finish the ritual!" the eldest of them shouted. Two of them tried to impale the bounded Cassandra with a spear.

"Not so fast!" I produced bluish spears of my own, impaling both men. I took Cassandra onto my arms and tore off her cloth gag.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Cassandra started crying, but she nodded weakly.

"Graah!"

The elders all shouted. Their candles dimmed while a baleful light began forming on the centre of the room. I conjured a large blue orb of arcane energy before hurling it at the light.

"Wait, no!"

A blinding light occurred, and all the cultists were dead. Cassandra was hugging me so tightly I could barely breathe. I sent flocks of birds to call aid while my free right hand drew my blade.

"Fucking amateurs. I told them to gather power for me, not help manifest myself in the mortal realm. Psh."

What appeared in front of me was a figure faintly female, robed in a cloak made of strange white material. Lord Autumn came to my aid. "Ah, what luck...." She grinned.

"I bid you welcome, my second and youngest sons."

"Who are you? What do you want?" Lord Autumn hissed. One of the Phantoms came too, and bode me to give over Cassandra to her. I did so.

"I am the Evershadow, though you may call me Eris, my children."

"Something tells me you are not our literal mother," I said.

"No. It goes much deeper than that... half-demon."

"You have a hand in our creation?" Lord Autumn hissed.

"Oh, how I wish. No, the powers of creation is an inert one, one that aligns with the worlds themselves. To fully bend them to my will is perhaps impossible, but I can manipulate and subvert some of them; so yes, I spliced some souls to create half-demons, though only three I could create."

"Powers that align with the worlds...."

"You have dabbled in the Eldritch Realms, surely you have at least some idea, hm?"

I gulped my spit as Lord Autumn stepped in front of me. "Careful," he whispered before facing Eris.

"So you dwell in the Eldritch Realms. To what end do you come here, and to what end do your cultists worship you?"

"Then answer my question: this world... who controls it? Who holds power over it? Who could alter life, who could bend death, who could create something from nothing?"

"The Church claims their gods can. Partially, at least," Lord Autumn answered.

"The answer is no one."

A silence ensued as the two stared at each other. "So?"

"Without an omnipotent being, without a guiding hand, the sentient beings of the worlds can only act with their basest instincts: avarice, envy, and pride. And so lust for treasure follows, and lust for worldly pleasures follows," Eris declared. "All this causes disorder. And disorder causes suffering. It is I who will bring order."

Lord Autumn gasped. "You seek to become a god."

"The God. Not 'a god'."

"You are a madman!" we both accused at the same time.

"You seek to rule the world and bring order to cease suffering," Lord Autumn bellowed. "Yet your followers perform live sacrifices in your name! A bit hypocritical here, aren't you? And once you become an omnipotent being, should such a thing be even possible, then what? You will rule with an iron fist. Hence you will be a tyrant!"

"Sacrifices are necessary and I am willing to be a tyrant if that means a better world," Eris nonchalantly said. "But enough about this. I am offering both of you a place in my new world order."

"I understand you, my second son, is particular are in control of a realm... Phantasma, isn't it? And I understand it is more magically advanced than other realms. Bend the resources of your realm to our cause, and you shall join me as we better the world."

"You will have Phantasma's resources."

"Lord Autumn!" I shrieked. "You can't be serious!"

"Once you take it from my dead body!" he cast a spell of light, and the mirage vanished.

"Err-"

"We'll talk about this later. Don't talk to anyone about this."

With the mission done, we went back to the Tower of Mist. When I wanted to enter, Seira and a blonde woman who is also collared stopped me. "Uh... something happened, right?" the blonde woman asked as she glanced at her master.

"That is, er, accurate."

"On a lighter note, you new home is finished!"

"My what now?"

"I'll take him there." Cassandra exited the tower with a smile.

"Hello, Cassandra. You seem much better than before," I said.

"Naturally, Robin. And you can call me Cassy," she said with laugh. "Let's go, shall we?"

We walked away from the Tower of Mist. The grasslands were comfortable enough to walk on. "So, Cassy, where exactly is my new home?"

"Huh? Wait, those girls gave me a rough map, but I thought you'd knew about this before."

"Yeah... not exactly."

Cassy guided me to my new home. To my surprise, it was essentially a repurposed cave system some distance to the east of the Tower of Mist, cleared out and refurnished. To my even greater surprise, it was comfortable. A number of scented candles gave out a pleasant smell, and the decorations though scant were pleasing indeed. "Home," I mumbled. A home I never had.

"Ah, sorry," I said, wiping my tears. Cassy and I explored the cave thoroughly; there was a master bedroom as well as a bathroom. Then there were several empty bedrooms and a training room.

"Huh. The size itself does make this a lap of luxury, but I expected more furniture."

I shook my head. "It's fine enough," I said as I breathed the fresh air just outside my home. "And, uh, not to intrude, but are you not supposed to return to the Tower of Mist?"

"Ah, right. I forgot." Cassy led me to the living room. From her bag made of animal skin she pulled out documents.

"Here, read them."

I did. The first papers were the details of Cassy's slave contract. "Huh. You were a bandit?" I muttered.

"Less a bandit, more a seductress. I posed as a cheap prostitute and brought men to inns where my fellow bandits robbed the hell out of them. Fun times until I was caught during one of the first anti-bandit campaigns after the war."

I scanned through the contract quickly. Most slaves had a serving period of some five to twenty years, but Cassy was obliged to serve forever. The master was obliged to provide food, drinks, clothes, and shelter (as usual). In return she must provide services ranging from mundane cleaning and cooking to more sensual ones like lap dancing and stripping to outright sex.

I saw the name of her master:

Robin Treville

"My own name!" I whispered.

"I asked for you to be my new master. You can't imagine how grateful I was--if you were not there, I would have died. Besides, I am a worthy reward for your completion of the mission, don't you think?"

Cassy moved from the seat and encircled her arms upon my chest. "I look forward to serving you as your first slut," she whispered.

I grinned. "Is that so?" I immediately lunged and kissed her deeply, which she reciprocated. We silently agreed to continue in the bedroom, whereupon I stripped her of her clothes and laid her bare on the bed.