“Epilogue III” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 25 (Finale)

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – December 31st, 2019

While Christmas was not the greatest  I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the year.  Lunette and Amber showed up today early in the morning as I was cooking breakfast. Even greater news, the war is over and the terms of the treaty have changed everything. Most notably the idea that someone does not need to be part of a mage house to be a mage nor do fairy and fantastic folk needs to be connected to a leader.  My days as a rogue wizard are over because there is no such thing. The houses still exist and so does the council but it is all voluntary for mages now, not mandated.

Speaking of the council, according to Amber, the makeup is changed as there was an internal rebellion of sorts that replaced most of the heads of the houses with new people more in line with unification and openness with the rest of the magical world.  The council was changed according to these changes.  It seems they have taken an adapt or survive point of view rather than one upholding tradition. The tradition was getting them extinct and they must have realized it.

Now I realize this is purely for North America and Europe as different magical governments dominate parts of the rest of the world, but for me, it means not having to be afraid of the council anymore.   It still does not resolve the issue of remaining hidden as all three of us are sure there will be elements that want revenge for all these changes as we were instrumental in causing some of the problems that lead to them.  The deposed traditionalists would still want to fight and they could retake the council, but the notion that anyone who practices magic can do so openly is going to be huge in the magical world.

I also realize that my being the only battle mage who currently is known and one who has seemingly survived the death spell would cause a lot of people to fear me.  I am a harmless teddy bear but some might consider me too big a threat to be allowed to live, and that means staying dead to the world might still give me some protection.

Privacy too as I feel the other thing might be to ask the question of whether being a battle mage can be taught to others.  Do I really want that?  I might argue it might be the magical world equivalent of inventing gunpowder. Do I want that as my legacy? Probably not.

Of course, the first thing all three of us did was draw the drapes and get intimately acquainted again and I found the ladies seemed more eager than me in this regard. Apparently having an actual dick does make a difference at least that is what they told me.  The time I liked best though was when we fell asleep in each others arms.  Cuddling naked with Lunette’s wings draped over us.  We are whole again.

Maybe someday I will announce that I lived, but I still would want enough time to past where past grievances can be settled down and perhaps cooler heads can come to terms with a broken past.  I can only hope and wait.

One thing is finished and that is this journal.  It is no longer necessary as I am no longer a Rogue Wizard.  Maybe a vagabond or grey pilgrim like Gandalf, but not criminal or rogue anymore.  Maybe posterity will read this and think better of me or worse, but my thoughts and major decisions are here for all to read.  Hopefully, they will be gently heard and kindly judged.

This is the last entry – rogue wizard out.

Writer’s Final Note:

I have mixed feelings about this project being finished.  I am glad to move on to something else, but also sad to see it end.  There are feelings associated with this that are loving and sad at the same time and I miss the one who was my inspiration fo Elpis.  Now, there will be less reason to think of her, but that may be good for my healing process.  I still have some poems in my head os she will never truly go away, and well there is that loving somebody and never getting completely over it that I seem to have. Maybe someday I will come back and rewrite the whole Hedge and Rogue wizard sagas with new feelings and thoughts. 

In the meantime, as the bard once said, I ask you to be one that is “gently to hear and kindly to judge” this story. I may be paraphrasing a bit.  

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Epilogue II” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 24

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – December 25th, 2019

Christmas doesn’t mean as much to me anymore other than there are memories of family times I miss.  Now there will not be any more of them and that makes me sad. I have been on the run now for a couple months and finally, I have found a safe house of sorts. In that respect, it has been a good Christmas,  No Christmas ‘miracle’ of the girls showing up and making my life joyful again.  I did buy them presents but they will get them when I see them.

I didn’t leave that first week but it became clear that the girls were right.  If I would be seen with them then the whole gift Elpis had given me would be lost. I had to go underground alone and that bothered me.  I have been alone before and even though I know that two women love me, I know that means depression and a few low moments mentally and emotionally.

Today as I sit by the fire in a cabin in the woods in Wisconsin, I am reminded of how alone I am, but this place looks to have been abandoned a long time ago and has a magical aura.  I was literally able to buy the cabin and the property it is on for five hundred bucks.

It has one main room which serves as bedroom, kitchen and office space for me with a big reading chair in the corner.  The other room is a three-quarter bath with shower, toilet, and sink.  That room also serves as the utility room as the water heater. electrical box and small furnace are all in it as well. Cozy, but I don’t need any more than this and the fireplace by my reading chair is a magical one so a little spell and poof, warm for the entire evening.

The town nearby is very small but has a Dollar General and a grocery store. I had a guy install wifi in the place but he looked like he was about to jump out of his skin.  Something about this place keeps people away, but for me it is safe. My bank account is full and I can live minimally like I am for at least ten years.  Hopefully, the war will be over before then.

This is still a werewolf country and I keep Nevermore out and keeping watch all the time now. With the town nearby, I am fast about to become the eccentric wizard who lives on the edge of town and who people avoid when he goes to town.  I even dress the part now with a flowing cloak and hood and grey clothes that look more out of Dungeons and Dragons than the modern-day.  I spend most of my days reading and studying my art.  I wait.  The small table serves well enough for a place to write and set up my lab from time to time.

My use of magic is brief and low powered.  I don’t want to attract attention so I just keep to myself and mind my own business. I do miss the girls and I don’t know when I will see them again.

Well, I needed to update this journal.  it has been a long couple of months, but I have found my safe place. I just wish it wasn’t so lonely.

I hear news of the war through my internet connection and computer. It isn’t going well for either side if you ask me.  The casualties are high on both sides. I worry that the magical world will be so diminished when it is over.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Epilogue I” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 23

Happy Sol’s Day!

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – November 6th, 2019

Currently, we are in the basement of an old burned-out farmhouse.  The place is actually quite nice and hidden by magic.  An old safehouse according to Lunette. it is pretty much a well-hidden magical apartment with three bedrooms, a couple baths, and a living and dining room area next to the kitchen.  We are quite comfortable and using only one bedroom at present.

When I came to, Amber was there to greet me and my tears about Elpis’ death.  Lunette was on a scouting run trying to get some information from her sources.  When she got back and heard my tale she started to weep herself.  I don’t think I ever saw Lunette and Elpis get along and Lunette had a lot of reasons to dislike and even hate her, but in the end, it was the last link Lunette had to her past much like me and she knew it.  Needless to say, I held a sobbing pixie while I cried with her for about ten minutes.

Amber for her part tried to comfort us both and the whole thing kind of delayed Lunette’s report.  When she finally calmed down she took a deep breath and reported the following:

1. The fight we had with the Death Angels had been observed by other agents of the Council and it was truly believed that I was dead. No one survives as death bolt. My case file was closed.
2. While the Council was interested still in finding Lunette, they had bigger fish to fry after my death and so she was to be left free for a time.
3. Despite Amber’s defense of me, it was ruled she was acting according to the Lioness’ directive so she was under orders to protect me which she could not shirk.  The council simply ruled that House Venus would decide her fate, but no word had come what the Lioness would do.
4. The war was going badly for both sides as the casualties were mounting.

‘You’re dead Edward.”

I did a quick divination connection check on the letter I had dropped and it was still hidden.  My magic hadn’t kicked in for death so I was dead to the magical world, but the real one still hadn’t been informed. I wasn’t dead according to magic.

“Yeah, but I will still just be a missing person’s case to my family.”

Lunette spoke very directly, ” You need to keep it that way, at least until the rebels win against the two sides.  You need to go into deep hiding for a while.”

“But the rebellion will need us.”

“No, don’t you see. Elpis gave you a gift of more than your life.  She gave you the possibility of a new one.”

Amber spoke, “Yes.  But in truth, she gave us all a chance at that.  A pixie and her female lover are not going to be much on the radar of either side if they are both outcasts. Especially if both sides think we are too far distraught from losing you.”

“But, Elpis told me to love you both and let you love me.  You are not just proposing I hide but that we separate.  I don’t know if I could take that right now.”

“You have to for a little while.  Until you find a place that is safe from discovery and then we can join you.  If the Council is defeated, then we will all be safe to come back together. We will know you are safe and how to find you with the tattoos.”

We argued well into the night, but I had to eventually agree with both of them. They insisted that I recover, but I am fine.  I just need to prepare for a long time away from my girls and to find a place where I will be safe.

I don’t know about this.

Writer’s Notes:

I am going to wrap this series up by the end fo the month latest. I will probably replace it after I finish Space Tramp as well.  My main issue is to wrap up some loose ends in this series and then finish Space Tramp as well and then move on to something else.

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Ghost Dryad” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 22

Happy Sol’s Day!

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – November 5th, 2019

Yesterday I spoke about what happened according to my girls after I was hit with the death spell by the necromancer Death Angels.  I need to now speak about what happened to me while unconscious because it needs to be written down before the nature of it slips away.   Before my emotions about it swallow up the memory of it.

I spoke before of how my consciousness slipped away and I fell down ‘dead’.  I found though that I was not feeling too much death, but rather peace and love. It was a strange feeling and then as I lay there with my eyes closed I heard a voice.

“Edward”

I knew that voice instantly and in my excitement, my eyes fluttered open.  I was shocked at what I saw because I wasn’t in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan anymore. I was in The Red Tree Grove.  Like it was when I was young.  Full of life, trees, ferns, birds, squirrels, and bright colors. There was the tree not too far away.  Large like an oak, but covered in red maple leaves and white birch like bark.  A truly unique tree. Majestic and making anyone standing next to it feel small and very young.

My eye focused however on the throne part of the tree was in front of.  There she was sitting – Elpis.  She was covered in the same birch park skin as the tree so it was hard at first to see her but the red hair like the color of the tree’s leaves set her off a little.

She stood up and walked toward me and as she did the bark skin was shed and revealed the naked woman beneath.  Her body was short but the kind of sensual curvy that made a lump in my throat every time. Large breasts with cute nipples and nice curvy backside.  Her round face dripped innocence but eyes that were deep and spoke of long years of life but youth at the same time. Her hair was brown, but it could have been any color she liked.  She changed the color and length often.  Her smile beamed right into my heart.

She was not so much the gorgeous dryad of legend but the young teen girl and ancient matron all rolled into one. The experience of meeting Elpis is something people do not forget. I know the first time I did, I fell hopelessly in love with her.

“Hello Edward, it is good to see you again. You got old. Still, look good though”

For the first time, I realized I was naked myself and for once felt old.  The last time I was in her presence I had been eighteen. Now my body had suffered the years of a few decades of mortality.  I hoped at that moment I wasn’t a disappointment to her. But there was an old deep emotion that began to take over in me.  I crossed the few feet that separated us and took her in my arms and hugged her.  Crushed her really and kissed her hard. When the kiss stopped I whispered in her ear.

“I love you.”

“I love you too Edward.”

She kissed me this time and then breaking away she took me by the hand and led me to the side of the tree where we used to make love.  She pulled me close to her and we made love again.  I will not speak of the details here.  That is my memory and one I will cherish for all my remaining life.  When we were done she spoke again as we lay in each other’s arms on the soft grass.

“Well Edward, you are still good at that. Better actually”

“I had a good woman teach me.  She was wonderful and gentle with me. I have missed her.”

Elpis teared up but then she took a breath and spoke.

“I don’t have much time. I can’t maintain this reality much longer and soon I will be gone. The powers have granted us this one moment to say goodbye for good.”

I began to cry and she took me in her arms again.

“I took the death ray for you, Edward.  I possessed you and took the death intended for you. You will live, but I am now finally dead and at peace.  My regret is that I will have to leave you behind again.  I don’t know if we will see each other again.  I don’t know so many things about what is after death.  I do know that you will go back to Lunette and Amber and you need to love them and let them love you.  The moment you live is all you really have so live life.”

“Elpis, there is so much I want to say.”

“Edward, sweet Edward.  There is no time.  ‘I love you’ is enough. close your eyes.”

I closed them reluctantly taking in one last look at Elpis’ face.

“I love you, Edward.”

“I love you, Elpis.”

I felt her lips against mine as we held each other in the grass and then the feelings of her body and lips next to mine faded away.  When I awoke, she and the grove were completely gone and I was laying on an open empty field that stretched as far as I could see. I began to weep. I wish things had turned out very differently. So much do I wish that.

It wasn’t but a few moments that I felt the tug of mortality pulling me back to the real world. When I woke up, I had Amber hovering over me and she started to cry as she held me.  I was crying too, but for a very different reason.

I am alive because of Elpis’ sacrifice.  I guess she lived up to her name after all by giving me hope in the midst of death.

I am a little emotionally distraught after writing this so I will break for now and try to write the rest tomorrow.

Writer’s Notes:

This was a hard part to write.  The emotions were pretty high on this one. Elpis is a character based on Miss Salty and the connection is very emotional.  I never built a  series like the Hedge Wizard of Redberg which contained: 1) Love for a woman, 2) My own life and 3) my favorite genre of fantasy fiction – urban fantasy.  It was a labor of love for someone and I never have done that before.  It ended abruptly when the whole affair between Miss Salty and I came to light.  I had to literally delete the blog and everything on it because people were reading it as reality. 

Which is why I make this final note. There is no love scene in either the Hedge Wizard of Redberg or Rogue Wizard that has ever been real.  They are fantasy, perhaps longing and desire at times, but never real life. 

Now, I truly do need to take a break.  But I wanted to send Elpis off as she deserved –  a heroine with a deep love for Edward at the end. As a character, she was a labor of love I will never forget. I did weep like this when Miss Salty left me and now I will probably at least cry again.  There are a few more scenes to Epilogue this series and bring closure, but Elpis had more act to play and I sent her out the way I wanted to, the way she deserved, and not by someone else’s hand.

Elpis means “Hope”.  

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“The Edge of Death” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 21

Happy Sol’s Day!

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – November 4th, 2019

The last few days are a blur and it is probably going to take a few journal entries to sort out.  Of course, by seeing this entry you know that I survived the encounter with the Death Angels on Halloween Night.  I will note so none worry, that Amber and Lunette are also with me.  We are all alive and in a new place.  That said, I don’t think I will be the same again.  None of us will.

The Battle was one of the closest I had ever been in.  There were as far as we can tell six Death Angels.  According to Lunette and Amber, there were three men and three women.  I only got to see two because it is the one I fought and the one who hit me with the death spell that I noted.  The girls were busy with the other members of the Council’s death squad. The one that was immediate in my face was a man and he had bad breath and came with a hoard of rats that he used to tap into his powers.  He was wielding a sword made of magic – the green shit of the movies.

Honest and he came at me full speed and it was all I could do to hold the porch of the cabin against his attacks which were rapid and continuous.  I could see Amber burning something out of one corner of one eye and Lunette doing her pinball thing out fo the other.  But it was a full-time shield act to keep this guy from landing a blow plus keep his rats away from biting my ankles.  My whole attention was focused on this guy and that is what lead to my downfall.

I heard the death spell being chanted and could not do anything about it.  I backed up a little to the edge of the door and then I could see her.  Pale as shit and skyclad.  Her alabaster body was beautiful as was the rest of her and her hair long and pure white. Her one hand was extended toward me and she was chanting the Death Spell, the other hand was wrapped around the neck of a young teenage girl.  The sacrifice for the spell.

I could do nothing except strengthen my shield and hope that one fo the girls helped my ass. But no help came and the spell steaked like a bolt of eldritch green from her hand and hit me square in the chest.  At the last minute though, I felt something strange and yet loving; it made me feel at peace.  As I fell, I could feel my shield slipping as death came over me. I lost consciousness and dropped to the floor of the porch.  It was the last thing I remember of the fight.

According to the girls, they saw what was happening too late and then when I fell they got pissed.  Lunette literally when psycho at that moment and streaked off at the naked witch. When she struck she didn’t hold anything back and literally started to do her pinball thing and hitting hard enough to break bones.  Amber for her part let loose a fireball on two necromancers she was fighting with and I guess it burned them to a cinder where they stood. In a matter of seconds, it was two on three.

The other two Lunette had been dealing with turned tail including the guy we had seen in town.  Lunette turned her attention to rat necromancer and because his rats couldn’t fly like she could, she made short work of him.  The snap of his bones as she struck was audible to all.   According to Amber, she was screaming rage the entire time. Amber for her part concentrated a fireball in her hands for a few seconds and let fly after the last two and when it struck the scream echoed in the night. 6-1 our win, but I was down.  Lunette steaked to my side and grew full-sized ripping her miniature garment to tatters.

Amber and Lunette examined me.  Probably crying their eyes out but neither girl spoke to me about that.

“Lunette, I can still feel him.  He isn’t gone.”

Puzzled, Lunette reached out with her tattoo and confirmed I wasn’t dead.  But I wasn’t alive either. They checked on the teenage girl and she wasn’t dead either.  Barely alive.

According to the girls, they acted quickly gathering up our stuff, throwing everything into the pickup.  The placed me and the girl in the back and took off.  They left the girl in town on a park bench and called 911 and then took off again.  Lunette knew a place that might be safe so she was determined to get to it and find out what happened with me.

What did happen to me?  I need to think about it before I write about it.  But I can tell you, I have many life-changing events and this is definitely in the top three.  I will relay this tomorrow.  The emotions of this whole thing are still pretty strong.

Writer’s Notes:

Two to one is a fair fight with my trio.  If there is one weakness I have in real life it is a lack of speed.  This played into the story.  I prefer to think things out, create a plan and execute.  In a situation where I can’t do that, its full-on defense and wait until I can.  Yeah, that gets you busy and then dead if you’re facing as deadly an opponent as the Death Angels. 

My emotions are real on this one and the couple to come. Particularly the next one.  

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Spectre” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 20

Happy Sol’s Day!

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – October 31st, 2019 – Halloween

We have survived our first attack by the Death Angels.  Halloween is always a mixed blessing for me and playing into that is the convergence of the spiritual world and this one that makes life difficult.  The necromancers of the Death Angels are going to have an advantage tonight and they used it because it is clear they know where we are.

A couple hours ago they sent some various forms of the undead to attack us and we fought them off. The first wave was zombies and skeletons probably raised to life from some local cemetery.  They were probably more difficult to kill because of what night it is, but all three of us are experienced with these creatures of nightmare and they pretty much are burned ashes to us now.  My fire is definitely a lot hotter and more deadly with the tattoo.   My shields are what really did it though.  There is an effect not just of protection now but it seemed to burn these undead creatures a little as they attacked it.

The next wave was far more difficult as it was some ghouls (strong bastards) and a Spectre.  In the course of that battle, the girls were handling the ghouls and I drew the Spectre.  Specters are raised from mages.  In a sense, they are an undead mage and that makes them fucking dangerous. They are the nightmares that were the inspiration of Tolkien’s black riders.

This one was wielding a sword that put my shields to the test quite a bit.  But whatever enchantment was woven into the ink of my tattoo for my fire it is once again deadly to undead in ways I hadn’t expected.  Either that it is tapping into the crossover of worlds tonight as well.  Regardless I was able to hold it off for some time while the girls took care of the ghouls.  Tne we combined our efforts on the spectre and between the flames fo Amber and myself, burned it back to oblivion.

We torched the skeletons, zombies, and ghouls too and soon there was a nice little bonfire beside the cabin.  The cabin is a little worse for wear now too.  Several windows are gone and we had to put out a few small fires. Lunette seems sad as probably part of her memories has been scarred and there is a good possibility we will have to leave here and never come back.

The thing we are all curious about is why the Death Angels haven’t attacked as well. The answer probably lays in what the council’s objective is for us and what strength the Death Angels have.  The re is one theory that they are a very small group sent only in the most special of cases, so the one we saw might be the only one and he is basically sending other forces he can conjure up waiting for reinforcements.

Or these last two rounds were trying to soften us up.  Wait.   … Lunette says there is movement near the sauna and one of my wards just went off in a fiery explosion.  This may be it.  I need to go.  Hopefully, there will be another entry.

Writer’s Notes:

Magic in writing is a bugaboo.  Mostly because even though in writing you could do what you want with magic, it isn’t much fun if it is basically an all-powerful stick. It also helps if your magical system is consistent.  My magical system in this series is basically one of the very specific schools of magic and usually a mage in only capable of being good at one of them.  In the case of the Rogue wizard, he is expert in two, abjuration (protective spells) and evocation (aggressive spells like fire, ice, and lightning.  He is average in divination too but dislikes using it.  His advanced nature is not due so much to ability as to an unfettered learning process. 

Emotionally we are coming down to a very emotional climax.  As I am looking at where this series might end, I am thinking before the end fo December.  At that point, I will take a breath for a couple weeks and new year will start something new.  

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Death Angel” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 19

Happy Sol’s Day!

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – October 30th, 2019

Well, the fear I have been having has taken form. I have been nervous every time we go to town and the last couple of times I felt that we were being watched.  Closely watched.  Lunette says her scouting runs every morning show nothing but I pulled my familiar raven Nevermore from his pocket dimension and added his wandering eyes to scouting and in the end, it has paid off.

The cold of fall and early winter is on the Upper Peninsula so the skinny dipping sessions have disappeared and we are spending more time in the sauna and cuddled in bed for that matter.  Our plan was to settle in here for the winter and then take off in the spring.  As safe as this place seems, the fact remains the longer we stay here the more difficult it will be to keep ourselves hidden.

My relationship with the two women is growing and we are now pretty comfortable in the presence of each other to the point intimacy of all levels is pretty normal with us. If it wasn’t for the constant danger we are in, things would be wonderful.  As it is we have to remind ourselves our little paradise on earth is under threat from some of the most dangerous magic users in the world.

Today brought to that the forefront of our mind as we finally saw a Death Angel wandering in town.  It took us back for a second but we knew immediately he was hunting for us. he didn’t stand out at first with his black overcoat like he probably would have during summer, but in the cold weather, he looked normal for this time of year.  If it wasn’t for his pale skin and pure white hair – two side effects of necromantic magic.

I have been a rogue wizard all my life and am not in any way bound by the Council’s laws on necromancy (which you can see they violate themselves), but you know what magic form I have never dabbled in?  Necromancy.  It dangerous shit as it can truly exact a heavy price if you do not learn to safeguard yourself.  The most potent form of it is death spells which require the life of someone to cast.

I suppose this is also its greatest weakness and why so many necromancers don’t like casting the death spell.   You have to first bind another living creature to the spell as the ‘cost’ for casting it, then cast it hoping you did the binding spell right.  If you don’t it will take that price from you.  That’s why necromancers like immortals as if the bind their death spells to an immortal then its unlimited charges.

Normally though most necromancy takes blood or other living things of smaller size like bugs or rats.  Which is why necromancers are fond of them. They also tend to use blood magic using their own blood when possible but the blood of others if necessary.  It isn’t uncommon for necromancers to have cuts on their palms.  More subtlely the magic begins to take the color from your skin and hair. Pale is what you call a long term necromancer.

Nevermore was circling the town above us when he spotted the guy. He was tall, pale and dressed in a black overcoat. Really, right out of a movie.  These necromancer types the Council recruits are usually professional and have the same moral code as Darth Vader.  Often the same effect on people too.

I quickly told the girls to get in the truck and we needed to leave as quickly as possible without causing a scene.  We finished our shopping, loaded the truck and headed back to the cabin. We all breathed a heavy sigh of relief when we were home.

Nevermore came home a little later. I had left him to observe the man.  He stayed, seemed to track something by sniffing where we had been and then took off into the woods.

“What could he be sniffing for” Amber asked.

“Me”, Lunette answered.

Pixies have their own smell that is unique.  Lunette never wears perfume as she already smells like flowers constantly.  I love her smell but it is unique in that what would a pixie be doing here in the middle of nowhere?  There is no grove up here.  The presence of a pixie wouldn’t be too abnormal if this wasn’t werewolf territory for the most part and pixies and werewolves have a blood feud so old, no one remembers who started it. But if that smell is accompanied by two others who are human then it might set off some alarm bells.

Nevermore lost him and came home.

The time of year does not help either. Halloween is upon us and that means the worlds are crossing over and the spiritual plane will give necromancers a little boost to their powers.  All wizards really, but the undead will walk tonight and they will have an easier time spotting us. I checked my wards and we are sitting by the fire instead of in the bedroom.  The plan is to take shifts being on watch. This could get ugly. Nighttime will be the worst.

Writer’s Notes:

The series is coming to its finality. I should also note that the last parts are going to be emotionally draining for me to write. That’s the only spoiler alert you are going to get. 

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Three Tattoos” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 18

Happy Thor’s Day!

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – October 1st, 2019

Well apparently my hunches are not that great, but still can’t shake the feeling we are being observed.  Lunette pretty much said it was possible but there was nothing to be done but to try to stay alive.  She has been doing this far longer than me os I defer to her judgment. September left us and now October and the changing leaves are with us.

The results of a small cabin, three people in love and regular naked sauna baths are a greater intimacy in a very short time. The three of us are very close now and quite intimate. There is also the potential for cabin fever which will come when the snows fall.  To combat this now, Lunette suggested a few excursions and finding an old friend of her parents managed somehow to procure us and old Ford Pickup.

This opens up a lot of possibilities not the least of which is all of us throwing our backpacks in the back and taking off.  But for now, we have used it to make a few trips.  The most notable of these was to a mystic tattoo artist in a major city about 75 miles away.

Magical tattoos are the combination of alchemy for the ink and enchantment magic.  There has always been a little bit of magic to a tattoo artist and the mages of the world have been going to mystic ones for a long time.  They actually have their own wizard family – The House of  Minerva.  Well, this is the house of all people who use art and magic in combination.  It should be noted one’s house is more based on magic preference or philosophical preference.  It is hereditary for some mage families.  Mostly though you pick one at age 12.

The tattoo artist we went to a lovely tattooed lass with a purple mohawk was House Minerva but part of the underground.  Sadi can cuss and drink like a sailor.  I know we would go out with her after work at the local bar.  Lunette and her have worked together a couple times. She is also a wizard with tattoos in the fact she is both a top-notch alchemist and an enchantment magic specialist.  I now sport three tattoos of hers.  This process took about three days.

The beauty of all of them is that they enhance my magic.  Two of them in very powerful ways. The third is a link between the three of us.

Now going around my right wrist is a circle of small Viking axes.  Guess what it does? It enhances my Evocation magic and boy I wasn’t expecting the change in the color of my flame but it is color is now bright blue with white.  I checked my lightning and it is red instead of bright yellow and my frost has gone from pale blue to pure white.

On my left wrist is a circle of interlocked Viking shield like a shield wall.  It’s cool because each shield is unique.  It enhances my Abjuration magic. Yeah, my shields are even stronger and they also have changed color or should I say change colors – shimmer like a multicolored rainbow now.

If I hold my hands together then the two tattoos enhance each other is I am doing only one or the other of my types of magic. Makes fireballs even more spectacular and shields even harder. I just can’t do both types of magic at once when I do that.

The last tattoo is one all three of us received.  Required a few drops of blood form each of us mixed into a potion that was then dabbed before dabbing the ink. Its three hearts interlocked in a triangle and all of us three are wearing them on our right shoulder blade. Each heart represents one of us.  Lunette’s is fairy-like with purple and black strands interweaving.  Amber’s is a red flaming heart much like her tramp stamp.  I wasn’t sure what to put for mine but Sadi looked at me a moment and did one on paper and I smiled.  The heart was made up of dark grey strands mixed with silver.   Very cool.

Each one is unique as mine has my heart at the top and the two others interlocked below it.  Lunette’s has hers at the top and mine and Amber’s bellow it and Amber, of course, has hers on top and mine and Lunette’s below it.  The main effect is if I concentrate I know where both of them are even if they are out of sight.  I also know what they are feeling, but that is unique to me as I am empathic. Lunette and Amber say they don’t feel anything.

We are back at the cabin now and the tattoo process was not as painful as I thought. Like getting scratched but all for a good cause.  We need all the advantages we can get if the shit hits the fan.

Writer’s Notes:

Don’t have anything to say at this point other than I can’t wait to get my own first tattoo.  I was hoping to write this chapter after I got my own so I could weave some of my feelings about it into this, but I may have simply rewrite it later. 

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Fenris-Fire” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 17

Happy Thor’s Day!

Rogue Wizard’s Journal – September 11th, 2019

The fact that I am writing this today indicates that we not only survived our little raid against the local werewolf pack, but we were also successful in wiping them out.  I have to say this has been one of the more emotionally hard missions I have been on since I have been a wizard.  Mostly because now I know for sure a cure for lycanthropy is available but the way it is transferred requires very intimate (as in sex) magic. it also would require werewolves to want to be cured and to accept the idea that sex with a wizard with the antibodies would cure them. A long shot at best.

In the case of this little pack of werewolves, I would say they didn’t want to be cured.  I mean when you have the phrase – ‘werewolves rule’ on the side of the house/cabin you live in that pretty much indicates there is a little fanaticism.  But I am getting ahead of myself.

This morning we awoke and prepared for our attack.  Mostly Amber and I had to sync up our magic.  Each mage has their own magical frequency.  Basically, it means I can cast my fireballs through my own shields because they have the same magical resonance.  But Amber’s fireball hit my shields and can’t go through. The thing is on this raid I knew the best strategy was for me to full-on be the shield guy while Amber stayed inside my shield and did the fireball thing to the werewolves. Lunette’s role was to channel and distract the werewolves until Amber and I could handle them one at a time or in at most a couple.

But that meant syncing my magic with Amber’s so her fire could go through my shields. This involves a small ritual known to most mages and it lasts until the sunset.  It is a small binding ritual but to make it stronger, Amber and I did it skyclad (not a problem as you can imagine).  Then we geared up.

Amber had brought her a more practical short dress outfit. More of a cheerleader uniform with long sleeves, knee-high boots, and gloves. She wore a ruby necklace that I knew would augment her powers.  All red of course.  Lunette shrunk down and put on her little leaf outfit and attached her dagger.

For myself, I grabbed my favorite T-shirt.  It has a raven sitting on a skull in the middle with the words ‘Too many idiots, not enough axes” written around the picture. Jeans, hiking boots. and my valknut pendant.  It was pretty warm outside despite the early fall so no hoodie.

We headed out with Amber and I walking and Luneette guiding the way and scouting.  It was a good walk and took about an hour, but soon we were over a cabin in the woods.  Lunette landed on my shoulder and kissed my cheek and Amber took my hand for a few seconds.  Then Lunette used her illusion to make us invisible and we approached the cabin.

It was high noon so the werewolves were fast asleep but one was prowling on guard duty.  He was our first target.  He was in human form. probably middle-aged and tall but skinny. When he stopped and began sniffing we knew he had detected us but couldn’t place us.

“Now”, I said.

Lunette sped away like a bullet and struck the guard right in the face with her pixie pinball thing she does. I put both my hands together and cast my shield spell expanding it around Amber and myself.  Amber let loose with her fireball and it passed through my shield and struck the werewolf before he even had a chance to growl. Then however he screamed.

That of course brought a commotion inside the cabin we could hear.  Lunette zipped inside going right through a windowpane.  This was followed by cries of confusion and pain.  One of them ran out of the front door.  She was naked and transforming.  Amber never gave her a chance to finish and then there was a second burning werewolf corpse.

That made the odds even and Lunette shot out of the cabin.  Amber followed our plan and basically set the cabin on fire.  We were giving the surviving werewolves a choice. Burn alive inside or come out and fight.  All three chose the latter but they were stupid and came out one at a time. Now, they were fully transformed so they were fast as hell. The first one got a few steps toward us before Amber torched her.  But the next to last one got close enough to swipe at us, but his claws scratched harmless against my shield. He roared in frustration and it was the last sound he made before Amber torched him too.

The last werewolf took off out the back away from us but Lunette caught him and then pinballed him until he was standing still swiping at air trying to hit her. Amber let another fireball fly and there there was a final fifth Fenris-Fire burning on the ground. They hadn’t had a chance.  It was a slaughter.

We came home pretty much in silence. The cabin was burning behind us.  Thankfully far enough from the trees and we did hear fire engine sirens as we got further away.  The werewolves would be burned to ash leaving no trace.  Just a cabin that caught on fire for some reason to the local authorities.  I still worry though the magical forces would detect something quite different.

When we got home we all stripped down to our skin and headed to the sauna.  We all took turns being bathed by the other two.  Made love as a Trois and then did a skinny dip to cool off. Combat always made me horny and still does. Apparently, that is true for the girls as well.  The girls are talking right now about the battle and I am writing the record of it.  My fear is that we just set off a beacon any mage could see was us.  I hate my hunches as they seem paranoid, but damn if I am not right most of the time.

Writer’s Notes: 

Probably not the most dramatic battle scene, but I want to give the impression that my threesome is not only sexy as hell but deadly. They can handle themselves.  This is also the first time Amber has gotten to show her stuff in battle proper.  Yes, she is a badass fire mage. 

One might say the werewolves were treated callously but Amber has good reason to hate them and so does the Rogue Wizard.  Lunette, as all fae, has an ancient feud with both werewolves and vampires.  My character has a long history by now of killing with magic. Yeah, he still has his moments of ‘what if’ but there is a recognition of time and place being right for reflection on the morality of the situaiton.    

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!

“Wolfsbane” – Rogue Wizard – The Fire of Fury – Part 15

Happy Thor’s Day

Rogue Wizards Journal – September 7th, 2019

Amber definitely has lycanthropy and Lunette and I have been debating what to do.  I hope the ‘cure’ I just tried with Amber works but it is probably going to take a couple days to know for sure. But I am getting ahead of myself and should take this in order.

Amber displayed the restless sleep and the rapidly dilating pupils on the first day.  She woke up screaming the second night.  Then I knew she had it as I have been there.  Lunette for her part at that point created a magical potion from Wolfsbane that is supposed to slow the progress of the disease but the inevitable march would come so the three of us one day sat down to debate what to do.

The first thing we talked about was not Amber’s disease, but the possibility of a werewolf pack being around.  We continued our routine as much as possible including the skinny dipping but we were now much more watchful and we did it earlier during the day saving night time for discussion time.

I set up some wards on the cabin and sauna shed and the path between the two. they would give me a warning buzz in my head if anything got too close. Skinny dipping in daylight would have been interesting but it was now more about a quick cool off before retiring quickly to the cabin.  Our relaxing time had been interrupted by actual danger and that had us all on edge.

Last night we talked about what to do about Amber’s developing lycanthropy.  She, of course, did not want to be a werewolf despite the power.  You slowly but inevitably go feral and there are only a couple cures. The one used on me required killing a werewolf draining its blood and the magical power of Mrs. W. who used both healing and mental magic on me to affect the cure which involved bathing in the blood of the werewolf. The whole ritual died when she did, so that was out.

This, of course, brought out all the other known cures real or legendary.  One of note involved a ritual of wolfsbane potions and a magical altar that reputedly a mage had built for the express purpose of curing lycanthropy. No one knew if it was even real.  Some healing mages of the past and developed enough power to cure it but that was legendary.  Most of the rest were dreams of desperation.

In the end, the discussion turned to me and my antibodies. Mostly how we could use them to cure Amber.  I wasn’t sure how that could happen.  Mrs. W. and I never talked about this and I had always assumed that it was because it was irrelevant, but I had to now consider the possibility that had I been brought forward to cure others it would have tipped people off to my existence a long time ago and that boys and girls would have led to my death.

Now though that the Council was very well aware of my existence, it seemed that this discussion would have been helped if I had approached people with healing magic and asked but I never thought to do so.

How does one normally transfer antibodies from one person to another? Well, you can make a serum from the blood.  But that requires a lab and in this case, a full alchemy lab which we didn’t have access to and would take a lot of energy and time which might reveal where we were. Amber wouldn’t hear of it. Transfusion?  There were other issues most notably biological blood type but more importantly for us, the equipment we didn’t have.

Suddenly Lunette laughed. Amber and I raised eyebrows and watched her for a minute as she chuckled endlessly, then she spoke.

“Fluid transfer, that’s all we need.”

“Ok, Lunette what are you getting at?”  Besides the fact, Amber and I think you have just lost it.”

“Remember when you almost died Edward from that poison blade? How did we cure you?”

“How could I forget?  I lost my virginity and learned to supercharge my healing powers at the same time. Well basically I had sex with you, that’s also how you got those wings of yours.”

“Yep, but the sexual exchange is what did it.  It is the only thing inherently magical about what humans and in particular mages do.  Sexual magic is the key to making it work.  You just need to use it to transfer the antibodies to Amber and you can do it through a combination of magic and sex.

“Now…”

But my voice trailed off as I saw Amber’s eyes.  She had that look on her face where she felt excited but awkward at the same time.  She knew I wanted to take that part of our relationship a little slower. At the same time, she was afraid of what was happening to her and she wanted to make love to me a long time ago.

“Ok. how does that work exactly?”

Lunette explained that the antibodies were magical in nature and that they would be present in all my bodily fluids. The trick would be to get them to magically jump from me to Amber.  This would require natural magical energy and both Amber and myself to focus on what healing skill we had through it.

“Basically Edward you have to do what you did back then and Amber has to open herself up to the transfer with her own healing magic. The sexual act provides the energy boost and the means of transfer. Sexual healing at its finest.”

I had to admit her logic was sound.  I had gone over again and again about how I had not died that time so long ago and it came down to the supercharged nature of the sexual exchange between fairies and mages.  It saved my life and gave Lunette new wings.  The old pink and light purple ones had been ripped off by Elpis.  They had been replaced by these black and dark purple ones and I had a hand in that.

I got up and moved closer to Amber.

“A long time ago, I resisted what Lunette is talking about.  I tried everything else and in the end, it didn’t;t matter.  Practical sexual magic won the day and healed us both.  I am alive because of it.  Now, here you are Amber and my feelings of love for you are brand new. You also have a horrible disease that right now is just beginning to take hold of you.  It is weak and my temptation is to try some other way because it is weak, but every time I do that I regret just going full-on and getting it over with. So, if you think it is worth a try my love, I am willing to try as well.  I mean I am not asking you to do anything horrible but it might be for nothing.  I just wanted more time to get to know you better before we did this.”

“Oh, Edward… I have wanted to make love to you for a couple months.  It’s not me that I worry about.  It’s rushing you.  I love you too much to do that, but I don’t want to be a werewolf either and this does make a lot of sense.  It’s rushing you that doesn’t sit well with me.”

I nodded.  Then I stood up.  And put out my hand.  She took it and I led her into the bedroom with the double bed. No door but I slid the curtain across the doorway and I head Lunette leave the cabin. I took Amber in my arms.

“Gentle, I still am a little sore from my wounds”, she remarked.

“Absolutely, gentle and loving, my love.”

I am not the kind of guy who kisses (or has sex with a girl) and tells.  So, no details other than I am now sitting here in the early morning. looking at her naked body laying in the middle of the bed.  As soon as I finish this entry, I am going to cuddle back up with her and wake her up in a style more befitting a lover.

I hoped this worked.  Lunette is in the other room sleeping on the single bed.  She seems at peace. as well.  I can feel it – love for both of them.  I don’t know where the future leads, but I want them both with me.

Writer’s Notes:

The only thing I am going to comment on is the idea that a person can love romantically more than one person.  given my own experience, I say it is very possible to do so.  It is only our western society that says it is wrong, but I have yet to find any traditional reason to say so.  One form of sexual orientation is bisexual and that kind of assumes a Trois relationship for such a person to be satisfied completely.  I also think that it is more of an ownership thing of saying you control someone else’s sexuality and you don’t simply because you are lovers.

The one thing I think is for certain is the human race is not naturally faithfully monogamous. We have to work at it and that makes things unnatural at times. I suppose if we git rid of jealousy, envy, and desires to control sex and sexuality, it wouldn’t be a problem. But here we are – the human race – flawed and unhappy because of it.  

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!