I’d played football in gym class during junior high in my previous life, and the experience of being tackled was just as painful as I remembered. The momentary disorientation as your body goes flying, the disorientation as you try to establish up from down as you travel through the air, only to have the air knocked out of you when you land.

Once we’d crashed to the floor, whoever had tackled me, didn’t release me. Instead, he tightened his hold and rolled us away from the entrance and out of view of those that had launched a sneak attack. I was only released after we had stopped rolling and I was out of the line of fire from whatever was happening in the hall.

Although it seemed as if I had been rescued almost as soon as the attack had been launched, that wasn’t the case. Even as fast as my rescuer had been, he hadn’t managed to mitigate all damage. A searing pain flared from my right pectoral all the way past my clavicle to my shoulder. The sound of sizzling meat cooking was quickly followed by the sickly sweet scent of burnt pork. The pain was manageable, and the wound began to heal instantly. Dead and burned cells sloughing off as new skin formed and replaced the damaged.

The sounds of battle continued and what sounded like bombs began exploding, set to detonate outside the room. The room began to shudder, but whatever wards and materials had been used to create this room, held. The wall firmed, the scorch marks on the floor remained and the door had been blasted off its hinges, but the structural integrity of the room and hall remained firm.

“Summerlands!” I heard someone chant as I worked to regain my feet. Nausea and disorientation enveloped me and increased exponentially as the world seemed to warp.

Reality and the world forming and reforming, glimpses of two destinations competing for primacy. The transition between here and there, changing as my chamber in the palace transformed into that of a forest and then back. The back and forth between the two realities continued to battle for supremacy. Faster and faster the change in worlds occurred each time the forest domain lasting longer until finally, the forest stabilized.

“What the hell was that?” I demanded, addressing my comment to anyone and everyone that could hear me.

[You’ve been forcibly transported to the Summerlands,] Caraid answered. [The assassination attempt was probably a feint to get you here.]

[As for who or why?]

[These are not Lord Kel’s lands, so Knight Thom is not geas bound here. I don’t know for a certainty he is behind this, and if you consider the Political repercussions of having a new Prince ascending the number of suspects that might make the attempt increases, honestly it could be the Sovereigns, Unseelie, Slaugh. The number of factions that might choose to assassinate you are too many to mention.]

“They would have to be really brave, really stupid, or aligned with Lord Kel to act while I am housed in the Ambassador’s Palace, wouldn’t they?” I asked.

[Probably all three]

[I’d suggest grabbing a weapon out of that ring of yours. You should also be summoning your shield and preparing for battle. I doubt just transporting you here is the end of their plan; they must know you have your own portal spell and can easily return.]

A quick examination of my surroundings allowed me to identify the person who had tackled me, I nodded my head towards Squire Cedric, acknowledging the debt I owed him, as well as recognizing I understood that he was responsible for my life.

The location we found ourselves was a clearing in a forest. The land looked untouched, a fresh and unspoiled quality. The indigenous plant life was vaguely familiar, but there were subtle differences that existed. Differences that enhanced the surreal aspects of the landscape.

Trees were brown and composed of bark, but leaves were shades of blue, with shapes and form similar to what I was used too. The strangest change was the sky. Glimpses were available through the forest canopy, and the blue and whites I expected of sky and clouds were instead composed of greens and yellows. I couldn’t see the sun, but I wondered if it might be a giant blue star.

I wasn’t an astrophysicist in my last life, so I wasn’t really familiar with stars and how they worked, but it contained a certain logic that different colored stars would affect and be diffused in the atmosphere in different ways. They all probably radiated the light on the same spectrum, but perhaps the intensity of each spectrum differed based on the classification and type of star.

My introspection about the how’s and whys of my current surroundings were interrupted when someone stepped forward to confront me. “Prince Mac,” she sneered, “Knight Thom was right. You were deceptively easy to capture. I do not understand how you survived the Ascension process, but one thing is certain. Once trash always trash.

“A bit of misdirection, and explosion or two, and you and your guards were kept busy while we established and triggered a portal array.

“I would welcome you to the Summerlands, but I think your stay will be short.

“With your sacrifice, we can stake a claim to this dimension. The first step to finally make these lands ours, to create a beachhead so they will answer to our commands.

“You are a pawn in a Cosmic game, but even a sacrificed pawn can change the playing field and alter the landscape.

“There is no escape from here, no rescue, there is only death. If as you Sidhe believe, blood makes the land grow stronger. The crops grow richer. The harvest is more bountiful. We will splash the blood of a Prince to enrich this land today,” she bragged.

“Make up your mind. Am I trash or a Prince? Why would you want to splash the blood of trash on your lands?” I mocked. I didn’t know who this person was if she was working for herself or someone else, but her words suggested she was connected with Knight Thom.

I was uncertain if that meant she worked for Thom or if Thom was being used by her. Or even if her words were true. Perhaps she meant to establish a false connection a bit of deception and misdirection on her part to shield someone else.

What motivated her?

I was certain I would find out. Villains always took the time to pontificate and explain before beginning the final showdown.

While I waited for her to respond and explain, I quickly assessed the situation. Guards Ril, Gil, and Squire Cedric had been transported to the Summerlands with me. The clearing we were standing in was small and surrounded by ten people. These ten people made no attempt to hide or camouflage their identity.

It seemed her words, at least as far as my fate was concerned, had the essence of truth. They meant to kill. Possibly just my guards, but I doubted it. Negotiation was a non-starter. The confidence and hubris radiated from each of them. They were certain there would be death and slaughter here this day.

I had no idea if others were hidden in the thick foliage or branches of trees, but even with just ten people, the odds seemed stacked against us. Ten against four and that was assuming Commoners Gil and Ril weren’t in on the plan to kidnap me. This abduction was well planned, and my chances of survival seemed daunting. Especially when you considered, I had cast exactly one spell to this point and had no chance to practice with any weapons or familiarize myself with my skills since my reincarnation.

Extending my perception, I attempted to discover who I was speaking with at the minimum, I was hoping for more than name, rank, and level, but that would be a start. I was surprised when my abilities were blocked.

[Unable to Identify Target]

My stats and skills sheet said I had the abilities. But reading something and experiencing something where two separate events. I didn’t have faith in those skills and abilities yet, because I had no point of reference. Getting System messages letting me know I’d failed wasn’t doing much to boost my confidence.

Maybe I really was a spell-slinging, sword-wielding Master, I hoped my stats were true and the learning curve for using my skills was instinctive, or this would be the shortest transmigration story in history.

Searching my Ring of Hidden Depths, I removed the first sword I came across from inventory. The effect was interesting. The sword seemed to grow from my hand, a spatial anomaly forming and expanding, a single point that rent the fabric of space and allowed the sword to flow out from my ring. It was eerily reminiscent of the lightsabers I’d used in a popular MMORPG on Earth. One moment nothing, and then a whoosh and the growth of a sword.

Once armed, I activated the Aura of Beleros. The description stated that the effects were both healing and damaging, and the healing aspects were clear as soon as I activated it. The wound I’d taken from the initial attack absorbed the aura’s effect. Cool, soothing energy that numbed the pain I’d ignored to this point and throbbed in counterpoint to my pulse. I refused to let down my guard enough to check and see how the wound looked and if my aura was having any real effect to the damage I’d taken, but I was satisfied, the pain at least was managed.

“Caraid. Any idea why my perception skill failed?”

[It could be any number of things, most likely the person is hiding behind an illusion crystal array or using an artifact to block perception skills.]

[There’s also the very high probability that she has skills that allow her to hide her true information, not uncommon for individuals that are engaged in spycraft or stealth.]

Guards Ril and Gil choose that moment to vanish. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I wasn’t happy that I had one more thing to worry about. One moment they were there the next gone. Had they returned to Talahm using their own portal or teleported away? Not knowing who they were supporting, could mean trouble. I was worried that their actions may come back to bite me in the ass.

Cedric was the only one I had any confidence in. He had already saved my life, and I was confident that he was on my side. His instant decision to tackle and roll us out of the path of that initial attack saved both our lives. Granted, he may have done so simply to maneuver me into a location that made the portal transfer more accessible, but I was leaning towards trusting him.

“Strange,” the group's spokeswoman mused. “They should not have been able to break the portal lock array.

“No matter. Their decision to abandon you means fewer loose ends to clean up. This just makes things easier. We only have two rats to kill instead of four.”

“Not even the gift of your name, or an explanation for our deaths before you attack?” I taunted.

“I wonder the intellect of those you are used to dealing with if you think that juvenile attempt to stall will make any difference. It makes me wonder why My Lord has placed his trust in idiots.

“But.

“It does no harm to humor you. Consider my decision to explain a gift. You have been a Prince for such a short amount of time. There was no time to even receive a gift celebrating your Ascension,” she mocked.

I almost snorted at her response. First, she says she isn't stupid enough to fall for these type of delaying tactics, then does exactly that.

“Lord Kel and Knight Thom are only two of the factions that exist in Demesne Kel. The Seelie and Unseelie Monarchs have placed key personnel in every Ambassador Palace in all lands. Further, each of the minor Sidhe kingdoms has infiltrated the palaces. They usually ignore each other, other than to keep track of who works for whom.

But behind all these spies and infiltrators there exists another layer of espionage and counterintelligence. A network built on Talahm and infiltrating all strata of Sidhe. These people have been working to in tandem, loyal to the Olympian and Norse pantheons for eons.”

“The Gods have noticed you, Prince Mac.

“Zeus and Odin would see you removed before you can spoil their plans.

“It’s nice to know I’m an unwitting pawn in Lord Kel’s schemes. Why would he help opposing Pantheons?”

“You have been upgraded from a pawn to a prince, unfortunately for you, this is checkmate,” she laughed.

“And why do power-hungry men do anything? For more power, of course.

“Really in the scheme of things, you and I don’t matter. Lord Kel’s contribution is insignificant.

“The Gods have been playing their games since the Universe was formed. Chess moves on a cosmic scale both intricate and time-consuming. I doubt your existence really impacts the game board.

“And I doubt you could change the rules or make a marked difference in the outcome. But your ascension has offended Apollo. He considers himself the one true and only God of Sun and has convinced Zeus you may pose a danger. Zeus has ordered us to act. We risk exposing the machinations of Olympia and Asgard, today, but he cares not. Your death will release an inordinate amount of energy that he can absorb and make his own.”

“Why would Olympus and Asgard be so concerned with the Sidhe pantheon, or if I am the descendant of Beleros?” I asked.

“The Summerlands,” she responded succinctly.

“Only the Sidhe have the ability to use the portal to enter the Summerlands and claim territory. The Summerlands are unique, in that they stretch between and interconnect with all dimensions and universes. If one knows how, they can travel to any place, anywhere using the way stations and transport locations that can only be found here. By traveling Underhill, you can force open a breach in space that allows you to transverse the multi-verse.

“Asgard’s Bifrost Bridge connects the nine worlds. Olympians can traverse between Mount Olympus, the mortal realm, and Tartarus. But only the Sidhe can go to any realm, any dimension, anywhere. If Zeus and Odin can claim these lands, they can increase their influence and powers exponentially.”

“I’m not sure these lands work like that,” I reasoned. “Or wouldn’t the Sidhe already have accumulated that influence and power?”

“They would have if the Sidhe Gods and Goddesses hadn’t bound their powers and entered a form of Odin-sleep to forestall a war between the three pantheons,” she responded.

“Ragnarök.

“The end times.

“The incarnations of Fate have decreed these events will occur if the Sidhe Pantheon awaken.”

“Seems kind of shortsighted of you to attack me and expose your plans if that’s the case. Why would you want to risk the end?” I asked.

“Who can truly understand the reasonings of Gods and Demons. They have always been capricious and selfish. If they believe they will survive, even at the expense of the world, and increase their power and influence, they will act. They are quicksilver, a flash of light, they act based on instinct, primal urges. and forces that the Universe endowed them with during creation.

They aren’t logical or methodical. They act as they like. Their decisions are usually based on the present, and they often ignore the past and future. Literature and mythology are littered with their egregious and selfish actions.”

“And Apollo has decided to act and remove you from the chessboard. I just happened to be the pawn he activated to remove you with,” she bragged.

“The thing about chess is that pawns begin as the weakest piece. It takes a lot to upgrade them. But if played correctly, a pawn can Rank up. I wonder if my position as Prince is equivalent to the Queen or King, in our game.”

“No matter,” she answered.

“I agree," I said.

"You’ve made the first move. Pawn takes Prince. My turn,” saying that I dashed towards my left, catching one of the enemies completely by surprise and thrusting my sword into his heart. Thankfully, there was an instinctive understanding of what and how to make this move. My body knew how to lunge, what area to aim for, how to hold the sword, and how to strike to do the most damage.

*Sneak Attack*

*Damage multiplier for Vital Strike - 400 damage*

*Target killed*

Cedric acted at the same moment I did, almost as if we had planned it. His actions in sync with mine. I went left; he went right. And that quickly our attackers had been reduced by two.

“You will regret that,” she threatened. Since she hadn’t given her name or rank, I decided to label her and her henchmen myself. Villain one through eight adjusted their positions and made ready to attack.

“Regret? You are planning on killing us. I am planning on killing you. I don’t think you will have time to make me regret anything.”

“There is dying, and then there is dying. This could have been relatively painless and quick. But now? Now your death will be slow and painful,” she threatened.

“Blah. Blah. Blah.

“Why is it, every bad guy feels the need to boast and threaten before they attack? I always thought it must be related to penis size. The smaller the member, the hotter the air expelled by taunting. They just have to prove theirs is bigger. Except you’re a woman. Maybe you are compensating for your small breasts?”

Of those that had surrounded us, each had armed themselves with swords. I saw no bows, spears, or any other ranged weapons. This meant they would be limited in how they could attack. At most, two or three could come at me at once. If I could trust Cedric to protect my flank, it was possible we could slowly overcome the odds.

Pooling my magic, I quickly formed a Mobius strip. Placing as much force as I dared into the spell, I created a shield for my left arm I hoped would block and deflect incoming attacks. I then pulsed Beleros Aura, expanding it so that a sphere of energy encompassed the entire clearing.

[Beleros Aura burns enemy for 50 damage]

[Beleros Aura burns enemy for 50 damage]

[Beleros Aura burns enemy for 50 damage]

[Beleros Aura burns enemy for 50 damage]

[Beleros Aura burns enemy for 50 damage]

[Beleros Aura burns enemy for 50 damage]

[Beleros Aura burns enemy for 50 damage]

[Beleros Aura burns enemy for 50 damage]

Damage to all eight in the same breath. Don’t you just love AOE spells?