CHAPTER 20.5

“I Ain’t No Fortunate Wizard”

June 27th, 2040: The Manor Of Magic, Unknown Jungle

“Alright Cameron, from the top!” Sergeant Walker once again clapped his hands together as he flipped the wooden table back onto its legs, he then quickly stepped to the side of the grand library. No more than a few meters away, Cameron readied himself with Danger Stick in his right hand.

“Alright, let's try this again. Weightless.” Pointing Danger stick at the table, the blue gemstone shone a bright blue before fading. Cautiously shuffling to the table, Walker with one finger tried to lift the table; and like most of the attempts before, the table acted as if gravity had been turned off, sending the table spinning into the air. Unfortunately the spectacle lasted only about fifteen seconds before it came crashing down with Cameron panting.

“That’s…all I…got…Sergeant.” Feeling like he just ran a marathon, Cameron set down Danger Stick and fell on his ass. From a nearby corner of the library, a whistle echoed where Joseph and the fox spirit were, whose name they came to know simply as Siv.

“That was a whole two seconds longer! You’re making progress!” Giving a thumbs up at Cameron who then turned his attention to Siv who started to do American sign language.

“Magic is something that is learned in time. However I am still impressed that you have managed to perform what you have so far with no knowledge.”

“Well thanks for the compliment. But I really doubt once we get back state-side, that I will be allowed to keep Danger Stick.”

“Ehh, I don’t know man. I gotta feeling once we understand magic better, a whole new branch of The Armed Forces will be created dedicated to magic. The United States Battlemages.” Pondering on his own words, Joseph was brought back to reality with Walker’s laugh.

“That has got to be the stupidest name I’ve ever heard, I love it!” Holding his stomach from laughing so hard, Walker forced himself to sit down.

“So Siv. What is your story?” With Joseph turning back to the fox spirit she sat and stared at her hands for a moment before replying.

“I am not sure anymore. All I remember clearly is wandering around this library's grand halls for what has felt all my life. I have only experienced a few brief memories into my past before they quickly fade; Most being of my younger self when my parents were still alive--or that is what I am led to believe.”

“From the condition of the manor’s exterior, it is in quite the state of disrepair. With how natural decay works. This place could be a few years old or if made from specially treated materials, or just fucking magic, it could be way beyond a hundred years.” Cameron replied, having regained the energy to talk but with his legs still refusing to function normally.

“I would expect my age to be in the hundreds simply because the decay has started to reach here. See the cracks in the skylight?” With Siv pointing upwards to the day-light sky, she was indeed right about the skylight glass having small but noticeable cracks around the support beams.

“Well, if we do get out of here alive. President Dresden will go through hell and back to get this place secured.” Gaining more of his energy back, Cameron picked up Danger Stick and examined the blue gemstone; with it seemingly pulsating a small blue light at its center, akin to a heartbeat.

“On the topic of your ruler, what is he like? I have never heard of this kind of way to rule a nation.” Siv questioned, with Joseph being the one to answer first.

“Well to start, he isn’t a ruler, just another elected president in a long line of presidents. From what I can recall, he was a lieutenant general during ‘The Africa War’. From the get-go, he was handed an entire field army to sort out after the previous general had been given the boot. At this point in the war, it was clear that America wasn't going to win, so President Dresden focused on maintaining what we did have; all the while doing concentrated combined arms maneuvers into areas that he was certain we would win. After the war was over and the Democrats got absolutely chewed out by the public, the media and the army over the disastrous handling of the war. Dresden ran as one of the candidates for the Republican Party and won handily with nearly everyone in the party voting for him.”

“Quite a bit of his support was from veterans or active-duty soldiers as they trusted him to make the right choices. And with the media during the war painting him as an absolute strategic genius, the public was also convinced in his abilities.” Walker added. “Once he was in office, he really took charge and focused on what I would best describe as a show of might. Sending sections of the United States Armed Forces across the globe to show that we were still in the fight, and ‘The West’ wouldn't be defeated so easily. Oh how that backfired on him so hard.”

“He sounds like a capable man. Though from what Joseph has told me, America has had a very…tainted history.”

“Depending on who you ask, you will get a different answer to that question.” Joseph replied. “Someone from ‘The Deep South’ would say America has become weak, while people from The North or ‘Blue States’ controlled by the democrats, would say that America has become more polarized on the view of races and the gap between state and religion is shrinking. In my opinion, has America become soft? In some areas, yeah. Have we devolved to the standard that we set when America was first founded or during the civil war? Fuck no, not even close.”

While the four talked amongst each other, the main doors to the grand library slowly creaked open. In a split second, the Americans had grabbed their weapons and readied for a confrontation--only to realize it was Daric, who was carrying a strange tube in his left hand and his rifle in his right.

“Y'all really that sick of me already?” Daric chuckled. “Hey Sergeant, I found something you will enjoy while I was making my way to the roof.” Placing the strange tubular device on a nearby table, Walker made his way over to see what it was.

“Speaking off, did you get a connection?” Walker questioned while picking up the device. “The fuck is this thing?” He thought. Looking at it closely, Walker's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized that it was a gun. An ancient, rusty, crude gun.

“Yep, and about damn time. There is a carrier group off the eastern coast of this continent that has already been performing rescue operations for the past week. Turns out we were on a new continent that has replaced South America. With this one being much larger. From what was described to me, the only familiar landmass is North and Central America, everything else is completely foreign.” While Daric was discussing his achievements, Walker had managed to kinda figure out how the tube gun worked. Finding a small latch on the side, he flipped it and the tube folded in half.

“Oh sweet Jesus, this is a zip-gun.” With extreme caution, Walker examined the breach and breathed a sigh of relief with the sight of the breech being clear.

“A-what-now Sergeant?” Cameron voiced with Joseph also raising an eyebrow at the odd name.

“It’s basically two pieces of metal that you bang together to fire it. And from the looks at the barrel's gauge, I would have to guess this was a fucking blunderbuss.”

“Wait, so Daric just found an ancient gun? Man, this place is full of surprises!” Cameron’s eyes then wandered to Danger Stick whose blue gemstone had gotten considerably brighter.

“I think it’s an abomination unto John Moses Browning, who we all know, is Firearms God.” With disgust filling his words, Walker set the zip-gun down on a nearby table. “So, when can we expect to finally be able to leave this place?”

“Well due to our position, only the Valors can reach us. With that said, with all the other extracts going on. We could be looking at a couple more days”. Slightly disheartened by the news, Cameron tried to steer the topic.

“Aren't those the next generation for the Osprey? From what I remember they were really sleek looking. Though never really put into general use because of the nasty reputation the Osprey had built from their less desirable record.” Cameron asked with Joseph quickly adding his own opinion.

“I can attest to that record, damn those things were unstable as all hell.”

“You are right about that, Private. Though along with the Valors, I heard before the transfer that the SB-2 Defiant and Raider were going to be introduced; with the intention to replace the aging Blackhawk fleet. Really makes you wonder what is going to replace the Abrams now? That MBT (Main Battle Tank) is what? Sixty years old now? You can only add so much to a preexisting tank before you need to create a new module.”

“Tell that to the Russians and Chinese who do the exact same thing!” Daric laughed.

With their banter carrying on well into the night and with the Marines eating something that resembled something of a fish. The conversations darted in every direction conceivable. From American politics to old Earth history.

“Wait, so a commonly accepted idea of how your world was created was, over time, a bunch of rocks smashed together to form it. And through mutations, life slowly became what you knew before the transfer?” Siv tilted her head at Daric who returned a chuckle.

“Give or take a couple billions years then yeah, that sums up the creation of Earth. At least from a scientific standpoint--if that means anything now…” Cameron added while staring at Danger Stick. With Walker about to make a snarky comment, he was quickly silenced by the air-piercing distorted screech from some unknown creature.

“What the shit was that?” With Marine’s instincts kicking in, Joseph grabbed his rifle with everyone else quickly grabbing their respective weapon.

“I am not sure. But it sounded like it was close to the entrance of the manor.” Moving to stand behind the Americans, Siv looked over at Walker who in turn, stared back.

“Are there any other entrances to this library?”

“No, only that door and breaking the skylight will grant you access.”

“Understood. Cameron, watch the door. Daric, Joseph, watch above us.” Moving himself behind a bookshelf. Another loud distorted screech rang out closer to them.

“Here comes the horror movie bullshit.” Cameron mumbled. Raising Danger Stick, he focused on the blue gemstone, causing it to shine brightly in response.

With the periodic screeching getting ever closer to them, the American firing line stood their ground in anticipation. However, as the screeching and what sounded like scratching at the door stopped just as quickly as it started. An uneasy silence befell upon everyone.

“...You think it's lost interest?” Looking over at Walker, Cameron noticed the far wall to the right of him was growing darker, then seemingly out of thin air, a shadow figure slowly emerged from the dark mass. “Contact right Sarge!”

Swinging to his right, Walker fired a buckshot round into the shadowy figure. At first it seems by a stroke of bad luck, all the pellets had missed. But upon the second, then third round, Walker realized that his rounds were simply passing through with no effect. Witnessing what was happening, Daric took his attention away from the balcony above them and fired at the shadow with his rifle. But just as the same as the buckshot, the rounds simply passed through like it wasn't even there. With Daric about to shout to Walker, a black mass just outside of his peripheral vision, zipped past him, followed by the sound of banging and grunts.

“What the--get the fuck off me!” Looking across the library, a completely different shadow figure had pounced at Joseph and flung him across the room. Using his rifle that was thankfully on his chest, he pushed up, then smacked the shadow figure in the head, causing it to tumble off of him with a snarl. With chaotic movements, the shadow figure got on all fours and started crawling and stalking Joseph from about a meter away. “Could use some help Cameron!”

“Uhh ye--yeah!” Trying to regain his composure. Cameron pointed Danger Stick at the crawling shadow figure. “Ice Spike!” Instantly, an icy white and blue rune circle formed at the tip of Danger stick and a sleek and lengthy icicle shoutout from the rune circle.

With little time to react, the crawling shadow figure was torn in half at the torso from the icicle and quickly vanished into black smoke and dissipated. Snapping his attention back at Sergeant Walker and Daric, Cameron watched as Walker was wrestling for control over Caroline with the shadow figure.

“Don’t…underestimate…a fucking former Drill Sergeant!” With a yell and pumped with adrenaline now. Walker grounded his boots and pushed hard on his now sideways shotgun. With the shadow figure losing its grip on the ground, it was pushed into a bookshelf and yet out a distorted cry. “Shut your fucking trap!” Gripping Caroline harder, Walker forced it up and bashed the shadow figure in the head with the receiver, causing it to lose its grip on it. “I may not be able to shoot you, but I can damn well beat you to death!” Wielding Caroline like a baseball bat, Walker beat the shadow figure into the ground again and again with the buttstock-end of the shotgun until it finally stopped moving and dissipated.

“Alright! Who's next!” With fire in his eyes, Walker scanned the room, his ears picking up the distinct noise of claws scampering toward the main door, as did everyone else. Looking over, five more distorted shadow figures flattened themselves and slid underneath the door, with their scampering echoing in the halls until all that was heard was the heavy breathing from the Americans. “See…how you like me…now…fucking bastards…” Waddling over to a nearby chair, Walker collapsed into it. “Hey Siv. Mind teaching the other three stooges how to use magic? I don’t know if Caroline can take another beating like that.” Looking at his beloved shotgun, the stock had a noticeable crack going across one side. “Please forgive me dearest.”

“I have to agree with Sarge. Our rifles were not ever made to hit people. We try that again, and I suspect that our stocks are gonna fall apart. God I wish bayonets were still issued.” With Daric looking at his plastic collapsible stock it now had a slight bend.

“I have no issue in teaching magic. Although from what I just watched unfold. Walker here seems to excel in soul-based magic.” Siv looked at the marines who all returned a very confused look. “Did no one else notice? The shadows did not run away only because of sir Walker's threat. He unintentionally used an intimidation aura around himself.”

“Wait--but--we--hang on.” Waving his hands in the air, Joseph then rubbed his forehead. “We all should be magically inept since we aren't from this world, right? So why the hell can Walker suddenly use soul magic? And why didn’t they attack you?” With only silence from his fellow Americans. Siv walked over to one of the massive bookshelves built into a wall of the library. Once retrieving a green book, she looked back at them.

“The Shadows did not attack me because they could not see me. I am a spirit like them, and spirits can not see other spirits; however I can tell by the magical presence that something was there. As for your sudden magical ability, I have a theory that it has to do with your time here. No doubt it has had an impact on your bodies.” Handing the book to Walker he skimmed through it, all the while slowly growing a devilish smile.

“Oh this is gonna be fun…”