《False Mage (Urban Fantasy)》XI.
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The next several days’ worth of entries in Mage’s journal detail her efforts to restore her physical appearance and to relieve the pain knotting in her shoulder. In her words, she was trying to: “Reverse the effects of the nanny’s curse.”
She was smart enough not to try to solve her problems with dark magic this time. But it seems to me that she only learned half of her lesson. The unlearned portion related to how much of the situation she thought she could control. Or rather, she hadn’t even learned how out of her control it had become.
In any case, progress was not easy. Her right shoulder was now heavier, taking the hunch in her back from subtle to unmistakable. She was also experiencing a dull pain in her hip, which forced her to take awkward and uneven steps when she walked. The wrinkles on her skin couldn’t be concealed anymore. It was as if something were being inflicted on her.
Henry called her every day with the same question. “When are you coming home?”
Every time she couldn’t give him a clear answer, he grew more upset.
The ordeal had left a terrible mark on his psyche. His resolve was tested each time he repeated and reinforced the lies to their two children. Each successful lie magnified his guilt.
Mage had to coach him on the lies and reassure him there was an end in sight. Helping Henry cope was proving to be harder than taking care of the nanny.
He called one night while she was trying to figure out if the esoteric book on occult transformation spells had any substance to it.
And that night, she couldn’t take his questions, his weakness, anymore.
“Why is this so hard for you?” she snapped over the phone. “It’s just like turning off the lights when you leave a room. Just work at it and eventually you’ll break the habit.”
“What are you talking about?”
She was tired and in pain. She shouldn’t have to always make perfect sense. Why did she always have to do all the work? For everyone.
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“This sulking is a habit and makes this whole situation more difficult than it needs to be. I need to focus, Henry. I need to fix whatever she did to me. Just break the habit of sulking the same way you broke the habit of leaving the lights on.”
“I’m not talking about my mood.”
“What?” Had she missed something? Her head was a fog. She looked back down at her book but couldn’t recall which paragraph she left off at. When Henry didn’t respond, she added, “What is it? I don’t have time for this.”
“Fine. I never started turning off the lights. It’s not a habit. I think it’s unnecessary and stupid that you get upset about something so trivial.”
The line went cold while they both rearmed themselves for the next round. Mage knew Henry had turned off the lights because she saw the lights were off in the den the day she paid the nanny. He must be lying, unless someone else turned them off.
And then Mage contemplated something she hadn’t before. She closed the book and smoothed her voice. She didn’t need a confrontation, she needed cooperation. Henry had information she needed to understand the events of that day.
A calm Mage asked, “Henry, where was the phone?”
“What?”
“That day. The day you learned about dark magic. Where did you leave the phone?”
“I don’t think I used it that day.”
An edge returned to her voice. “Think harder, then.”
He did not follow her directive and immediately replied, “I don’t know. What kind of question is that?”
“A fucking important one!” She calmed herself in the silence that followed, then added, “After I left, when did you use it next?”
“I ordered pizza for the kids that night.”
“Think carefully. I need you to remember exactly where you found the phone.”
Henry took his time before answering. His voice was indifferent when he finally responded, “On the charger.”
“Oh, shit” was how she started swearing. It continued for some time. Not at Henry, but at the situation.
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“Mage, what’s the problem?”
“When I was there, I couldn’t find the phone. It wasn’t in its charger.”
“So, one of the kids put it back.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“No, they do it all the time. They know how upset you get when you see it off the charger. They put it back to keep the peace.”
It was logical. It made sense.
But it did not comfort her.
“Henry, why did you come home from work in the middle of the day?”
“Because you called… I mean, she called me and asked me to come home.”
“Did she give a reason?”
There was energy in his response. “She, ah, wanted to…” and then his eagerness stumbled, “um, be romantic.”
“Oh God, you came home for a quickie.”
“I feel terrible.” His heartache was clear over the phone.
“Stop it. Stop feeling guilty about it. You weren’t cheating.” She spoke over his sobbing. He was inconsolable.
Her question returned to her, and she continued, “Henry, do you know the combination to the gun safe?”
“Of course.”
“Not the one I set, but the new one.”
“Ya, I think so. Why?”
“Could you check to see if the gun is inside.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Just check it!” she snapped.
In the few minutes of silence while he checked, Mage’s irritation at her husband’s inability to follow instructions grew. He didn’t need to ask so many questions. Just do what she asked.
He picked up the phone and answered, “I can’t believe this, but it’s not there.”
Mage swore away from the phone’s receiver. She didn’t want Henry to hear her.
“Mage, why isn’t the gun in the safe? Where is it? Are we in trouble?”
She forced herself to sound calmer than she actually was.
“Look, I need you to think carefully, clearly, about that phone call from the nanny that day. I need to ask you a question about it, and it may help with getting everything back to normal.”
He collected himself.
“Where was she calling from?”
“She called me from the house.”
There had been no hesitation. No moment for reflection.
“What do you mean?”
“She called my mobile phone from the home line. I remember it clearly because I thought it was so strange. Why didn’t she use her cell like normal? And the call itself was, you know… memorable.”
Mage had left the nanny’s cell phone on her desk as a reminder to cancel the contract. And then she put it all together.
“Henry, I think the nanny may have used the same duplication spell I did.”
She expected him to realize the gravity of the situation, but his response was chipper. “You mean, she’s still alive?”
“Don’t sound so hopeful. But it sounds like she was in the house when I took care of the one.”
“So, she could have attacked you at any time?”
He was right. She may have even had the handgun ready, or she could have picked up the one carelessly left on the breakfast bar. The nanny, the real one, could have left her hiding spot and shot her in the back with either of the two weapons.
“No. She needs me alive for some reason.” She wasn’t positive, but she needed Henry to keep it together. Any distressing news would send him into a panic and make him useless. But it didn’t stop him from starting down that path.
“What about me? What about our children? Does she need us alive?”
His whining made her lose her train of thought.
“Will you shut up! If she wanted any of us dead, she would have done it by now.”
Henry returned to his sobbing, and Mage returned to her scheming.
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The World of Argos
Description: Zachary Alan Lee was a computer programmer who died in his sleep. Having been a fan of LitRPG and a writer on his favorite website. Little did he know that a God of a different universe was one of his fans. Upon his death, Zach was reborn on the World of Argos. Having a second chance at life and the ability to live in a world with Magic and system that would allow him to upgrade his body and soul, Zach sets off to forge a new destiny. One of his own making. Author’s Note: Hey, if you like Town building please come in and read my story. My main focus will be writing a fun story about a struggling MC trying to gain power and a little bit of safety in his new life. Since I am starting a business and have a family I will be posting infrequently. Additionally, there will be errors in spelling and grammar, but I am being up front about it, please leave specific feedback and I will gladly correct it. Cover art is not my own and I will be returning from Hiatus soon 4/27/18
8 101Wandering The Multiverse! Saving The God?
“Ah, when did things get mixed up this much. Damn that Deaf God couldn't even send me to the right world. Why was I even reincarnated in a world that I have no understanding of?! I asked him to reincarnate me on a TV show which I actually knew about and was a fan of! Damn, now how will I live in this world? All I do is wander in Multiverse. Mostly Anime Worlds I heard, but I never watched. Now I have to visit all of those worlds, with my intelligent system, named The Crow. He guides me and helps me, but there is more to it. When I was getting stronger, all of the sudden I targeted by a group called Templars. As I later found out they also traveled from other world and come to the same world to learn strong techniques, so their God, can be more efficient in the next Annual Universal God Tournament. I was at beginning of my journey and oblivious to the worlds I visit. My intelligent system was keeping me in dark. Do I also get stronger for the God reincarnated me? Am I chosen?" This is mostly an anime fan-fiction novel. The MC is oblivious to the Anime Worlds he jumps into. The story jumps from one world to other. Some of the popular novel worlds also part of the story. The MC first went to the Naruto World but is presently in the One Piece world. But, he will be back! Next Anime World will be Hunter x Hunter !!
8 92The Cold War In Another World
In 1969 during the Nixon administration, a U.S Spy plane was following a Soviet ship off the coast of Antarctica, but it flew off course and found something of interest, and an Expedition team was sent out Immediatly. However, Unkown to the United States, the Soviets had found something similar only a month before, could this Escalate the Cold War?
8 60Viltrumite in the MCU
Seeing the destruction Lord Argall made during his conquest, Frei abandoned the Imperial Army and his noble bloodline to join the Rebellion led by Thaedus. Despite killing Argall, the Viltrum leadership maintained their view on the rebellion being traitors. For worse, they enacted a war against people they considered "weak."Believing Thaedus is the only one who can rally the other races against the Empire, Frei and others sacrificed themselves against the pursuers for Thaeddus to escape. Beaten but victorious, while floating through the outer orbit of Viltrum, Frei entered a portal with scattering blue energy.Exiting the portal, Frei lost his consciousness inside of the Joint Dark Energy Mission Facility, a SHIELD base in 2011. Dr. Erik Selvig was astonished by the appearance of the strange bloody man. Moments before, he was just experimenting with the Tesseract. He called upon Nick Fury about the occurrence.----I do not own anything except for the main character. The profile photo is just something I blended using Photoshop. This project, I'm just working on for fun. Not much really. Maybe a couple of chapters per week.
8 185Chimera
Eleanor meant the world to Titus. So when an opportunity to bring her murderer to justice appears, Titus jumps on the chance. His quest, however, would mean traversing the dangerous world of Nivandor, a land infested with monsters, night hunters, and corrupt kings–nothing he and his lord, Lady Priscilla, couldn't handle. Their plans change, however, when both of them are dragged into a nightmare realm, a dimension filled with strange and powerful terrors unlike any they've ever faced. Titus's skill as a kinetic mage is put to the ultimate test as he must work with his lord to fight off the increasingly dangerous monsters that hunt them as they hunt down the three remaining Seraph lords sustaining the Nightmare. For only when the final Seraph lord is slain will the Nightmare truly end. --- Happy Holidays! I tried to get a chapter out this month, but there was just too much stuff to do and I got sick. There will also be more stuff to do come the month of December to the point that I don't think I will have a chance to finish the current story arc on a strong note. So, as of today, I will be going on hiatus until the holidays are over. I will hopefully return with the last few chapters of book 2 as well as the DLC chapters to help clarify Titus and Priscilla's powers as well as a look into their lives before the story gets crazy (maybe 6-7 chapters). These chapters are planned to take place in the day between Chapter 1.4 & Chapter 1.5, detailing the day they had before going to Nivandor. How the DLC chapters will be titled is to be decided. The DLC chapters will be posted here free as usual. Really excited to get a break so I can catch up on chapters. Even more excited to be able to start book 3 once the current story arc is finished. Warmly, Daniel --- Disclamer: This story is not a finished product and will be undergoing changes, sometimes significant changes, as the story develops. Think of it as an early access story where nothing is fully set in stone. If I change a part of the story that you really love, I'm sorry, but changing one part of the story will affect the other parts I try to avoid major changes, especially in older chapters, but for the newer ones there will probably be more fine tuning. As for anyone invested in the story who is not happy with the way the story is going, feel free to DM me so I can get feedback. I want to know how you guys feel about the story, what changes I can make, at what point in the story I may have lost you. But until I get specific feedback, I won't know what changes might need to be made. There are about 14 chapters left for Part 2 of Chimera, give or take. I don't have a time frame for when they will be up but know I am chipping away at the chapters as I can. Warm Regards, Daniel --- Cover art credit goes to Brosedesignz, who has an awesome selection of both premade and custom book covers at great prices on her website. She can also be found at thebookcoverdesigner.com, which is where I found my cover.
8 63Relic and Ruin
Relic and Ruin is now published as a Hardcover and E-book by Wattpad Books!As a Wattpad reader, you can access the Wattpad Books Published Edition here upon purchase. *****In a place unlike any other, two brothers set off an ancient, epic, and never-ending battle *****The world is controlled by the Necromancers and Reapers. And Nyx Lahey, born a Necromancer, but raised a Reaper, is on the front lines. While chasing a creature that's killing young girls, Nyx gets mixed up with Erebus Salem, an undead hunter on a mission to return home but with no memory of who he is. But other beings are lurking in the shadows. They know the truth about Erebus and Nyx. They know that the pair are the Relics, the only two powerful beings in the world capable of taking down the greatest evils known to any kind. Soon, Nyx and Erebus become the hunted, and must try and escape the evil plans of the war lord, Bellum. Can Nyx and Erebus master their newfound powers, and even if they do, can they survive?[[word count: 150,000-200,000 words]]
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