Mirrorworld Tales 1: Necromantic Voyage

By Ethan Somerville

What would a group of gamers really do if they were somehow transported to a real fantasy world of myth and magic?

One Saturday afternoon gamemaster Sue reveals to her players Blake, Damon and Kiara a large, mysterious mirror she purchased from a local junk shop, for use as a prop in their next adventure. What she doesn’t realise is that it’s actually an extremely powerful magic artefact known as the Mirror of Albiroth.

Always theatrical, Sue recites a portal incantation she carefully copied down from one of her source books. The ancient mirror activates and drags the gamers to a parallel world known as the Magick Earth; a mirrorworld of enchantments and superstition instead of science and reason.

When the gamers appear, the artefact mirror is nowhere to be found. As they wander through the streets of Magick Earth Sydney searching a way back, they encounter a number of colourful characters who believe they can help. But ultimately they learn that the only way they can return is through this planet’s equivalent of the Mirror of Albiroth.

Unfortunately the artefact is located in eastern Europe, in a dark, mysterious city known as the Empire of the Undead. It is in the possession of Albiroth, chief wizard to the Emperor.

With their new friends Blagan, Damocles, Aelfstan and Kyanne, the gamers much search for passage to the Empire. This task is not as easy as it sounds, as few want to travel to this unholy place. To make matters worse, a priest named Bishop Victoris starts following them, seeking to capture one of their members.

Now the gamers are in a real life fantasy land, all they want is to return home to the world they know and love. With so many obstacles in their path, will they even make it to the Empire’s gates?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Storm Publishing
• Release date: Oct 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311860705

Ethan Somerville

Ethan Somerville is a prolific Australian author with over 20 books published, and many more to come. These novels cover many different genres, including romance, historical, children's and young adult fiction. However Ethan's favourite genres have always been science fiction and fantasy. Ethan has also collaborated with other Australian authors and artists, including Max Kenny, Emma Daniels, Anthony Newton, Colin Forest, Tanya Nicholls and Carter Rydyr.

Book preview

Mirrorworld Tales Book 1

Necromantic Voyage

By

Ethan Somerville

Copyright © 2014

* * * *

SMASHWORDS EDITION

* * * *

PUBLISHED BY:

Storm Publishing on Smashwords

Mirrorworld Tales 1 – Necromantic Voyage

Copyright © 2014 by Ethan Somerville

www.stormpublishing.net

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

* * * *

Chapter 1

Four people sat around the large antique dining table. A single droplight shone down on the middle, illuminating a shiny wooden surface littered with painted figurines, pages covered with strange symbols and formulae, and piles of thick books with strange titles like; Demons and Demigods, Guide to the Planes, and The Complete Grimoire of Spells and Rituals. The light reflected off the individuals’ faces so they looked more like alien creatures than people. Thick, dark curtains covered the windows, cutting off all influences from the outside world, and the smell of sandalwood incense filled the air, mingling with the aroma from several scented candles placed around the room.

At the head of the table, a tall, well-built woman of twenty-two rose majestically to her feet. She was dressed entirely in long black robes with ornate gold patterns embroidered around the sleeves and hem. A glittering circlet held her masses of curly strawberry-blonde hair back from a face made pale with powder. Dark makeup ringed her eyes, and her lips were painted a glittering ruby. She lifted her arms, the sleeves of her velvet robe falling back to reveal clattering bracelets. The eerie light gleamed off pointy fingernails coloured the same blood red as her lips.

She started to chant in a deep, booming voice that seemed to fill the chamber. Her spell started slowly at first, and then built towards a shattering crescendo. She had almost completed the incantation when one of the three watching her snorted and then burst out laughing, setting his companions off.

The woman stumbled over her words as she tried to regain control, then she gave up and joined in the hilarity. Well, that’s completely killed the mood! she gasped.

I’m so sorry Sue! croaked the one who had provoked the mirth. I really appreciate the effort you put in tonight, but I just couldn’t help myself.

"Lucky I wasn’t chanting a real spell, Blake!" Sue declared.

Yeah, imagine the fumble roll for bursting out laughing in the middle of a ritual! The young man chuckled, threatening to set everyone else off again. Blake was a short, stocky twenty-one year-old with close-cropped blonde hair and one of those baby-round faces that people instantly trusted. He hated all the overbearing aunt-types who kept pinching his cheeks like he was still five years old. Unlike Sue and the other members of the group, he wasn’t into Gothic gear. He wore baggy khaki cargo pants, a white singlet and slip-on sneakers without socks.

Sue took a deep breath. Okay, let’s get back down to business. The wizard Azeral finishes his spell and suddenly there is a bright flash of multi-coloured smoke. Sue stepped back from the table to stand beside something in the gloom, something hidden beneath a black velvet curtain. "When the billowing mists finally dissipate, this is what remains." She yanked the dark cloth away, revealing a mirror as tall as a man, with an elaborately carved border. Blake and his companions gaped in awe at the sight of so many intricately carved figures, leering and capering around the border. They recognised demons, dragons, imps and goblins; hideous creatures, but fascinating in their individuality.

Blake whistled. Cool! Can I take a closer look?

Of course - you can all come up to check it out. In fact I’d like you to examine this mirror closely. It’ll feature quite a lot in this adventure.

Blake rose to his feet and his friends followed. Their names were Kiara and Damon. Kiara was a tall, lanky girl with long black hair and lovely dark brown skin, courtesy of her Thai mother. In her long black velvet dress she looked like a very well-tanned Morticia Addams. The only thing out of place was her thick glasses, which she absolutely hated but couldn’t do without. She had tried contact lenses, but after losing one pair and breaking another, she grudgingly returned to her trusty spectacles. They gave her chocolate brown eyes an owlish appearance and made her look younger than her nineteen years.

But it was Damon who was the youngest member of the group at eighteen; a tall, lanky boy with shoulder-length hair, dyed black to match the rest of his outfit; black shirt with a lace-up front, leather waist-coat and matching trousers, and tall boots with pointy toes and lots of buckles running up the sides. A heavy gold chain with a large pentagram dangling from it hung around his neck. His real name was actually Darren, but he only answered to the more exotic Damon.

Blake had always come for the game rather than the atmosphere. Nevertheless he was still impressed by the special show Sue had put on, and joined the others in voicing their awe as they checked out the amazing mirror.

Where’d you get it? Damon asked.

An antique shop on King Street.

Where else? scoffed Blake. How much did it set you back?

Not as much as you’d think. It had been marked down. The dealer had bought it months earlier and for some reason couldn’t move it. I only paid $150.

That’s pretty cheap for such a big, ornate mirror, Kiara marvelled. I’ve never seen carvings like these. They’re so lifelike - like someone really put their heart and soul into them. They felt oddly warm beneath her fingertips, like someone else had just run their hands over them before her. The tiny painted eyes gleamed wickedly in the light of Sue’s scented candles and seemed to follow her around the room. Suddenly, an icy shiver raced down her spine and she stepped back, rubbing her hands down her lacy dress.

Anyway, after you have examined the mirror for a few minutes the wizard Azeral clears his throat to gather your attention. ‘Brave adventurers; behold the wondrous Mirror of Albiroth! Some say there is nowhere in the universe that it cannot take you. It came into my possession only a few weeks ago, delivered by one of my acolytes. I have been keeping it safe for the time of your arrival.’

As Sue spoke, Blake peered at his reflection in the mirror. For a supposed antique, the glass was very smooth and clean. He couldn’t see a single speck of dust or smudge. Even though he was staring at his own reflection, he felt like he was looking down into a bottomless pool. He had never seen such a pristine image. When he examined himself, he thought he looked ... different. Not as unassuming as he normally did. His sky blue eyes were darker, more mysterious, beneath heavy lids. Perhaps it was just the weird light of the room.

Who is Albiroth? asked Damon.

Chief wizard to the immortal Emperor of the Undead, Sue answered theatrically, still using her deep Azeral voice. Don’t you know anything, child?

I’m not a child, I’m an elf, Damon retorted in his own fake tone. I’m actually a hundred and sixteen years old!

As I said, a mere child. But even you have a part to play in the upcoming mission. Your skills as an ... infiltrator will come in very useful in sneaking into the city undetected.

Don’t you mean thief? piped up Kiara with a wicked grin. She didn’t use a funny tone, but rather a different accent.

Ugh, I prefer not to use such a vulgar term, but essentially you are correct, continued Sue, still in her Azeral personality. The mirror has many properties, but firstly and most importantly, it has the power to transport individuals to different places. It can even cross the planes and breach the barrier of time, but as yet I have not figured out how to accomplish such miracles. But I can use it to send you to the city walls.

Why not inside the city itself? asked Damon.

I cannot scry beyond its barriers. What lies within is protected even from this great artefact, even though that was where it was created. She patted the mirror’s intricate border, and then returned to her seat at the head of the table. The others joined her. Are you prepared to take the journey, brave adventurers?

Jeez, what’s so great about landing at the gates? complained Blake. Of the group, he was the only one who didn’t waste time with acting. But he normally sounded gruff and deep anyway - perfect for the burly dwarf he played.

Silly dwarf, declared Azeral/Sue. With this mirror I can get you to the gates undetected. All who take the roads are examined by Albiroth’s guards. Unless you are very well concealed by powerful Magick, your intentions will be bared before the Emperor’s wizard and his minions. Those who intend to thieve or kill or sow discord are turned back. But you will be spared the mental intrusion. You will be able to sneak in without anyone knowing and conduct your true business.

Okay, Blake muttered, still not convinced. His dwarf was a very pragmatic character who didn’t trust the whims of Magick.

I am prepared to leave right now, Damon proclaimed. I carry everything I need in my trusty backpack.

What about you? Azeral/Sue asked Kiara.

Yes, oh mighty wizard, she answered extravagantly.

Crawler, muttered Blake. Kiara kicked him under the table.

Excellent! Now, are there any more questions you want to ask about your great mission?

The adventurers exchanged glances, and then shook their heads.

Then it is time for you to leave. I will prepare the mirror. Sue riffled through her notebook, then cleared her throat and started another incantation. Blake quickly wiped the smile from his face, not wishing to spoil this one. Unfortunately, he slanted a look at Damon, and the dark-haired youth pulled a horrible face at him. Blake had to stuff a fist in his mouth to stifle a snort. Anymore slip-ups on his behalf would incur the wrath of the GM, and he didn’t fancy dying at a crucial part in the upcoming adventure. He doubted the Empire of the Undead had any healers with the power to bring a dead dwarf back to life!

Sue lifted her hands as her incantation reached a crescendo, and even Blake got caught up in the mood. He realised he was holding his breath in anticipation. Then Sue finished the chant with an elaborate wave of her hands, and a thunderous silence crashed down. Almost immediately Kiara broke it with a horrified squeal.

What, what? gasped Sue, annoyed that Kiara had shattered the mood.

Kiara pointed a shaking finger, capped with a long black fingernail. Look at the mirror!

Heads turned. Jaws dropped. Everyone gasped in amazement. Previously the glass had shown a dark reflection of Sue’s gaming room. Now it was filled with swirling smoke. Sue continued to gape. That’s not right! She got to her feet and cautiously approached the glass. The others gathered behind her.

I don’t think you should touch it, Blake warned, remembering the strange sensation that had overcome him earlier.

Yeah! Kiara recalled her own premonition of fear when she had examined the carved demons and imps.

Sue extended a hand towards the fog. But before her fingers could touch the glass, the vaporous mists dissipated, revealing the same reflection as before. Sue realised she was looking at her own gaming room, but it had fallen into darkness. Where were all the reflections from her candles and the central droplight? She could only see vague shadows of furniture. And there was something else wrong too.

Where the heck was her own reflection?

Directly in front of her lay darkness. Disbelievingly, she stretched out a hand towards the glass. She couldn’t see anything, only the indistinct outline of her room. Was it even her room? She felt like she was reaching towards a pool of water.

No! chorused Blake and Kiara, but it was too late. Sue’s fingertips brushed the glass - or where the glass should have been. A bright halo of light flashed from her fingertip and rippled outwards across the mirror. Sue gasped and tried to pull her hand back, but her finger was stuck, as though she had thrust it into concrete that had had set immediately around her flesh. Her fingertip had gone numb - she couldn’t feel anything past the second joint.

Oh no, she whispered as the bizarre sensation - or rather lack thereof - began to creep up her hand. She watched in horror as her finger began to slide forward into the mirror. Help me guys - it’s trying to suck me in!

Immediately her friends lunged forward to grab her. Kiara and Damon grabbed her arm, trying to free it, and Blake caught her around the waist. They struggled to drag her from the mirror’s irresistible pull, but their combined strength didn’t seem to have any effect. In fact Sue began to slide forward even faster, her entire hand disappearing into the mirror. She cried out in pain, caught in a tug o’ war between her friends and the glass. She tried to wiggle her fingers, but didn’t know if the impulse reached her hand. Everything below her wrist was gone. Maybe she was slowly being disintegrated.

Kiara shifted her grip to avoid touching the deadly glass and continued to help Damon pull on Sue’s wrist. Her face gleamed with sweat. Then Damon released Sue’s arm and joined Blake, grabbing Sue around the waist as well. But still the mirror continued its relentless pull. Sue’s arm slipped further and further into the darkness. Beyond the ripples of light, no one could see anything. Damon’s boots slipped on the shiny wooden floor as he shifted his footing, and he fell on his backside. Kiara released Sue’s arm and took his place, just as Sue’s shoulder disappeared. Damon managed to scramble back into position.

Sue clenched her teeth, still struggling with all her might to resist. But it was becoming harder and harder for her to maintain leverage as her centre of gravity continued to shift forward. Then Blake released a howl of terror. My elbow touched the glass - now I’m stuck too!

Sue tried to twist her face away, but her cheek brushed against the mirror, and then her head was caught too, a strange patch of numbness spreading slowly over her face.

Kiara and Damon tried to brace themselves against the mirror frame, but the strange imps and goblins seemed to writhe beneath their fingers, preventing them from holding on. The carvings didn’t feel like wood any more - they felt warm and soft and alive. Kiara stole a glance at the creatures - and gaped in horror as one rolled a pair of glistening red eyes at her, and flicked out a forked green tongue. She shrieked in horror and sprang back.

Sue’s face slid into the mirror, the numbness encompassing her eye - then she felt a dreadful coldness ooze across her brain.

Damon slipped again and was forced to release Sue. Without anyone to hold them back, the pair tumbled forward through the mirror and disappeared. There was a burst of light and ripples spread out from their impact point, flowing across the glass as though it was water. Kiara and Damon gaped at the empty space their friends had occupied a few seconds before, and then turned to stare at each other in shock.

They’re gone, Kiara croaked, her eyes filling with tears.

Why the Hell did you let go? Damon demanded.

The faces came alive! One of them glared at me. She gestured weakly towards the mirror’s carved border. But the demons and monsters were quiet and inert, no more than interesting sculptures. However the mirror glass still did not show any reflections. What are we going to do? She clenched her hands into fists.

Damon stared into the darkness. We can’t just leave them ... wherever they are. We have to go after them.

But - but what’s if they aren’t anywhere? Kiara wailed. Then in a lower voice, what if they they’re just ... gone? You remember how Sue said she was going numb and couldn’t feel anything?

Damon turned on her. Kiara, we can’t think like that. We have to help them. He walked back over to the desk and started searching through Sue’s notes. He found the 160-page exercise book in which she had made her notes for the adventure, still lying open on the bench. Maybe this’ll help. The mirror came alive after she recited her spell. Maybe if I read out the same spell, Sue and Blake will come back.

Damon - this isn’t a game any more! Kiara cried.

He had had enough. Yes, everyone keeps telling me there’s no such thing as Magick! But what just happened to Sue and Blake, huh? He found Sue’s incantation, labelled Mirror Activation Chant. Beneath the words she had drawn various hand and arm-gestures to accompany them. Damon gulped. He wasn’t sure he could recite the words and perform the movements at the same time. Then Kiara came up behind him.

Let me try, she croaked, sniffing back her tears. She took the book off him, read the chant a few times, then put it down on the table. She cleared her throat and began in a halting voice. Her gestures were quick and jerky, but correct. Damon watched her in fascination, and then directed his attention to the mirror. Nothing seemed to be happening. Then the glass rippled, ever so slightly, and suddenly an image appeared. Damon saw a pair of slumped bodies appear, sprawled on the floor. They were lying in darkness, but he was sure he was looking at Sue and Blake. Were they still alive?

Kiara finished her chant and turned around. There they are! But they can’t come back through - they look unconscious.

"Now we really have to help them. Grab Sue’s note book. He rushed back to the table and started rummaging through the piles of tomes. Where’s the original sourcebook?"

Kiara picked up Sue’s book and clutched it to her chest. What are you doing?

Preparing. He found the volume he was looking for and stuffed it into his pack. Then he grabbed Blake’s moth-eaten rucksack and Kiara’s own velvet shoulder-bag. Take this.

Oh my God - we’re really following them through, aren’t we?

Unless you’d prefer to stay here!

Kiara baulked at the thought of remaining by herself. She grabbed her bag off Damon and said with conviction, No, I’m coming too!

Damon faced the mirror and squared his shoulders. Okay. This is it. He walked towards the glass with his hand outstretched. He faltered at the last second, but his fingertips met the shimmering surface. Suddenly he found himself stuck tight. But instead of struggling like the others had when he started to feel the encroaching numbness, he gritted his teeth and jumped forward.

Kiara watched him pass through. With a squeal, she hurried after him, squeezing her eyes shut as she launched herself into nothingness.

* * * *

Chapter 2

Damon experienced a brief, disorienting period of nothingness, but before fear could rush up and consume him, he landed unsteadily on a rough wooden floor. Somehow he managed to keep his balance. Then a bony, velvet-clad body struck him hard in the back and he stumbled forward, tripping over the still forms on the floor in front of him. He fell flat on his face. Kiara, did you have to come through at mach two?

She struggled to extricate herself from Damon and the bodies of their companions. I’m sorry - I thought if I went quickly, I wouldn’t lose my nerve. Why can’t we see anything? Where’s all the light?

Damon blinked, but he couldn’t see anything. The air was close and dusty, reeking of long disuse. When he picked himself up off the floor he winced at the grime on his hands. Kiara crossed the room and shoved a thick, black curtain away from a window. Mid-afternoon light streamed in, illuminating a dusty chamber roughly the same size and shape as Sue’s living room, except all the furniture was hidden beneath protective cloths that had gone yellow from age. Kiara lifted a corner to find an antique table very much like Sue’s, only without all the gaming paraphernalia strewn across it.

Damon knelt down beside the bodies of Sue and Blake, checking for life-signs. With a flood of relief, he realised they were still breathing. Sue, wake up! He shook the tall woman’s shoulder. She moaned and started to stir. Then she blinked and looked blearily up into Damon’s concerned brown eyes.

What happened? she croaked. My head is pounding like a Metallica concert is playing inside! Damon helped her to sit up, and then noticed Blake was starting to move as well. Sue looked disbelievingly around at her surroundings. Had she really passed through the mirror? This did not look like her lounge room at all! Where were all her wall-hangings, fantasy posters, candles and dragon figurines? Where were her TV set, DVD player and library of fantasy and sci-fi movies? Wait a minute. She lifted a trembling hand to her mouth. "Where’s the mirror?"

The mirror! Kiara echoed. It’s gone!

Damon gaped at the empty space where it should have been.

What’s all the noise about? Blake mumbled. And someone shut that curtain! I’ve got a rotten hangover!

Sue shook him furiously, and he sat bolt upright. Holy crap! I thought I was dreaming! He gawked at their strange, musty surroundings. Where the heck are we?

Damon helped Sue to her feet but Blake declined his aid. For almost a minute none of the gamers could speak. They might have been playing for years, but none of their adventures had prepared them for this. Kiara went back to the window, and this time she cleared a patch of dirt from the pane and looked out. Oh my God!

What? Damon joined her, closely followed by Sue and Blake.

All four found themselves staring out at a bizarre new world.

At first glance the little street outside didn’t look all that different, with its narrow terraces and their tiny, fenced-in balconies, all squashed together on either side of a narrow strip of road. But it only took a few seconds of gawking for them to notice that the terraces were grimy and grey instead of pristine and white, and all the parked cars were gone. The smooth dark tar had been replaced by lumpy rectangular cobblestones and clogged gutters. As the group watched, a horse and cart appeared at the end of the street and started rattling towards them. The driver appeared to be clad in an old fashioned