Ruby Mage Read online

  There was another warning. All females unwed or without a contract for employment, could be proclaimed a beggar.

  If a woman was brought before a king’s magistrate, they’d be sold into a servitude contract with the kingdom taking half the profit. This was called becoming a crown’s servant. I read all this a few times because of Ming. It shocked me she wanted to go. All the problems she would face…

  Talk about a giant load of bullshit.

  Joseph said he saved his puma wife this way. He purchased her debt, broke her forced contract, and then hired her to advise him however she saw fit.

  It was a point of pride for the man and something that interested me.

  I also caught on that is why he probably was able to score a harem. He had money, was supposedly nice, and there were desperate poor people in Lornia.

  For tireless nights I asked myself if I would be able to simply look the other way if I found Lornians begging for help. I didn’t know if I’d be able to control my urges to help and wondered how many sexy ladies a handsome man like me would be able to save.

  After reviewing the text over and over, the pages explained why there were dowries for men to wed at young ages.

  If Joseph became trapped in Lornia and had a daughter, he would try to secure her future by bribing a worthy man with coins. Sick, and yet, the internet said it still happened in India to this day.

  The final thing I became engrossed in was what he notated about the rubies themselves. He found his rubies while exploring a cave near the Scottish hills of Cairngorms National Park. He never found another person who could see the dazzle.

  What he did learn was how to recharge them and the process made me sick.

  Death.

  A dying creature, fey, or human on Lornia held magic. When you killed a pig, there’d be an aura to feed to the stone. I was no vegan, and I knew where my steak came from.

  Still, there was something perverse with this magic. He went on to say that in Lornia, almost all life contained magic that could be absorbed by the stones. He did find it humorous that a rat gave magic to the stone, but a seagull was absolutely worthless. Maybe it was that dry English humor that escaped me.

  When you came to Earth there was no aura from animals, but there was from people. He found out by visiting his dying mother. She was gravely ill at the time with no chance of recovery.

  After months of her asking to let go, she passed, and he consumed her magic into the stone.

  That was it for Joseph.

  He never went back to Lornia, destroyed the stone, and lived lavishly with his six lovers. His descendants were all fully human children that scattered to the wind without ever talking about where their mothers came from, or where their father visited.

  That was everything Joseph Cloth was able to tell me.

  Was I frustrated? Hell yea.

  Was I perplexed by Lornia and the sheer lack of information? Absolutely.

  Was I excited to visit a magical realm with fey, elves, dwarves, and more? With every fiber of my being.

  “You ready?” Ming asked, jarring me from my thoughts.

  She was dressed in a plain brown, long sleeved, dress that went to her ankles, along with a simple bonnet that hid most of her face. As a cover, she was my servant and guard. A short thin sword hung on her hip and a small crossbow was in her vest.

  We decided I would be a merchant's son. Trade papers were drafted as my cover with key parts left blank. Ming sensed my brooding anxiety.

  “Quit fidgeting, we’ll be fine,” Ming said, snickering at me.

  I hated my outfit. I was in what might be called a travelling suit with a starched collar. My frame was bigger. The digging had helped me bulk up.

  The suit was too tight all round because I may have been pumping iron after I got measured.

  This was a world where strength mattered and I took that fact seriously.

  I wanted to wear a sword with my manly attire, but this cover story prohibited such notions. The recommendations said a person of stature would be respected in the cities, but robbed in the woods.

  Funny how things worked in olden days.

  “You sure you’re able to use those?” I said, gesturing to the sword and crossbow.

  “Very. Fret not. We get in, find civilization, get some trinkets, get out, and make a few million,” Ming said as if it were that easy.

  I scoffed, shaking my head. “I want to learn magic too, you know that.”

  “One thing at a time. For now, we need to simply prove we can blend in enough to make this work,” Ming said encouragingly.

  I pulled her into a hug, forcing positive emotions into the ruby stone, and a moment later transported us to the hallway.

  Our arrival to the corridor was mundane.

  The in-between hallway was intricate, probably because it was devoid of all other things. Ming didn’t care, she was thrilled. Her eyes were wide with amazement and shock. I dragged her down the long corridor and into the doorway to Lornia.

  CHAPTER 7

  Lornia - Location Unknown

  Local Date Unknown

  A deep throated snarl was the only warning we received. I was shoved aside by a huge furry beast that was incredibly powerful. The blinding sensation from transition onto Lornia was replaced by my head smacking against soft dirt.

  The dancing stars eventually cleared from my vision, revealing Ming beset by a bear-kin. The massive animal loomed over her for a fraction of a second. I was dazed, watching her getting attacked and pinned down.

  I froze, transfixed as Ming struggled. Her punches, pushes, and kicks were having zero effect.

  The animal had human legs with skin and minimal hair. There was a dangling penis that went down to its knees. Human feet had tiny claws on the ends of enlarged toes.

  The upper torso was far more bear than human. Paws for hands displayed tucked claws, a half snouted face sniffed repeatedly, and rippling muscles bulged from the torso as Ming was dominated.

  This hybrid was massive, probably four times Ming’s weight and easily twice as tall. She went to pull her sword out but the bearman slammed a paw into the sheathed blade. The power of the blow bent the blade, trapping it inside its home.

  The bearman chuckled when she tried to unjam the bent weapon.

  The face sniffed, adjusting to bury the tip of its black nose into her crotch.

  Ming was screaming for help now that she couldn’t get her sword out. The crossbow came out of her vest only to be swatted down.

  A large paw stomped on the weapon shattering it into crumbling bits. My initial fixation came crashing down.

  What do I do now?

  Ming’s screams increased in tempo and volume, desperately seeking a savior. And yet when I scanned the endless aspens, it was only us.

  Rapid breathing shot through me as I began to panic. I’d been forgotten, maybe I could find a rock or a solid stick.

  Suddenly, courage soared through me. A feeling of determination rocked the very fiber of my being.

  Heat, I felt heat.

  That internal crescendo of intense burning desired nothing more than to escape.

  Beads of perspiration soaked me while my gut twisted. The rising temperature was instantly too much, causing me to sweat in my suit.

  “Run!” Ming cried out to me in desperation.

  The bear-kin who had been licking Ming’s crotch through her pants turned to me.

  My overheating drew the beast’s attention to me with a snarling rage. Spittle flew with lips peeling back to reveal drool covered, razor sharp teeth.

  Those eyes had gone from desire for mounting Ming to wanting to kill me.

  I thought I was going to die when the massive creature sprinted for me. The paws tore clods of dirt behind it as it moved at blurring speeds.

  Squinting, I turned my head, raising my palms. I wanted nothing more than to wish the vile beast away. Unfortunately, I was about to pass out from the onset of fever. Except.

  The ruby.

/>   It sent a message through emotions.

  Release the burning. Free the ill feeling. Dispose of the -

  I listened, directing whatever transfixed my body to flee out my palms.

  Torrents of tight flame burst forth so bright I sealed my frightened eyes tighter. I feared I was doomed regardless.

  Time slipped from my mind.

  I swayed this time, crashing down to the forest floor so hard my head bounced.

  I lay there for minutes, stars spinning through my eyes. As hard as I wanted the world to right itself, only patience seemed to be working.

  The sound of running feet halted as knees crashed down beside me. Ming loomed over me, her thin eyes squinting at me in wonder. I wanted to say a joke but lacked the strength at the moment.

  “Did you collect it?” Ming asked, she touched my forehead and immediately flicked her wrist from the heat.

  “Collect what?” I croaked out.

  “Sit up.”

  “I can’t,” I groaned, hating the pain radiating through my body.

  “Sit up!” Ming demanded, lifting my shoulders to help me become vertical.

  I managed to stand, Ming giving a big heave to hoist me. Standing was tough with my legs wobbling. Ming ducked under my arm, steadying my dizzy stumbles.

  The bearman was dead. The body was twisted in a final pose with splayed limbs and its chest down. Glazed eyes glared widely in surprise.

  From above the corpse I saw two smoldering fist-sized holes in the beast’s back that smoke rose from. My magic had torn right through the beast cleanly with seared flesh wafting an odd stench.

  Above the dead body there was an energy calling to me in the shape of an orb that was tethered to the corpse.

  I realized the gem was gone. My eyes darted, hunting for our key home. There, embedded in the dirt was my red dazzling trinket.

  I sighed when I spied the gem.

  The power around the stone was about a single teleport lower than when we arrived. Digging leaves away from the ruby, I gazed upon it with relief. My fingers plucked the stone from the ground.

  At least there -

  My thoughts were ripped from my mind when a blast of power pulsed through the air. The moment my fingers touched my gem a hurricane of energy shot from the dead bearman to the stone with a sensation only I felt.

  Ming blinked, concerned for my sudden expression change. I doubted she noticed the flow of raw power entering my control.

  I did though. So much power. My eyes lit up with thirst.

  The feeling was orgasmic, no… this was better.

  I leveled my left palm at a tree, attempting to unleash magic.

  Hmm… nothing.

  Letting my lips peel back in a smirk, I fed emotions of panic, desperation, and a desire to survive. This time I recognized the sensations of earlier for what they were.

  Magic.

  I was coursing magic through my being and I loved the sensation. A cackle escaped my lips.

  The build up with the excess power was instantaneous this time. I understood now.

  I started to feel feverish from preparing too much magic. This was likely my power limiting point, where I needed to release.

  The surge traveled to my palm, releasing a tight beam of fire. I closed the excess magic, sending it back into the gem.

  Because my fire torrent was cut off, it morphed into a tightly condensed fireball of vibrant red and oranges.

  The magic was no bigger than my hand, but when it hit a tree, there was a snapping explosion so loud my ears rang.

  A whoosh of air washed over us.

  I grinned at what I’d achieved until a sudden pain erupted in my left calf.

  “Fuck!” I shouted, hobbling.

  Ming giggled in amazement, helping me control my hop. “Kills a monster, not a peep. Fires a ball of flame like its natural, no shout of joy,” Ming muttered in a tease while she inspected my wound. “Takes one little shard of—”

  “Arggg…” I grunted between clenched teeth as she yanked out a sliver of wood. She showed me my self-inflicted war trophy before tossing it deep into the woods. I scoffed, “Warn a guy before you do that would ya!”

  “Quit being a baby. You didn’t see me crying when that thing was nose diving into my vagina,” Ming said, pointing at the dead body.

  “Yeah. What was that about?” I said, hobbling to a tree to sit down.

  I wanted to rest for a minute. A breather was certainly warranted after this crazy ordeal. Finding the seat somewhat worthy, I rested my back against the tree, and let out a long stress-releasing sigh.

  Ming stared down at me in contemplation. She was a mess with crazy hair, a torn outfit, and a crotch that looked like she’d pissed herself. Eh, maybe she had. Not that I’d blame her.

  “I’m fifty one. I… I’m on a triple dose of estrogen. Meaning even male dogs sniff me funny. I’m probably ovulating too,” Ming said in disgust. She pointed to the massive exposed dick that was bigger than my forearm. “Explains how some of the half fey are born. I don’t think it wanted to hurt me. Play with me, yes. Hurt me, no.”

  I shuddered. “Gross, wrapping my mind around this place was tough…” I paused, letting me head thunk against the tree trunk. I felt like shit, desiring to come clean. “I froze. I’m so fucking sorry, Ming.”

  Tears welled up in my eyes.

  “Please, Trevor, it’s okay, you did great bagging a fantastic prize,” Ming said in delight, trying to shift my mood. She sat beside me leaning a head onto my right shoulder.

  “You can say that, but what if that had been a female bear alien thing instead of the male,” I said, tamping down on the overwhelming emotions.

  “Hey, relax. There is even better news,” Ming said with a genuine smile.

  I scoffed. “Yeah, what?”

  “You can dress as a mage now,” she said with a snicker, extracting a smile.

  We shared the moment, converting the light chuckle into a long, well-earned laugh. Wasn’t every day you went onto an alien planet, blasted a random beast, unlocked more magic, and refueled your ruby.

  When we calmed, I inspected the gem. I was not surprised in the least that it bristled with power so bright it almost hurt too much look at. While I became lost in the dazzling display my mind caught up to something Ming had said earlier.

  “Hey, what do you mean?” I asked.

  Ming huffed, leaving her seat by me to head to the corpse. I realized she didn’t answer because she was in professor mode. My question was broad and undefined.

  “Define bagging a fantastic prize,” I said dryly.

  She grumbled, unlatching the sword belt around her waist to toss it into the woods.

  “I may have given you half-truths,” Ming said, an edge of guilt in her tone. Her face was filled with shame as she kicked the dead bearman.

  “I’m all ears,” I said, folding my arms.

  While she decided how to say what she wanted, I ensured our area was clear. We were still in endless aspens with an overcast warm day. Lightning rumbled in the distance, and there were squirrels about everywhere you looked.

  Even the birds were active again since the violence calmed. It was certainly no longer winter here with dry warm air, and plenty of undergrowth revealing vibrant greens.

  “The jet… wasn’t from a friend owing me a favor. The book was not mine either. It was loaned to me to show to you,” Ming said.

  “Oh,” I said, not all that surprised.

  “My building has a penthouse. My father had a friend who was younger. He had a son, even younger than me. The Ruby Mages’ guide was in that penthouse,” Ming said, pacing around the body, following the tracks until she realized they led somewhere far away.

  “So, you saw the book. Then what?”

  “I was allowed to study it. Yukio and I became… hmm… This is shameful for me to say, but friends with benefits,” Ming said, and I rolled my eyes.

  “Ming, we live together, and more importantly it's 2023. I wanted to ride t
hat botany student on date one. She was enough of a lady to wait for date three,” I said with a sigh of longing.

  “What happened to—?”

  “We’re talking about Yukio,” I reminded her. She smirked, knowing I deflected her deflection attempt. “Wait… Mr. Linshu and Mrs. Linshu are from your building.”

  “Yukio and Juliette are Mr. Linshu and Mrs. Linshu. Good eye.” She watched me, waiting. I realized Mr. Linshu would hold meetings with Ming about work. My eyes widened, realizing I heard soft grunting sometimes behind those closed doors in the past. “Yes, I’m the faithful mistress. I knew I’d be found out regardless.”

  “Okay, not that I care whom you sleep with, but what does Yukio have to do with that body?” I asked, a bit jealous.

  Part of my rental agreement for the winter months was free rent but no visitors. Including booty calls or spinder dates. Eh, I was too engrossed in Joseph’s Ruby Mage book that dating would have been trivial anyway.

  “The money. Yukio is part of some secret society of collectors. They bid against each other on all things Lornia. This is all I know from Yukio, but… our secret is safe with him. At least I sure as hell hope it is. They guard their sources like you protect your chastity,” Ming said.

  I protested with a “Hey! I’m no virgin. Just been busy lately.” I wanted to dip my wick with something more meaningful than my own right hand but business is business and I held in my retort.

  “Secret means secret. Yukio will take this body up to his penthouse, have it flown to some place for preservation, and then auction it or buy it directly himself,” Ming said with a smile. She sure had a way of making the crazy seem rational. “That is what you get for saving me from being brutally raped by a two-foot-long dick.”

  “Thank you for your honesty, and I’d have reacted eventually,” I countered.

  She shook her head. “Many who reach fight or flight, fly into a corner of their mind and shut down. I’ll not dwell on it. But Yukio. He is my lifetime friend. You never mention this divulgence of information until I confess my betrayal. I broke an oath by telling you. An oath I feel ashamed of already.”

  “So, home?” I asked, not letting her wallow in her gilt. “My leg aches from the splinter, but I’ll be able to move.”