Story : Within the Barrow.

From Ars Magica

Revision as of 18:19, 17 April 2006

The lack of any real sensation or effect was the strangest aspect of what happened next. Had they not been crossing over at such a place, it is possible that they could have crossed halfway though a step, and not noticed a thing until something unusual came into view.

Instead, as they moved toward the broken stone portal, toward the bank of earth behind it, they suddenly found themselves stood within a dark, cool passage. On all sides, except before them, they could feel cold, damp stone. The sound of their own breathing, and the shuffling of their feet upon stone seemed unnaturally loud in the stillness of the barrow.

As their eyes accustomed to the gloom, it seemed that some faint glow came from a hole in the stone ceiling a little further down the passage, and beyond that, darkness.

Ambrosius looked around the bare corridor, noting the unusually clean floor and well kept walls. He’d never been in a regio before, and didn’t know what to expect, so he was not all that surprised. He took a few steps forward to stand next to Mnemosyne and noticed that the smooth feel of stone under his boots was broken by some shards of the “real” world door that had fallen to ruin, freed by his clearing of the dirt and mud. He set his staff aside and leaned heavily against the close stone wall, the coolness of it sinking into his palm at an almost alarming rate, and lifted each of his feet in turn and picked the shards out of where they’d embedded themselves in the soles. In the gloom, he could barely see the bottom of his feet, let alone find all the small remains of the door. Dissatisfied with the persistence of the scratching sound his feet made as he walked, he noted, “I am, ahhhh, amazed at the difference between the ruins out there and the pristine condition in here. I mean, I knew that was how it was supposed to work, but...” he blew his breath out to create a low whistle. “Perhaps we could do with a bit more, um...” he paused, looking for the right word, “...illumination?”

"Damn," cursed Mnemosyne. "I had hoped we would arrive outside the barrow. Yes... some light would be a good thing.

He lightly tapped the tip of his staff on the ground and spoke the magic in a firm, clear voice. The top most section of his staff slowly began to emit light, but before it got any stronger than an ember, it seemed to struggle and die. Ambrosius looked intently at the top of the staff, an expression of concern on his face. For a brief second, the effect he’d been after seemed to reverse as the modest light from the ceiling seemed to be sucked towards the darkness of the staff. As quickly as it started, it stopped. The staff top apparently returned to normal.

“Well, that was odd. I wonder what...” Before he could finish his sentence, the top most section of the staff flashed, many times brighter than the noonday sun and with such intensity that the light itself seemed to carry with it a force of wind. The intensity was physically painful; Ambrosius had been starring right at the flash when it occurred and, though he’d closed his eyes as quickly as he could, he sensed it would have made very little difference, one way or the other. His eyes watered up almost immediately, and thought the flash of light was less than a split second, he worried its effects might be more permanent. Carefully, he opened his eyes. He could see nothing at all. Even the gentle glow of the light source in the ceiling was gone now – he stood in total blackness.

Mnemosyne cried when the blinding flash had gone off. She had turned to see what had happened to Ambrosius spell, and so had unfortunately been looking in his direction when his spell had burned an bright afterimage into her retina. She screwed up her eyes and blinked a bit, then repeated trying to get some sort of vision back. "I can't see anything," she griped, abandoning Latin in her frustration for her native English. "What did you do?" She did not sound anywhere near as impressed with Ambrosius as she had when he was clearing the path away.

Ambrsoius sighed heavily. As he took a few moments to take stock of his health and well being, he was reminded of the advice of Magus Galfridus: "Stercus accidit." Verditius Magi encounter failure, sometimes even spectacular failure, more often than most other houses of magi. He was advised early on that failure happens, and when it did, to take it in stride and press on as best you can. He was also warned that, every once in a great while, a magi might fail spectacularly. When that happens, there is little to nothing that can be done - it was meant to be. As his father might have said, "It's time to get back on the horse."

"Apparently, maga, I am failing a simple task spectacularly. He remained silent a few moments as he rustled through his belt pouch and produced a flint and steel. He struck it one or two times, then put it away. "Sparks. At least we know that we are not blind.

"This is a relatively simple spell, Maga," Ambrosius said, formally, "but as your tone of voice suggests that I have sufficiently demonstrated my fallibility, perhaps you would care to try?" He knew that Mnemosyne was simply frustrated, and did not mean to sound tert, but one of the reasons he left Spiritus Draconis was to get away from the Grand Magi that felt they could do no wrong, and took great pleasure in questioning or belittling apprentices and newly guantletted magi when they had difficulty. While tone likely had no ill intent, it carried with it many sour memories.

"I apologize, Maga. I did not mean to be so harsh. Your tone reminded me far too much of less peaceful days. Please forgive my sarcasm." Ambrosius bowed his head in the dark to his sodale.