Page 8 of The Misfit Mage and His Darling Demon

The chant did little to assuage the growing fear I would suddenly come across an invisible hole in the invisible floor and fall from a very visible height. Knowing my luck, I would flail about, worried I’d break a bone, and land squarely on my head.

Ow.

I backstepped, rubbing a hand on my bruised face. Dammit. I hit a wall halfway toward the theater exits. Invisible like the floor. It seemed I’d been teleported into a box of some type. Or a cube. Gods. Was this some type of ironic justice because I’d stolen the Fae seed, encasing it in an enchanted cube of protective incantations? Well, notstolenstolen. They’d freely given me the seed and never once explained its purpose. It was mere happenstance that I knew the actual intent. They couldn’t really expect to hold me accountable for something they had no idea whether or not I knew was actually wrong.

It wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t stealing. That was just Bez teasing me.

I fidgeted. Bez. He continued roaring outside, followed by explosive sounds and loud clanks as the building shook.

I reached into my pocket, retrieving the Fae seed. The green hue held such an inviting allure meant for study. So manysecrets. So many unknown answers. Unknown questions, too. There were things I likely hadn’t even pondered to ask myself about the mystery of the Fae until this very moment. I wanted to know it all. But more than that, I wanted to reach Bez.

“I’m sorry for the misunderstanding,” I said. “I didn’t realize I wasn’t allowed a souvenir. I’m just a simple guy who doesn’t know things. Any things. Anything really.”

“You are far from simple, Walter Alden,” a deep voice said, carrying a light echo.

Appearing at the opposite end of the theater sat a ghostly complected Fae wearing a bright red suit, which added to his stark white skin. Golden rings clinked against the railing of the balcony where he sat, strumming his elongated fingers. His bright white teeth held a shine in the dim theater as his smile widened, filling his entire face. Quite literally. His mouth stretched ear to ear. I tensed when he tilted his large head, one more than twice the size of his thin shoulders, studying me.

“I have to go,” I said, fighting back a squeak but unable to keep from shivering.

Huge black eyes, bigger than my clenched fists, stared at me. Through me. Into me. White swirled hypnotically, then zigged and zagged like a game of Snake.

I held out my trembling hands, extending the encased seed to return.Shit. I should’ve removed the enchantment before offering it back. Not that the Fae didn’t already realize what I’d done.

“The Fae Divinity is an exquisite event held only once a century in this realm,” he said, hopping off the balcony and onto the invisible floor. Each step he took cast a ripple, revealing the fine hardwood floors holding us in the air. “It is a rare honor to host this event, one I treated with cavalier disregard as I’ve held the honor of hosting a half-dozen times.”

Everything quieted.

I turned, searching for the raging roars of Bez, but found the auditorium faded beneath us, replaced by the wooden floor. The theater walls vanished behind stone-crafted walls. This place resembled the foyer of the Magus Estate more and more with each breath. It wasn’t, though. The rocks used held more glimmer, seeped with magics perhaps, but much of the estate had been fashioned to be considered inviting to the Fae since so much of Collective resources and power stemmed from cultivating a strong relationship with the Fae.

A panoply, a full suit of silver plate armor, stood perched on its own next to the door without a stand to keep it upright. The chest piece had a noticeable dent. It looked out of place with no second suit on the opposite side. I shook my head. This was no time to note the poor placement in décor when I should be finding a way out of here.

I raced to the door, reaching for the handle. Locked. Duh. Maybe an incantation could force it open. Not sure what would be appropriate since everything here had a strange hum to the deeper layers of magic; everything felt off, warped slightly. Even my connection with Bez strained.

“Consider me shocked when I discovered Walter Alden was in attendance.” The Fae stood inches from my face, his mouth ready to devour my head in a single bite.

I fell back onto the floor, dropping the seed and clambering to distance myself from him.

He knelt and retrieved the encased seed. His nails punctured my incantations, disrupting and destroying the protective wards instantaneously.

“It’s no wonder you made such a delightfully intricate incantation to hold our gift to the mortals.” He blinked, but only a thin translucent eyelid coated his giant black orbs. A nictitating membrane like some animals have.

“Like dogs and penguins and camels and…” I bit my lip, stifling the mutterings.

“You seem frightened. Nothing like the Walter Alden discussed at Court.”

“You know me?” I gulped.

“Who hasn’t heard of the warrior Walter Alden, the mage who tamed the devil Beelzebub himself? Tempered the Diabolic’s murderous spirit and spared the Collective.”

“Excuse me?”

“Had I known such an esteemed guest would greet our modest affair, I’d have put true effort into this evening’s performance. Instead, I offered baubles unworthy of someone such as your station.” He shattered the seed between his fingers, waving the wafting magical energy away.

“Wait… You’re not mad at me?”

“What?” He gripped his blazer, feigning offense. Or perhaps actually offended I made the suggestion. His expressions were difficult to gauge. “I am honored to meet your acquaintance.”

“Sorry. What?” I tried to wrap my head around what he’d said.

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