Mind Mage - Chapter 4

introducing the Game Grid

      The Game Grid is just that: a game grid, no different than any multiplayer role playing game that has existed for just over a hundred years now. Miracle drew it up on paper and then translated it into computer language. What makes our game unique and long-lived is that the strength of a Mage’s mind can adjust details to a certain extent. We build our demesnes and tie them into Idiofyllia, the source of all creativity. Some people think that Idiofyllia is nothing more than a philosophic concept, but any artist, creative thinker, or good energy-worker has experienced at least one dream of walking its foggy lands only to awaken with a fully developed concept demanding to be released from the mind into Reality. What makes our innate talents work inside the Game is the piece of genius built by Miracle and a couple of engineering friends: the interface helmet. The device reads our thoughts and makes them reality within the Game setting. So, as long as we believe we can create and maintain something, we Mages can add to the terrain, build homes, and create our familiars.

      Belief is everything. I probably tell my students that statement every day of their training. If you believe it, it is so. That is perhaps why there are only two of us Drakos Mages. Unlike the vast majority of humans, we know that the dragons have always existed. We know they were humanity’s first magical teachers. We know they shifted to another dimension when humans hunted them to near extinction during the Middle Ages. So we know too, that by shifting our consciousness and using our belief, we can travel to the Dragon Realm and interact with them. To gain status as a Drakos, a Vincos simply has to show a dragon familiar to representatives of CoMM. The hard part is convincing a dragon to work as a familiar. For some strange and unknown reason, a recreated dragon is not sustainable in the Grid, so a real dragon must be tamed, coaxed, or coerced into becoming a battle assistant. Unlike most, I used a circuitous route. I birthed my own familiar. Only four of us know that Kereth is my daughter: Kereth herself, her father Meng Yao, her grandmother Lung Mai-Lee, and me. I am not known as Burgundy Dragon for nothing. I learned to not only shift my consciousness to their realm but to become one of them. It is the only shape-shifting that I have ever managed to maintain for lengthy periods.

      As I shifted back into the command booth, I wondered again about the off-Grid activity. Bobby and Mike had packed up the hard copies of the registration and were waiting by the door for me. “Uh, guys, do you mind if I catch up with you in a few minutes? You go ahead to Lost Lambs and order for the three of us on my cred. I’m going to duck back in for a few minutes to check something out quickly. Oh, and drop those off at PeeGee Sports on the way by, please?” Two heads nodded simultaneously and I pulled my helmet back on. I had no intention of registering this activity so I didn’t worry about switching on a monitor. I intended to go visit my fourth home and I didn’t want anyone knowing how I got there.

      As the lower hallway of my Pa Forest mansion settled in around me, I considered again my idea of asking Kereth to help me in making a search of the Outlands. She was a good fighter in both her human and her dragon forms. Even though she was a magical creature and my own creation, she had a real existence outside of the Game so being Out should not affect her abilities. Plus we didn’t get to visit very often since she lived with her father when I didn’t need her to do Game training. Meng Yao and I had agreed on that stipulation before she was born. Kereth was first and foremost a dragon. I stepped up beside the large mango tree that grew through my living room floor, plucking a mostly ripe fruit from a low hanging branch, and settled down to meditate in its shade. Moving from the Game Grid to the Otherworlds is no more difficult than it is to get there from Reality. However, the double layer makes it harder for someone to catch me unaware unless they were monitoring the room. Even then, a tech would simply see a meditating Mage, nothing unusual.

      The central plaza of the Dragon Realm shimmered like a mirage as its reality settled into my mind. I made certain that I wouldn’t interfere with anyone nearby and then assumed the bulk and shape of a dragon. The first time I made this change, I chose my favorite dark color for my hide. Who knew that burgundy was not a shade known among the dragons? Dark purple, russet, coppers and bronzes, and every shade of red were common but I had to pick a shade that simply did not exist. Nothing like screaming ‘I’m an alien’ when you walk into a new world. After all this time, I knew that as soon as I was spotted, Meng Yao would be informed that I was here. I waited for the moment when both of my dragon hearts synchronized in my chest, then I headed toward Meng Yao’s lair, my fourth home.

      As expected, Meng Yao rushed down to meet me about halfway up the trail. My breath caught at first sight of him. My mate is a magnificent Qi’u dragon by anyone’s standards. Lung Meng Yao commands attention with his long and sinewy body bedecked with crimson scales set off by a row of bright green spikes that run from beneath his golden mane all the way to his golden lion-tail. His thick, muscular legs end with five talons, longer and sharper than Rocky’s. As he dashed down from the ridge to greet me, I caught flashes of his rainbow-hued underbelly. Any knowledgeable person recognizes instantly that this is a male of great strength and power, not just in stature but also in status. I, on the other hand, am quite drab in comparison, having chosen the form of a Vibria or Northern European dragon: a short, muscular, leathery body supported on the ground by four stumpy legs and in the air by great bat-wings. My only redeeming qualities are the silver spikes, horns, and ridges that halo my face and adorn the length of my back ridge.

      When Meng Yao reached no more than a dragon-body length away, he pulled himself upright and switched his regal head back and forth in the traditional dragon challenge. I also ground to a halt and lowered my head, acknowledging his superiority. Dragon society is a true pecking order and while I could hold my own in a physical or mental battle with my mate, he does hold a much greater stature within his social circle whereas I am simply his mate. Formality out of the way, we switched to a more intimate greeting, nuzzling and huffing soft breaths into each other’s scales.

      I breathed deeply of his smell and whispered into his ear, “I’ve missed you.”

      Meng Yao snorted in reply. “How long can you stay?” he asked, his voice tinged with suggestion.

      “Not long this time, but save some room for me tonight. I’m just stopping in to see if I can borrow Kereth for a very short time.” I made the last part of my statement sound like a question. “I need to go off Grid.”

      “You are off-Grid now,” Meng Yao argued.

      “Yes and no. I am tied in but I’m also here. Let’s not do this again. It hurts my head.”

      Meng Yao just chuckled. Dragons have no difficulty understanding dimensions within dimensions and worlds within worlds. That was why it had been so easy for them to travel to Earth in the early years of human existence. Unfortunately, while Mages intellectually know the possibilities, our four-dimensional human brains can often get horribly confused when trying to use Real time logic on the universe. It was simpler to just believe.

      I nuzzled his neck again. “So, can Kereth come out and play for a while?” I repeated with a hint of whimsy.

      Meng Yao raised his head fully and looked off in the distance. I could feel the communication between father and daughter but not actually hear it. Dragon telepathy is a finely honed skill which developed over multitudes of generations. He could address every dragon in the area, a specific group of dragons, or as he was doing, just one individual. I waited somewhat impatiently for the unheard conversation to be completed. Meng Yao suddenly dropped his head to the level of my chin. “She really wants to join you but Kereth is in a training session with Lung Mai-Lee.” I pictured Meng Yao’s granddame: a gorgeous golden-green Qi’u with fiery orange embellishments and the temper to match, rather like the stereotype for redheads in human society.

      “Completely understood. Want to come for a walk on the Grid?”

      Meng Yao took a step back and searched my face for any sign of humor. “Serious?”

      I had only asked him to accompany me into any semblance of the human realm once before and that was to show him that Kereth would be safe in the Game Grid where she would be honored and admired, not scorned or vilified. “Yes, but then again, I could just be wasting your time.” I realized that I really wanted to spend some time with him. Who knew that I would find love in another realm after passing my hundredth birthday?

      “I have time to waste today,” Meng Yao leaned in and huffed warm softness into the fine scales behind my ear. “Will we be alone?”

      I chuckled and tugged on a lock of his mane with my fangs. “I am searching for possibly two Mages but otherwise, yes we will be.”

      “Search?” Meng Yao was all business immediately. My mate was a true leader.

      “I have to explore …, that is, there’s an inconsistency ...” I paused to let my thoughts organize. “Okay, you remember how the Game Grid is set up, right?” Meng Yao didn’t bother to reply, just waited for me to continue. Dragons have memories that make elephants seem like simpletons. “Well, when an energy-worker or Mage is registered into the system, their activity is then restricted to being within the Confines. Today, we found three signs of activity just outside the Grid, one of which was a student. But I want to know why two other Mages were working off-Grid.”

      “I understand, and you need a reliable blood hound.”

      “That’s what I wanted Kereth to do, yes. I just want your company. I truly have missed you.”

      The fluffy end of Meng Yao’s tail ran up my back ridge causing me to shiver. “Then stay.”

      I quickly recognized that this conversation was going nowhere. “Not now, my love, I will be back tonight. I really must go. We can discuss this more later. I’m fairly certain that you or Kereth would be able to sense lingering magical energy for a couple days, even on the Grid.” I nuzzled him and started to shift out.

      “Wait!” Meng Yao’s voice had the tone of command. I shifted back fully into Dragon Realm. “Be careful, please. There have been strange occurrences at our borders lately and they smell of humans.”

      I nodded once and shifted back to the mango tree in my Gamespace mansion. Immediately, my ears rang with a double-voiced shout. “Vincos!” From the tone in their voices, it was clear that Bobby and Mike had been trying to reach me while my consciousness had been in my dragon body.

      “Whoa, boys, I’m here. What’s up?”

      Bobby’s voice was tinged with relief. “Jake was packing away gear in the booth and noticed another blip on the northernmost point of the forests in the Oblito Region. He phoned us and we’ve been trying to reach you since then. We think the outlying blips to the east may have been false reads. Where were you? We found your signature inside your demesne but you didn’t answer any calls. We were getting ready to shake your body to wake you.”

      I considered my response and chose to lie. “I was catching a well-deserved nap after gorging on some mangoes.” My short time with Meng Yao was still too precious to share. “Okay, just give me a few seconds to change into Arctic gear and I’ll get Rocky to take me to Oblito. Ask Kellen to start the mind-stretching exercises session and don’t tell him where I am.”

      Even with him flying at top speed, it took Rocky and I almost an hour and a half to traverse past the unclaimed lands northeast of Centreville. We stopped on the northern ridge of the mountainous Boreal Region, within scanning range of the Oblito. I could not find a tree or rock cropping that would give me an unobstructed view of our destination. It would just be easier to have Rocky fly me in over the trees and then align myself with the co-ordinates. From here on, we would be entering a frozen tundra where snowstorms could rise out of nowhere and nothing. It would be harsh on Rocky since he was hardly a cold-weather creature. I checked my clothing to find I was wrapped in a large burgundy parka trimmed with grey fur. The legs of my jeans were covered by leg warmers knitted in an ornate pattern done in shades of burgundy to resemble scales. ‘Hmmm, maybe my mind is still elsewhere,” I muttered, hoping no one heard. I slipped a booted foot onto Rocky’s elbow and lifted back into place behind his head.

      Oblito is a strange place for anyone to visit. First thing anyone notices about the region is that the sun seems to be constantly blotted out by dreary clouds. The southern edge of the region is covered by the few scrub trees that can last through the constant freezing temperatures. Above the forest’s edge, the eastern half of the Oblito Region is the remains of the healthy grasslands that cover most of the eastern Game Grid, but more akin to Alpine meadows. However, the western side of Oblito and going into the Nebe Pekla, is where no one would ever want to live or do battle since the weather there is a constant howling blizzard. Well over two decades ago, a DeltaFAE Mage did settle in on the icy plains of southwest Oblito but no one had heard of them for several years now. I am not certain that I ever knew their name or where exactly their demesne was. For two Universal Games in a row, the Delta Sports and Gaming Association had listed them as one of their participants but a ‘not playing’ token was found on all borders leading into Oblito. No explanation has ever been given.

      Rocky flew sharply northwest on an angle into Oblito.  He kept looking down to the sides as we left the last few hills and trees. I surmised that he was watching for a tasty young doe among the trees and realized that he was probably hungry. We had been working hard today. As we reached the southern edge of the snow gales, I searched in both directions for any sign of inhabitants. I don’t know what I had been expecting but the brightly-lit yurt tucked in amongst a stand of scraggly pines was definitely not it. The winds from the nearby snowstorm were riffling Rocky’s feathers and I could tell that he was not happy to be this close to such a strong blizzard. “Hover for a minute, Rocky, and I’ll shift down so you won’t have to land. Then you can go back to hunt in the Boreal.” I peered down to find a spot just beyond the yurt where I could safely plant my feet. When I was comfortable with my choice, I pictured myself standing there with the wind ruffling the fur of my parka and lifting the ends of my hair. I could feel the cold of the ground seeping into my boots before I even touched down. Details are of the utmost importance when shifting. I looked up to watch Rocky wing his way back to the forested mountains which housed his favorite food and then trudged my way through the crusty snow toward the yurt.

      “Hello?” Surprisingly, I was greeted first. A young woman with jet black hair cut in a short, blunt hairstyle came out from behind a thick evergreen trunk. She wore a parka in the traditional style of the Inuit. “I don’t think I can remember the last time I had any visitors here.”

      “Interesting place to settle,” I commented. “Not many would have chosen to tackle the Oblito Region.”

      “I grew up in a place much like this.” She looked about her with a fondness.

      Rather than ask permission to enter, I tested the strength of her shields by trying to approach. The nearby winds suddenly surrounded me, blinding me with stinging snow. I hadn’t moved another foot but I suddenly lost all sense of direction. “Impressive,” I called over the howl of the wind. Just as quickly as the storm had engulfed me, it abated. “Very impressive. You are an Inuk by heritage I’m guessing.”

      The young woman smiled at the compliment as the shields parted enough for me to pass through. “Thank you. And yes I am. Wind and Water are my natural talents so it makes sense to use them as protection. The snowflakes of the snowstorm can disorientate any intruder and tangled Air energy creates a feeling of being lost.”

      “Wow, well done.” I might be sounding too awed but her ability seemed far more advanced than most Mages. “May I ask: what is your name?”

      “My grandmother named me Qailertetang, but most everyone calls me Sissy.” She shrugged. “The result of being the only girl born after five boys in the family.”

      I tried to reproduce her given name but failed miserably. “Sorry, I’m usually good with the less common names. And after seeing your protection ability, it’d hardly feel right calling you Sissy. Is there a name you would prefer to use? Maybe a short form of your given name?”

      A slight blush came to the young woman’s tanned face. “I once had a boyfriend who called me Tango. He said he couldn’t kiss a sister.”

      “Tango it is then. How old are you? When did you start Mage training?”

      “I’m eighteen. I know I’m young,” she held up a hand as if to stave off any complaints from me. “But according to my grandmother, I was doing energy-work before I was born. She claims I controlled the weather from the womb. That’s what my name means: goddess of the weather.”

      “Good talent to have if you’re going to work from Oblito. How long have you been here?”

      “I cannot remember when I came here. Sometimes it feels as if I have always lived here but then I remember when I lived in Reality with my family.”

      A sudden sensation of being satiated reached me. “Oh, excuse me, would you mind if I called my familiar that brought me here? I have to make certain that Rocky doesn’t hang around in the Boreal and gorge himself stupid.”

      Tango looked at me with a mixture of surprise and concern. “You have a roc for a familiar?”

      “Oh no,” I laughed. “I just chose Rocky’s name to give him a sense of power. He’s just an over-sized eagle.” I sent out a call for Rocky to join me. As I waited for his answer, I suddenly realized that the young woman had known what a roc was. That indicated that she had taken some Kerdos training since the lesser known mythological creatures were rarely discussed before that level. “I don’t know what’s keeping him,” I apologized. With that, Rocky winged across the tops of the few trees and landed a short distance from us. I noticed the look of delight on Tango’s face. “Would you like to go for a short flight on him?”

      “That would be wonderful but maybe some other time,” Tango searched my face. “You are clearly no middle level Mage. I think I may have even seen you in the Games. Which means you have a purpose for coming here to see me.”

      “Actually, no. I didn’t think anyone had a demesne in Oblito anymore. I was passing by to the Edge when I saw your yurt.”

      “The Edge? Why would you want to go to the Edge, especially out here?”

      I considered my options for which levels of truth I was willing to share. Something about this young woman made her seem very trustworthy. “My techs found Mage activity just off the Grid above here. I came to search out the source. Was it you by any chance?”

      Tango shook her head and her parka hood fell back off her head. I noticed that she was already getting some grey in her hair, a strange occurrence among the Inuit. “I have no interest in anything much beyond my yurt. I am happy with my dogs and my Na’nuk. We have what we need.” She gestured to a cleared spot in the ice where a fishing pole line descended into the waters below. I hadn’t noticed it until now.

      “Have you felt any disturbances in the energy fields?” This was a leading question since only a handful of people, other than the highest ranking Mages, could feel or hear the hum of the energy fields of the Grid. Tango just shook her head again.

      Just then I noticed Rocky dancing on the ice out of the corner of my eye. “Oh no, Rocky. I’m so sorry. Why don’t you go home and I’ll find another way back.” The giant eagle surveyed me with one eye and then lifted from the ground with a soft groan. He circled once, then dipped a wing and took a course straight for Hargrove Holding. I turned back to Tango and noticed a strange shimmer for a quick moment. Looking right at her, I could see nothing unusual but as I turned my head slowly back to seemingly watch Rocky speed away, I again noticed the same effect about her. She was using a strong glamor but I couldn’t fathom why she would need to do so. Many of us chose to take on a slightly different appearance in the Game: to look younger, stronger or more formidable, but this was different somehow. I chose to ignore it. I was already working on one mystery and didn’t need a second one to distract me. Let her have the countenance she chose to present.

      “So, it seems I must head out on foot. Other than the winds and the cold, is there anything I should know about the terrain? I have never traveled this far north before.”

      Tango had obviously tensed in the previous moments and now visibly relaxed. Somehow she knew that I had chosen to accept her as she appeared. “Just the bears. And maybe a lone wolf or two. But if you talk with Na’nuk first, I’m sure he will grant you safe passage. He may even agree to provide you with some seal meat or whale blubber to stave off any hunger on your journey.”

      “Sounds like someone I should meet then. Where would I find this Na’nuk?”