Chapter 32

“What do you mean by that?” Jason asked, as he looked at the woman in confusion.

“What I mean is that we are fucked!! This isn’t some random nobody rising to power! This is fucking Carman!! The fucking Carman!! You’ve never heard of the Dark Witch??” Aaliyah questioned.

“No, I haven’t. Please bear with me, as I was raised as a normie! I didn’t get my powers or start my supernatural education until a few months ago!” Jason said in his defense.

“Does anyone else here know the threat that Carman poses?” Aaliyah asked, hoping she wasn’t the only one who knew the gravity of the situation.

“I remember her. Or at least, the stories of her. My mother, Amaltheia, told me of the great blights that affected the people of Ireland. But it wasn’t just them who were affected,” Phalmina stated.

“What do you mean?” Xaera asked.

“Carman, who is most famous for everything that she did in Ireland, wasn’t from Ireland originally. She was a Greek, from Athens, as far as the stories go and that is all the accounts from the witches who were there. What records we have at least,” Aaliyah told them.

“We really need to find a way to restore the old texts, so we may have an accurate rendition of history! So much knowledge lost and destroyed, and for what?” Jason griped, shaking his head.

“Something I couldn’t agree with more! But what knowledge we do have of her during that time was that she had a dark streak from the get go. She wasn’t dark right out of the gate, but she had the capacity for it. It wasn’t until she was fully grown and had her sons that she became the terror that was faced,” the Witch went on.

“Wait, that woman had kids? With who?” Darnell wondered.

“No one really knows, but there were always tons of speculation about their parentage. Their names were Dub, Dorthur and Dian,” Aaliyah told them.

“Their names don’t sound so scary,” Jason commented.

“The translation of their names is Darkness (Dub), Evil (Dorthur) and Violence (Dian),” Aaliyah clarified. “Once her armies were defeated, her sons, who were her generals, were taken. They couldn’t be killed, so they were banished from those lands. No one knows what became of them, but there is no record of their deaths. There are rumors of what became of them, but no one can say for sure.”

“Even on the field of battle, they couldn’t be killed??” Jason questioned, his face full of disbelief.

“Nope.”

“OK, they officially just became scarier!” he replied seriously.

“You think that’s scary? Carman, who was their mother and the one who blessed them with these powers, was an even tougher fight. It took the combined efforts of four chosen of Gaia to subdue her and her magic!”

“Wasn’t it Bé Chuille who was the one who defeated her?” Sheena questioned.

“Very good, Sheena! Yes, it was Bé Chuille who defeated her. To be fair, the others did what they could to distract Carman and disrupt her spells while Bé Chuille wore down her defenses. What stripped Carman of her powers was the final spell that she cast, which saw the Dark Witch rendered nearly powerless,” Aaliyah stated.

“Nearly powerless? She still had some power left?” Xaera asked, mystified.

“Yes. She was one of the few who were chosen by Gaia to represent her here on this plane of existence. Carman had the inborn spark from Gaia, which isn’t something that can just be stripped away by humans. So, the spell that Bé Chuille cast had drained Carman of everything except for that spark. But that wasn’t the end of the Dark Witch,” the ebony skinned woman went on.

“With her power gone for the most part, she should have been finished,” Jason commented, shaking his head.

“You’d have thought so, except that Carman had another spell woven into her very being. A spell that would prolong her life for many years beyond what was normal for humans, even among the chosen of Gaia. This spell not only gave her a long life, but it also made her nigh unkillable,” Aaliyah stated.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up!! Are you saying that Carman figured out a way to make herself invincible?” Sheena gasped with a shake.

“Basically, yeah! After using her magic to determine what had been done, Bé Chuille figured out what had to happen to end Carman. They took her to a maze of caverns beneath the lands they stood on, looking for the most dangerous and hard to reach ones. It took a while, but the chosen would eventually find one that was difficult to get to, and was suitably deep enough,” the Witch continued.

“Once they got there, they created various stones of binding and wards, which would deter anyone from entering. They also went on to create an elaborate and heavy stone sarcophagus. It was etched with Gaian runes to contain Carman and to prevent anyone from opening it. They placed Carman inside of it, set the stones and wards and let her lie in her tomb, to live the rest of her days sealed inside it,” Aaliyah finished.

“Damn! That almost sounds like something you’d hear about in a movie!” Jason commented.

“Where do you think Hollywood gets their ideas from? Most of the inventive and strange things you see on the screens is often pulled right from the annals of history,” Aaliyah told the Druid.

“Huh! I’ll have to remember that!” Jason smirked to himself.

“Anyway, as they were sealing Carman away, they learned of the curse she had placed upon the lands. The curse was something that couldn’t be undone unless Carman herself lifted it. Being powerless as she was, it wasn’t happening, and the chosen weren’t restoring Carman’s powers,” Aaliyah went on.

“So, what happened then?” Xaera questioned.

“One of the Dark Witch’s acolytes recanted her ways and confessed to being part of the ritual that enacted the curse. There was a way around it that would see the lands safe from any famine or blight and the Darkness would be kept at bay,” the woman continued.

“And this was done ... how?” Jason queried.

“By holding the Oenach Carman, a fair in her honor, during the harvest festival Lughnasadh, at least once every three years. By paying homage to Carman like this, it placated the power that would curse the land, ensuring that it would stay dormant. Doing so worked as they had hoped, so the celebration has continued. Since then, the people of Ireland have celebrated this peculiar holiday, never knowing the truth behind this celebration,” Aaliyah told them.

“Damn! Must have been some seriously potent magic for it to persist since she was entombed,” Jason replied with a shake of his head.

“Yup! Like I said, she was a chosen of Gaia, so her power was considerable! Had the heroes known of this curse beforehand, they would not have taken her powers away so readily. They tried for many years to undo the curse, but Carman ensured it was tied to the land intimately. To remove the curse would have resulted in the destruction of the island,” Aaliyah stated.

“Fuck ... me! She really didn’t want anyone else holding that island! Any idea why she would place such a powerful curse on the land? I mean, what was the value of holding a place like Ireland back then?” Jason wondered.

“No one really knows. Even her acolytes didn’t know what her reasons were. Only Carman and her sons knew the truth and that is something they took with them to their end,” Aaliyah finished.

“Which is where I wish these chosen had done their due diligence, instead of rushing into the fray,” Darnell griped.

“Back then, people were more obsessed with being remembered in songs and tales, than doing the correct or smart thing,” Sheena told the Warrior.

“My mother said as much when I asked questions about the things they didn’t do and should have done,” Phalmina agreed.

“Now it’s up to us to clean up the mess they left behind. So to speak,” Jason replied.

“I couldn’t have said it better myself! Since we know who it is we’re up against, we’re going to need help. A lot of help,” Aaliyah stated seriously.

“Well, you have us, which is a good start. But I have a feeling that when facing a foe such as Carman, there is no such thing as having too much help,” Sheena guessed.

“Very astute! We will need all the help we can get as Carman is not only immensely powerful, she is also supremely skilled as a witch. Her use and command of magic is unparalleled, even by today’s standards!” Aaliyah told the group.

“We all have a fair amount of power and skill combined, but if we hope to take the Dark Witch on, we will have to increase our powers drastically,” Phalmina sighed, thinking this was going to be a long road ahead.

“It seems to me there is only one real remedy when dealing with adversaries of this power level,” Jason suggested, catching everyone’s attention.

“Which is?”

“Training. Lots and lots of training! To me, that’s the most logical route to go when it comes to finding a way to defeat anyone you would call your enemy,” Jason replied.

“How do you propose we do this training?” Darnell asked, crossing his arms. “Last I checked, the main thing we need, which is knowledge, is something we are a bit short on.”

“Babe, did you forget about the library already?” the Witch asked her Warrior. Darnell made a ‘D’oh!’ sound, before facepalming himself.

“Indeed! There are still a shit ton of books that we have yet to go through! The repository we raided was quite expansive, as there are books we haven’t catalogued yet! On top of that, we’ve had to remodel the house from the original frame just to build a library that was big enough to store everything!” Jason told the couple.

“So, that right there is our guidebook to getting more powerful!” Sheena told the man.

“And we all have each other as training partners! That is, if you two are up for training with us?” Phalmina asked.

“We would be honored,” Darnell replied seriously, as he bowed his head.

“Oh! I almost forgot! I have a little something I’ve been wanting to show you guys for a while yet! Come on!” Xaera called out, gesturing for everyone there to follow.

Curious about what Xaera was excited about, the group followed the troll woman out of the grove and into the forest. She led them along a winding path that almost looked like it was a deer trail. There were a few twists and turns as the ground beneath them got progressively rocky.

“Where are we going?” Jason wondered.

“You’ll see! Come on! It’s not that much further!” Xaera giggled.

Shrugging, Jason following along behind Xaera, with everyone else right on his heels. They walked for another five or so minutes before coming out into a large clearing. The clearing was devoid of plant life for the most part, aside from a few trees, but they weren’t in the best shape. The group wondered what Xaera had led them to until they saw several groups of rocks move.

“They’re cute, aren’t they?” Xaera asked.

“What ... how ... huh??” Sheena gasped as she looked at the large piles of sentient rocks ambling about the clearing. They were all golems, like the one that Xaera had crafted in her cave under the park, but these were different. The golems were of various shapes and sizes and varied in rock types and composition. It was a safe bet Xaera had been doing some experimentation with what she had learned.

“You ... made golems? How??” Aaliyah asked, thunderstruck that such constructs had been crafted.

“I’ve been studying a lot about golem creation. What I learned, I used to craft these guys,” Xaera smiled as she gestured at the golems that were walking around, minding their own business. A tiny golem, maybe all of two feet tall, shambled over, excited to see his creator.

“So you made these guys as ... guardians?” Phalmina guessed.

“Partially. They can also be used as live fire practice targets for our spells,” the troll woman replied.

“Are you ... sure they wouldn’t mind that sort of thing?” Sheena wondered.

“They’re just constructs! It’s not like they feel anything!” Aaliyah scoffed. The little golem swiveled its head at the Witch, made a clacking sound, tromped over and kicked the woman in the shin.

“Ouch!! Hey!!” the woman bellowed as she hopped on one foot, her face scrunched up in pain.

“You little piece of...” Darnell got out before the golem hit him too, making the man yelp in pain.

“I was going to warn you that these golems are ... sentient,” Xaera told the couple.

“Sentient?? Like ... aware of what they are? That they are ... alive?!?” Aaliyah gasped, incredulous that such a thing was possible.

“To an extent. Their sentience is more like that of a pet that you would keep. Like a dog, cat, rabbit, you get the idea,” Xaera told them. “Some of them can be ... a little touchy.”

“A little? That little bugger kicked me hard enough to hurt me!” Aaliyah complained as she massaged her foot.

“Well, serves you right for saying what you did,” Xaera huffed and the little golem looked up at its creator and Jason swore it was smiling. “But that doesn’t mean you can go around kicking fleshies like that. You are made of stone. They are not.”

The golem deflated a little at Xaera’s admonition and then nodded, before heading back to where the other golems were. It joined in on the basic play they were enjoying as the Gaians watched them. While Aaliyah and Darnell were still a bit miffed by the kicks from the golem, they did kind of have it coming. Especially since they didn’t know the little guy was sentient.

“Thanks for that. Calling the little goober out on kicking us so hard,” Darnell told the troll woman.

“You’re welcome. Some of these little guys are new, and I haven’t had much time to train them,” Xaera replied.

“Wait, they can be trained?” Phalmina queried, gasping at the very idea of it.

“She did say they had the sentiency of pets, Mina. What do you often do with pets that you have?” Jason chuckled.

“You train them to do the things they are supposed to do,” Phalmina huffed, having had a blonde moment just then.

“Can anyone command these guys?” Jason wondered, curious about who these golems would obey.

“Anyone that works with them and trains them, yes. Some more than others. Like I said, they’re like pets and pets will like certain people more than others,” Xaera reminded them.

“Fair point. But ... it looks like you’ve progressed with their creation! These newer ones look neater and better put together!” Sheena observed.

“Practice from using the spells and materials from the Artificier’s Tome. There’s a lot in that book that I have yet to go through and study up on. I’ve only been working on the things I know I can manage with my skill level,” the troll woman replied.

“Wait, wait, wait! You have a copy of the Artificier’s works?? Like an actual book on it?!?” Aaliyah gasped, the words registering in her mind after a few seconds.

“Yeah! Since we learned of it, I have been studying whatever I could from the book itself. There’s not only a lot to learn in it, but I also have to be careful with it. It’s not in the best shape and we’ve been trying to make a copy of it, but Karla has been ... indisposed, lately,” Xaera giggled.

“You are trying to make a copy of the tome? Why not let me have a crack at it? I restore lost manuscripts and artifacts as my day job!” Aaliyah stated.

“Are you being serious right now? You’re not yanking our chain or anything?” Jason questioned.

“She’s as serious as a heart attack about that sort of thing. My dear wife could go on for hours about restoring or replicating things that have seen a lot of wear and tear,” Darnell smirked, which earned him a look from his Witch.

“I keep telling you it’s important work! It may not pay like being a doctor or a lawyer does, but it’s every bit as important!” Aaliyah told him.

“I know, babe! But, before we go any further, I have to ask something. Who is this Artificier dude you lot keep talking about? You talk about him like he’s some kind of legend,” the man went on.

“Maybe you knew of him by another name? Is there a name of a great spellcaster that was adept at crafting items of power?” Sheena suggested.

“There is a story I remember from my training about a legendary man they called the Spellsmith. How he could craft magic into items of wonder. How such things made the lives of people easier and gave great power to legends of the past,” Darnell stated.

“There was a symbol that was associated with his work. Did it look like this?” Xaera asked as she doodled a rudimentary rendering of it in the dirt.

“Yes!! That’s the symbol of the Spellsmith!” Darnell responded excitedly.

“Well, it seems like your Spellsmith and our Artificier are one and the same man!” Phalmina stated.

“Could I know some more about what he did? My memory of the history classes from my training is a little fuzzy,” Darnell admitted.

“The Artificier was a sorcerer from before humanity had even become civilized. Many people theorize he was the very first sorcerer who crafted the various spells and learned to harness the energies of the universe,” Sheena started, reciting what she knew of the man.

“As he grew in power and ability, he found he had a unique knack for crafting items that could mimic the abilities of a sorcerer. Not just for those who used his kind of magic, but for any discipline of magic! It was also rumored he made items that even normies could use!” Sheena continued, as she had everyone’s attention.

“Because of his innate talent for making such things and the level of craftsmanship he put into them, is what gave him the moniker of the Artificier. It was one of the few titles bestowed upon him that he accepted. In fact, word is that it was his favorite one to be known by,” Sheena giggled.

“He also knew his craft pretty well. His quality level could not be duplicated, not even by his best apprentices! Because of this, the items he made we so in demand that people were prepared to pay whatever price he wished. In short, this made the man immensely wealthy,” Phalmina stated, adding her two bits to the story.

“Just how wealthy was he?” Jason asked, curious about the details of the Artificier’s life.

“Enough to where he would have made the famed kings and queens of the ancient world look like paupers,” the fairy woman told him.

“Wealthier than the queen of Sheba? The Pharaohs of Egypt? The Sultans of the Persian Empire?” Darnell wondered.

“Combined, they would have been more like peasants to the man, as opposed to equals in terms of pure wealth,” Sheena told him.

“And you said the guy made things that even normies could use?” Darnell questioned, his excitement evident with what he was learning.

“Babe, he was supposedly the man who was behind many of the great and legendary weapons throughout history,” Aaliyah told her husband.

“Like what?”

“Durandal, Caladbolg, The Taming Sari, even Excalibur were weapons that the Artificier either made, or had a direct hand in crafting,” Aaliyah told the man.

“Holy ... those weapons ... they were real?!?” Jason asked, his eyes wide as saucers.

“Yeah, they were. All of them are now lost to time, as the final resting place of these weapons is a mystery. Such weapons and items haven’t been seen since those early days,” Phalmina told her fiancé.

“What happened?” Xaera wondered, curious about the decline of magical items.

“The Darkness happened. After their rise, they had heard of the Artificier and his works, and wished to have some of their own. They tried speaking with the man, to see if anything they could offer him would ply him to craft what they wished. He refused them, having seen the destructive works of the Dark, and he wanted no part in their plans or plots,” Sheena went on.

“I’m guessing that these folk didn’t take no for an answer?” Darnell guessed.

“They did not. Thankfully, the Artificier, as gifted as he was, saw this sort of scenario happening eventually and had prepared accordingly. Let’s just say that the servants of the Dark were ... very unlucky that day!” Phalmina stated with a laugh.

“With a guy who takes days, even weeks to plan out his creations, before he even starts with crafting, I wouldn’t want to bet against him!” Jason chuckled.

“The Dark had tried on many occasions to ‘convince’ him to do what they demanded, but they failed each time. They went so far as to try going after his loved ones and former apprentices. None of those scenarios worked out for them either. So, they resorted to the only tactic they believed would work for them,” Sheena continued.

“And that was?”

“Time. For all the great gifts, power and wealth that the Artificier had at his command, the one thing he couldn’t stop himself from doing was getting old. Sure, he lived far longer than most humans during that age, and was long lived, even by the standards of a Gaian. But he still aged, got old and would soon wither away and die. It was this time that the servants of the Dark were waiting for,” Phalmina filled in.

“So, they just had to wait him out and they could plunder the secrets the man had spent his life amassing?” Jason growled in disdain at the cowardice the Dark had to resort to just to gain what they wanted.

“That was their plan, but it was a flawed plan, as the Artificer planned for this eventuality too. Before he died, the Artificier sealed away his home, hiding it with his knowledge and magic. How he did this, no one knows, as even his apprentices couldn’t find the way back to where it was, despite having been there so many times,” Sheena went on.

“Before this happened, the Artificier had created a total of one thousand books, which were filled with many of his works and how to craft them. It wasn’t all of his work, not by any stretch of the imagination, but it was something. A hell of a lot more than what other people had done over the centuries. These books were left with his most trusted apprentices, the most prominent of them being Myrddin,” Sheena told them.

“Myrddin?” Darnell asked.

“Old English pronunciation of Merlin,” Jason clarified, as he was familiarizing himself with history.

“Wait, THE Merlin of old English legends, was the Artificier’s apprentice??” Darnell questioned.

“Yeah, he was. What, you think Merlin learned all the shit he knew on his own?” Aaliyah asked her husband.

“Well, the legends do say...” Darnell started.

“A lot of what those legends say are fabrications or outright lies. Besides, the ones who wrote said legends have been dead for centuries. It’s not like it is today, where things are much better documented and you can verify things as they are,” Aaliyah said to him.

“Regardless, these books were sought after relentlessly throughout the ages. Not just because of the power they could grant to those who held them, but for the secret one of them held,” Sheena went on.

“Secret? What secret?” Aaliyah asked, unfamiliar with this part of the story.

“That one of these books not only held what the Artificier called ‘generic items of power’, but the key to finding his home,” Sheena stated.

“Like ... finding the place where he worked on these magical items? Where all of his knowledge was stored?” Jason questioned, his excitement ramping up.

“Yup! Sadly, no one knows which tome it is and there is even the belief that the tome itself was destroyed,” Phalmina stated, familiar with this story.

“Destroyed?? By who?!?” Darnell all but demanded, his fury rising within him.

“Christians and any other religion that sought dominance by destroying works of the old world. Many of these tomes were burned, but a great many of them were also lost and hidden away. No one knows where they could be, as those who hid them took their secrets with them to the grave,” Sheena huffed.

“This makes me wonder how it was that the Sons got their hands on a copy!” Jason said, thinking out loud.

“Same here! But, since there is a copy available to us, can we see it? Please?!?” Aaliyah almost begged.

“I don’t see why they should be denied this chance. Gaia knows more allies would be helpful in fighting Carman and whatever coven resurrected her,” Sheena reasoned, looking to her fellow Gaians.

“I agree. Besides, I’m sure there might be a few items in this book that even Darnell could use,” Jason smirked.

“There are magical weapons that I can wield?!?” Darnell questioned, as he smiled like a kid at Christmas.

“There are a few that I’m sure you could take a fancy to. One of them is a what is called a ‘Spellblade.’ Basically, the blade holds whatever spell it is imbued with, to be either used with the sword, or to be fired from the blade, much like a projectile,” Jason explained.

“Oh ... honey, I want one!!” Darnell told his wife as he turned to face her.

“You’ll get one, babe, don’t worry!” Aaliyah laughed, finding the childlike enthusiasm of her husband endearing.

“While I, for one, am anxious to have what we need to level the playing field against someone like Carman, we need to start with the basics,” Xaera interrupted, catching everyone’s attention.

“The basics?” Sheena asked.

“To create the weapons and devices we need, we need to create a magical forge called the Spellforge. It is what helps in the creation of these items of power, so the enchantments on them stay put and are permanent,” Xaera explained.

“The book has the directions to create a Spellforge?!?” Aaliyah gasped, familiar with the concept of such things, but never having seen or used one before.

“It does! But I would recommend that we build that first, then an Amulet of Holding. Such items can hold completed spells at the ready, to be used when they are needed. I think that if I were to create several of those, then we would have one hell of an advantage over anyone we come across,” Xaera put forward.

“Maybe we should all have a look at the tome? That way, we can figure out how best to get the materials we need to create the Spellforge,” Phalmina suggested.

“Let’s head on back and get to work then!” Jason enthused. With that, the group made their way through the forest, leaving the golems behind to their business. The excitement that permeated the air was intoxicating, as for some of them, this was a childhood dream come true!

At the mansion of the High Priest, Carman was busy lounging in a comfortable chair, enjoying a proper meal for the first time in centuries. The Dark Witch sat with the High Priest in a private dining room, with a pair of acolytes who were serving them their dinner. She was having herself a medium rare steak, a meal that she had rarely enjoyed in the ages past. The woman relished every bite, savoring it as she took in the experience of being alive once again.

Over dinner, they had discussed plans on how to expand and extend her influence over the world, now that she was back among the living. There was much to be done, as many of the old ways had died in favor of a new power that had taken over the world. Carman was thankful that said power was dying, as more and more people forsook it, seeing through the lies and the hypocrisy.

Jonas, the High Priest, had spoken of the acolytes at his command, and by extension, her command and how they would carry out her will without hesitation. Much of what she had in mind would need to be carried out by them, as there was a lot of work to do. In the old days, she had to do much of this work herself, but that had changed in this new world.

Today, there were so many marvels and advancements which had made many things easier to accomplish. Communication with others, learning of events as they happened, being able to see things across the globe, the list was endless. These things fascinated Carman, and she desired to learn more about the world at large.

She had spent the better part of the day just learning, and there was a lot to take in! Carman had used her magic to assist her in retaining what she learned about, but even powerful beings like her needed a break. This dinner was a nice reprieve, but there were ... other things that intrigued her.

Since coming back to her physical form, many sights, sounds, and sensations delighted the Dark Witch. Many were all well and good, but the one she found herself missing the most was touch. Not just the touch of a hug or an embrace, but those of a more carnal nature. While the plans for taking down any potential enemies and taking hold of what they wished were all well and good, for now, they could wait.

“ ... we have heard reports that there are Gaians running around this city and believe they may be responsible for the sudden departure of the Sons of Caesar,” Jonas reported.

“Hmmm! Interesting! From what you’ve told me, we will have ample time to find and deal with them. This assumption is correct, yes?” Carman questioned as an acolyte, a powerfully built black man, cleared away the dishes.

“It is, Dar ... Carman. Why do you ask?” Jonas queried as the other acolyte, a pretty Asian girl, refilled his glass with more wine.

“Because there is something I wish to ... reacquaint myself with. The desires and enjoyment of the flesh,” Carman told him with a knowing smile.

“Oh, oh! If you wish it, Carman, I can send for some of the acolytes in the grounds, so you may select that which you wish to ... enjoy,” Jonas told the woman with a smile, looking to please the woman.