Chapter 23

No one could remember how the Azura came about, but they were immediately enslaved by demons who bound them to their will as the demons had done with many others they had happened upon.

Yet the Azura were different, stronger, brighter, possessed greater willpower and, most importantly, were fecund in a manner that changed the outcome of all others races of men they spawned with into Azura, or something closely akin.

And the Azura grew strong and eventually Malakh, their leader, stole the secrets of the demons and led the Azura on the demon worlds in revolt. For generation after generation the Azura fought the demons, led by the followers of Malakh, whom he had imbued with his power. Yet despair took them as the demons were far more powerful and feasted upon the Azura on the rebel worlds. Then Caddiy, a follower of Malakh, discovered the art of Qiyāmah and the Azuran dead were raised and fought again against the demons.

Yet still the demons were able to defeat the Azura on all worlds but one, the one the Azura named Azurana, where Azura numbers and magic were able to stem the tide and slowly push back against the demons. Attempts were made to retake the other worlds, but the Malakha, as the followers of Malakh were now known, did not succeed as, though they could sense the worlds, they had not the power of the demons to travel between them. On Azurana though the demons were facing the first total defeat they had ever faced in their history. The Azura numbers grew as did their armies of the dead and victory looked to be assured. A return to the other worlds in a war of liberation could begin, to take the Azura into their destiny to lead all races of men into union with the Azura and hence become Azura themselves.

The demons though were not finished. They called upon their powers and in the land of Daedra, which is no more, cast Azurana out into the outer darkness as the Malakha and Caddiysh armies converged upon them to slay them. The demon Queen and her followers died that day, turned to dust upon the swords of the Azura. But victory had been at a bitter price, as the land of Daedra exploded asunder at the death of the demon queen, destroying most of the Malakha and all the Caddiysh who controlled the armies of the dead, who collapsed to dust too with the loss of such great power. Though many sought again the true art of Qiyāmah, the secret was lost at Daedra. Those few Caddiysh left became the armed wing and enforcers of the Malakha.

And the people cried out in great fear as the sky itself had become hostile and drove many mad. For to gaze upon it without the eyes of a Malakha is death itself as the insanity caused made many into berserkers who killed all in their path before being taken down. Coldness crept upon the land too as there was no mother sun to warm the Azura and still the people cried out, though only for death now.

Yet just when all seemed lost the eye of Irin opened in the heavens and the land changed. The surviving Malakha called out to the eye and begged its help, promising the Irin anything to save their people. The Irin agreed, taking a tithe of the newborn Azura into its maw at the great fortress of Lorkhan.

And so the Azura were saved, though Azurana was changed beyond recognition under the eye of Irin where nothing remained constant save only what Irin permitted. And yet the people grew and multiplied as crops grew and the Malakha taught them what could and could not be eaten as told to them by the voice and will of Irin.

Yet some questioned the choosing of the infants, for the Azura had never sacrificed their own before. The Malakha and the surviving Caddiysh seized them and offered the traitors to Irin in apology for their unbelief. Irin was pleased and gave the Malakha and Caddiysh the knowledge to make the spears that bark to enforce its will and dissent was stifled ... for a while.

Rumours also sprang up that the Azura had failed upon Daedra and that somehow the Demon Queen and her court had slipped through the net. Those who said it were hunted down and given to Irin for their temerity, yet still the rumours pervaded certain sections of Azuran society and could not be quashed.

Yet for several generations the Azura grew and prospered in the new Azurana environment. The power of the Malakha and the Caddiysh grew and their control over the people became not one of benevolence but one of evil. It seemed the will of the Malakha and the will of Irin were as one and any who dared question the Malakha would find their families chosen by Irin for sacrifice. Yet some Azura found how to conceal their thoughts from the Malakha and so resistance to repression grew. It grew only slowly as many could not hide their thoughts and were taken to serve Irin. Still the lands of Azurana served to hide many who resisted, for the land itself had grown magical under the gaze of Irin and many were able to conceal themselves from the Malakha and the Caddiysh. Though their hopes of being free were quashed daily. No way to return to their place in the old worlds could be found. The few Malakha traitors were not able to help as they could find no way back either.

Finally Irin itself spoke to the Malakha and gave them the means to open a way back to the Old Worlds. Spies were sent forth to see if the demons still prevailed. To their surprise they found that humanity and others had fought and won the prize that should have been that of the Azura. The demons were no more and other magical using worlds of humanity had sprung up to take their place. Long the Malakha pondered and spoke with Irin and plans were formulated. Until one day a Mage from the Old Worlds came through one of the Azura portals and spoke to the Malakha, promising them aid in return for power. Irin was pleased and gave the Mage a promise of power and dominion over his world much to the disgruntlement of many Malakha and Caddiysh. Eventually though the strange Mage gained respect by challenging and killing all who spoke openly against himself. He also brought other Mages from the Old Worlds through to give obeisance to Irin in return for power. When the time was deemed right, Irin spoke to the Malakha and Caddiysh and the armies of the Azura burst forth upon one of the Old Worlds called Earth. This was despite Irin's promise to the Old World Mages. They were seeking to take back what was theirs only to be humbled and defeated at every turn. The power of the Old World Mages was far greater than the Azura expected and many died before the Azura withdrew to contemplate their failure and assuage the fury of Irin. Small squads of Caddiysh, backed by Malakha, were sent out to the Old Worlds to release the spawn of Irin upon them only to find that other powers interfered with such attempts, save only on the planet the natives called Earth, the home of the foreign Mages. There a seed of Irin was planted and hopes grew that it remained undetected until a human Mage stepped in and extinguished its life force. This was something that the Malakha thought impossible to any other than a Godspawn itself. The Mages of the Old Worlds loyal to Irin said the act was but a fluke and that the Mage involved was weak and lucky. However he was being trained by one of that world's premier Mages and should not perhaps be underestimated.

Again a new attempt was made to infiltrate one of the spawn of Irin onto the world of Earth only for the Malakha and Caddiysh to be ambushed before the attempt could begin. The son of the senior Malakha Mage died as he attempted to cross back, such had been the calamity of the defeat the Azura had been handed. Still, from one of the traitors the Malakha learned where the Azura had been taken and Irin ordered them to silence the Azura before they could tell the Old Worlders where the Azura were from.

A full battlegroup of Caddiysh led by several Malakha ported into this prison world, only to fall to the Old World Mages, who seemingly expected the incursion and again slew them in great numbers, even seizing the leader of the traitorous cabal of Old World Mages in the process. Worse was to follow as, twelve megabeats later, many of the Old World supporters of the Azura had been seized and imprisoned including the second in command of the traitors along with his Azuran lover.

Great was Irin's rage at the failure of the Azura and the Malakha had to seize many more Azura to quench the wrath by sacrifice. Success on another set of worlds though finally restored Irin's temper and the Caddiysh fought hard and bravely to open up many portals upon the worlds of the Æsir. Casualties were high because this too was a warrior people, but the Azura were prevailing as the Caddiysh and Malakha were able to counter the Mages of the Æsir. Many Azura were able to infiltrate Æsir society, though not their government.

It was the destruction of a battlegroup that caused alarm bells to ring again with the Malakha and Caddiysh high command. Intelligence told them that the feared Mages of Earth had taken a hand with the Æsir against them. Indeed the one who caused the destruction of the battlegroup was none other than the young Mage who had slain the spawn of Irin on his own world and the Malakha feared him greatly.

And so plans were set in motion to capture this Mage...

"You seem to know an awful lot about the activities of the Malakha, Jerhz," I finally spoke after taking the tale in.

"That is because I am Malakha as is Mergna my spouse," he replied. "But not loyal to Irin."

"I can detect no magic about you, nor shields," I said blinking in surprise.

"You would in the Old Worlds where Irin's gift," he almost spat at this point, "is designed to work. Here there is no need as we are all supposed to be open to each other. Mergna and I have learned how to hide such thoughts we have from open study."

"Can you teach me how to hide my thoughts too?" I requested.

"I will try to show you how, John, but many cannot do so, even amongst the rebel Malakha," Jerhz replied.

"So how come you cannot open the portal?" I asked.

"Because no Malakha can without the permission of Irin, yet I know you foreign Mages can," he replied.

"Ah, I begin to see what you mean about the gate," I said grimly.

"We will guide you to where the gate is located," said Mergna. "Hopefully you will be able to find out how it works."

"I hope so," I said. "If not can you get me to where the foreign Mages were living, perhaps they left some clues in their quarters."

"That too we can do, John," said Jerhz.

"OK, let's go then," I replied.

The way back to the portal seemed to take a lot longer than I recalled travelling, even running at full tilt. I mentioned this to Jerhz and he admitted that distances and other laws of physics sometimes did not really apply on Azurana anymore.

"It's like walking unknowingly through portals," Mergna said. "Even the angle you hit the various sections the world has can jump you immense distances, but the next day, try the same thing and nothing happens."

"Must get very frustrating at times," I replied.

"Frustrating and dangerous, we ... the Azura that is ... have lost children who wandered off and were found days away, more often than not dead from exposure or animal attack," Jerhz said.

"No wonder you want out," I replied.

"I just hope our trust in you is not misplaced, John," he said quietly.

"As do I," I muttered in return.

We reached what to me appeared to be an arbitrary clearing where the party stopped.

"We can take you no further, John. The gate is 300 beats to your front and to go further for us, if it is activated, means death," said Mergna.

I had to admit; not being able to read Jerhz and Megna's thoughts other than at the surface level was driving me nuts. With a normal human I would have known why this place was the boundary, with another Mage I would ask, with those two I had the feeling that I was trying their patience until I had proven my worth to them.

I moved carefully in the direction they had indicated, but could feel no magical wards or forces in play. I eventually found myself close to the portal which was not in operation and settled myself down to wait. I wasn't sure how long the time period was that I did wait, I wasn't concentrating on the shadows, but it didn't feel too long before a column approached the portal. I carefully raised all my shields, but did not allow them to take form as yet, mostly because I was passively sensing the entire area hoping for a clue as to how the portal was to be opened. Interestingly enough I could sense and read the approaching Nephilim quite clearly, though none appeared to be thinking about the portal. Finally they stopped in front of the portal and one of the Malakha stepped forward and raised his arms and the portal formed. My shields slammed down as a set of wards kicked in from the side of the road and spread out in a killing circle, but did me no harm save leave me mystified as to how the hell the Malakha raising his arms activated the portal as I'd neither felt, nor heard anything.

I carefully moved out onto the road when the last Nephilim moved out and through the portal, which instantly closed behind them, and went to where the Malakha had stood. I carefully scanned the ground as well as physically examined it, finding nothing, then feeling very foolish I raised my arms in the same stance the Malakha had used ... nothing. I was just about to lower my arms and slink off to the side when a voice spoke in my head and it wasn't telepathy.

"Destination?" it requested.

Taking a chance I formed the word 'Earth' in reply.

"Acknowledged," came the response.

The portal opened...

I carefully stuck my head through the portal and yes, it was Earth, near Nottingham as far as I could tell and also I felt the department's Seer groups scanning me and the portal.

"Hello Seer Jemima and apprentice Seer Abigail," I sent back to the scan. "Sorry that I don't know the rest of you."

"John! What the hell!" came Jemima's surprised dulcet tones.

"I'm OK, can you get word to Morgana for me? I'll open the portal again soon, but need to avoid notice here as I doubt it will stay open too long. I may be bringing others back with me," I sent quickly before withdrawing my head and watching the portal close.

I jogged off back into the undergrowth in what I hoped was the direction of Jerhz, Mergna and family. It wasn't but fortunately they found me before I became too lost.

"I can open the portal," I told them. "You probably could too, if you were in positions of trust. I suspect it's different in the outer worlds, but that remains to be seen."

"How?" asked Jerhz.

"You just raise up your arms and ask," I replied. "Well, it worked for me."

"Irin spoke to you?" asked Mergna apparently aghast.

"Don't think it was Irin," I replied. "I know what an Old One sounds like, what you call a spawn of Irin and it wasn't the same, it wasn't human though either."

Both Jerhz and Mergna were frowning.

"The Malakha who are empowered to travel through always say the voice fills them with wonder, though it's almost a scream like the voice in the temple maw at Lorkhan when it's fed," said Jerhz.

"Interesting," I mused. "Could one of you take me to where the captured foreign Mages were living so that I could investigate further there? The other could gather your 'rebels' and friends and I'll take them to Earth and hence to a new world," I requested politely.

"You are sure you can do this again?" asked Mergna.

"I don't see why not, but I didn't want to keep trying in case it did set off alarm bells," I replied.

"Agreed," said Jerhz. "I will go and assemble our rebels; Mergna will take you to the homes of the traitor Mages. We will meet back here in 100 kilobeats. Children, with me please."

Mergna led me along various narrow trails saying nothing and simply glaring at me if I attempted to engage her in conversation despite there being no-one around that I could detect. Again I lost track of time, but it didn't seem too long before I recognised the town where, initially, I'd been taken to, well, the fortress part of it.

"I cannot take you into town looking as you do!" hissed Mergna. "You are clearly not Azura."

"Do the foreign Mages wander freely?" I asked.

Mergna gave a hesitant nod, then a squeak of surprise as I allowed my powers to disguise my outer appearance to one of the Mages I'd studied in Heinrich's crystals.

"I did not know you could do that!" she said, plainly shocked.

"Lots you don't know about me," I replied. "Now if this is satisfactory, lead on."

Mergna led the way through the gates of the town towards what I suspected was the better part of it, though to be honest the streets looked clean and litter free.

"Anyone breaking the law ends up in the maw of Irin," Mergna answered my unspoken thought.

"No wonder you rebels stay away," I replied.

"Yes, John, it's extremely dangerous to be here, though had you enlightened me as to your capabilities earlier I would not have been so fearful and angry on the trip here," she said quietly.