Page 9

I looked at the surrounding tundra. It was beautiful in a way. The frozen, glittering ground and the sunlight dancing across the crystals. Still I longed for greenery, for life. I may not remember my travel through the tundra, yet I was still sick of it.

“I always loved the tundra. My High temple was about 27 miles east of here. There is so much death in winter, and it is always winter here.” Mana stated, regarding the wasteland around us.

“What will happen when I die Mana? As  goddess of death you would know right?” Mana looked at me seriously. 

“All I can say is that a god or goddess will gather your soul. That is, unless a necromancer interferes. Other than that, I can not describe the afterlife. Not even my first master was able to make me budge on this Richard, so do not try.” She said fervently. 

“Calm down Mana, I won’t push. Well, I plan to go back to warmer climates, and I assume you are coming with me.” Mana looked overjoyed at this.

“Teach me about necromancy while I walk please, it will be a boring journey otherwise.”

“Of course Richard.”

The journey through the tundra took about 4 months. I was very slow, relying heavily on Mana to support me. Apparently I was so close to death that I was only operating now because Mana was animating the majority of my body with necromancy. I was not sure how I felt about this, it meant I was mostly dead, and I resolved that as soon as possible I would seek out a priest and get healed. If I could find one I could trust. Having Mana at my command elevated me to a different playing field than most mortals.

I rarely delved into Mana’s past. While she happily told me of her “kind” masters, it wrenched my heart whenever I reminded her of the “mean” ones. The poor woman, I had trouble thinking of her as a deity or a staff, was truly traumatized and broken. Over the months she slowly lowered the shield between us, and I could feel the depth of her damaged psyche. I resolved to try to heal her, but knew that many before me would have done the same. 

My training in necromancy went very smoothly. I had resolved not to use Mana’s power unless absolutely necessary, to the point that I commanded Mana to use her best judgement and not consult with me.

I had come to trust that she truly wished to serve me, especially after I made my command. It was not out of compassion for her actually, I never actually got that far in my internal debate to consider how she would feel about the matter.

No, it was a matter of pride. I have my own power, and it is beneath me to rely on someone else. That does not mean I will refuse to use Mana’s immense might, I knew that someday there may be no other choice, but for now I am content just to pick her brain.

The final curiosity I encountered was how the mind meld worked. At first I worried that I would wind up as some sort of demigod trapped in a mortal shell, as my mind and hers melded into one. In reality it was more like our thoughts bled over into each other.

I quickly learned how to keep my thoughts to myself, just like she could, and how to look into her mind if I really needed to. I only forced my way in once, after I reminded her of an especially painful memory and I had to go in to pull her out. I try not to think of what I saw.

I had made up my mind of what to do when we finally reached the forests bordering the tundra.

Page 8

I almost said I was glad she survived. It as a reflex thing, something the common man says to another. But then I realized that I would not have spent the last 6 years of torment if it was not for her. I did not blame her for it, yet, but I was not glad about it either. I would have to reconcile  my feelings on this later. I just kept rubbing the staff, she liked it and it cost me nothing.

As if in response to this thought a wave of remorse flowed through me. It came with a sense of otherness, like the exuberance I felt earlier. I grew suspicious.

Reacting to my suspicions, proving them true, Mana´s expression grew guilty.

“You are right Ma- Richard. Our minds were linked when you claimed me. Since it is a difficult transition I have been shielding you from my mind as much as I can. As you can feel, strong emotions leak through.” The sadness and remorse did not go away, but fear began to creep in.

“Please don’t hate me Master, I promise never to betray you. I only did not mention it yet because you were already busy coming to grip with other things!” She cried out. I sighed, this girl really was desperate for companionship if she worried over what was not her fault.

She blushed at this.

“Honestly I do not mind. It was considerate of you to shield me though, it would have been too much. How were you calling me before? I mean before I claimed you.

“It was a psychic call. Any well trained magician can manage it. It is odd that a necromancer of your capability does not know the spell. In fact you do not seem like a necromancer at all, yet you are one.” She replied, puzzlement clear on her face. I mirrored it.

“Again you call me a necromancer.” I paused, thinking things through. “Necromancy has been banned in civilized lands for a very long time. As a child I displayed magical ability, but the magicians guild found no aptitude in the accepted circles of magic. Perhaps anyone who shows magical ability, yet the guild can not teach, are in fact necromancers. Or warlocks, for that circle is also banned.” Mana seemed to contemplate this for a moment then nodded in agreement.

By this part of the conversation I had reached the exit of the temple. After a split decision I decided to keep on walking. It was an odd leap, as if I was nudged into it. Probably Mana doing her version of giving advice without interrupting the conversation. Shrugging I kept on walking.

So far she was very helpful, in a subtle way as well as the obvious. My legs were extremely shaky, even though I felt no discomfort, and whenever I slipped the staff somehow positioned itself so that it supported me. Couple that with shielding my mind of alien thoughts until I was ready, and soothing my pain, and her help was simply divine. 

I chuckled at that pun and Mana giggled.

Page 7

After some thought I decided that it did not matter.

“Mana, you do not need to call me Master all the time. It makes me uneasy, for I am fit to be the master of a goddess. Call me Richard.” As I said this I realized that I was giving her a command. I chuckled to myself. Look out moral gray area, here I come.

“Yes Richard.” She replied in a way that made my name sound like the word master. Not much of an improvement. I pick my battles though.

I turned from the mirror, tearing my gaze from my tormented body. I decided to explore the temple I found myself in. It was wondrous, the icy walls glittered and the transparent ceiling gathered the light of both the aurora and the staff to create a dazzling effect. This place felt holy.

It was not a large temple. It was carved from a large glacier, but inside the temple was little more than a shrine. There literally was just the corridor and the center chamber.

“Why were you placed in this temple?” I asked Mana, whose phantasm followed me as I explored. Despite the chains that bound her, she seemed to be ecstatic, just basking in her happiness as she followed me. I wondered how her mind had fared her binding after all these millennial. It was entirely possible that she needed a master now, not just chafed under one.

“My previous master was dying and did not have a successor he could trust with me. He had chosen to hide my identity from the world, like the previous 11 masters before him, and decided it would be best to hide me where no one would just happen to find me. He enchanted the dais I rested upon to call for a suitable necromancer who had the morality not to abuse my power. He reasoned that anyone who could not only hear the call, but answer it, would be both kind enough and strong enough to wield me.” She paused and stared at the temple around her, loss clear on her face.

“This is the last consecrated temple of my pantheon. It was dedicated to my sister, a deity of ice. We were very close. It was thanks to the remoteness of it’s location and the inhospitable nature of the tundra that it remains till this day.” Her face grew pained, and a tear formed in her eye. I caressed her again and moved on, after a moment her phantasm followed me.

This confused me. “How does a Pantheon die? I thought gods were eternal.” I asked her. I thought this would be an uncomfortable question, but curiosity demanded I ask anyway.

She did not appear bothered by the question, and instead took the persona of a teacher. “God’s are essentially eternal. Powerful magic can kill them, but that is rare. Their power can be stolen, as was the intent of my first master, and used by other beings to ascend. This is more common but also rare. More commonly, the worshipers of pantheon die or forget their gods, and the pantheon just fades away. That is what happened to my siblings. I also would have faded if it were not for my binding.” She smiled sadly.

Page 6

To say I looked worn from my travels was an understatement. My traveling cloak and the other clothes that came with it had worn away, leaving most of my skin exposed to the elements. Every single exposed piece of flesh, including that on my face, was black of frost bite.

I was as emaciated as the phantasm of Mana Genita was. Oddly I had long silver hair just like she did, which went well with my light blue eyes.

I stumbled in surprise, and was startled when the staff moved on it´s own to a position that could support me. It was not much of a move, only a few inches, but it was autonomous movement nonetheless. I looked over to Mana´s image and raised an eyebrow.

Eyes cast down submissively, she stammered. “Sorry Master, I know I am not supposed to do that. I do not mean to doubt you but you look so… fatigued. I swear I am just trying to aid you.” Worry crossed her face, like a child expecting to be punished.

I caressed the staff again, laughing weekly. “Oh I am not angry Mana. Just surprised. Honestly I am amazed I actually made it here. I grew up in a city, so I did not know how to hunt when I set off on my journey. Obviously my body is barely holding together. I am assuming that I am moving now only thanks to your power. It would explain the odd flexibility of my frozen fingers. How independent are you?” I asked the divine being I now clutched in my grasp.

Blushing again, Mana answered demurely. “As long as I act to serve my Master I can do whatever I wish. If it is in your best interests. Much of my binding relies on my own judgement to ensure I never rebel. If I think what I am about to do is a rebellion, I am prevented from doing it.” She explained softly.  
Her answer made me think. Part of me believed this was a load of bullshit. When I was a child I had been told stories of the great and mysterious powers of my world. Many that dealt with artifacts and the perpetual power struggle over them. Most powerful artifacts, ones of the scale of Mana Genita here, had sentience and their own agenda.

If she was lying to me, this was an odd way to go about it. Most malicious artifacts would hide that they had any free will at all. She said she retained it but was bound by a warped morality to serve her weilder. If it is true, it was an ingenious way for her first master to bind her into service. Even if you are as intelligent as a goddess, you can not trick yourself into freedom.

Page 5

“What are you Mana?” I asked after a long moment.

She looked at me shyly. “I am Mana Genita. My first master bound me to this staff long ago.” She shivered at the memory. “She was not a nice Master."

"Before she bound me I was a minor goddess of death and rebirth of a now long dead pantheon. She wished to augment her necromancy and use it to attain godhood for herself. She nearly succeeded. I tried to resist her, I truly did, but in the end she controlled me.” A haunting look upon her face. The expression you only see upon those reliving past horrors.”

“At the very last moment she was foiled by one of her apprentices, who lead an army to interrupt the ritual that would have granted my old master divinity. After that he found that I could not be released, so he endeavored to protect me from those who would abuse me.” She was obviously in pain from the memory so I caressed her again.

“So he brought you here?” I asked, trying to move her away from an obviously painful memory.

“Oh no Master, this was long before I was brought here.” She said, a smile back on her face. It was rather disconcerting how quickly her mood shifted.

“The apprentice founded a long line of keepers who protected and wielded me. I exchanged hands 42 times before the order became corrupt and I was once again claimed by a cruel master. That started another dark period, as I was used to wreak havoc upon the world." After a brief moment of silence, her eyes turned wild and her voice shrill and desperate.

"It was truly not my fault Master, you must believe me! I can but serve.” Once again I tried to comfort her.

“If it is painful you do not need to speak of it. I assume that although you are sentient, part of your makers binding was that you had to serve your master loyally.” I paused as the implications set in.

“Serve me loyally now. Until I die?” She nodded.

“Then of course none of what you were used for was your fault Mana.” I said tenderly. 

“Not all of my Masters would agree with you.” She replied softly. Sensing a need to change the subject, I shakily got to my feet, using the staff as support. As I did so I noticed a perfectly reflective segment of the wall in front of me, and looked upon myself. I grimaced.

Page 4

While embarrassing for me, my clumsiness seemed to overjoy her. Her smile lit the room (literally) and I could not help but smile with her. 

“So, Mana, the song was you?” I questioned. The song had started 5 years ago, the day after my 18th birthday. At first it just haunted my dreams, then I heard it whenever night fell. Eventually I could not resist it’s call anymore, sold all my possessions to buy traveling equipment, and set off to follow the song. My home was in the southernmost tip of the continent, a city called Davenport. 

I had walked all the way to the northern tundra, the song spurring me onward. Once I reached the tundra my memory was dark until I reached the temple. A complete void.

“No Master. The song was the call.” She corrected. Seeing my blank look she hurriedly continued, looking slightly anxious. “Long ago I was placed here by my previous master before he died. He enchanted the Dais so that it would call a new master to me. He promised that anyone who answered the call would be my master. And you did come Master! I have waited for so long!”

I was slowly becoming more alert, and began piecing together details. This woman was Mana Genita, who was actually the staff in my lap. The staff was a masterwork. Carved from what looked like bleached bone, it had such intricate runes engraved upon it’s length. It was 2 inches in diameter and seemed about 6 feet long. The light emanated from the runes, which made the staff scream enchanted artifact of untold power.

I looked back at the woman. The phantasm, not the woman. If the staff could do this, on it’s own volition, it must be extremely powerful. Ridiculously would be a more fitting word actually.

“I heard your voice towards the end.” A leading statement.

She blushed. “You were so close to both success and failure. No other had ever come so close that they could here me, so I had to call for you. I was so afraid you would also fail, that I would remain alone.” She seemed to shrink this time.

Having wised up by now I grasped the staff and rubbed my thumb against it’s smooth surface. How else does one hug a staff?

Well it was the right thing to do. She reacted to the touch, glowing in happiness (again literally). This girl was expressive.

“You are truly compassionate Master. I am glad.” She purred. The staff vibrated gently with the sound.

“What are you Mana?” I asked after a long moment.

Page 3

She ignored my shock and just gave that bright smile again.

“Oh Master this is just a phantasm so that you could speak to me. I truly appreciate your concern. You are truly a kind master, just as he promised to find me.” Her musical voice was quite pleasant and soothing, I decided, even if it was a bit loud. What she said just confused me more so I picked my next question. What little wisdom I had told me I better take this one thing at a time.

“OK, so you are just a phantasm. So where are you?” I asked completely bewildered.
She put her hand to her mouth and giggled girlishly, her eyes dancing. I noticed the light danced right along with them.

“Silly master, I am on your lap.” She said after a moment.

My lap? I looked down at the staff, and saw that the light it gave off. Then I made the connection. 

Beautiful woman’s eyes match light in chamber. Light in chamber matches light given off of staff. Beautiful woman says she is on my lap, but the staff is on my lap. Beautiful woman is staff?

Shaking my head, I decided to just ask.

“So you are the staff.” I said slowly, pausing between each word.

She giggled again. “Of course Master. What else would I be.” 

“Of course shes the staff Richard, stop being an idiot.” I mumbled to myself. 

“Oh Master you can not be an idiot. You heard the song, and managed to answer it, so you are most assuredly not an idiot.” She had leaned forward again, extremely close to my face. Sincere adoration showed in her expression. More than just adoration, love. This was so weird.

“And I became your master by answering the song and claiming you. I think I am insane.” I replied.
Her eyes became stricken.

“Oh no Master, you are not insane. I am so sorry if the song made you think you were. Your journey must have truly be horrible. Oh my Master, I swear that you will not regret it though.” She cried out. I saw glistening tears form at the corner of those beautiful eyes.

Unthinkingly I reached out to wipe the tears away,only to once again pass through her and nearly fall over. Managed to stay upright that time though.

Page 2

I am not sure how long I slept. To be honest I have not been able to keep track ever since I reached the tundra. So who knows that the year or season is.

Slowly I regained consciousness. I felt very strange. Not cold, yet I was not warm. Not pain either, then again I did not have that sense of healthiness. Numb would be the closest word to it, except you could feel numb. I felt… detached?

Opening my eyes, I was greeted to true beauty. The temple, not sure how I knew it was a temple, was completely made of ice, with the ceiling perfectly clear. The walls were crystal as well, only not clear, and light danced across them, funneled into the ceiling. Outside I could see the Aurora shining, mirroring the lights in the chamber. Or was it the other way around?

“Master you are awake!” The voice startled me. I recognized that it was the same voice that had been haunting me, but this time it was not in my head. I quickly sat up.

Sitting naked next to me, save for a pair of cruel manacles on her ankles and wrists along with an iron color, cross legged on the ice, was a woman. Blinking in amazement, I stammered.

“What…?” Her face brightened and she shifted into a kneeling position and leaned towards me until she was inches from my face.

“Oh Master, I am so glad you have finally arrived!” Her voice was uncomfortably loud, and really out of place in the sterile ice chamber.

It was then that I realized that the staff had somehow wound up across my lap. This information failed to compute so I focused on the woman who was calling me master and sitting naked in a freezing room.

The first thing I noticed was how painfully thin she was. I could see the ghost of beauty in her face and figure, but emaciation had replaced it. Her eyes shifted color like the light around me which was a quite beautiful effect, and her hair was long, silver, and looked oddly healthy when compared to the rest of her. The adoring smile on her face was breathtaking.

“Who are you?” I asked slowly, my voice a painful rasp. I leaned back from the overeager woman. 

Impossibly her smile grew.

“Oh Master, I am Mana Genita.” She replied. Her voice held the same musical quality of the song. I found it both unnerving and calming. That comparison made me realize that the song was muted. I was not sure if I considered that a blessing.

“Why are you calling me Master?” I asked, for it was the next important question on my mind.

“You claimed me. You heard the song and made the journey. When you laid your hand upon me I surrendered myself to you gladly. Oh Master I am so happy that you are here! I was so alone.” That last sentence chilled me. Her smile dissolved and she gave me a look so full of sorrow and need. I wanted to comfort her.

I reached out left hand, barely covered by what was left of my traveling gloves. My index finger was left exposed and had severe frostbite, but I found that I could move it as easily as the rest of my hand. 

I leaned over to her to try to bring her close in a half hug, and promptly fell over as I passed right through her.

Prologue

Shaking with exhaustion and anticipation, I approached the frozen temple ahead of me. My feet slipped on the ice, and the freezing cold assaulted my already frostbitten body. The call that brought me to this frozen hell had risen to a deafening volume, drowning out all but one thought. Come!

My withered form continued through the corridor of ice. I vaguely registered the glittering frozen walls around me but since all I had to do was walk straight forward I did not turn to look at them. Amazingly I did not fall, although I almost did several time. Slowly I made my way to the center chamber of the temple.

An obstacle rose in my path, closed doors. I noticed this passively, but never slowed and just walked through them. They slid open easily, so while I stumbled afterwards I was not injured (that I could feel, I am pretty numb by now). 

I did not pause after passing the doors and just continued onward until I reached a dais in the center. My body tried to step up upon it, but my foot caught and I went down, sprawled upon the ice. I was not getting up under my own power.

The pain of falling jarred me free of the calls hypnotic song, which was a mixed blessing. My body was my own again, which was a plus, but when I was walking mindlessly I did not feel the horrific pain that wracked my body. Not knowing what else to do, I just laid there, my faced squashed against the smooth floor, with my eyes closed.

Come to me! The voice called, the song raising in volume again. I responded with a dignified moan.
You are almost there. Come to me and I will soothe you. Come to me! The strange voice had a tint of desperation to it.

Moaning, I tried to get on my hands and knees to crawl forward. Slipping often, I eventually managed it, and raised my head to see what I was trying to reach.

There was a beautiful staff on a low pedestal in the middle of the dais. It looked to be made of carved bone. Grooves decorated the length of the staff, twisting into glowing green runes. 

Yes! Come to me. You are so close! The voice called again. I started crawling. Closer and closer. As I neared I felt a warmth spreading through me, and a strength. Before long I was at the staff and leaning back on my haunches to grab the staff.

Yes! Finally! Claim me Master! The voice cried out exulting. Anxiety suddenly filled me but I did not hesitate. Moving as quickly as I could (a snails pace) I reached out and took the now blindingly bright staff. 

As soon as I touched the staff an alien exuberance filled me. It was not my happiness, I could tell, but I felt it as strongly as if it was my own. With it came a warmth, and like the voice said my pains were soothed.

Then I blacked out.