A Wizard's War - 15. Meridiah

‘A Sweetheart’s Tears’ from the Tales of Meridiah:

“Long ago in a kingdom far away lived a beautiful princess. The princess had many servants whom she treated with kindness and generosity, and she was much beloved by her people. Above all others, the princess loved the young gentleman who tended the stables, Theobard. Theobard would teach her to ride horses, and as they stood together he would gently stroke her long flowing hair. The princess longed to be with Theobard, but she was betrothed to the evil Prince Xamos.

Prince Xamos did not love the princess, because all he desired was more wealth, land, and subjects to rule. He treated his servants like slaves and worked them until they could no longer stand or walk. Whilst Prince Xamos was visiting his future kingdom, he happened by the stables and saw Theobard lovingly stroke the hair of his betrothed. Prince Xamos was filled with hatred and jealousy, and he slipped a poisonous scorpion from his homeland into Theobard’s bed.

When Theobard died, the princess wept and wept for days. Her tears were so numerous that her servants began to collect them. They filled basin after basin with the heartbroken princess’ tears. They emptied the basins into the large reflecting pool of the castle’s courtyard. One night as the princess stared longingly into the pool of tears, she heard Vale call to her, and she could see her lost love down in the water. She fell into the water and joined him where he was standing.

The princess journeyed through a purple field of wildflowers and stared up at three different suns in the sky, each a different crimson hue. She was in the land of Meridiah, and there were magic creatures all around. Fairies greeted her and frogs sang such sweet lullabies. Everything sparkled with magic and the land was always warm. When it rained there was always a rainbow and the downpour would taste of honey.

Vale came to the princess, dressed in black robes and holding a large sickle. The princess could not look at Vale’s face because if she did, she would be dead forever.

‘You wish to see your love again,’ Vale spoke like cracking limbs and the squelch of crawling worms.

‘I do,’ the princess fell to her knees pleading.

‘Follow me,’ Vale spoke and then she departed. The princess followed as she was instructed. They crossed many fields of flowers and trees and moss-covered rocks. All the plants would momentarily wilt as Vale passed by but would sprout to new life soon after she was gone. The princess feared they would just go on walking forever, but then she saw the stable she knew so well standing alone in a barren crater.

‘Your love waits inside,’ Vale pointed, ‘You must not touch him until you pass through the mirror. If you touch him, you will stay here forever.’

The princess went into the stable and there was Theobard tending to the horses as she had always remembered. He smiled when he saw her and ran to greet her. The princess raised her hand in warning and told Theobard if they touched, they would stay there forever. Theobard did not understand, because the dead do not know they are dead. He approached anyway, longing to stroke his beloved’s long flowing hair. The princess pulled away and warned Theobard again.

‘Why shouldn’t we stay here forever?’ Theobard asked, ‘Just us two.’

Why indeed? The princess wondered. They could stay here together and be happy together. But the princess remembered that she was not truly dead. The Prince Xamos would be cruel to her servants, and he would break the hearts of others just as he had broken her heart.

‘Follow me, my love,’ the princess spoke, and she walked just out of reach toward the large mirror that Vale had told her about. The mirror was out of place in the dim stable and when you looked through it you could see up out of the reflecting pool in the kingdom’s courtyard and the night sky above.

‘The horses will need me,’ Theobard looked worried.

‘I need you, my love,’ the princess called to him as she beckoned him toward the mirror. She also needed to help her people. It was so clear to her now what must be done. She had no choice but to walk through the mirror and hope that her love would follow. She could not touch him or pull him through, but she would have to live at least a bit longer to protect her people.

The princess was pulled from the reflecting pool by her servants, and they helped her purge the water from her lungs. Vale was pleased the princess had made the right choice, but Theobard did not follow, because the dead did not know they were dead. The princess lived her days knowing Theobard would be there waiting when she finally found her way to Meridiah again.”

__________

Simon could see light ahead, floating orbs hovered and shimmered just out of reach. His body felt weightless and yet oppressed on all sides. He slowly recognized the sensation, like being submerged in water, but he was breathing in the liquid, and it did not burn or taste or cause him to drown. The lights were beyond the surface of the water that’s why they wavered and flickered as they did. Three distinct crimson circles far overhead.

Simon broke the surface of the small pond and climbed out into a warm sunny field that was covered with purple wildflowers. In the sky were three red suns and Simon had read enough stories to know exactly where he was.

“Meridiah,” he whispered with wonder. But how had he gotten here? What had happened before he was in the pond? Did it even matter?

“Good day,” a deep baritone voice spoke from behind Simon. He whirled around to see a giant frog perched on a giant lily pad in the small pond.

“Oh, good day!” Simon smiled. The frog blinked its eyes lazily as if it had been sleeping before Simon came up out of the water.

“Perhaps you can sing me a song,” the frog spoke, “Help me back to sleep.”

“I’m not much of a singer,” Simon shook his head bashfully.

“Nonsense,” the frog croaked, “Just tell me a song you know. Everyone has a favorite.”

“My mother used to sing All Rivers Lead You Home.”

“Is this the one?” the frog skillfully hummed the melody from deep in his throat and Simon smiled with delight.

“It is!” Simon smiled and then he picked up singing where the frog had left off. He found he was able to sing exactly as he always wanted to sing, no wavering in pitch or trouble with timing his breaths. He sang clear and true all the way to the end of the beloved song and when he was done the frog was sleeping quietly on his lily pad.

Simon didn’t want to wake him and crept away out into the purple field that lay around them on all sides. Simon didn’t know how long he walked, but he was very much enjoying the soft warmth from the suns that surrounded him and held him. The flowers were sweet and fragrant, bringing back fond memories of his youth and his family. His mother and father, Simon knew they were nearby, and when he was ready to join them, he could. Instinctively, Simon knew it would never be dark and he could go on walking here forever.

In time Simon came upon a group of three small creatures fluttering about. They were like glowing miniature humans, no more than a foot tall and they had large ornate wings on their backs like that of a butterfly.

“Oh look, another one got lost,” one of them buzzed. Soon they were circling around Simon’s head and poking him with their bony fingers.

“You’re dead, buddy,” one of them jested and they all laughed. Simon laughed uncertainly with them.

“You’re not supposed to stay here,” the third flicked at Simon’s ears, “Move on.”

“My family is not far,” Simon smiled at them and raised his hand so one could light upon his fingertip.

“I want to see the unicorns,” Simon smiled remembering one of his favorite stories from the Tales of Meridiah.

“Yuck!” one of the fairies recoiled, “Why would you do that?”

“Aren’t they noble and beautiful?” Simon laughed.

“Bunch of whiny, stuck-up snobs is what they are!” chattered a fairy, “What you should do, is go see your family already.”

“Maybe I should,” Simon nodded reluctantly. He wanted to. Everything around him seemed to beckon him to move on, but another part of him wanted to stay and explore this new world of possibilities. Simon continued walking forward across the field.

“Buddy,” one of the fairies buzzed close again, “I think you’re going the wrong way.”

“I need to go this way,” Simon smiled at the concerned creature.

“Go get Luxicrucifor,” one of the fairies whispered to another and although Simon was vaguely aware of them, he continued onward.

In time, Simon came upon a small village and small meaning that it fit upon a giant white mushroom. The tiny little houses looked so quaint, and the caterpillar inhabitants moved about focused on their daily tasks. They only noticed Simon because of the shadow he was casting as he stood nearby.

“Hello there,” Simon called down. The caterpillars just ignored him and continued on their merry way. Simon wondered briefly why there were no adult butterflies in the village, or were these the early stages of the fairies he had met?

“Have a good day,” Simon decided to leave them be, but he didn’t make it far before he almost stepped on another little village even smaller than the last. This one was crawling with ants all working to build their little village bigger and better with every passing moment. In the short time Simon was watching the village became a bustling city. Some of the ants had taken flight and were delivering goods and supplies at a much faster rate.

Simon noticed all sorts of tiny insect villages on mushrooms and rocks and fallen logs as far as he could see. He cautiously looked back wondering how many he had accidentally crushed simply because he had been unaware. Before Simon could investigate further a large shadow passed overhead and with the fluttering of giant wings a great feline creature lighted in the grassy field nearby. Simon saw the winged cat had the head of a man, but his eyes were that of an animal. It fixed Simon with a glare as it looked down its almost beak-like nose.

“I am Luxicrucifor the Sphinx,” the creature sat up straight and looked down on Simon, “Who are you?”

“Simon.”

“Tell me Simon,” Luxicrucifor raised an eyebrow in disgust, “what is so fragile that if you even utter its name, you shall break it?”

“Hmm,” Simon wondered aloud, “What a strange question…”

“Well?” the sphinx persisted, “Do you have an answer?”

“Sorry,” Simon shrugged, “My head is a bit confused at the moment.”

“Death can do that,” Luxicrucifor nodded knowingly, “but I will not allow you to leave until I have a response.”

Simon looked up startled by the sudden threat in the creature’s voice. He realized for the first time the human mouth was lined with sharp fangs like that of a predator. Simon considered the question, an item so fragile it will break when you utter its name. Not glass, not anything physical, perhaps it was a concept.

Simon suddenly had flashes of memory, he was laying in a cold dark basement, struggling to breathe. Tears fell from his eyes as he was dying.

“Where’s Connor?” Simon suddenly asked.

“Silence! I ask the questions here!” the sphinx roared and Simon recoiled, “Focus! What is so fragile that if you utter its name, you shall break it?”

Simon laughed out loud as he realized the sphinx had inadvertently given him the answer. He cleared his throat and answered, “It’s silence.”

“Oh blast,” the sphinx muttered to himself, realizing his mistake, “I shall have to ask you another.”

“Please, I want to move on,” Simon looked worriedly up at the creature.

“Is that what you want?” Luxicrucifor wrinkled his nose as he nudged at Simon slightly with his giant paw.

“I don’t know,” Simon said, “I was somewhere else before.”

“You remember being somewhere else?”

“Sort of,” Simon pondered, “It felt like dying.”

“If you drop me, I crack, but if you smile, I’m sure to smile back.”

“Not this again,” Simon threw up his hands in frustration.

“Focus on the question,” the sphinx growled seriously, “Use your mind for more than just wandering around aimlessly.”

Simon contemplated the idea of something cracking, he immediately thought of eggs. There was glass which of course had a reflection on occasion. Then he suddenly knew the answer. As the answer came to him all the events that led to his untimely death also came flooding back to him. His powers and his journey after discovering he was a seeded one, a warlock. He gasped in amazed wonder as he looked at the creature before him with newfound astonishment.

“It’s a mirror,” Simon answered.

“And?” Luxicrucifor pressed.

“Am I dead?” Simon asked.

“The dead don’t know they are dead,” Luxicrucifor responded coyly, and Simon recalled the familiar text from his favorite children’s book. “Meridiah in the ancient tongue literally means in the middle. A place that is between.”

“So, I could be dead, but not yet,” Simon considered. Could it be that Yidian’s continued existence in his body allowed that slim possibility that he could return?

“Oh, you will be dead,” the sphinx growled, “when I’m through playing with you.”

Simon’s whole body tensed as he comprehended the unveiled threat and he turned to run, but the feline monster simply bounded easily in front of him and blocked his way. There was no way to outrun or out maneuver an intelligent, giant bird-cat killing machine with a mouth full of sharp teeth.

“Please, I want to live,” Simon pleaded.

“Alive as you but without breath,” the sphinx stalked in a circle around Simon and Simon could hardly focus on the words.

“As cold in my life as in my death,” Simon wondered if he got the answer correct would it even matter or would the beast eat him anyway?

“Never a thirst though I always drink,” Simon knew the creature was only toying with him, playing with him.

“Dressed in mail that will never clink,” Luxicruciform’s face was suddenly only inches away from Simon and Simon fell backward onto the ground with a hard thud. The creature smiled and showed off his sharp fangs.

“Well wizard?” the sphinx asked, “What is it going to be?”

“I’m no wizard,” Simon mused, wondering why he felt the need to differentiate at such a dire moment.

“What’s the answer, Simon?”

Simon noticed that several fairies had gathered nearby on a hill, they seemed to be enjoying the show that the sphinx was providing for them. A little game of eat the mortal who got lost in their realm.

“I need to hear it again,” Simon stalled.

“Only once more,” the sphinx purred in an annoyed way and Simon saw large claws flash out of its mighty paw before retracting once more.

“Alive as you but without breath, as cold in my life as in my death, never a thirst though I always drink, dressed in mail that will never clink.”

“A fish,” Simon smiled triumphantly.

“You are clever, aren’t you?” the sphinx grumbled just before leaping into the air. Simon saw the great mouth opening and the claws out as the beast bore down upon him. There was only a split second of time, and all Simon could think about was the answer he had just given, fish. He closed his eyes prepared to die and the symbol for fish became burned in his mind’s eye.

Simon opened his eyes tentatively when the tearing and rending of his flesh never happened. Simon was shocked to discover that Luxicruciform was nowhere to be seen and a big fish was there on the ground flopping around as it struggled to breath without water. There were shocked gasps and cries from the spectating fairies and soon they were fleeing in all directions. Simon looked at the fish confused for a long moment. He knew what had happened, but it didn’t seem possible.

In the stories, magic was always easier and more prevalent in the land of Meridiah, perhaps he was on a different frequency here. However it happened, he had turned the monster into a big fish.

“I’m impressed, kid,” spoke a new voice from behind Simon. Simon turned already annoyed by whatever new frivolity this realm intended to throw at him. What he saw was a shrouded figure covered head to toe with red cloth. Only the gray skin around the man’s deep black eye sockets were revealed and the flesh crawled like worms beneath the surface.

“Who are you supposed to be?” Simon asked.

“I was sent by Belothemid,” the man answered, “I’m sure Yidian has told you the importance of our names, so I will prefer to keep mine to myself. You may call me, Rocky.”

“Rocky?” Simon frowned.

“Don’t you think it sounds tough?” the man raised his hands as if to say ‘come on now’.

“Not really,” Simon shrugged.

“Eh, what the fuck do you know?” Rocky flapped a hand in Simon’s direction, “Let’s go, you little asshole.”

Simon followed Rocky across the field for some time and eventually they came to a sparce forest, it was planted in such straight rows as an orchard might be, but there were very few fruit bearing trees to be found. Simon often wanted to ask more questions of the demon, but his mind was so easily distracted by the sights, sounds, and memories. He could still sense his family and knew he could easily join them if he desired.

“You still with me, kid?” Rocky asked.

“Yea, just lost in thought,” Simon considered, “Belothemid sent you?”

“You’re important, kid,” Rocky nodded, “the big guy wouldn’t go out of his way for any mortal.”

“Didn’t Belothemid want to live together with humans in the mortal realm? That was the story I was told.”

“What’s your point?” Rocky asked.

“Well,” Simon pressed, “You said he would not normally go out of his way for mortals and your tone suggests he even detests mortals.”

“Demons are superior and more powerful,” Rocky explained, “the humans would be our obedient servants. They do our bidding and in exchange they get to live forever. Pretty simple.”

“I don’t want that,” Simon suddenly stopped in his tracks as the demon walked ahead.

“Then go join your family,” the demon looked back at him, daring him to do it.

“Where are you taking me?” Simon asked.

“To the mirror of souls,” Rocky answered, “the only place you might be able to pass through and re-enter your physical body.”

“I don’t see what choice I have,” Simon huffed as he started after the demon again.

“There’s always a choice,” Rocky responded cryptically as he led through the forest.

Simon felt like they walked for days, but the passage of time was impossible to judge in this strange realm. As they walked through the trees and then over moss-covered rocks, Simon often forgot why he was walking, who he was following and where they were going. There was something about Meridiah that caused you to forget your sense of self and just feel at peace with your new reality. So, Simon just kept putting one foot in front of the other.

In time, they came upon an extensive crater that had been obliterated by something long ago. No life had taken root in the bowl of the crater, and it was a barren gray land as far as the eye could see, except for a single structure that stood in the very center. Simon could not make out the building from the distance, but he immediately felt a sense of dread as he looked at it.

“We are going there?” Simon asked nervously.

“You have reason to fear,” the demon answered, “Inside, you will find your greatest adversary and you will have to face it alone.”

“Is it the stable from the story?” Simon was slowly recalling bits of the old legends.

“Stories are based in half truth,” Rocky looked at Simon with his unsettling empty eye sockets, “Sometimes it is a stable or a church or a palace or a library. It is exactly what you will want it to be.”

As they descended, Simon could easily recognize his family farm. He knew the shape of the home by heart and there was a twinge of regret seeing it whole again. The last time he’d seen it, there was nothing but charred wood. If the demon could be believed, it was all just some illusion or trick to lure him into a false sense of security. In his heart, he knew something sinister lurked inside.

All too soon they were standing at the door.

“You must enter alone,” Rocky pointed at the wooden door, “If you see Yidian again, tell him he’s one lucky bastard.”

“Who should I say is telling him?” Simon asked sharply.

“Nice try, kid,” Rocky chuckled and then his robes slumped and bulged as the beetles, bugs, centipedes, and worms that composed his body collapsed in a heap and scattered in all directions. The demon’s shape had been only a disturbing golem constructed for this one purpose. Simon felt a shiver of disgust.

Simon found the door unlocked. He licked his dry lips, pushed open the door, and went inside.