04

Chapter Three

With the trade exposition going well, Cain, wearing Michael's face, found the time to make contact with his supplier, but like many dealings with shady people, the meeting for the exchange of the totems was changed,

"I was not expecting a trek into the wilderness, Claude. I wanted this to be fast and efficient, I am paying you a handsome commission!" His go-between, Claude apologised,

"Monsieur Wynne, the people I deal with are not comfortable in the city, it is only a two-hour drive, you could make it a safari," Claude's tone was not convincing,

"This will cost you 10% Claude, tell your man to be ready to meet on Saturday, I will have the money and you'd best make sure; he has the items I requested!"

After escorting Kehinde for the week had been enjoyable, and the nighttime compensations were self-evident, with her trade mission being so successful, her libido was sky high and 'Michael' enjoyed exploring those heights. She was not just gorgeous but sexually adventurous and watching her navigate the politics of the Ethiopian Trade Commission was quite something. Cain had found most of the members of the various organisations as easy to 'influence' as their Western counterparts. His charms were suitably effective and helped not only Kehinde's efforts but also his own; brokering a couple of side deals in African art and other less-than-legal items, that his contacts in Europe would love to own. However, for the most part, the mission was not as dreary as first thought.

On the night before a well-earned break from her hard work, Cain had introduced Kehinde to another stunning Ethiopian trade delegate, Ayoba and the trio headed back to the lodge house, he had taken for the visit, and let their natural instincts flourish with only a little nudging from a charm. Soon both Kehinde and Ayoba were undressing each other, and Cain watched them intently. Ayoba could have been Kehinde's sister; both were slender, athletic and possessed dark luminous skin. Much like Kehinde, Ayoba's breasts were small but perfectly shaped globes on the verge of full bloom. It always surprised Cain how little effort was required to access peoples' inner desires, it had to use charms, that was true but rarely had he come across a will that was strong enough to resist even a half-hearted charm-making. Men and women would readily give in to their dark desires with but a little influence. In the world, he passed himself off as a hypnotist and therapist, a legitimate occupation, little did his client know that he used magicks to 'charm' his clients and remove their issues. A real goldmine was sexual dysfunction, in which he specialised in women and couples. On more than one occasion, a couple would ask his help, and with the application of a charm, would end the session with a lively threesome.

Here in the best hotel in the city, he was 'encouraging' the two dark beauties to explore their bi-curiosity and allow him to watch them kiss, lick and finger each other's pussies, before he was sufficiently aroused to join in and 'remind' them that they wanted him more than each other. As Kehinde allowed herself to have her pussy spread open and have her swollen clitoris to be sucked on, Cain moved around the bed, took advantage of Ayoba's inviting upturned round buttocks and tasted her tight, wet little pussy before he slid his thick cock into her. She moaned with utter delight, as Cain slid in and out of her pussy, Cain held onto her hips and gradually built up the pace to a casual but insistent rhythm, before he spanked her ass,

"Change places, I want Kehinde's cunt now!" Cain asked lightly, and of course, under the influence of his 'charm', the girls obediently took their new positions, and Kehinde looked over her shoulder and smiled gratefully as Cain slipped his cock into her sex and began to pound her. As the evening turned into night, the threesome eventually collapsed and slept together on the king-size bed. The sultry heat of the climate permeated into their love nest, their bodies warmed by their heat and by the morning of the planned safari, Cain had stiffened again and began the day with the girls giving him delicious, combined cock suck, finishing off with them both sharing his semen in a messy start to the day, for Cain life couldn't be much better.

Six hours later, the thought of his perfect life tasted bitter in his mouth.

Hiring a driver and guide, armed with a hunting rifle to protect them from dangerous animals, the trio had set off ostensibly on a safari to photograph the wildlife, but the trip was actually for Cain to exchange the balance of purchases cash for the three African totems, pilfered from a site in the African bush. Cain, supremely confident, expected the transaction to be smooth and problem-free- especially with his magicks to ensnare the rough necks he would be dealing with. He did consider cheating them out of their money and simply charming them into the belief that they had been paid but decided against it. The people he usually dealt with had principals that were much higher up the food chain, and anyway, it wasn't his money as his Indian thrall; Anila had been happy to give him £250,000 and have one of daddies ships anchored at the coast to transport his illicit goods past customs and sail to Cain's accomplice in Dublin and then onto Liverpool for him to pick up upon his return to Britain. The operation was a well-oiled machine, and had worked numerous times, and had done several trips, to appease the Dread Council and their never-ending hunger for magical artefacts and totems to enhance their arcane power.

With Kehinde and Ayoba snuggled up in the Mack truck, the journey jostled and rocked them black and blue but after a couple of hours, and a steady stream of water buffalo and a plethora of playful monkeys; Cain's rendezvous with his seller's henchmen loomed ahead of them, as two rugged 4X4's rolled out from dense brush and drew across the road. Cain calmed the driver and guide and soothed any worries from his lovers. Cain stepped out and hailed the lead 4x4,

"Hey, Motaba! It's me, Micheal Wynne; and I have your money!" His tone was casual but he watched the two men who jumped out of the lead 4X4 and then from the rear vehicle, the leader, Motabo followed his men, while two more carried two shiny silver cases. They set the boxes down, and the men shrugged their firearms on their shoulders, Cain smiled warmly and ambled forward,

"Hey man, tell your friends to get out of the truck, so I can see them!" Motoba shouted and pointed at the truck, and then shrugged his AK47 rifle off his shoulder in a threatening manner,

Can turned around and beckoned this party to alight from their truck and then filed down to stand by Cain, "It is okay, they are friends of mine," Kehinde and Ayoba shuffled close to him,

"Well, your two friends are a welcome sight, but your man needs to set down that rifle!" Motabo shouted. Cain waved his hand for the guide to lower the rifle,

"Come on now, Motabo, we don't want any unpleasantry do we?" Cain shifted and began to mutter a charm; to calm everyone down. Cain could sense the belligerence of the African mercenaries and knew this was a shakedown by their leader, but was suddenly stopped, as the two men carrying the silver cases came forward and opened the cases to reveal the dark wooden totems., to show they had the items.

Something was wrong! The moment the cases were opened, his aura began to shift and diminish around him and the auras of the others. Something was blocking his magicks. The totems were somehow suppressing his arcane abilities!

"We want more money- I want to double the price!" Motoba snarled, his AK47 levelled at him.

Cain had no choice but to try and bluff this out; he had already parted with $200,000 as a deposit and only had the $250,000, "now let's not be hasty here, your principals and I had a deal and you wouldn't want to upset them, would you?"

"Fuck the generals! I'm the General now! You fucking pay me, white man!" Motoba grinned in triumph. He had clearly killed off the middlemen and gone into business himself, he then leeringly looked at Kehinde and Ayoba, "And you can leave the bitches here too! I will look after them, while you go and bring more money! Now get on your fucking knees, all of you!" The implication was clear, Kehinde and Ayoba would be abused by Motoba and his men and probably killed, even if Cain could get more money, it would take two or three days and he couldn't; no wouldn't leave the girls to such a man. Despite the nullifying effects of the dark wooden totems in the cases, Cain could still attempt to persuade the mercenary to let them go, but then the guide lunged for the hunting rifle.

All was noise and blood! The harsh chatter of AK47s ripped through the air, as bullets sprayed the group. Cain, knowing he had only one possible way out, leapt at the cases, knocking into the two men who looked at their leader for orders, and were taken by surprise. Cain slammed the lids down and felt the immediate restoration of his magicks, and his aura bristled with power once again.

But it was too late. As he looked back the driver, guide and the girls lay dead, their bodies riddled with bullets. Cain turned back to the mercenaries who levelled their rifles at him. Cain flexed his right hand and at that moment a brilliant flame flared in his hand and she grasped it. Mumbling the all-powerful charm of making, Cain stood, sheathed in a manifested flame of gold and red. The mercenaries shat at him but the bullets did naught. With his eye aflame, Cain had grasped the secret fire and now called for the souls of his slaughtered compatriots. The sky darkened and a sudden blast of heat emanated from him, knocking the mercenaries from their feet. Now in the grip of his conjuring, a tear appeared in their reality and from it spewed forth nameless, foul daemonic shapes sprang forward. Many limbed horrors, some were a form of twisted humanity, most were bestial, and all were starved of human flesh and upon Cain's command; flew at the terrified mercenaries. The weapons were useless and their bodies were torn apart in bloody moments. Cain surveyed the scene like a monstrous musical conductor enjoying the utter savagery of his summoned horrors.

"Feats on them should and tear them to shreds, they will suffer an age of torment" His voice, no longer his own joyous in the summoned terrors. Once the mercenaries lay in bloody shreds, the tears began to close and Cain sent away the daemons, the fire in his eye dwindled and he sank to his knees in utter exhaustion.

"What have I done?" He sobbed aloud for a moment; the path he had now taken would have terrible consequences for himself and possibly others, for he had grasped the secret fire and had evolved into a Mage; a holder of fire. This would eventually lead to his death at the hands of his peers.

The scene was awful; limbless bodies, blood-soaked ground and the bullet-riddled bodies. Cain stood up and staggered over to Kehinde's body. The skin was whiter than usual, as her soul had been ripped from her to fuel Cain's arcane conjuring. He looked down at Ayoba too. They lay still, an eerie silence settled over the scene, even the bush was silent, as if the birds were silent in their accusation of his terrible crime.

"What the hell am I going to do?" He swore. The scene was abhorrent and should anyone find it, it would be a god-damned mess. Two Ethiopian citizens missing would cause a diplomatic incident and it wouldn't be too difficult to link Michael Wynne to the incident. He had to get out and he had to cover his tracks. As he pondered the scene, he looked over to the cases; the totems had been the reason for the whole mess, but he dared not leave them, as the Dread Council and Selene had demanded that they come into their possession. He needed an out and they would be the way he could leave this mess. He decided he would take one of the mercenaries' 4x4s and make his way to the waiting ship on the coast, bribe the Captain and then make the long arduous route back to the UK.

However, the bodies still posed a problem. He had no choice, he had to leave Michael Wynne here and make it look like a bandit attack. He concentrated hard and concentrated, his magick powers bubbled in his body. He called on the 'charm of making' and used the body of the guide and began to change his physical form to resemble Michael. He stripped out of his clothes and donned the truck driver outfit. He retained the cash, and his 'emergency' passport with a new identity; then summoned a great fire and burned all the remaining bodies and the vehicles with arcane flames. The flames burned with an unnatural intensity, the flames burned a myriad of colours and finally died away leaving charred remains.

"Oh God, Kehinde! I am so sorry; please believe me. I pray your soul finds some peace now!" Cain then drew another charm in the air and his form shifted, shimmered, and became another identity, a heavy black beard and hair crowned a heavily muscular frame; he became Solomon Griffin. He looked around at his handiwork, it was convincing. The scene looked exactly like a battlefield, with burned and blackened bodies and charred firearms and vehicles. His soul was heavy with sorrow but the survivor instinct had kicked in and he climbed into the 4X4, fired up the engine and then glanced at the silver boxes that sat on the passenger seat. He swore again and then pushed the gear into place and set off.

After a draining, bone-shaking journey Cain wearing his new body arrived at the rendezvous. He had arrived late but the ship was anchored offshore, He jumped from the 4X4, holding the silver case and ran unsteadily to the waiting motor boat to carry out to the ship. The two-man team looked decidedly unsure but with his 'adept' charm, they happily transferred him over to the waiting cargo vessel and allowed him to board. With a generous bribe and another charm, 'Solomon' was escorted to a small but reasonably clean cabin and he collapsed and fell into a dead sleep. About four hours later, the nightmares came to him, and Cain was assaulted by the dead. Kehinde's beautiful face was like a daemon and began to feat on his flesh. As the journey continued, Cain's dreams were torn for weeks but eventually, as the ship docked in Dublin he was able to shoulder the terrible guilt.

After three further uncomfortable weeks, he made his way back to his London apartment and then waited for the Dread Council to summon him to Mage-world.

End of Chapter Three.

Chapter Four.

Cain had holed himself up in his apartment, politely refusing to see Anila, claiming illness. He had secured the doors and windows and cleared out the living room, piling the furnishings, who knew that living a minimalist lifestyle would prepare for a portal to appear in one's home, to create an open space for the arcane portal to open? He had the foresight to 'influence' both his upper floor neighbour and corridor neighbours, to take impromptu weekend city breaks; so he was alone.

Now he waited, the totems secured in their silver carry cases, and something told him that the Mage-world summoning would be sooner than expected. He had pondered the totems, clearly an ancient form of black magic that inhibited arcane powers or white magick. A relic that was imbued with such power that any magick being approached it, with be without their abilities; their magick power nullified. Whether sorcerers, shamans, witches or mages; the totems stripped them of their defences and made them vulnerable to attack by non-magick enemies. The Homo Arcana, the tangential evolution of the magicks wielder was widely ignored by the Homo Sapiens; humans only knew of them in stories or fairy tales. The wizards in pointed hats, and witches with cauldrons and broomsticks and names like Baba Yaga, Baron Samedi and of course Merlin or Myrddin, but as in all things, there were the true believers in creatures that wielded power which they either feared or desired. Of course, Homo Arcana were small always small in number; only one in ten thousand possessed the specific DNA to access the 'untamed' or 'ancient' forces that flowed largely unseen around the world. Each branch of Homo Arcana accessed power in different ways, in Europe the ancient standing stone and ley lines were how specific energies could be harnessed; in Africa, mountains of power and rivers provided access and finally in shamanic cultures, animals and trees gave certain people access to hidden power.

Now Cain waited for the summoning to the great stone circle of Avebury, a vast site of hundreds of stones that formed the gateway to Mage world itself, the dimension of Arcana Majestae, Mage World, Anwwn, Otherworld or the most common name was Ynys Avalach or Avalon. He had come to realise that this privileged carefree existence was now over. He would have to leave his life in London and move somewhere remote and shun humankind until he had complete mastery of the 'secret fire'. He could not allow grief, anger or outrage to bring forth the power he now possessed. He was still haunted by the daemons he had unwittingly released in the African bush, the terrible massacre that still haunted him now made him truly scared of this power.

The most potent thought was the fact that he now had a time limit for his life, he had at most twelve years left to live before the power that coursed through his veins would ultimately corrupt him absolutely and he would evolve into a terrible monster; a monster that would need to be put down like a mangy beast by his magick peers. Cain swore and his thoughts turned darker; the corrosive effect of magick would be hard to bear. He knew that he would need to turn to others to help him and he hated that idea. He was universally hated for his free use of his magicks for his playboy lifestyle and he expected little support, except possibly; Selene. Perhaps she would be his teacher again and aid him in controlling these powers.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed. The silver cases by his side and a pack on his back. He didn't know how long he would be in Otherworld, and he was still puzzled at why the Dread Council would want these relics. Surely, they would want them destroyed, especially as they were a grave threat to their powers. Suddenly, the sir cooled markedly, the air seemed to shiver and Cain now stretched out with his feelings and his now more intense aura bristled, almost painfully as he opened his eye and looked with his magickal eyes, with his new power; he saw the world as shifting patterns of light and colour and darkness. He saw other places, as if a mist had drifted from his view and other planes became visible to him like the outreaches of the spectrum. It was more than ultraviolet and infrared, the whole world was intersected by other places. Planets seemed to slide at strangle angles across this world. He could see in the sky through the ceiling of his apartment and many worlds drifted in and out of each other.

He had been taught about the 'many places' or what humans called the multiverse; a theoretical coexistence of worldly dimensions that centred around Earth but it was more elegant and beautiful than that. Cain smiled at the subtle cleverness of the Dread Council; how they had leaked the concept of many worlds in the Homo Sapien world for them to marvel at and distract them from the real uses of power and cosmic realms.

Now, she saw a golden tear form in the middle of the room, as the fabric of existence was being cut by magick abilities to allow travel between the realms. Cain had expected the tear to draw him in but instead of being pulled into the tear, a shimmering form came through and then stood before him.

It was his former teacher: Selene.

She stood naked before him, a golden shower and myriad lights twinkled softly about her body.