Chapter 3: Conversations with a Product of Delusion

Now awake after his initial ordeal, Jon gets some answers, but he's probably not going to like them.

Chapter 3

He’d been dreaming, that’s right, just dreaming. Jon sat up, vaguely recalling a fragmented assortment of bizarre events. He winced from the light streaming across his face. As he sat up he discovered himself to be laying in a king size bed with silk sheets and an embroidered tapestry like duvet. He looked around to observe the room. The particles of foggy memories of going through a door into a large stone building came back to him. Just kidding, not a dream. Everything reconnected with terrible rapidity. The reality of events hit him hard, making his head hurt.

As he grappled with his situation he took in his environment. The room around him was brighter than Master Zhang’s home had been. But wait, he wasn’t still in the master’s home, was he? No, that was right, it wasn’t. He had the thought, recalling passing through the door and getting in the bath… Wait, had he drowned? A claustrophobic feeling came over him. What if he was underwater right then? He slapped himself hard. Nope, this was real. He was really there, or else he was having an incredibly realistic delusion. Either way, he wasn’t drowning. He breathed deeply, making sure his lungs weren’t filled with water.

Traveling through two portals in one night had thrown him psychologically and made him come somewhat unhinged. He didn’t even know where in the world he was. The walls were a blueish, almost purple tint of grey with very large European paintings. Everything was so different than the design he had noticed the night before. There were glass French doors leading to what must have been either a varanda, or a very large balcony. The furniture was delicate and precise, in a French-ish sort of way. He trying to pin his whereabouts. So far, mission failed, but he felt he was closing it. For the first time ever, he wished Old Man Zhao would show up. He needed clarification. And a familiar face would have been nice as well. He sat in the silence for several more minutes.

The air was still and quiet. As more time passed, he became more uncomfortable, like being a guest in a house, but the hosts had left without saying they were going. He stood up out of bed. He was now wearing a soft cotton bathrobe. When did he put that on? As nice as the apparent situation seemed to be, he wished more and more it was a dream. He walked over to the French doors. Pulling back the curtains, he… wait. What the heck was this? Where the hell was he now? Looking out, all he could see was miles and miles of mountains, so high up that clouds intermingled with them. Where had they brought him to?!

Panic was legitimately setting in. He ran to the bedroom door. Wait, what might be on the other side? He hesitated, wondering whether it was safe to walk through, afraid of another shadow or something worse that might pop out from the other side. Then again, he had to figure out what was going on eventually, and they had said it was a safe house. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

Mr. Zhang stood before him, as if expecting him. Jon could have hugged the sour old man. Zhang bowed slightly. “You sleep for long time” he said tapping a cheap looking watch. “Almost evening now. This Mr. Edward Talbot,” he gestured with his hand in revelatory fashion to the man on his right maintainting his bowed posture while simultaneously sidestepping to the left. His hand went down as his head came up in unison. “Mr. Talbot will help you recover family’s history.”

First things first. “Wait, where are we now?” Jon was confused again. Behind Mr. Zhang and Mr. Talbot, as a large long stone hallway, with ornate rot-iron chandeliers. It looked like a picture from a magazing about foreign country homes, remind Jon how clueless he currently was.

“We arrive in France this morning. Master Zhang tell you this. you travel to new home in the Alps. Why so confused?” It was more a reproach than a question. Clearly Jon was the icon of idiocy in the eyes of Mr. Zhang, who obviously lacked patience for anything that even remotely resembled the moronic.

“I uhh.. I just didn’t expect. I though I would have a chance to prepare for the trip. How. How did the entire room…? But wait, you didn’t tell me we were going to France! Wait, I’m in France?! How am I supposed to get home?!

Mr. Zhang continued, unfazed by Jon’s outburst. “Room connected to both houses. Easy magic. You learn someday.” He literally rolled his eyes at this. A fire ignited inside Jon.

Apparently sensing something, the third man spoke up. “It is a pleasure to meet you Master Sait. We have been looking forward to your arrival.” He owned a fruity English accent. “I’ve been informed of your situation. Unfortunately, the nature the events surrounding your departure make it impossible for you to return to your apartment I’m afraid. Please feel comfortable calling this place your home now.”

“Umm… Thank you,” said Jon. “But I really can’t stay here. I’ve go to get back to my family and my job.”

“But sir, this is your castle. This is your job now.” Talbot sounded resolute and irritatingly optimistic.

“Wait… you look familiar.” Jon though hard for a moment. “That’s it! You were in my dream, or I mean, not dream, last night! I saw you and some people talking strangely while carrying books! Well, one of you was actually carrying a large box, but yeah. Weird.” Jon was proud of his recollection.

“Oh, well Master, that was not a dream. You did in fact see me carrying a large box. Though I don’t recall seeing you. Where was this?”

“Last night, as I came through the portal.”

“Oh!! that explains it, you must have still been partially inside the portal. A person is not visible until they fully emerge if you are on the back side of an opening. It’s a complicated matter of physics. You see, technically, you weren’t really here yet, Master Sait.” A sudden look of concern came over Mr. Talbot. “Oh dear, I do hope you didn’t hear anything distressing, did you?” It dawned on Jon that the group of men had been referring to him.

“Hold on. Master What?” Jon was only just registering the formality with which he was being addressed. He had after, just woken from sleeping heavily after two days of sleep deprivation. Why was he being spoken to like this?

*****“Well,” Mr. Talbot said, “you are Jon Sait are you not? The newly awakened Lord Seer? We were instructed by Master Zhang that a Jon Sait would be arriving this morning as the new head of the great Sait family. It has been ove 150 years since our order has been presided over; the longest gap between masters our order has ever seen. Not to worry though young sir, as your viceroy, I’ve take responsibility to maintain everything in as good condition as it was previously left.” He smiled with a note of pride. ”Though I must say, to demand such a lengthy…”

“Wait, you were the Viceroy appointed to my predecessor? How old are you?”

“Oh, hundreds sir. In fact, prior to my current appointment, I served for a time under the crown of Elizabeth 1.”

“Hold it, how is that even possible?”

“What do you mean sir?  Since practioners have existed, we live extraordinarily long lives. Why, Master Zhao for example is well over 800 years old, though very few know his actual age.”

Jon wanted to collapse. “That man wasn’t a day older than 35. You can’t stand there and tell me he’s over 800.”

But sir, I myself am over 5oo years old. I assure you, longevity is a hallmark among sorcerers. The more power one bears, the longer they live for. Why your last predecessor, though the weakest awakened Sait in centuries, even lived to be 457 years old. The oldest lived for over 1000 years, and never looked a day over 29. In fact, he only died from impalement by a magical sword. Age had nothing to do with it. Well, not directly anyway.”

A disgusted feeling rose in Jon’s chest. “This isn’t happening. I’m not really here. I’ve gone crazy, and these people,” he pointed at the two men before him, “are part of my delusion.” He turned and closed the door on two very perplexed practitioners. “I’m probably sitting on the floor in my apartment, thinking all these crazy things. That’s the only explanation that makes any sense! No offense, but you aren’t real.” He dropped face-first into the silk duvet.

“I assure you Master, this is no delusion.” Mr. Talbot looked comforting, but a little concerned.

Something touched his shoulders. His raw nerves seemed to make his body more sensitive. “Ahhhhh! Jon screamed as he turned swiftly to see Talbot standing practically over him.

“No need for alarm. After all, I helped enchant this room, of course I would be able to pass through its doors easily.” Jon was probably going into shock, and wasn’t hiding it well. Not that he cared.

“Ugh… I don’t even know what to do now.” Jon said, flipping back over into the covers.

“Of course you don’t, that’s why you’ve been sent here.” Master, if you would, uhh, consider the possibility that this is real, I think we may be able to help you acclimate a bit more easily.

Where exactly is ‘here’?” Jon said shortly. His voice was muffled by the pillow.

“We are currently located at the Order’s chief estate, your new residence, Chateau du Toutes les Choses. We are located high in the French Alps, to evade discovery. Only friends of the order can come here.” He said beaming.

“You keep talking about this being an Order. What do you mean by that? Are you a bunch of Wizard monks or something?” Jon’s voice retained a sardonic quality.

Talbot seemed not to notice Jon’s spiteful attitude. “Well, we will go into greater detail later, but the short version is that in the community of practitioners, or as you call them-wizards, there are multiple orders, or Powers That Be.  This order commands the oversight of prophetic and knowing classes of practitioners and guides the development of the craft, all while helping to maintain the balance of power-though all orders do their part in that. Mind you, it is not exclusive to that, and not all practitioners who are seers submit to our systems. They may belong to other orders based on personal interests or may even be rogue magicians. Some even belong to unrecognized orders or covens. Ultimately however, all wisdom gained by seers or those whose powers relate must inevitably flow through us. This is the natural way, and supersedes tradition. It is integrated into the very infrastructure of the balance, the order of the world itself. We are part of nature, part of destiny. Our deepest sense of Duty is to ensure that the gift of seeing is not misused or otherwise used to sway the balance inappropriately.” He spoke as if giving an enjoyable lecture on some pet passion. Though, as Jon thought this, he realized, he probably was.

“This sounds like part of a schizophrenic episode to me,” Jon shamelessly retorted. He was not ready to give up on it being a dream yet.

With the same unfailing grin, Mister Talbot said “Permit me to show you, master” bowing deeply.

Jon weighed the offer for a moment. “Hmm, guess it couldn’t hurt. Okay. Prove it.” And while you’re at it, can you explain what happened last night?”

“Of course, but first you will want to change out of that robe.” Jon looked at himself. Yes, he looked like a girl at a spa. Time for a change.

Author's Note

*2nd round of editing on this one.
*looking for inconsistencies and typos.
* please let me know if you see any probblems with flow.