The Last Bastion

Artifacts of the are Kane by Jake Kerr, Season two, The Coat of Invincibility, Episode nine, The Last Bastion, Cain, you're working for Cain. I couldn't believe it. Naomi was basically the anti kin. Her personality alone would have driven him crazy within a day of them working together. Sort of. Cain's a practical man, and when you and I returned to England, he kept tabs on both of us. Of course, he sent magicians and others to try and stop you, but after you left me he sent Master Benham to me to discuss preserving and nurturing magic. Mister Ali nodded. Yes, that sounds like Cain. He is in a constant battle to keep magic relevant with the English government, if for no other reason than to maintain his power. It isn't about power to him, at least I don't think it is. He seems sincere. I've talked with him, and he badly would like to halt the slow death of magic. So he gave me do Natar Castle. This castle, he's relocated practically every magic book he could get his hands on. To hear, she waved her arm in a sweeping arc. The magical knowledge in this castle is extraordinary, but on read. Books or just pieces of paper. He had me work with Master Benham to recruit magicians to relocate here as both a place of study and a safe haven. It was a compelling idea. With war raging still, there aren't many magicians left. How many are here? I looked around, trying to imagine how many could live in a castle that seemed an impressive size and was full of millennia of magical knowledge. Two are Katie and myself. My jaw dropped. I had expected two dozen, maybe ten if things were really bad, but two. There are only two magicians left in England. What happened to Benham? Huh uh? No, Tommy? Including Kan there are three master level magicians left in a western part of the world, not England world. There were ten, but seven have been killed in the war, including Master Benham. Naomi shook her head. It was worse in Russia, right, ur Katie? He nodded, Yes, government was not happy with magicians. Magic was part of Tsar's world, not for the people. We were hunted and killed. I escaped and him grateful for the home Kane has made for me. Here, just the three of you, I couldn't believe it. Magic really was dying in the world. Naomi nodded at me as mister Elise spoke up. I'm sorry, Oh Katy, that sounds terrible. He looked at Naomi. So what have you discovered in the past year? Good question, trader, I winced. On the one hand, I was happy that Naomi was back to her normal teasing self, but I also knew that mister Ali would take the insults personally. I hope that Naomi would let up soon. The answer is simple. It's a lost cause magic is dying. I was shocked at Naomi's comment, but even more so at the nonchalance in her voice, like she totally just accepted the state. Of things, despite that I've spent the last two years dedicating. My life to magic. She shrugged. I don't even know why anymore. Naomi is modest. She will lead us into the future by example. She simply awaits the opportunity. What do you mean. She is the heir of Gemsheed. Her power can rule nations. When the time comes, she will inspire the world to return to magic and away from machinery. His comment about my helping in the fight against technology was starting to make sense. Nonsense, such arrogance. I remember the last person to claim such, and his name is Kan. He is a governmental bureaucrat. Now, to compare a girl to jamsheet, it would be offensive if it weren't so sad. I tensed because I saw the battle between Naomi and mister Lee unfolding in front of my eyes that I knew it would not end well. Naomi called him a trader, and there was at least some truth to that. Mister Lee's attitude was one I couldn't even understand. I was always disappointed in his outdated belief that women couldn't do magic, had he not seen her spells up close. Still, I kept my mouth shut. Naomi could certainly handle herself. Listen, trader, I would never compare myself to Jamsheet. I've been telling ur Katie to stop saying that about me. It's kind of tiresome. Actually, I have no interest in ruling nations or fighting battles for them. As Kane, he's been practically begging me to join his battles. The idea of Kane begging anyone sounded preposterous, but it somehow seemed possible when involving Naomi. She created a spell in her hand. It was different, a luminescent ball of many colors. It was quite beautiful. Miss ar Lee's eyes went wide when he saw it. All I want to do is make magic, that's all. Is that the Gate of Duzak. Miss john Lee stared at Naomi's hands. No, this is the key of Narmaradum. Naomi closed her hand and the ball disappeared. It's a much simpler version of the gate spell, which I haven't mastered yet. She looked at our Katie, and I. Assure you that Jamsheed mastered the Gate of duzac spell. So to be clear, I am no Jamshed nor his heir. The last magician to costa key of Narmalatum was Moulin. Miss ar Lee shook his head. That's not true. Although they were most likely contemporaries, Tealiason is the last magician to have cast the spell. In fact, his notes are where I found the critical missing piece to cast it impossible. No, really, he did keep notes. Naomi laughed. Okay, enough, can we get back to Tommy's problem. Tommy, I understand the need for a place like this, but I'm afraid they are hiding their failures with lies and exaggeration. We won't find help here. Mister Ali stood up. Please, mister Ali, I held up my hand. Despite his apologies and humility, he was still the stubborn mister Ali from my past. I couldn't think of anything else to say that wouldn't insult him or outright contradict him. Of course, Naomi didn't have any such reservations. You have some nerve coming into my home and calling me a liar, putting that aside, what is your goal here? I presume you're actually trying to help Tommy this time, instead of betraying him. Mister Arli clenched his fists and I could see the muscles in his jaw working. I am Tommy's eyes. I can see through illusion, and I will be his guide through the illusionary perils that await him. Even this, a snake slid out from under the couch mister Ali was sitting on. I jumped back, and mister a Lee looked at me. He frowned. She caused some remarkable illusion, didn't she? I nodded as the snake wrapped around his leg and climbed up his body. Interesting. You don't even see that, do you. No, I have the gift of total sight. It is rare and has its own problems. Naomi nodded, and the snake disappeared. That's valuable, for sure. She created the black ball again, almost without any attention to it at all. So why did you betray Tommy and his grandfather? I thought we were talking about helping Tommy. Actually we were talking about you doubting me. But we'll get back to that. I want to hear about your traitorous ways first, mister a Lee sighed. I saw the rise of technology. I knew that it would be a blessing for the magical creatures. They would no longer suffer at our hands if technology took their place. So I took it upon myself to hasten the disappearance of magic. He shrugged. I was wrong. I have already apologized to the arch mage. I certainly did not intend for anyone to get hurt. Naomi turned to me. The sympathy and concern on her face surprised me. I expected her to push him even harder. Is that good enough for you, Tommy? Yes? I trust mister Early. He had an idea and it spun out of control. In hindsight, I don't even know if it was a bad idea. I robed my thumb against one of the rooms on the staff. Well that's good enough for me. She snuffed out the spell and then cast it again. Mister Earle, you are a friend of Tommy, so I'll make this very simple for you. You don't have to believe I can cast the key of Armoratum. The wonderful thing about magic is that even if you don't believe it, it still works. And you know what, mister Lee shook his head. The fact that people don't believe in it is one of our greatest advantages. Mister e Lee didn't reply, So I saw my chance to take the chaotic and dangerous conversation to safer ground. So our Katie, you mentioned the Angel of Saint Petersburg. Naomi and mister Lee both turned toward him. Apparently this was new even to Naomi. It was but a rumor. As I fled Russia, I left the ship through the Baltic Sea, departing from Saint Petersburg. There was word of a woman who led a small group of White Army loyalists. They were well armed and made significant progress within Saint Petersburg, building it up as a beachhead against the Red Army, which was preoccupied with the Germans. All of that didn't draw my attention, but as I was fleeing, I did my best to look out for fellow magicians, and everyone spoke of the woman leading the White Army. They said she the battles from the front and that nothing could hurt her. There was rumor of her tackling laugh leaving her opponents in fear as the bullets bounced off her and the grenades caused her no harm. They called her the angel as she protected those behind her. I tried to find her, but I had no time, as my ship to freedom left shortly after I arrive. What does this have to do with the staff? She could just be a master shield magician. Mister e Lee, our Katie and Naomi all shook their heads. No, Tommy, even the most powerful magical shields eventually fail, and they fail quicker when under sustained attack. As much as I hate to admit it, machine guns are very powerful against magical shields. I was unconvinced. So this is either a fanciful story or some kind of super powerful magical shield. R Katie shrugged. It could be but a story. The white Russians have been defeated for many years. Those that remain are desperate zealots. No I looked at him. He nodded his head and looked at me. I am a fool, Tommy. I took it as a legend, but clearly it is not. The woman is wearing babare Bayan, the great coat created by the legendary warrior Rostam. It was said to resist fire and blades. Our myths tell us that Jamsheed took the coat and made it invulnerable to all attacks. This cannot be a coincidence, the appearance of a woman who is invulnerable to attack and the staff losing power. Mister Earlee looked at all of us, the firelight flickering in his eyes. The second artifact of Jamsheed has been found, The Coat of Invincibility. A podcast Alchemy production MHM