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Preface:

The year is 2034 and after a number of international crisis’s in the preceding decades, including North Korea launching at the South and Russia pushing back against NATO. Things escalated to the point that WWIII nearly started.

An International cease fire was established for a period of one year before the nukes were launched. At the end of the year, there was no countries at war, armed forces cancelled between nations, nearly peace on Earth was left with mainly only gang violence as the only organized violence left. And of course declared Wizards and Witches, and also, the need for a License to Write. All as laid out in the new UN enforced Great Convention.

And with Wizards and Witches came the Sassenachs who practiced black magik.

In the WASPS Vs Wogs conflict, Sassenachs hid in spots of power as undeclareds.

Thanks to the one and only co-author and overall inspiration for this book. To Georgi. 

 

About the author:

Hardly! This is just for Georgi, my daughter, who is the best gift a man can ask for.

If anyone else enjoys it then all the better.

Book One

Contents:

Chapter One:  Wizards being Wizards

Chapter Two: PreWizard Grad

Chapter Three: Graduation

Chapter Four: Hi Chani

Chapter Five: Dortjus First Quest

Chapter Six:  Getting into Office

Chapter Seven:  Office

Chapter Eight: Foundations Beginning, Failure Hates Persistence

Chapter Nine:  The Foundation

Chapter Ten: A Leap of Faith

Chapter Eleven: The First Follower

 

Chapter One: Wizard being Wizards

“All great things have an innocent beginning” Dortjus Mentor.

“Not again Dortju! That’s four damn times this week” this was from Jettro.

“Shut it!” Jettro knew that voice. Dortju could sing loudly as well as he could rage quietly. He left him to.

They were in the Casino for the eighth time that month, and Dortju was once again putting £1,000,000 on Zero.

“I know I’ve already been a millionaire 3 times this week and lost it again, but you know we always have a good weekend when it comes in on a Friday! Don’t try me with your luck karma bug stuff again, it won’t work.” was the answer, and the croupier put the £1,000,000 on Zero.

Such was the way with Wizards in grad school, they have to become millionaires a few times before they can graduate – most end up doing it mainly for entertainment. Money is not something with ANY power over a Wizard (they know it’s a dynamic energy force and that is all). Besides the first million or two or three or four or even five, (Ok depends how many years they stay on to be honest) they always donate back to Carnegi Wizard School.

“36”

“Bugger!” was all Dortju bothered with. Well he tapped his index finger on the table as he walked off but he gave the croupier a nice smile and also a reasonable tip, who then almost but did not quite faint. Croupiers see it all but Wizards don’t have to declare themselves in Casinos.

“Come on Dortju, why don’t we go for a climb?” Jettro being the idea one and well, to be honest the most physical, he was also the blond and they do seem to have more fun. You’d more often find Dortju in meditation, or so he called it – he spent more time counting waves than living. He was a little shorter being a couple of inches under Jettro’s 6 foot. For them both, they walked of health.

“Last time we did that you nearly ended up with a Wog seeing us and making a fuss!” this was of course in reference to when they scaled the Balmoral hotel when they were both 10 and 11 to engrave their initials on the gold painted crown at the top, hardly an incident as in the end no one knew they’d been there unless they told their story, such is the WAY. They had been bored one Friday night and Jettro reckoned it would be a laugh.

“Fine lets head and see if we can build up on some Karma lessons since we won’t be playing this weekend since we’ve no Earth Credits (locally referred to as spare cash). Let’s go do some Karma work, besides, works as much fun at the weekend as it is during the week.”

“First things first, we need logs” from Dortju.

This was short for logistics, or needing to move around in space at different speeds as necessitated by circumstances. You see, Wizards tended not to own their own means of transport per se – they sort of considered that they owned a small share in all means of transport available and sometimes got involved in some pretty whacky ways of getting about. Free running tended to be the most socially acceptable (as long as you never went through shopping malls too fast on a crowded Saturday morning) stealing cars would only be acceptable if by doing so one saved an innocent life. Suffice to say, you’ll never so likely hear a Wizard say I need to save up for a car as I need some logs, loosely translated as he wants machine power to assist him in getting around for a while.

“Save a life for a motor – help a life for a bike, heads or tails?” Jettro came back with, as he flipped a coin.

“Heads!” Dortju decided (once he’d seen her), the emphasis of course gave Jettro the heads up on how to call it.

“Heads it is, let’s find a lost soul.”

“There she is!” said Dortju and pointed out their first prey for the night.

She was sat in a Range Rover parked at the corner near the Casino. It looked like she had been in an evening party and had ended up in her car having a cry to herself. A well enough looking women, dressed in evening wear and in her early 40s, but obviously troubled over an upset.

“Drunk routine?”

“Yeah that’ll work – she won’t scare.” Dortju said. Jettro frowned, his buddy always worried about spooking the wogs.

They put their arms over each other’s shoulders and started singing Auld Lang Syne as they stumbled towards the Range Rover she was sitting in crying.

As the two approached, Dortju made the briefest of eye contact with her and gave a small smile – enough to say, ‘Don’t worry, out of the two of us I am the most sober and I’m getting this lad home to his bed’. She smiled back a thankful understanding.

As they passed the car she asked Dortju if he had a light and being a Wizard of the Order of Anor you would sooner find him without clothes than a means to make a flame. He was glad she asked for a light though, asking for directions isn’t always the best way in. He reached into his pocket for a lighter instead of using any form of magic though.

He held out the lighter and as he did, he steadied himself a little “Are you okay?” again the briefest of eye contact which, when sincerely held, can always mean a thousand words.  Besides anyone can ‘sober up’ in a minute flat from some drink, if there is just cause, and we all know it.

“Yeah – it’s nothing just my Husband is being his usual self, I’ll be fine. Are you two okay getting home?” She asked. Not a common offer on George St on a Friday night in Edinburgh, but still the Wizards where in their Armani suits and were obviously ‘sobering up’ by the min, well Dortju was but  Jettro had grabbed a seat on some steps, and Wizards tended to have that effect on people of just being trustworthy – only because they actually were. If a Wizard doesn’t have your back when he’s said he will it’s because he’s frying bigger fish elsewhere. If he’s not told you, then it might be sharks.

“No thanks, but if you need any help working out the husband thing, I might be able to share another point of view since I don’t know either of you.”

“I guess there’d be no harm in letting off some steam. I just wish I could see what goes on inside his head, I mean I try to understand him but sometimes I don’t get it and well, we argue sometimes and it upsets me!” The woman had got out of her car, and was now pacing the length of it frantically.

“God I can’t believe I’m saying this to a stranger- sorry my name is Jane. Your friend seems to be falling asleep, is he okay?

“I’m Dortju, this is Jettro. Oi! WAKE UP!”

“Your nearly done, get on with it, Dortju!” Jettro piped up.

“What does he mean you’re nearly done?” Jane asked somewhat perplexed.

“Saving your soul.” was all Dortju said, stating it as if to be perfectly normal.

She looked at him for a moment, taken slightly aback. “Excuse me?!” she blurted.

Dortju said straight out “I have to inform you before I speak any more that I am a Wizard of the Order of Anor and I would like to trade with you a life secret for this vehicle?”

“Dammit! It’s a Range Rover worth £80,000!” she said.

“If the price you pay me is the use of your vehicle for the evening then I would consider this fair for myself.” replied Dortju sincerely.

“Okay, try me.” She feigned dismay but you could sense the excitement. Everyone knew when they were confronted with a Wizard who had declared himself in a trade then the Wizard would most probably get what he wanted out of it. Undeclared Wizards where another matter.

“If you would like to know your husband’s thoughts, compare the disparity between his words and actions over time and assess the consequences including his inactions as well as his actions. You will begin to understand what he is trying to tell you!” said Dortju.

Jane looked into herself, he could see she was looking over her marriage, comparing her Husband’s words and actions over different periods of time and the different results and realized she knew who he was. She could see what he was saying- it was all so clear, she knew already in her heart who he was. She only had to admit it and try to work with him instead of against him. She’d seen how she was the problem to and also how to fix it. It was like the problems of her life had been log jammed over this one particular problem and it had now just vanished – all that had happened was that she understood her Husband now. She’d even bought the Range Rover just to piss him off, so he’d be delighted if she said she had sold it for some good advice and then simply asked him about his work. She passed the keys to Dortju saying “Keep it!” her Husband had nearly a million saved up so she’d get another one. Dortju seen it and sighed, another Husband with a careless spending wife.

She quite calmly swivelled on her heels and walked back towards the function she had been at in a determined sort of way, flicking away the cigarette as she went. He put it in the bin after putting it out.

“Goodbye Jane.” Dortju was pleased with himself, he always loved helping people.  “Come on Jettro – we got wheels Bro! Let’s go do some Godding and get some reserves in our Karma banks!” Jane was on her way back into the evening party with quite the spring in her step, the Karma count was going up already. Such it is with Wizards when they play God to wogs which is how they helped put more Karma into the world.

“Dammit Jettro, it looks like we’ve only Taylor Swift for emo energy tonight on the tune box.” Dortju sighed at the CD in the cars sound system.

“Hey! That’s high val emo energy!” Declared Jettro. Always a fan of Pop music.

Emo referred to emotional energy, attainable from all the arts and hearts of all and any dose of human happiness, especially the innocent.

Emo Energy, referred to that all to precious commodity Wizards referred to as an Energy force which was in fact simply happy emotion wavelenghts from anywhere and if it’s Taylor Swift then so be it, a childs happy laughter is better or the safeness of being with a wanted partner, but not always as available, so Taylor Swift would do for Emo Energy for the moment.

  

 

Chapter Two: PreWizard Grad.

 “In being.You Are and so Can.” – Ron Elrond

Dortju hit the eject button and said “TIDY” since it fitted the mood “Woohoo, I found some Guns N’ Roses! stick on Welcome to the Jungle, if you please?” Dortju announced with enthusiasm, passing the CD to Jettro, as always Dortju ended up behind the wheel, for all his meditating when it came to pushing MEST about (MATTER, ENERGY, SPACE and TIME) Dortju switched on best. His fellow students thought he was the best driver in the School. He had rolled at least one car that they knew of and he’d long since admitted it was because he was trying to; in other words he didn’t accidentally have a car in a roll but that after a 3rd attempt he managed to make the car roll over. And he never used the seat belt so ended up with a sore neck for a few days.

“Fine, just keep it down while I call Go-Skippy” Jettro replied. Go-Skippy was the insurance company most Wizards used as they would insure you within an hour (an hour being the acceptable amount of time to be in charge of a vehicle un-insured, while you are insuring it – this is all unspoken common sense between the people and the police). Wizards tend to use it to the last minute sometimes.

“Fine” said a sullen Mr. Dortju, always one for the beats.

Jettro seemed very pleased with the outcome of his phone call.

“Yes, thank you. So that’s ok then, it’ll be legally insured within the hour?” asked Jettro on the phone to the insurance company.

“Yes Sir, by 12:10am your insurance will be registered to that car.”

“Thank you very much.” said Jettro. “Can  I ask your name?”

“It’s Amanda. Why?”

“Because while I was on the phone with yourself, Amanda I could not help but notice that you are very proficient at your job and I would suggest you ask your team leader for a better hourly rate or a higher position as you’re due it.”  he said calmly.

“I know it to. I’ve been meaning to ask him, but how? Do I know you outside of work?”

“Sorry nope, I’m just a Wizard and well you kind of do know me you just fixed my car insurance and well yeah I’m Jettro and well yeah your welcome.” he was smiling.

“I know, of course. I’ve been meaning to push John for the team leader role for a few months now do you really think I should go for it?!”

“YES!” sigh. That was his whole point.

“And I know it to – Thanks, just the bloody shove I needed. Bless ya!”

BEEEEEEEP….

“Did she hang up?” from Dortju

“Yep!”

“Always happens when we call call centres, are we insured?” Dortju checked “Should we park up for a bit and chill?”

“Nah” said Jettro with a mischievous grin.

“We will be within the hour my good Sir, I’m banging the tunes up this is looking to be a good night for the Karma Bank!” and so Jettro reached for the Vol button and whacked it up to full!!!! He sat back and sparked up his pipe. Why not, they owned the car now and the windows were down, one thing about Range Rovers is the heated seats ARE nice!

“WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE BABY, WE GOT FUN AND GAMES, WE GOT EVERYTHING YOU WANT! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?! WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED, WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE BABY WE ARE GOING TO…….” and so Axl Rose blared out the car as they rolled off towards the Cowgate to find some hapless souls to assist on a Fri night in Edinburgh. One thing it is easy to do on a Fri night in a decent sized town like Edinburgh is to find souls who need help.

It was going onto Charlotte Square that Dortju seen the blue light.

“Feds!” he said sharply.

Jettro turned down the music and sat up. “Here’s hoping we ain’t about to run into a grey or black undeclared. Lets be cool.” he was not really that relaxed as he said this.

Dortju pulled over and put the window down and waited for the police officer to come to the window….. He could see him get out of the Traffic Police car with shades and swagger and all.

The Great Convention had come into being because political and religious institutions had taken it upon themselves to cause too much violent destruction in the name of their causes, so the Great Convention was created with UN backing.

The KIDNAPPING in Africa,  ISIS being set up and Scotlands referendum (which nearly deteriorated Scotland to be like Ireland with the TROUBLES during the 80s) and other events were the catalysts. The WORLD united and INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE became ILLEGAL to the extent that our souls won’t rest till we are purged of it, and so grew the Wizard Scale and the less prominent Witch Scale.

The UN managed to negotiate an international law that ANY nation that tried to aggravate another into violence would be set about by the rest of the world united under the anti violence law. Even the USA was not in a position to cause trouble then. Despite their military might no one country would stand against the other 170 and survive. The Global Peace Index became mainly an internal security matter and the arms trade companies were no longer in fashion to say the least.

Some grey and black Wizards still go about undeclared in uniform or worse public life, judiciary or law and wreck all sort of evil in the disguise of ‘good on account of I’m with the system.” but as more declareds were graduating from the Wizard Schools and Witches Convents that were springing up all over the place undeclareds were getting a harder time of it.

There are also very many good undeclared Wizards obviously and the Warriors protect us all. The warriors were people on known violent capabilities, which is true of everyone but to be a Warrior one had to be trained and declared. Every angry person was in theory an undeclared Warrior.

Most Wizards qualify for Warrior status most of the time although there are occasion when they have to defer to the more trained to deal with mass violence.

Warriors control violence at a massive scale and stress level. Wizards can perform in this capacity at need but prefer a more subtle approach to solving a problem. Wizards tended not to need violence to enforce their realities on others which is what makes a Wizard a Wizard.

“I’m assuming your either joyriders or Wizards gentleman as this vehicle is registered to a Mrs. J. Summers.” said the slightly whisky smelling policeman to Dortju who gave a small grimace of a glance to his Bro. He had swaggered over to the car as if he owned the town. His assistant in tow trying to be cool but obviously a little nervous. Perhaps one of his first nights out on the beat on a Friday.

Jettro read it right, we either got ourselves a black or quite grey undeclared here.

“Come on assholes answer up!” said Mr. SAID Policeman as he reached for his gun. Why on earth the Great Convention gave Brit cops guns is a bloody mystery. It also included vidcamsul, video camera surveillance, which meant all ‘policing’ activity was self monitored by the police themselves. Made declared Wizards at large worried about undeclareds in the system who could switch off the cam as mister whisky stinky breath here just now had.

His side kick looked about 12.

And this could be trouble thought Dortju and as per he is normally mostly too damn bloody right as it turned out. He just seemed to know and you could see it in his face to, always wears his heart on his sleeve does Dortju, as do all Anor Wizards. Jettro knew that they could easily out gun the police officers without being armed themselves but this would be a violation of the WAY.

“Is this vehicle insured Sir?” asked whisky stinky.

Dortju looked at Jettro who was looking at his watch that had just winked the digits 11:48 pm at him which made him look back at Dortju and mouth the words “O FUCK!”

“IS THIS FUCKING VEHICLE INSURED SIR?!” said Stinky with a handgun in Dortjus face!

You could see his 2nd was disgusted. He hated what his ‘mentor’ was doing. He was still young enough to believe policing was about building bridges with society. Making communities safer. License to violence as a last last last resort to protect innocents et all.

Still the game now had to play out. The Range Rover was not yet legally insured and the discretion on the matter seemed to rest on Stinky here with the .45  in Dortjus face.

“it will be at 12:10 as we have just got this car from it’s previous owner and have only just got off the phone to the insurance company so if you could exercise some discretion then maybe we could all go on with our nights.” Dortju tried.

“Get out of the car now!” and a wicked smile was all the Officer replied with.

The Wizards allowed themselves to be arrested in the name of keeping the peace, so much for a great start to a weekend. Down a million quid again and now off to the cells at St Lenords police station.

“Name?!” Said the cell Sgt.

“Dortju”

“2nd name..?”

“Just Dortju.” said Dortju.

“Fine, whatever.” was all he came back with, he wasn’t bothered he was on overtime anyway because of the football tournament today between Hearts and their own derby rivals Hibs what did he care if he never put a name in the surname line of the arrest form.

A NOTION Dortju quickly grabbed onto and started planning as Jettro was nearby and the time for making plans was here and now. The cells where busy because of the football so the least offenders would naturally be…  He made eye contact with Jettro and ….

And with some, shall we say ducking and diving.

It took 15 mins but they had got out of St Lenorards Police station again and they where in Kebab Mahal, a very recommended local Indian take away, in time for a late chicken tikka masala, the best in the world and REAL fuel food. “So, what’s next?” asked Jettro as he tucked in with a garlic nan bread.

“Lets get some low down time, after this curry obviously, while the cops search for us for a bit then we can pop up on the radar again and deal with it then otherwise bon appetite mon siouer.” said Dortju before tucking into his own chicken tikka masala and chapati, no nan for Dortju as he was Anor and the garlic thing didn’t mix well in his order. Jettro argued it made him the more level headed Anor out of them, Dortju argued it made his the most sensitive to the Force.

Call it luck if you want but the custody Sgt was one of the few good undeclareds in the system and he read it right and as soon as the arresting officers had left he got their release paperwork done. Whisky stinky apparently had an over zealous tendency to arrest. Shame about this was his fellow colleagues HAD to back him up to maintain a respcectable public presence. Being placed under arrest was not suppose to be a discussion and a single wrongful arrest could in theory start a civil war if public political tensions are running high. 

So after the curry it seemed like a nice evening stroll back to the car through Edinburgh city center, was in order and if done in a relaxed manner should get us there for about when it is insured. Time as usual was behaving itself quite nicely for Dortju, which amused him as he walked under the castles cannons as he was strictly speaking a ‘wanted man’ by the Police – paperwork really, he enjoyed the walk as the sun set it turned the night sky a violent red – just right for his mood. Less than an hour ago he’d been handcuffed and put in a concrete box like a zoo animal – it was time to throw some reality adjustment at the system or more accurately Mr. Whisky Stinky. All in good time, thought Dortju as he looked out to the Forth and the awesome sunset. Whisky Stinky could wait, this was spiritual.  He soaked up the view but also lifted his head up to the bright Sun and just drank the energy from the waves – a common habit of Scottish Wizards, they soak  up Sun. It fuels us all obviously but it’s Wizards who SOAK.

 

Chapter Three: Graduation

 “The only secret to being great is to be great at being you!” old Wizard proverb.

Graduation was coming up and Dortju was excited. He was about to be assigned a Padawan. The minor incident involving the Police the month before had settled itself out. Whisky stinky had got sacked obviously and Dortju sent him a case of 12 year old Glemorangie Single Malt to help him onto his next job or probably not, the moral being try not to lock up too many Wizards trying to do a good thing. He then posted him a card the following Christmas saying simply “Try live and let live and see if you find peace.” As it happens he did and did. His name was not Whisky Stinky, but Criag Findley and he did manage to make a decent life for himself in the end. But the only work he got in the future was doing security work in shops.

“Have you decided yet?” asked Jettro as they walked through the cloisters of Carnegie.

“Nah, I really want to Quest and just the same Research, but being in Halls all the time. I just don’t know. Are you still going for a writing license?” replied Dortju.

Wizards who stayed in Carnegi and took on roles in the Magic Management department had to have licenses to write so they could do their jobs effectively but obviously were well supervised by their peers. Questing was the other option and the lonely one – thus Padawans.

“I am. It’s where I see myself. I’ve been your wing man forever now but you know me I want to advance myself, I don’t mix too well with the BHOYs (Blissfully Happy Or Young is what they say to wogs, Bloody Hopeless, is what is said in the canteen in Carnegi), roughly translated Jettro could not be arsed with wogs and if you QUESTED dealing with wogs was part of the territory.

It was around 2020 that the middle classes of society started to give up on their quest of being normal and trying to enforce normality on everyone else. The pharmaceutical companies had just pushed too far. By flooding society with so many legal drugs the middle class became so riddled with mind numbing prescriptions that it was almost as bad as the prevalence of guns in the USA. Too many of their kids were stealing all these designer legal prescription drugs and using them in parties, once they were hooked on them they were on the road to becoming zombies. And Zombies were another whole problem in society all together. The middle class wizened up some and started to give up the ghost on making everyone be sheeple. Soon the world started to divide into more than middle class, rulers and working class. Made life more interesting to say the least.

But wogs or BHOYs desribed anyone who was not a Wizard or Witch and what had happened to Jettro had happened with a lot of Wizards. They became so much a part of their magick that they could no longer really BE with others who did not understand a Wizards view on life. So they had to try and only associate with others who understood. Dortju knew Jettro had been this way inclined since only his second initiation and that this was rare and normally meant that he could expect to meet his friend in latter years in council as a Master Arbitrator for the Orders. This was in essence a Magic Judge and one of the higher offices available at Carnegie, Dortju could see his friend being happy doing this. He wasn’t sure for himself, like most Wizards he just did not fit into the cogs of an institution very well and so would probably Quest.

Dortju was definitely not afraid of the idea of Questing, but he did get the sense of loneliness that such a path might include. He knew he was going to do it. It was in his heart. He knew once he had admitted this to Jettro then it would be done and dusted. He knew all this, he just had to go on and say it.

“My old Mucker, if you have a coin call heads for me yet again My Good Sir. I’ve Decided. I’m Questing and I bet you end up a Judge and I hope you go easy on me my good Sir because I think I may push a few boundaries.”

Jettros heart sank. He knew what he was hearing was the truth obviously. He knew all along and wondered if Dortju had held back so long to tell him because he intended to be really rogue, he hoped not as he did see himself as being an Arbitrator of Magic eventually. Having to pass judgement on his childhood friend would be a tough one though.

It was time to get ready as the ceremony was about to begin. They put on their robes and Order regalia. Both being Anor they took their staffs. Dortju would soon have to trade his staff in for a wand since he was going to be questing. It can be hard being discrete with a 6′ staff in tow.

Everyone was dolled up to the nines. All frocks and cloaks. It would have been a good scene to shoot for a Star Wars Jedi movie scene. In fact a lot of wogs compared Wizards and Jedi, the younger members of the order still said “Go forth with the Force” as a salutation, as usual they grew out of it. Everyone still said “May the Force be with you” obviously. Wogs always say it to on May 4th but never really mean it – Wizards say it always and do.

Dortju wasn’t sure how his speech would be taken. All of them were edgy but he thought he pushed the edge a little too much. But then he was sure this was more than likely expected. It wouldn’t be long now.

“Would Dortju please report for assignment as a Master!” said the Master of Ceremonies. This was Ron Elrond. He had been a Master for 86 years and many suspected his age to be over 100 now. He still remembered the first day they had met clear as a bell. He had been walking up the main steps of Carnegi on his first day and Ron was at the top watching. As he approached he said “Dortju?!”

Astonished Dortju had blabbed “Yes. Eh can you read minds Sir?”

“Of course and I can also read name tags!” he replied.

Dortju went bright red and watched his feet as he finished walking up the steps. Ron looked right through him as he walked past, Dortju could feel it and it wasn’t until he was well inside the cloisters he realized the name tag on his top was still blank. He never went back outside to take Ron to task but he’d always wondered to this day.

Dortju stood and walked towards the stage for his 4th initiation and the bestowal of the title of Master Wizard of the Order of Anor, the Secret Fire – the very creator of life. And the rarest of Orders attended by Wizards. Less than 3 out of a hundred Wizards and Witches. While it is mainly Wizards who are Anor there are also a few female Members of Anor and their lives are not commonly spoke of. It is thought they ultimately become Sorceress’ and not Witches but how they end up living and what Magic they can weave is unknown and a closely guarded secret of the WAY. Anor Wizards are rarely ever granted a license to write. Some have taken one and got away with it. Ron Elrond was also of this Order to.

The other three orders were Amul, almost always favored by Witches, this order is of the body and health. Amul Wizards take it too far and are either Gay or Body Builders. Raka, is the order for the most aggressive and produces the most Warriors. Abby is the most notorious one, she even listens to Necro of all ‘bands’ He’s surely an undeclared. This Order is predominantly Wizards but the Witches who do adopt Raka as their Order are best kept as your friend to say the least and more commonly referred to as assassins, and the Order of Wit produces the learned who mostly often involve themselves in law, politics or even business if they Quest and is the most evenly sexed Order which is composed of half Wizards and half Witches they are perhaps the least eccentric Wizards and Witches of the orders.

The Raka Order have their own code. This is needed as they are the most capable of violence which when it comes to reality enforcement this is the final means. The worlds religions as part of the Great Convention were informed (as were all governments) that they would be allowed to be to the degree that they worked to a more peaceful means of enforcing reality. Al Queda, ISIS and Isreal became quite unpopular as a result. Violence as a means to enforce an idea has always been in the make up of Man but the Great Convention was designed to deter this and to a very large degree this had become a new peaceful reality in the world.

An Order is simply adopted by a Witch or Wizard once he or she begins to study the WAY. During his  first year he drifts through his studies and uses his million quid to set himself and others up and makes and looses friends as he goes – but he will always end up with one best friend and they will be of the same Order and by who this is the first initiation has been achieved. Dortju and Jettro where dorm mates and how they both ended up as members of the Anor Order is as closely guarded as the research they do within the Order of Anor which is kept within. How to get into Anor is known by those in Anor.

Most Wizards and Witches though no longer seek high office or prestige. Best not having followers as they say if your that smart. Followers bestow power over others = excessive free will = abuse of power = usual stuff that goes with all human politics etc. Leave the power spots to those who don’t have to have TOO much control over others. The spate of setting up personality cults in the mid 20th century made this all too obvious.

Dortju thought of the motto of his Order as he approached the stage for initiation: REVENIMUS. He felt pride and love at the same time, pride for his gifts and love for others he shared the world with. There was easily an inch of air between the souls of his feet and the ground, he felt like he was literally walking on air as Wizards actually do do sometimes when free running or whatever the god else.

After he had given up his staff to Ron and received his wand he took his space in front  of the lectern. “I would like to thank…..”

It was a beautiful day for all, his speech got a mixed spattering of response from a few a standing ovation from some, quite a few cheers and a healthy frown from one of the masters. Perhaps he should have gone a bit easier on Mr. Ron Elrond.

 

 

Chapter Four: Hi Chani.

“A misery shared is halved, a victory shared is worth much more than double!” from the book of proverbs of Man.

“Hi Chani” she was quite tall and as usual very healthy, she had a natural beauty that left little room for improvement with make up and dressed practically wearing combats and a tank top but he knew she would distract other guys with her looks if needs be.

Dortju was sat at his desk which he had for another day or two at the max if he twisted some arms. Once you decide to Quest you are pretty much chucked out with Padawan into the bargain. And without a license to write!!! Money might never be an issue at Carnegi, Space is.

She was arrogant obviously, as they normally are with such young bodies. She was 19 and full of beans, by god! She had passed her 2nd initiation already and she would have to serve her time with Dortju for the next two years and thus pass her 3rd and 4th and final initiation.

“Hee hoo Mr! Dortju. Where is we off to Questing Ma Bro!?!”

Sigh. Hot head. Still.

She had done well in her first two years at Carnegi. She was also of the Order of Anor so was one of the very few possible candidates to be Dortjus Padawan. It had not passed her notice that Dortju had befriended her about 6 months before and she wondered how much say he had in who was assigned to him as Padawan.

“Nearby for now and then go from there, still not sure if I want to run the country yet or not and if not then I’m not sure what. But whatever, I have to know you have my back  – is that understood?”

“Obviously” Chani looked at him and seen something, it was a spark. A life force. He knew what he wanted. She had admired him from afar during her first years at Carnegi although she would never admit this, yet. But she knew this was not going to be boring. Most Wizards discard running the country as an answer by their second initiation, it was not common to hear a graduate Wizard mention running the country.

But Dortju just had. She wondered. There had been whispers in halls after the farewell speech he had delivered – it had been a cracker and not everyone had smiled at bits. She smiled and asked “Have you thought about where we are going to set up now your graduated, I mean do we have digs for tonight here?”

“Did I not say you should have my back?”

“Erm yeah.”

“Ok then Cherrup your first job is to solve the problem you just gave me! Start!” He looked up and smiled, she gleamed and left the room.

She got online and found immediate lets that were available nearby.

Late that night after Chani had gone to sleep Dortju flipped on his iPad. He had a few projects on the go he wanted to check on before he got down to some Questing. Sudan was improving as was Libya. He had concerns in them both and he could see some honest headway. Something about Libya, was bugging, he’d get back to it. He closed that window. Now he had to work out his Quest, to be the PM or no. He took a pound coin out his pocket and set it on the table heads up before going to bed. How the fuck do you get to sleep when you have to work out how to become PM?!

He knew the general idea was to take over one of the main political parties and then see it got into power. But Wizards and rules and regs tend not to go hand in hand. The rules and regs were more for the wogs.

As per usual, he had made the coin come up heads up. I mean he had put it down on the table with the heads up. So he had decided by his own god chance that he would be the PM. Fine. How to do this would be something to sleep on. He dreamed of all the evils he could heal with such power and got to sleep eventually.

 

Chapter Five:  Dortjus First Quest

“Any innocent beginnings can go awry, is the worry of a Wizard when it comes to Religion” Darwi Ordade, of the yet to be Bene Gessirt, who did eventually develop time travel.

 

“Chani we are going into Politics!” said Dortju as he tucked into his bacon and egg double, she had that going for her for sure the eggs where the best ever with the freshest rolls, she must know a local baker, bless her!

She had done them proud with digs, they had settled into a really nice rental in the Ferry (South Queensferry for those not local) that had a magnificent view of the Forth Bridges. You could see the two road bridges off to the west and the Rail Bridge gave a wonderful view with the Firth of Forth going off into some of the most beautiful sunrises ever in the east obviously where the Sun comes up. Like the one this morning. And of course Dortju will always remember that Leith is just over the hills to the south and that’s where his roots lay. For Wizards they always settle close to where they grew up, they’ll wander, but do come home.

It was a cold November morning and the smells from the natural wood fire blended with the strong  Java coffee. She had put the rolls on a rack close to the fire for a couple of minutes before filling them and sure enough Dortju made the coffee and Chani had never seen him light the fire ever, but it was alight nonetheless when he wanted it to be, and also near enough went out when he left the room. Chani never knew she was always off to her bed before he was and he was always up before her – in fact she could not ever actually remember him mentioning how he slept. She did remember their first night here she noticed he went up stairs to his own room at about 3 in the morning but that was only the first night when they moved in a few weeks back. She had since slept soundly, she knew she was safe under Dortjus roof!

“WHY!” she said and smiled at him.

“Because I’m going to be GBs next PM and I need you to give me a hand as I think I might need some help.” While this was an unusual vocation for a Wizard to pursue, if anyone could do it, it would be Dortju.

She thought the world of him and started to warm to the idea, plus! This could work. While they had been at Carnegi, Dortju had always been one of the main leaders in all the tasks that the Wizard student body had tackled. He just seemed more able to inspire others to do more work than most and he took his Anor Order motto:  FREEDOM IS WON WITH GUARDED ALERTNESS, very seriously.

“But first things first you need a haircut and to register as a running candidate!” she said with conviction! or maybe not, she’d had an inkling of a plan but put it on the back burner for now. He’d say registering to run for a MP candidacy to be the PM was just paperwork (Anor Wizards normally put final bill reminders in the bin), but when it comes to the hair cut! NO THAT IS NOT PAPERWORK OR POLITICS BUT WILL BE DONE NOW! such is the way with Padawans and getting another point of view, especially when they are female. Something to do with fashion or whatever, thought Dortju as he put on his Armani suit jacket, he had not been to the barber since he started at Carnegi, so maybe Chani had a point – the beard should go already. He was anyway still actually quite young considering.

And so the quest began. After a week she’d spent upwards of £1000 on a new stylish wardrobe for him, although he as always insisted on wearing loads of black (you just can’t stop Wizards of the Order of Anor from doing it, that and carrying lighters! Really they’re obsessed!) But despite this she used some silver, in his belt buckle, watch and a nice pen added just enough to lighten his dark colours he insisted on and he actually looked quite the part.

They had nearly had a fall out over the logs question. She insisted they had to have a car to get about while they were doing the ground work to quest and he was not as up for it. “They tie you down more than not!” he argued. She just really wanted to get a shot of the new sporty Mini Cooper that was on the market. In the end he conceded and they went car shopping.

 

 Chapter Six: Getting into Office

 “Anyone being righteous to another should make sure they know something about the future that the other doesn’t and be very very certain of it – otherwise why do they have the right to be righteous” – Dortjus Mentor

It was the first Mon of Dec and time to get to work. Graduation was over. He’d taken a couple of weeks to settle into life in the world of wogs and got himself all dressed to impress. You can’t hardly run for office as a PM in the robes Wizards wore as standard around Carnegi and any other Wizard college or Order (a Chief Wizards house normally) for that matter. Wizards in their own company would wear the robe of their Order and sometimes Dortju would do this about the rental, it was one of the reasons for Padawans, to be there for the Wizard as someone who knew what it meant to be a Wizard of for example the Order of Anor and grant beingness to them accordingly, life otherwise would be pretty lonely for Wizards, they are always fine in their own company but tend not to become too involved in the lives of wogs.

She came through to the living room and seen him all dressed in his suit looking dashing with a smile on his face that disappeared when she threw his combats on the couch and pointed at them with her right hand while she wore a determined look on her face.

“Excuse me?” he asked.

“Sudan or Libya?” she replied.

She knew what she was doing. He was convinced he could run for office and attend his refugee camps in Africa. Chani knew otherwise and wanted him to go out to his camps before he started to run for Office, besides she had another reason from an idea  that she was keeping under her hat but growing by the day thanks to some interesting research she had done recently at Carnegi (and other places). And then this mornings news about camp 1 in Libya. Well now?!

Dortju sensed she may be onto something and that he might be too busy when running for the Office of PM in a political campaign he may not be as quite in control of his own time as he would like to be for a Wizard – he suspected prospective PMs would kind of have to meet some quite strict schedules that would involve too many other important people (other politicos, Kings, Queens and Princes and such like) that he might not be able to be as quite in control of his time as he was fresh out of Graduate school, but he could also see something else brewing in Chanis eyes and he trusted her now, almost implicitly.

“Libya for heads and tails for Sudan” he said putting a shiny £1 coin down on the table heads up of course. Wizards make their own luck, was the point of the coin.

After considering a few travel plans. Travel from Edinburgh to Africa was always through a connecting flight in either London or Manchester.

It was Wed before they could fly out. They took the overnight 125 train (it goes 125 mph when it can) to London’s Kings Cross on Mon night and spent the day in London, they went to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the Guard. After Dortju went up to the Beefeater Guard and asked if it would be ok to see the Queen and ask her for the Job of PM. He never answered but Dortju knew he would not likely forget him though. Chani just smiled.

There was no way he was going to get away with being in London with Chani for her first time and not take her to Oxford St. She did some shopping but he had her keep it to  a minimum as they did not want too much baggage on the flight out.

They stayed overnight in a  nice hotel but had to be at the airport for 7am to book in. The flight was without incident and it was always nice travelling first class. Dortju got himself a little tipsy on some free wine that he said he liked. Chani knew he never liked being in an environment he might not be able to control all of the forces of, there was tales of what some Wizards had done during big transport accidents that defy belief. He was ok on wine though he just would not stop talking, never too boring although he did start talking about parallel universes at one point  (Wizards study high philosophy, physics and theology as a past time as kids during their Mentat training) but there was even something in that she had found interesting although she would never again bother with the subject. Being female Mentat training was not an option for her.

The air hostess came by and asked if they wanted anything else “Yes… can I just have another bottle of em…” Dortju started and reached for the wine list before Chani cut him off saying “WE’RE GOOD. THANKS!”

He dozed the last hour and as expected as soon as they disembarked, Dortju stuck his head up to the strong African desert Sun, it had that sweltering haze from the heat waves and not just from the Sun through the dust motes in the air from the desert but also the heat waves off the airport tarmac as well, it was quite a sight and Dortju wished he had his cam.

He soaked it in with a huge grin on his face as he walked down the steps to the transfer bus and made his way to the arrivals lounge where he bought a chicken wrap and a liter bottle of water for each of them, it was hot out – only 2pm, and they had a long day ahead for sure ie fuel food required!

Everyone was there from the camp when they got to it. It had 22 refugees now, mostly orphans and 6 staff (who used to be refugees and where now well paid care professionals who looked after people who had been in very similar situations as themselves).

Dortju had set up this camp and another in Sudan as part of his first year at Wizard school. Every first year Wizard gets £1,000,000 to set up himself and something else so Dortju had used his on black, had doubled it, set up a trust fund that paid him £10,000 per week out of the interest which he uses to fund these two camps. When he reported this to the board though they noted he had not only set up himself and something else, but two something elses. The Anor ones tended to break the rules in good ways for the most part.

At night on that first day the camp put on a special dance in honour of Dortju and everyone loved Chani. She helped with the preparations and got just as excited as everyone else. The atmosphere was beautiful. Dortju let his hair down and had a whisky and entertained the young ones with the odd tale as a Wizards wont.

The evening was lovely and even the younger ones were allowed to stay up past their bed time, until they had to be reminded they still had school in the morning. Some hot chocolates soon settled the matter and they went off to bed after Dortju stopped the music and dance for a few minutes and had them all sit by the fire while he told them all a short bedtime story:

“There was a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to market to buy provisions and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the market-place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was death that jostled me. He looked at me and made a threatening gesture; now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there death will not find me. The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went. Then the merchant went down to the market-place and he saw me standing in the crowd, he came to me and said, “Why did you make a threatening gesture to my servant when you saw him this morning?” “That was not a threatening gesture”, I said, “it was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Baghdad for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra.”

Dortju paid attention to the ones who got it straight way and gave them a little nod.

Once the young ones were in bed the rest retired inside. Monique, who was head of the camp asked Raka to watch the fire and post watch.

“Still having to keep watch?” Dortju said to her.

Chani knew what was coming, she’d not worried him about this, besides she’d only got the memo 2 days ago and knew Dortju would be more relaxed traveling without it and if he heard it straight from Monique in person first he would be better able to judge for himself.

“Yep!” she said as she handed him a beer from the fridge and Chani a short. “It’s actually worse now here than when we started this mission.” Africa of all continents had paid the least attention to the Great Convention.

Thus a lot of Wizards set up refugee camps in that continent. Some undeclared blacks still used it as a hunting ground – but they were being slowly but surely made an endangered species themselves as well now thanks to a little group of ten hunting Raka Wizards that Dortju had set up, let’s just say these Raka Wizards had fun hunting the hunters during hunting season…

“We’ve had more than a few intimidating visits from local militia saying they might be interested in purchasing of all things, some girls!'” Monique admitted.

Dortju frowned. He sat down in the lounge with the other elders. Monique sat on his right and Chani on his left. The other three spots where took up by Dama, Amy and November, three of the other ex-refugee care assistants at the camp that were Elders.

Dortju looked at them with a fondness, they all worked hard and for their efforts they had helped 100s of misplaced people set themselves back up with a decent chance at a normal life despite the ongoing ‘gang’ violence. Africa was the last continent that still carried out any degree of serious organized violence.

“Is there any danger to the Camp?!” Dortju asked. He made eye contact with Monique as he asked this, she was in charge of overall administration and this thus included security. If a Wizard looked you straight in the eye you were smart to pay awful close attention.

She looked down and admitted “em Sir, I can not assure you we are totally safe.”

“Details?!” said Dortju

“We have 1 or  2 visits a week from local militia gangs asking to purchase girls from us and they have started being boisterous when they come to visit us. This is causing us concern and Raka has a number of plans in place.” she responded.

Dortju looked straight at Amy, she was the only other possible Anor in the camp, and he said “Talk!” Anors tended to be very spot on when it came to calling it and can handle greater levels of stress than others when pushed. Amy understood this, she always played along when it came to Dortju, otherwise she was a handful to look after for others.

“We have a fair chance Sir. It wont be easy. We have the support of local people but the gang war is coming close to us and people worry if we can meet violence with violence if it is needed – we are thus doubted due to our non-violence policy. Raka is obviously frustrated by this and would like to offer to you some plans for some violent retribution to the militia gangs. It’s time to kick ass Sir!” Amy met him straight in the eye the whole time as she said all this and he nodded and thanked her with his warmest but a grim smile, she just sat up with pride.

Needs must he thought.

“I see.”  Dortju was hardly a fan of violence.

Dortju looked out of the conservatory doors at the setting Siberian sun and marveled at the evil being done in this land of such overwhelming beauty. “Bring in Raka right now, you don’t need to be guarded while I am here!” Dortju wanted the militia on his door step at that minute then the matter would have been settled after they had dug their own graves away from the camp before the kids got up at dawn. His demeanor reflected his thoughts while he asked for Raka.

Chani sat up.

November ran off to get Raka.

“Dama, how likely is a physical attack?!” she was head of the grounds as estates manager and that included being safe.

“Perhaps as bad as 50/50” she replied.

Dortju, thought for a bit, looked at the picture of Nelson Mandella on the wall and lost himself in thought for a minute… Like Nelson he hated the use of violence but understood how it could come to serve a just cause.

“Why the fuck was I NOT…” he stopped himself and took a deep breath, sometimes Monique held down a little too much confusion for him. In this case she may have put innocents in danger. He looked at her and said “We’ll fix this, ok Pet.”

Chani piped up “Monquie emailed about this on Mon there Sir, but I thought with the flight and all, well…” Dortju looked at them both and smiled. Ok he thought, they handed me this right, but now I have a hand to play!

You could see the stress leave them all as they started to relax. Amy looked excited and Chani wondered where this was leading. Amy knew.

November walked in with Raka in tow. He dwarfed her, he was from the Zulu tribe originally and easily stood over 6 1/2 foot while November was barely 5 1/2 foot and a tiny 26 year old anyway. Raka being 30 had took her under his wing and lord have mercy on any man who hurt November if Raka knew about it. She had had a few boyfriends but they never quite seemed to match up to Rakas (or Novembers) expectations. Dortju wondered if maybe November had a thing for him. He’d ask her.

“Raka, please start talking to me, remember call a spade a fucking spade please!”

As Dortju said this he had stood up and walked over to the fire place, November sat next to Raka which explained that relationship (she’d normally have sat down next to the fireplace to be close to Dortju – so she did have a thing for Raka, good on them) Raka who had sat down on the couch, started to explain:

“We have a problem with the local gangs militia, they are testing us as perhaps a place they could kidnap girls from and we are afraid they may soon come in force. I have a number of retaliation plans available to consider for you if you wish Mr. Orfu, Sir.”

Dammit Dortju wanted to as well.

Chani could see it to now he had raised his shoulders some and his figure looked more rigid with anger with his squareness of shoulders and standing over folk more than his usual  quiet self. Amy was ready to do battle, Dortju knew he had to keep her out of it somehow.

Amy hoped he wouldn’t play the age card again, she was only 17. and 18 in only 11 months.

“Tell me can you still safely go to the market with the girls with you Raka?” Dortju looked straight in Rakas eyes as he said this, almost confrontational.

“No boss.” was all Raka said, and Dortju reached into his pocket where he kept his coin and Chani started to look worried.

“Do we need anything from the market tomorrow?” Asked Dortju off of Monique?

She knew what was coming and looked down as she replied.

“We have had no fresh fruit or veg now for 4 days and we are short on supplies” she admitted.

Chani seen Dortju take his hand out of his pocket with the coin and place it in the middle of the table with the heads up. “Tomorrow we go for some supplies peeps!” he said this calmly enough but Chani, Amy, Raka and November at least read him right. Amy was Excited! Tomorrow there was going to be some severe reality adjustment on the go. It was in Dortjus eyes. He sat down, smiled, took a drink of his Stella and said “Lets put on some G N’ Rs”….

The song playing was “O sweet child of mine” Dortjus smile was more than likely directed at thoughts about his daughter than the task at hand as he stared into the fire…

So the night passed and they all went to bed shortly after midnight. Dortju sat up for a bit till Chani went to bed at around 2. Dortju went out for a walk.

He slipped his hood up and near enough disappeared into the local towns night. He walked into the town and listened to the sounds and the vibes around the local area and heard what was being said and cried by people as they slept or did not as the night passed and he learned enough. Tomorrow’s violence would be hard for him for sure but when needs must. Needs Must!

He had a just call to teach a lesson, and while most Wizards adhor violence, when needs…

Dortju never enjoyed dishing out violence and hated making people scared but sometimes some people were just better off not being of this world and deep down everyone knew this. Sometimes it falls on a Wizard to wear his Warrior hat.

As Dortju had set up the camp he had applied one of the laws of being a Wizard: Never plan to do violence but be prepared to deal with it if it comes your way unjustly. He had all the tools he needed for the job in hand in the basement of the camp. Raka kept the key but was not to use it unless he had Dortjus permission or in Extremis.

As he went to bed he looked in on Chani, she was sound asleep as was right and proper. Tomorrow she would see him in action as a Warrior for the first time. He wondered how she would cope.

The next day started the same as ever in this clime of the world with a beautiful sunrise that Dortju watched through the conservatory doors while everyone else got up and about.

He knew what was in store for the day and had prepared himself overnight. He knew what he was going to do and how. He worried more about the effect this would have on his Padawan and the staff of the camp than himself. Once he noticed that everyone was up and about and breakfasting he went back into the lounge.

“Good morning all!” said Dortju as he came in from his ‘morning stroll’ no one knew if he ever actually slept. “Have you all had some morning coffee?” cheerfully, as he tucked into his breakfast.

“YES SIR” came the chorus of reply.

“Good because today we are going to kick some ass and get some stuff from the market.” Amy couldn’t wait.

“Lets head out after brekky and no one under 18 in the cars!”  Amy went bright red, near burst into tears, swiveled on her heel and stormed off in a temper with her bacon roll thrown in the bin to boot! He knew she could look after herself, he was just always so determined to keep her away from the ugly! She hated him and loved him for it.

Dortju watched her leave, she’d already seen too much too young and today was going to be an ugly one!

November pretended not to notice while getting her last supplies packed in the cars from the veg and other market stalls. Dortju had slipped Chani a gun and knife and whispered instructions to follow quietly and strike from behind if need be, Raka and Dama had there own task, as he invited 3 of the main gang leaders down a side ally. He’d made contact with them an hour earlier as a mostly unknown and he’d made overtures of a possible sale of some women from the camp. Dortju himself was of course also well armed as were the 3 gang leaders.

As they were driving back from the market no one spoke. Dortju was thinking as he sat in the front passenger seat of the Merc and no one was really in the mood. They had there supplies ok for sure. And perhaps also a minor legacy to deal with. Dortju needed to be gotten home though they could all sense it. He was burning too hot.

As they pulled up the drive he sat up. Once the Merc pulled up he hopped out “Get yourselves in and settled, make sure the perishables go in the fridge and I’ll see you all in the morning” he smiled over his shoulder as he walked away with the JD – no one was comforted by it.

Chani went to his room at about ten and lightly knocked on his door and listened. Nothing. She knocked a little louder. Still Nothing. She opened the door and peered in, yet again … nothing. O Dortju she sighed to herself, always going it yourself, she thought. He must have left the camp quietly to go off and get some space.

“He’s off!” she said to the others as she walked back down stairs.The worried looks back said to her, find him please and be sure he’s ok.

She understood and they all got themselves fed and sorted. They had some nice spaghetti thanks to the fresh veg and after a glass of wine each they all mostly went to bed. Everyone was worried about him but not in the physical sense and they were all exhausted after the excursions of that day!

Chani knew she had to see he was ok.

She decided to do a location. Easily done if you know someone well enough. It’s simply a matter of thinking if I was, marry up recent events and do some extrapolation with the Q in mind of:… where would I be right now if I was…? and being smart about what you came up with.

“Are you ok?” Chani asked her mentor a few mins later. She had found Dortju at the edge of their refugee camp. He was stood at the fence with his back to the camp facing the world outside and looking off into a gorgeous purple sunset, soaking up the sun. His feet a good foot apart and arms crossed, standing akimbo with his cloak as per and his hood up.

It looked as if he might be daring the world to come and try and assault the camp and he’d take to task anyone  that thought about it. She could just feel it. Being taken to task by Dortju could be a very dangerous proposition. She’d always heard stories in wizard school but after yesterdays trip to the village she had seen him at first hand wear his warrior hat and felt sorry for his enemies in a way.

“I will be.” his voice carried the pain.

She stayed silent she could tell he was not finished.

“Chani, violence can be righteous when used directly to protect our young, yes?!”

“Yes Sir.”

“Today… was it… direct… enough?”

“Yes Sir!” without hesitation.

“Aww Wee Chani, get yourself to bed pettle and rest easy. Tomorrow I’m going home via Sudan. Everyone is safe here.”

“Sure” she said it and tried to sound cheerful. “Now they are” she said to herself under her breath. Of course Dortju heard, he gave a nod by lowering his head a tad and said nothing. She worried he carried too much of a load on his shoulders. She headed to bed, it was late. By morning Dortju would have a catalog of things for her to do and she needed some rest even if he didn’t she wondered how he did it.

Dortju, stayed put and had the night to himself watching the stars and Moon. Later he sat down and took out his pipe, watching the sun come up and having a quiet smoke made him feel more life calm within as it rose. He went to bed for an hours kip. He took the dogs out at 7 as per, before the camp started to get ready for brekky at 8, the dogs always loved the early morning stroll, especially if Dortju was there and always licked the odd tear off his face to. He adored them and it was of course reciprocated as it always is with dogs. The alpha male of them of course was Rico the only  Alaskan husky in Africa who ruled among a pack of Rhodesian ridgebacks.

 

Chapter 7: Office

“Love is the highest motivation there is. Duty is a close second” – Dortju

 

Camps attended to. Sudan went the same as Libya without the mad market trip that involved hunting down and killing a few gang leaders and now they were back in the Ferry in their rental ready to do some real or our own reality work, godding, getting on and pushing others on, getting by and doing well by others or just helping to save the world a little everyday was what Wizards called work. Camps were the hobbies.

So Dortju had decided to hold the office of PM of GB to do this. Most of his pals in Carnegi thought he was nuts, they were probably right but he was going to give it the good old boy scout try. How hard could it be to run a country anyway.

“Do you think this tie suits me?”

“Dortju it’s black! Obviously, it makes look like the usual you – you never take my fashion advice so why bloody ask!!”

He had a little shiny silver Sea horse pin on it that reminded him of Ceildgh. He wore it with every tie. Chani knew he longed to see her again. It had been more than a month. He hoped she would agree to see him again soon, Dortju tried so hard by his daughter but she could never really see into his world as she was not interested in being a Witch or Padawan. He loved her to bits none the less obviously, you could tell! He had had a brief relationship with her Mum who had since remarried and was now happy without his ‘weird’ Wizard lifestyle in her life. Dortju knew she was well cared for but he so wished she could see the real him and not the image her Mum painted of him to her. As usual time would be on his side. She was in High School and doing well and preferred doing schooling and being in her RAF Cadet band – a 13 year old girl could be up to worse for sure. He tried not to think of them as wogs, but such was one of the loads a Wizard had to carry.

“So I still got it then?” he asked with a cheeky smile.

“Yes!” She fondly smiled back and sensed the sadness, she smiled to try lighten the mood.

“Well then with no further ado can we please go get me registered as a running candidate?”

And so they set off in his BMW M3 to Edinburgh City Council.

Chani got an email while they were heading through. He wasn’t getting off with it. Libyan authorities had gotten in touch with the CID in London and wanted to interview Dortju. Dammit, this had to go away if he wanted public office, or maybe….. She held back on that one. Chani as his Padawan was tasked with helping Dortju forward his aims as part of her training to be a witch. After 3 years in doing this she had the option of doing her own Quest (for a Witch this was almost always setting up a Convent) she did however have the option of asking Dortju to keep her on. Normally, if this happened the partnership ends up being life long.

She had done some homework on the guy who had called already. She took backing up Dortju very seriously. She had grown to have so much respect for his attitude to life.

“Good news! Mr. Dortju!” she piped up.

“Whats that? Cherrup.”

“CID in the Met want your side of the story of what happened with the camp.” She thought it best to leave out the ‘we’re making enquiries’ part of the email.

“Charming and typical, first day I want to try run for office and the fed email my Secretary bugging us about has beens. Bloody typical.”

“Obviously, but did I just hear you right, did you just call me a Secretary?!”

“Sorry Cherrup, that was below the belt! Forgive me?”

“Obviously!” She frowned and emailed the Met back saying Dortju would attend the interview on said date. Now she just had to get Dortju there without him knowing he had been told to attend at a specific time. Dortju knew his time was his own so would work better being there on ‘his own volition’

“Being a Wizard is all about being smart about how you control people, Chani! As I keep trying to tell you!” He’d always say.

She would reply with “I KNOW” as she led him blindly along his own path making him do well in his own life without him even knowing it.

Dortju always smiled back. So is the paradox of the WAY.

The WAY is only a way for the young and old to learn from each other both. Conventional wisdom says the young should learn from the old. The WAY simply stated says it’s a two way street. And we give with the right hand and take with the left and there are people who are more left handed than right handed and vice versa. But for people who follow the WAY people of all ages respect what they can learn from each other as the young have more innocence than the knowledge in the old in their view of life but then the old have experience and all the prejudice that comes with it – a two way street, sometimes it’s the new ideas that push us forward from the young.

Dortju wondered how she would get him to the Met on Tues morn(He noticed that she hadn’t noticed he had been info’d in the email). He thought he already knew how she would do it.

They were at the Edinburgh City Council Offices now.

“Well that wasn’t so hard” commented Chani half an hour later in the Starbucks on Edinburghs High Street.

“Apart from the parking fine!” He said.

“Paperwork, besides I did tell you.”

It was always a fun prank he liked to play. He’d pulled up on double yellows and as he pulled on the handbrake she said “You can’t park here!”

He always timed it so the last click of the handbrake came out as she said “here” and he would reply with:

“Wrong again! I just did”

When they came out she said “Obviously you cant” as she took the ticket out from under the wind screen.

“Obviously I did. Settle that paperwork with some paper from my trust fund Chani, thanks.” he said as he pulled off again, quite vigorously this time.

She loved the act.

“So, now your Registered as a running candidate what would you like to do today because I’m feeling an itch for Oxford St tomorrow to be honest”

Touché he thought.

“Think I’ll set up my campaign facebook page from this Starbucks can you get me something to write on please, Cherrup. While I get some coffees in.”

He got back from the bar with the coffees and she had an iPad. “He’s going self employed! It’s all good this only has his Uni stuff on it, he’s packed in. He’s already self sufficient with his import business he was only doing the Uni to please his Dad.”

“Your getting there. What did you need from Oxford Street?”

“You know, stuff. Can I call a cab?”

He just continued FBing.

“Dortju!”

He looked up from his facebooking “Of course, sorry yeah and book us into 1st class please”

“Duh” She said and got on the phone.

They where in Edinburgh Airport by 6pm and in Gatwick by 8pm. Pretty slick for Chani, he wondered what hotel they would be at.

For the Hilton Ms. Nisbet? Said the man in uniform next to the Limo. Dortju opened the door for Chani then since she had obviously not booked a B&B this time, she jumped in with a smile on her face. Her pre-initiation name was actually Poppy Dunn Nisbet but that was ancient history and she caught on quick – she was getting it! He wanted her to be frivolous with his expense account. Oxford St might be quite cool this time she thought. Last time she thought she’d pushed it at £800 odd. It was closer to £1000 in real money terms but whatever, was how Dortju thought of it.

They settled into their respective rooms and after breakfast and coffee in the morning they made their plans.

“So whats first then?” he asked her.

“Why don’t we get this Met thing out the way first, hit them at say 10 and we have all day to shop, that’d be fun.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Scotland yard looked it’s usual grey no matter the weather.

“Hello, Detective is it? I thought I better come and explain myself” said Dortju as he shook the DIs hand. He made it firm he was playing the alpha male card just now, Chani noticed and wished he hadn’t.

“That’s big of you considering!” said the DI with a raised eye brow. He’d been in the game long enough to know the WAY. “I wanted to speak with you about the unexplained deaths of three African civilians!” his name was William and he had been in the CID for nearly 20 years. He was an undeclared but mostly behaved himself. He was still white at heart.

Dortju picked up on this and looked William straight in the eye for long enough. They continued ‘normally’

“Detective I had just cause to some self defense! and those civilians as you say needed to have how they enforced their realities on others curbed shall we say” the deputy Sgt in the room looked at Dortju as if he had spoke Flemish. William thought he understood. “Their names where, Billy McEwan, James Carter,  and Stuart Collins. They were not civilians but para-militry if you would care to look into it a bit more. They were from South Africa and NOT innocent civilians. Defense against gangs is normal self defense in Africa, you know? Have a deeper look” Dortju added.

“I will, Sir” said William as he stood and held out his hand for Dortju to shake. They actually shook hands fondly as they parted. William did not only use a fine tooth comb but a magnifying glass  in the camps town to look into what Dortju had done in Africa and in the end he left it. Said there was no evidence, which was a mild understatement to say the least. William had Dortju with a smoking gun in the evidence department, but he would never tell his boss that, he understood. He’d found out Dortju had not only killed the three gang leaders but had had his squad (Raka and Dama) hold down five of their underlings and made them watch – word had spread and violence in the region had massively subsided.

All Dortju cared about was in every email he had from the camp there was not one dot of a hint of mention of trouble and he had told them he was to be told if there was any inkling of it. Dama had agreed to hold down all organizational confusion but promised to let him know about all security matters no matter how trivial.

As they left the Met Chani was smiling and Dortju was looking afar as he sometimes did when absorbed in his own thoughts, then, he seemed to see what he expected and smiled.

A new BMW M5 pulled up with a driver to boot. He jumped out and opened the door “I was told to be at your disposal for the forseeable future” said Jeeves as you can only beg his name would be. It was James and he was a sound one. He’d been a barrow boy in his earlier days in East London and you could see he was quite capable of handling himself if needs must. Most likely armed and ex special forces.

Once they were settled in the back Dortju dropped the divider and asked James what was going on. He briefly took his attention off the mad traffic of Londons am traffic.

“Gov told me to see you all right and take you where you wanted.” James said.

“Any special requests?!” asked Dortju.

“Sure, I’m maybe expecting a call. I think it’s good news though as DI William is shall we say impressed with you and he is making some calls just now. I honestly don’t know what for but he was singing your praises when I left the office so it wont be bad, Sir of that I can assure you as a Gent.”

Dortju knew it to. He sat back and thought of what to try and do with the day.

“Cherrup, what did you say you needed from Oxford St, again?”

“Remember that outfit I seen with the half cut sleeves and that skirt that was quite tight and beige and came to just above my knees, I thought that looked, well quite chique and I fancied seeing if Harvey Nicks had anything like that.”

He’d long since zoned out, they were on their way to Oxford St and no doubt she would pick out some things for him to wear to. He had an account that should not go below £1,000,000 from his first year at Carnegi. Over the years it had taken a few dents with his antics and what not but with interest and all that stuff and his doubling up sometimes he was sitting on a “safety net” of £29,987,341 so Chani should be ok in Harvey Nicks for one afternoon. After that he’d need to keep her busy and away from shops. He had a few projects on the go.

He handed over his Platinum card to her and said “LETS DO THIS”

Chani fair exploded with excitement. She was in her element.

By 4pm she was flagging thank god he was sure she had nearly racked up £10,000 on his card although he did have some good clothes and she was shall we say sorted. (The final bill was £21,342, Chani had a way of making things seem less expensive) he was hardly bothered.

She was at the end of her tether and ready to head back to the hotel with all the bags when the phone went. William was on the blower, she put her bags down. “Hello?” she said politely.

“Are Yourself and Mr. Dortju available this evening for an Audience?” was all he said.

She fucking knew IT! SORTED. Her bets had come in. Now was her chance.

“We did have plans, but under the circumstances of course we are free to be picked up whenever”

“6pm Mam!” was all William said. It was just after 4pm NOW!

“Of course.” said Chani, “We are at the Hilton”

“I know” said the DI, “Be Ready for 5:30”

She hanged up and swung round!

“Dortju, get me back to the hotel now extremis! PLEASE!”

“Without the shopping?!!” he said.

“Extremis. PLEASE!” She now had ALL the bags hanging from her fingers and she held them up in his face, with a RIGHT NOW look in her eyes!

It was a code word and meant emergency. As it turned out she was right.

It took Dortju nearly 2 mins to get them properly moving. He scanned the scene and seen what he needed to. He checked the sunny weather, the time, his local, he checked in his mind the distance to the hotel, he thought of the roads, the road traffic, the subway, running, et all and called it.(thinking time needed. 0.003 secs. Action time needed to buy car 1 min 52.367secs). It was an M3, funnily enough. Only an Anor Wizard! And they were off towards the hotel. The driver of the M3 was happy as Larry with twice the value of it in his hands and so they were at the hotel within 16 mins flat. Surely Chani would think that wasn’t bad. Wizards tend to carry cash.

“Extremis Why?!” asked Dortju.

“Because we’re meeting the Queen this evening and you drive like a show off Dortju! But Thanks! I need to get ready.” she WAS a bit shook up from the drive but only physically. She knew he knew what he was about in a car, thankfully. Dortju would NEVER put a wog through that MEST abuse. (Matter, Energy, Space and Time).

He shrugged and wondered off to find the bar or his room to read for a bit or maybe have a nice long shower. He’d been to the bar, showered and also read some, when 20 mins later some wow arrived:

“Ready!!!!” she said an hour later.

Thank god, he thought. But he had to send her a smile for her beauty she looked so elegant and carried the purple dress and gloves off very well. Her long flowing lightly coloured hair and firgure made all the difference.

She seen the look on his face. “Well how often do you get an audience with the Queen?!” she said.

About once a year he thought to himself and never said it. Being a gent… his only reply could be:

“Of course, you look the part, pet you look gorgeous! Like wow stuff and aye good shout on extremis pet.” and he did smile at her. She DID look the part. It had not been a wasted  hour or use of Extremis for sure and she was off to meet Her Majesty for the first time.

“Stop being a flirt!” she said but swaggered off the the bar to get the next round in with a female swagger.

After all the fluff and ceremony he was on his knees in front of Her Majesty and she said, “Servant of Britain, is their an office I can ask you to hold in my care?”

Know a person is herewith expected to say Knight or Earl or some other title and depending on how much cash they had given or how much good they had done they would get said title or office. Except Chani had made an interesting fact known to him in the Bentley on the way over. Funny how the cars got better as the day went on in London for Dortju.

“PM!” he said with confidence. Or so he thought then.

She looked at him and wondered.

He even thought he’d maybe have over stood his mark and now seen he HAD!! Elizabeth was a Sorceress!!!

(She knew the law Chani had found and thought she had used to corner her. Dortju would not last a day as PM but maybe later, as perhaps a later quest, use this as a first to give him a little taste of life above level five and then mention him to Charles for later on).

“I’ll give you that office now young young man because you wont keep it yet. And I think I will have a word with Charles about you young Dortju.”

Now Dortju felt out of his depth, but not stressed, he wondered about the actual power she held. He couldn’t colour her, that was it, he could not call her. But she was obviously more white than black that anyway he could see. Definitely drumming for the good of all.

Elizabeth glanced at Chani as she was saying this to Dortju about mentioning him to Charles. Chani rightly and gladfully held her peace. Elizabeth did have the good for all in her heart and suspected Dortju might do to and also Chani could help him. She smiled back in the benign way only Monarchs seem to be able to.

As it would happen, as they went home they walked through the gates to get a taxi and Dortju sent a Salute to one of the Beefeaters and also got one back this time, he knew he’d not forgot his comment to him as a ‘tourist’ respect both ways for sure in that salute. Non obligatory salutes, are shall we say – the only real kind.

  

Chapter Eight: Foundations beginning, failure hates persistence.

 “In order to be oneself, one must only find out how to BE” – Darwi Ordrade of the Bene Gesserit. 

“Jettro I can’t manage that lot. They are not mature enough for that power plain and simple!” Dortju said to his childhood buddy.

“But you know this. That’s why Wizards don’t involve themselves in positions of power over people, what did you expect?  it to make sense?! It’s politics, also known as bullshit – same as lawyers and accountants. They have no bearing in the real world!”

“I know I know. I just thought, with the general good of man I could lead them well.. well you know… to at least something akin to common sense, but O NO! I managed 18 minutes into the first PMs question time. To hell with that! They’re out of whack with they’re kickback stuff and covering themselves all the time”

“Ah the old damn the governors or governed question. Buddy, leave it be and find a 2nd Quest mate!” Jettro said this sincerely and also with a little authority.

Dortju understood and took himself away to himself. He had to think. He was pissed off and down. Now was time for long game plans and he needed a clear head so he was behaving himself to t total, well almost he still had to sleep so he listened to emo music and read the bible, the bible always helps you sleep. And also think so he was in starbucks every morning when they opened to enjoy a Cappuccino while watching the sun rise while he walked down the water of Leith walkway from the rental he and Chani were now sharing in Leith.

She was just being pissy with him, saying he had to get on with it – he understood her frustration he was better than this.

The fact of the matter was he was a Wizard of the Order of Anor and that meant he was by nature a creator. So he had to create something to be happy and was not really all that good at working within mans institutions so what was he left with?! He had to think to himself! Questing was beginning to seem a little lonely, he’d expected this. Least he had Chani.

Speaking of the ‘devil’

“What’s up big man?!” was all she said as she approached him.

“We’re buggered Cherrup, I’m lost. We’ve no foundation to stand on the now Cherrup I’m lost.” as Dartju said this he looked at her so she would know he meant it.

“We have no foundation then?” she asked!

“Yep!” he said with finality and lay down.

“So, we’ve no foundation then and that’s why your lying down?”

“Yep, I’ve no where to go from Cherrup so need to meditate some and work this out!” he was quite determined.

“Or make your own foundation” she said, under her voice.

He heard her and thought about it. She seemed ok, but she had gone out on the town with some wog pals she had made in Leith recently, probably saving souls as per, bless.

He was glad he was dealing with reality at least and not what those politicos called life. deciding between the less evils all the time – no thanks, better to be able to take a stand. That was the thing with people, to be popular you had to not make a stand. If you took a stand you ended up with enemies. Better to fold all the time? Maybe, not!! Dortju was still a young man but had the experience of someone twice his age. He’d a lot to think over and as usual what she had just said nagged at him. “Make your own foundation.”

It was a bit much, he went to have a walk while she was out. He fed the cat before he went. She’d got Sparky as it’d been named, since they had moved into their flat in Leith, said she it brought a bit more life to the flat. Dortju lifted his eye brow at that comment, as was his right at that from an Anor creator of Life force Wizards, wont.

He pulled out his scroll to have a reminder as he started his walk.

The Power of A Wizard:

We try and understand powers and energies and their uses and try not to abuse our own power. We are as subject to the forces of the Universe as we allow ourselves to be and we control energies and forces as best as we can. These Forces include in no particular order of importance, Love, Honesty, Loyalty, Devotion, Duty, Respect, Effort, money and even penalty, as a last resort there is always violence.

A Wizard exists to help others but is wary of his power.

He does not want to follow or be followed. Be in an institution or set one up.

A Wizard who writes must have a license to do so, if dealing in the arts.

The arts are control of others through the use of some form of energy.

Ones inclination to Wholesome or Evil make more waves depending on the power one wields.

Careful must be the holders of power and the power of leading by example.

And power over others comes mainly from reading the right things and using it usefully.

To learn that you need to play the game of life and learn through the WAY. Welcome to being a Wizard, use your powers with wisdom.

Chani had said something about setting up my own foundation so… Time to build a foundation. Camp 3 maybe? If anyone should then it would be a Wizard of the Order of Anor. Why not! Camp 3, in the Ferry, called My Foundation.

 

Chapter Nine: The Foundation

“No energy force will produce one dolt of power unless it has something to push against as a base and another point/s to release the power to, there must be two points  one at both each end of the force for energy to produce a reaction. An energy source will flap about in wind unless it has a counter force/entity, once it has a counter force/entity it can be a ridge and cause a reaction. Any family member, national leader or engineer can explain this. No problem can exist without a counter energy/force” – Common sense, Dortju

Dortju had decided he wanted to set up a research foundation. He was going to gather just a handful of followers together and maybe…. write. He wanted to talk to Jettro first.

He met him in Carnegi at the annual reunion that Oct.

His childhood friend thought for barely a second, “Do not do it!”

“I’ll be careful” Dortju meant this as he said it.

“With power over others?! and with magick!!!”

Dortju knew he was walking on ice.

“Sorry, I think I can do this. I will keep it to 5 and go slow” said Dortju with what he thought was conviction but his head was full of ideas.

Jettro seen it. “I hope so. We meet now as friends I hope I never have to meet you in a professional capacity”

That was what worried Dortju to. Followers could be risky when you were not just Dad, the boss or  a school teacher.

The point was Wizards were Wizards because they could control others because others allowed themselves to be controlled and Wizards could see this. Thus the problem with undeclareds.

Dortju had to worry about his own game. He had some questing to do and just now that seemed to be setting up a foundation with a handful of followers. So he had Chani and could in theory have 4 others if he was careful, Jettro had not confirmed to him, sort of. He wished he had a license to write like back in the good old days when anyone could. Of course anyone could still generally write per se. But could not prophesy or attempt to prophecy to others through say Twitter without a License. “Just out the bath” was of course A-ok. “Be unto thy self” is a breach of not having a license, if you don’t. Undeclareds push the boundaries all the time.

So he gathered a few peeps up and started the foundation.

 

Chapter Ten: A Leap of Faith

“In the beginning their was a postulate and that was to be. So we have a viewpoint.” Dortjus Mentor

It was getting close to the jump time as they flew over the Cairngorm mountain range in the north of Scotland. Dortju had arranged a group parachute jump with everyone from the flat, they were back in the Queensferry flat as the Leith one was way too small for the five of them and loving it. Daily karma sessions and all.

The five of them that had come together for this research project was Dortju, Chani, Raka, Amy and November. You could tell the guys were more into the idea of the jump than the girls and of the girls it was Amy who had been the most easy to persuade.

It wasn’t all just for fun either they were doing an adrenaline Vs stress experiment.

It had not taken much to convince Raka, Amy and November to join them in the setting up of the foundation and three very suitable replacements had been easy to source from the camps resident refugees.

“I’m going to do this. I’m going to do this. I’m going to do this.” Dortju and Raka smiled at each other as they heard Chani mutter this from the back of the line.

“T minus 90 secounds guys” shouted the pilot from the front.

“Aye whatever” said Dortju as he opened the door and jumped. Leaving the plane at the right time for the target area wasn’t an issue when you had a fly suit on, he’d cruise around a bit and watch them leave the plane.

They all made a successful exit and he flew over to Chani and managed to get her attention eventually he gave her the thumbs up and got a frightened nod from her as she never let go of the harness straps.

They all made land safely and Chani had a massive grin on her face once she had caught her breath.

“It’s breathtaking!” she said.

They were doing this test as Dortju had come up with a thesis that people showed who they truly are only when under massive stress. He’d compared a few life threatening experiences, speaking in public for the first time and being with a women for the first time as examples.

Being under stress taught not only others about you but you about you.

‘Well Chani, are you up for another leap of faith then?’ Dortju said over a cheeky grin.

‘Hell yeah. When?!’ She replied.

‘As usual pet, you’ll fly whenever you want to. And glad to see you’re a getting back in the saddle kinda gal!’

‘Obviously’ she said and smiled to herself at the compliment.

‘Give me your hand’ he said.

He took her shaking hand in his steady one and spoke softly ‘Yeah, keep an eye on that shake for the debrief pet and trust me when you’ve done enough adrenaline hits the shakes get less – I should know! Let’s head home’

They gathered up their shoots and went off in search of the others who’d not quite hit the landing spot.

That night they all had a party at their lodge in Aviemore before heading back to South Queensferry in the morning. Once they were in Dortju had them all do  debriefs on each other, written and verbal, and they all examined the recordings they had taken of their heart rates and adrenaline levels during the jump and more importantly on the time leading to it. Amy was the calmest apart from Dortju who’s readings came out the same as if he’d been reading a book in bed.

“All these experiments are fine Dortju and gathering all these texts of knowledge are all fine and dandy but where are you going with this?” Chani piped up after doing a good few hours of research on the results of her jump experiment.

“We need a follower pet. We have set up a knowledge foundation to be able to share true knowledge to anyone who wants it and to get it out there we need a follower to succeed. So keep your head down and keep researching till we find a truth!”

“What sort of truth are we looking for Bro?”

“The first and most basic one, are we immortal or no! YOLO Vs Karma pet!”

  

Chapter Eleven: The first follower

“Needing to have something before you can do something is an excuse to not BE cause! The only question we must ask is can we be or not and our own answer to ourselves in this dilemma is: do we want to go make it go right or not!” – inspired by Dortju’s Mentor. 

Chani came downstairs and seen Dortju with his head in his hands next to the fire.

“What’s wrong Dortju, pet?” she asked. He was not looking too cheerful this morning.

“We have some bad Karma lurking pet no sure what it is yet!” he replied.

Briinngg Brinnngggg the phone went….

“Hello” Dortju answered

“Ok”

“I See”

“Understood”

He hung up and looked at Chani, “We have lost one of our Masters pet Ron Elrond has passed!” he had gone a pale shade of white. “The funeral will be this Fri”

“Pet I need you to rearrange my diary” he said

She had it in her hand already and had just put a pen through Fri, she then put a pen through Thursday and then knowing him did the same to Saturday. She then got on the phone.

As the rest of the gang filtered into the living room/kitchen the atmosphere in the flat became more grim as everyone went about getting breakfast and got word of the news, everyone had met Elrond and all were very fond of him, he was afterall Dortjus Mentor. They were on Tues and it was looking to be a long week with research being put on the back burner.

Chani and Dortju were out walking along the shore front, he had tried to go off on a walk on his own but Chani would have none of it, Amy wanted to come to but sat down when Chani made her case by giving Amy a reassuring look and little nod.

“What will we do?!” she asked.

“Pet we’ll attend his funeral, pay our respects and keep going. We have two options at times like this, keep going or give up and we never give up in this profession!” She could see the tears in his eyes as he said this.

He had an inner strength she had never seen in anyone else.

“Will Carnegi be ok do you think?”

“Of course they will, they may be short on space but they have more than enough Earth Credits to be safe for a 1000 years no worries. I’ll miss that grumpy old git though” he wiped his eyes as he said this and stepped back into the flat.

Everyone was around the breakfast bar talking and looked up as he walked in. “Listen everyone we have a funeral to attend this week on Fri but I want work to continue nontheless, ok?” there was no conviction in his voice.

“Sure”

“Uh huh”

“Of course”

He got from Amy, Raka and November.

“We will all keep going ok?!” Chani said with an attempt of cheerfulness and got a chorus of light “Yeses!”

Dortju appreciated her efforts and got a beer from the fridge, he already missed his Wee One and losing Elrond was too much. He’d be back in action on Wed!

Wednesday and Thursday were ghost work days, no one really got anything done but they all went about their business as if they were trying to get something done.  The Karma Stats weren’t looking good on Fri morning.

They all dolled up in their finest and went to attend the funeral. It was a closed casket one as it had not been a natural death but seemingly he had been in the basement when an old wall had caved in on him! Not the type of thing you would expect to take down a Master such as Elrond.  It was normally undeclareds who got Masters while they were trying to bring them into line not falling masonry!

“He defo lived to the max” Chani said as they walked into the Great Hall at Carnegi.

As soon as he saw the casket he thought he understood what might be going on at last, things just weren’t adding up. Dortju looked out Jettro and went over to him.

“Talk!” he said to him.

“Your suspicions are correct Sir, make sure yous behave will you!”

“Ok!” was all Dortju said and then walked off.

He found Raka with November comforting her, they were all upset and justly so.

The funeral was the usual somber affair with all the hats and ceremonies expected for a master of the Order of Anor. Ron Elrond was one of the few Anor Wizards who had stayed in Carnegi and Dortju often wondered why. Maybe Ron had Quested before and since gone back to work at Carnegi he wish he’d have asked when he had the chance.

They all sang “Amazing Grace” as was his last request at the burying “I once was lost and now I can see” were the words that stung Dortju as he knew what the script was. He also liked the film and it always brought a tear to his eyes. He wondered where this was all going to though. Jettro had been quite clear there was something fishy afoot.

At the wake they were all on it. Dortju had got bottle of whisky and there was vodka available for everyone else and they plain and simply got tanned. It had been a long week for them all and it was time to let off some steam.

Work had ground to a halt in the meantime. They were all looking for a release. Dortju took Chani out for a walk for a while and came back a bit happier. Raka was the first to see them return – he smiled a welcome.

It had been when he was 4 that Dortju had found him in the wastes of a civil war/gang violence and taken him in. He had a lot to thank Dortju for and would never hold anything against him ever. Of one thing he was sure Dortju had his back and he had his!

On Saturday morning after the wake they all slowly but surely woke up and went about their work but there was little heart in their endeavours. Wizards and Witches didn’t tend to work to the schedule of 9-5 Mon to Fri and having fun just at the weekends. So it was with a heavy heart that they all looked forward to Mon.

Monday morning arrived as it always did with a beautiful sunrise over the Firth of Forth. Dortju was up already when they all made it to breakfast. He was sat watching the news as they all did away. Once they had all broken their fast they all sat down on the floor near the open hearth fire while Dortju sat on the couch.

It was Chani who spoke first, “Well, Dortju?! What gives?!”

“I think the best thing to do is crack on and see what comes up next people!” as he said this you could see everyone was dubious. Dortju raised an eyebrow and pointed to the double doors to the living room, he’d heard the front door open and close a few seconds ago.

“Do I liven up the prospects at all” Said Ron Elrond as he walked into the living room “I want you cats to figure out why I cant die already. Are yous up for it, please work out why I am immortal!”

“Holy shit!” was all Chani managed! as the others stared on.

“I may be holy but I don’t think calling me holy shit is quite the answer. “ Elrond started with.

“I’ve been doing this gig for 300 years of men and want to know why already. Who’s in?”

Dortju smiled, he had his first follower anyway.

To be continued…

Appendix

On the Origin of Wizards and Stewards:

During for formation of Middle Earth Lord Denethor ruled over Minas Tirith in the novel Lord of the Rings by Tolkien. Denethor was however a Steward and not endowed or ordained as a Wizard. However he was astute in military conquest and had a cunning mind able to dominate the will of other lesser  men.

Like the Order of Wizards the men of Numenor came from across the sea and were taller in stature and of true blood. They could always be told apart with their long blond flowing hair and piercing blue eyes.

Their blood lines mingled over the years with that of other men but in Denethor and his two sons this blood line ran truer than most.

Gandalf was the most high profile member of the Order of Anor and oversaw the defeat of Sauraman and Sauron and left Middle Earth with a King on the throne and peace in his wake.

He also left a number of descendants.

Since the middle age of Man… from the year 1000 to the year 1500 wizards and witches have more or less been shunned and left undeclared and noticed.

Until 2000.

Dortju was one of the few direct descendants of Gandalf. In fact Gandalf was his great great great grandfather by direct descent father to son blood line. Gandalf sadly passed away in the 20^th century.

As well as giving credit to Tolkien for the creation of Middle Earth as we know of it from Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit and his many other works. There is also Herberts Dune to thank and also Star Wars.

Both the latter gave a retrospective view of todays life that allowed the author to not only borrow from the style of Herberts writings but also use the Jedi’s Force as a basis for THE WAY. Which governs the lives of modern day Wizards and Witches.

On Padawans:

Since forever and most especially popular in the time of ancient Greece teachers have almost always had a padawan in tow.

Gandalf has his Hobbit friends like Dortju has Chani. The catholic church and also the freemasons took this method of teaching and passing on the the secrets as a means of preserving their way of life.

Time over the eons may have changed what is taught however this method of passing on what one has learned of a trade or craft in ones journey will always be best passed on in this manner of coupling.

The pairing of one adult with a large group of youths for a short span of time each day has long since been debunked as the best means to educate our youth. Direct instruction for ones entire education through ones coming of age and beyond is the best way to realize a persons fullest potential.

On the Four Orders of Wizardy:

Anor, Creator of Life:

Lord of the Rings Vol 3 appendix.

The Order of Anor was meant to create life and be creative. Anorians are the only Order who carry their persona into the afterlife and back. The other Orders end up in Reduction.

Anorism is the closest humanity has to immortality so far.

Amul, Sustainer of Life:

This order practiced the most in the way of medicine, diet and physical longevity.

They took care of medical complications in the world at large on mainly a consultancy basis with doctors and such like.

Amuls would always be sent to disaster areas as part of a relief force with doctors nurses and logistics specialists from the Order of Wit and defense from the Order of Raka.

Raka, The Warrior:

Raka trained in the niceties of violence. If you knew a Raka then you’d be advised to stay on their good side.

Very few women adhered to the Order of Raka but those who did were deadly killers and found of being honey traps. More than a few black undeclared had died due to this.

Rakas tended to keep themselves to themselves but did interact with military reservists and martial arts groups the world over and would respond with rescuers from the Order of Amul in a natural disaster area for safety.

Wit, The Mentats

See section, on Mentats.

On Metats:

The idea of mentats stemmed from the Dune series written by Frank Herbert who deserves credit for the idea. I came up with the idea of making it into an acronym meaning Male Enhanced Notions for Tactics and Technology.

It’s all about the analytical mind. If you can compute things in your mind without influence from emotion then to that degree you are a Mentat.

Women can also be Mentats and also some are the most persistent on some sets of problems but they rarely reach the analytical skills attained by their male peers through arguably much more drug use. But female mentats always shy from such use so the tests in this are inconclusive.

On a License to Write:

Ever since the golden era of fantasy and science fiction and the subsequent groups of followers from Tolkien to Hubbard with Herbert and Heinlein in there the right to write has become restricted by UN convention. This became all too clear as a priority after the real purpose of all religious pursuits was discovered by social sciences.

Anyone can write anything ultimately but one is held to account for all the actions of ones followers if you have them.

Praise for the good and penalties for the bad.

This became necessary when it was discovered Religious organizations were using there ‘gateway to the immortal’ as a sales pitch to accrue money.

On the Great Convention:

Once it was universally established that religious law and extreme nationalism both led to far right extremes then global government honestly got underway.

Far right parties slowly but surely lost ground and the UN and EU and a number of trade conglomerations stepped in to take up the slack.

There was a global reduction of arms trade deals from  $1570,000,000,000 in 2016 to under $1,000,000 in 2034. This effectively barely covered pensions and maintenance of some search and rescue equipment.

Most funds were re-directed to the space defence budget and had oversight committees from many nations.

Hunting prey for sport the world over was banned bar fishing and pest control was taken care of by civil authorities.

Military reservist where forever still trained by all nations but the only action they ever saw was the pipes and drum parade ceremonies.

Authority of control over all nuclear bombs and power stations was handed to the UN.

All chemical and biological weapons were destroyed.

Any one country or group of people trying to attack or harm sovereign nations were to be immediately declared a rogue nation or group and would become fully at the mercy of the UN.

There were no longer such a thing as a military alliance in the world only trade and cultural ones.

The UN could no longer pass resolutions to sanction wars.

As intended as a direct result of the Great Convention the masses of populations in countries were no longer used as soldiers and targets to be used by world leaders to make some political statement through their own death and the murder of others.

On the Wizards Code:

Being a wielder of Magik comes with great responsibility and it was paramount that Wizards and Witches kept their own ranks clean. So with the power came a code to be adhered to.

This effectively became an informal international constitution.

Each nation still had armies of politicians, lawyers and such like but if ever a problem became sticky then a Wizard or Padawan was brought in to arbitrate.

They did so guided by the code.

The Code

A Wizard exists to help others but is wary of his power.

He does not want to follow or be followed. Be in an institution or set one up.

A Wizard who writes must have a license to do so, if dealing in the arts.

The arts are control of others through the use of some form of energy.

Ones inclination to Wholesome or Evil make more waves depending on the power one wields.

Careful must be the holders of power and the power of leading by example.

And power over others comes mainly from reading the right things and using it usefully.

To learn that you need to play the game of life and learn through the WAY. Welcome to being a Wizard, use your powers with wisdom.

• As compiled at the first ever international Wizard conventions in Geneva. Jan, 2028.

Following just these guides has made Wizards and Witches some of the most powerful forces in international arbition than ever before. In fact some suggested it could be the foundation for what could evolve in Star Wars Jedis of the Future.

Glossary:

Amul:

A body specialist.

Anor:

Servant of the Secret fire.

Carnegi:

The Wizard and Witches College that was set up in 2022.

Covenant:

A Wizards or Witches residence.

The Force:

Ways to use The Way.

Life Levels:

Range from 1-5 and basically determined how much one is responsible for in the world.

Magic:

Theatrics presented to a guidable crowd of sheeple for entertainment.

Magik:

Occult skills intended to cause a profound effect.

Mentat:

A person who’s mind has been trained to act as an analytical computing device to allow the Mentats master make use of such facility on command. Mentats cannot lead and the male psche is better suited to this training method. Male Enhanced Notion for Tactics and Technology.

MEST:

Stands for Matter, Energy, Space and Time. The main components of the physical universe.

Notion:

A means to achieve something inspired by a gut feeling.

Questing:

A Wizards appointed/selected path in life.

Raka:

Warrior Wizards or Witches. Note: Anyone in a rage can take on the attributes of a Raka member on the job.

Reduction:

Memory erasure and blank slate induction. The brain is washed or wiped clean from effects or memories of before.

Sassenachs:

Practitioners of black magik.

Scroll:

A copy of the Wizards Code

Secret Fire:

A Secret.

Sheeple:

People who think what they are told to.

UN:

United Nations. Another attempt at the government of man.

Undeclareds:

People who practiced magick without admitting it.

The Way:

Another attempt at Government but rooted in historical precepts of pagans.

Wit:

This is the Magik Order for people with high IQs. Composed of Mentats.

Wizard:

A man of The Way who deals in Magik.

Witch:

A women of The Way who deals in Magik.

Zombie:

A loveless person who behaves as a human would without love, compassion or loyalty. Normally caused by too much drugs or apathy.

Authors Note:

While this is entirely a work of fictional drama based in the future it is also based on my own life experiences. I was strongly influenced in my childhood by many great writers of recent history. I have drawn on their works heavily with some of the words I have decided to use in this work.

All the characters and events are entirely made up but some of what they do has actually happened either by me or been witnessed by me. I’ll leave the truth of it up for debate.

Special thanks needs to go to JRR Tolkien for giving us the Lord of the Rings. It is shamelessly being used here to keep the blood line of middle earth wizards and the elvish theme going in a modern era. That Dortju is cast as a descendant of Gandalf is as fantastical an idea as my own life has been in reality. I hope the Tolkien foundation forgives the trespass into Middle Earth and accept my humble respect for Tolkiens wonderful work that I don’t think will ever be surpassed.

Frank Herberts Dune series was a massive inspiration and I have borrowed not only the odd influence for an idea but also was inspired by the writing format as well.

I’m sure it’s appeared in other works but E. E Doc Smiths, Lensman series inspired me to bring the inertialess drive into the sequel to this story.

This series of short stories also has galactic forces for and against evil striving to control humanity – but this is perhaps as much thanks to religion as it is fiction!

Is there a difference between the two?

Lastly LRH deserves all the attention his works have garnered over the years and justly so. I have not quoted a single piece of his works. I can ill afford taking on his ‘church’.

I hope Tolkien, Herbert and E. E. Dos Smith would enjoy the inspiration they have been to me. May they RIP, I know Hubbard ain’t.

Book Two