Slatepocalypse: Unlocked Arcanum

“Get the Doc!” screamed a guard on top of the front gate.

The hunters had returned from their excursion just before dusk. Tent city had people running back and forth to prepare for their return. When a call rang out for Doc Redmond, most people dropped what they were doing to find him. Redmond was treating a burn victim in his makeshift medical tent. He heard the cries for help and attempted to make his patient feel more comfortable before leaving. Grabbing up his first aid kit, which was starting to look very anemic by now, he headed out of the tent and toward the yelling.

“What happened to him?” asked Redmond as he reached the gates and found a very injured Jerry.

Jerry had blood running down his right arm and a black eye. He was clutching his shotgun close to his chest. Skipper and the rest of the hunters were carrying him on a makeshift litter. Several others passed by the scene carrying beheaded and skinned animal corpses hung upside down tied to long poles.

“I want these gates locked. Someone tell the search lights to focus on the west side forest. If anyone hears a deep thrumming sound, I want to be alerted right away. Doc, do what you can for Jerry. You, tell Wendy she’s got some meat for the stew tonight. Phil, get these no phones out of my way. I’m going to have a smoke,” barked the Skipper as he made his way back to the main building.

Skippers beard had grown in long now. He’d taken to trimming it along his jaw line and braiding it from the chin down. It grew thick and black like the hair atop his head. That he cut at shoulder length. The amount of styling that man put his hair through made Redmond think he had a stylist living in the building.

Redmond got a few others to help carry Jerry back to the medical tent. Once inside Jerry started back to lucidness. He tried to get up only to end up dumping himself on the ground. The others around him tried to help him back up but he just pushed their hands away.

“We are trying to help you, Jerry. What the hell happened out there?” asked Redmond trying to calm the man.

“Cicadas. Big as basset hounds. They got my no phone, and I had to fight past them. Shit, my arm,” babbled Jerry as he noticed his own injury.

“What do you mean “got” Jerry? Who was with you? I’ve got it just sit still,” prodded Redmond as he waived the others back.

“That fucking dead beat Thompson. You know him, the magician. He started crying and sucking his thumb in the fetal position when the monsters attacked. I told him to stay with me and I’d protect him, then he ran off to get eaten. Then there was this comet in the sky that lit up the whole forest exposing my location to the bugs,” explained Jerry.

Redmond didn’t believe a word coming out of Jerry’s mouth. He had personally witnessed Jerry verbally and sometimes physically abusing CJ on multiple occasions in the last several weeks. While Redmond didn’t know their full history, he knew CJ as brave man that helped his family on more than one occasion. The idea that CJ would just panic and run off during an attack was comical.

“I’ve got your wound sewn shut and I’ve wrapped your arm in gauze. The swelling in your eye will heal on its own. If you could just sit over here for a bit and calm down. I need to see to this patient and I’m currently out of cots,” said Redmond getting up and moving over to his burn patient.

“Is that a no phone? He can sit on the floor,” commented Jerry before tipping over the cot and dumping the patient on the ground.

“Wait up, Monty!” said CJ as he reached the first of the steps.

“Get your ass in gear. I told you to pack your sneakers, but you decided to take a nap. Patent leather shoes, ridiculous,” ridiculed Monty.

They began to ascend the mini mountain sticking up in the middle of a white void. CJ looked around and noticed small patches of clouds lining the stairway up. The first one he passed had an image of the day his parent bought him his first magic kit. Inside it had the magic penny trick, the three cups and disappearing ball trick, as well as his first segmented rope illusion. CJ considered that was his first foray into stage magic.

Ten minutes later he passed another cloud that held his parents wrecked sedan. It was the day after his horrible performance in the middle school talent show. The doves didn’t want to fly and sleeves on his tuxedo jacket were too long for his smaller body. His parents told him he did great, but he knew they were just trying to make him feel better. Then they were gone the next day. A difficult time for a pre-teen CJ.

Closer to the top he passed by random images of his grandmother chastising him for practicing his magic instead of going outside to play. Then school bullies smashing his card table at school during his connecting ring trick. Those same bullies giving him a bloody nose on the way home that day. While some of these scenes made CJ feel down there were still others with the opposite effect.

CJ volunteered at old folks’ homes putting shows and honing his craft. In his late teens practicing holding his breath in city pools while working to unlock handcuffs behind his back. Those days were some of his favorites as skills grew and his shows became more elaborate. Then there was Riley. She was another volunteer only she focused on soup kitchens and building homes for the homeless. They crossed paths many times. Once even going out on a disaster of a date.

While leaving the rained out picnic in a local park they were accosted by a man with a gun. CJ remembers trying to talk the man down instead of giving him his wallet. Turns out the gun wasn’t loaded, but it was still heavy enough to leave a scar on her face. The man bashed Riley with the butt of the revolver and snatched her purse. CJ attempted to pursue but Riley had fallen clutching at her now bleeding face. The gun got her across the bridge of the nose, displacing it. He got her to the emergency room but since he wasn’t immediate family they wouldn’t let him in. That was the last time he saw her and one of CJ’s biggest regrets.

“What’s the point of all this memory lane shit? I was there for all of this,” CJ cried out.

“It’s a reminder of who you are,” came a voice CJ didn’t recognize.

“Monty was that you?” asked CJ.

“No dumb ass. It’s the God we’re here to see. Pick up the pace,” replied Monty as he hopped a little faster.

“Particularly ornery little shit right now. I’m not gonna forget that dumb ass comment. See if I find you something to eat later,” grumbled CJ as he continued to walk.

The next patch of mist was more of a montage. Just CJ practicing throwing knives and card tricks. Running on local high school tracks to increase his overall speed. Building his illusion box so he could saw an assistant in half. Buying Monty from the pet store. It dawned on him that tragedy only made him focus harder on getting better at his craft.

Finally, the last few steps showed him saving Tommy and then saving the Redmonds. Unlocking the catering truck so others could eat. Blowing that car up so others could escape. Playing bait for weeks so others don’t starve.

“Are we done with This is your life? What’s actually… holy shit!” CJ’s complaining was cut off as he glimpsed the anthropomorphic monkey man dressed in East Asian armor.

The pagoda was a very simple two story red tiled building. The exterior had a lazy river running around it filled with koi fish. There were two cherry blossom trees standing over a small patio area. That patio had four cylindrical cushions surrounding a table. Upon that table was a tea kettle and four small bowls.

“CJ Thompson, I’m happy to introduce the animal kin god. The Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong,” explained Monty who was now standing up on his hind legs and gesturing toward Sun Wukong.

“I am known by many names. Chu Han, Hanja, Katakana, to name a few. Let me take a look at you. Seems I’ve miscalculated my landing. I was aiming for Asia, but Africa is not too far. A bit scrawny for a hero though,” commented Sun Wukong as he got up from his seated position to meet the two at the top of the stairs.

“Twice wrong then. This is the USA, North American continent,” said CJ before slapping his hands over his mouth when Sun Wukong’s eyes narrowed at him.

“What he means to say, my lord, is that you have landed just in time. Right where you need to be,” said Monty with a hint of nervousness CJ had never heard before.

“Unstable portal. That explains why she beat me here. No matter, we have lots of work to do and very little time. Please join me at the table. I believe some tea will calm that racing heartbeat,” said Sun Wukong as he turned back to the seating area.

CJ didn’t feel like his heart rate was elevated. Sure, this was all very strange for him, but he thought he was handling it well then, he noticed Monty’s spine relaxed a little after Sun Wukong invited them for tea. They both made their way over to the table and took their respective places at either side of the monkey king. Sun Wukong gently poured out tea into their bowls before pouring some for himself.

“You mentioned a her earlier. Who did you mean?” asked CJ.

“The Goddess of Fate. Don’t you know? You have to know, it should have been the first announcement from your slate,” replied Sun Wukong.

“His slate doesn’t work. He can’t read it,” interjected Monty.

“Is this true? You better drink your tea then,” said Sun Wukong gesturing toward CJ’s cup.

CJ brought the cup to his lips and sipped at the same time everyone else did. Searing pain shot through his head before that strange window came into focus in front of him again. For a split second it looked like a regular chimpanzee was sitting next to him. No armor or regal bearing, just fur. Then his focus turned back to the window. Now he could read it clear as day.

I have claimed this world as my own. The Goddess of Fate. Worship me and be rewarded.

“What is this? Goddess of Fate?” asked CJ as the sharp pain in his skull started to subside.

“Finally! Please go to your familiar tab. I need you to change some settings for me,” said an exuberant Monty.

“Tab, what tab? Hang on a second, I have a lot of little messages here,” replied CJ.

“I would recommend you wait until after you hear what I have to say. Several things actually,” commented Sun Wukong finishing his tea.

CJ ignored them both and scrolled through some of the first messages.

Warning: Your world has seen an unprecedented influx of mana. Mana is an integral part of the fabric of the universe. Since your world was depleted of mana for centuries, Mana Mutations may occur as indigenous life forms acclimate to a high mana environment.

Warning: Mana fonts are overflowing. This will cause extreme environmental changes to this world.

Message from the Goddess Fate: No doubt you have seen the warning messages. As I am a benevolent God, I offer you a deal. If you choose to skip this time of upheaval, I can remove you from the world for a decade. At that time, you will be returned to a world with more safe areas and heroes that have risen to defend the people. Unfortunately, you will be starting at level one and depending on where you return, that may prove… problematic. But those of you who survive the first ten years will earn a rare title. Choose in the next twenty four hours. Y/N… the time to choose has passed.

In CJ’s mind that made sense. It explained why there weren’t more people around even with the monsters. He wondered how many people took the deal and how long they waited. A small part of him wishes he could have taken deal. It was a very small part.

“Why can I now see the messages?” asked CJ coming back to the conversation.

“Because I undid the sloppy hex Fate placed upon everyone. There is no reason you needed some device to give you access. Had I been a hair faster… no reason to dwell on the past. On to other things. I need you CJ of Thompson. For reasons I won’t go into now, my reach is limited. I need a Harbinger. Someone to take the gift I’ve given you and pass it along to others. I assume you know other people who had your same condition?” asked Sun Wukong.

“You want me to go around and jailbreak people’s slates?” questioned CJ, shocked.

“I want you to give it to those you deem worthy. If you consent to be my Harbinger, you’ll have the ability to... how did you put it? Jailbreak people. That’s the first gift I offer you today,” spoke Sun Wukong with a smile that didn’t quite reach his simian eyes.