Excerpt Thursday: THE TOWER OF ENDLESS WORLDS
It’s Excerpt Thursday! Today’s excerpt is from my very first attempt at urban fantasy, THE TOWER OF ENDLESS WORLDS, which I wrote like 16 years ago now:
Marugon watched with fascination.
“That wand,” he said. “That black wand. What is it?”
“A gun,” I said. I could not take my eyes from the dead man. Smoke still rose from the cops’ pistols.
“A gun,” said Marugon. “Tell me, is such a thing an item of technology?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“All right, everyone!” yelled one of the cops, holstering his gun. “This place is sealed off. We’re going to need depositions. No one’s leaving.”
“Come,” said Marugon. “Let us be on our way.”
“But…but the cop said…uh, what about your food?”
“Do not be absurd,” said Marugon. “I have more important matters to ponder than hunger.” He muttered a word and walked for the doors, and I followed him. He walked between the two police officers, who ignored him. I screwed up my courage and ran after him.
And once again the police ignored me.
I started to shiver a little.
“Convey me back to your domicile, peasant,” said Marugon once we had reached my car. “We have business to discuss.”
I climbed and in started the engine, still numb with fear. “Business?”
“Yes, business,” said Marugon. I pulled out into the street. “Tell me, these…guns, the weapons the city guardsmen wielded. Are they as common as cars, as the sky-scraping buildings?”
“Oh, yeah,” I said. “Hell, you could have bought a dozen shotguns at Wal-Mart, if you’d wanted.”
Marugon blinked. “You mean the lords of your world permit the sale of mighty weapons? They permit common peasants to own these guns?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Incredible. I have never seen such a potent weapon,” said Marugon. “Such power, such deadliness.”
“What are you saying?” I said.
“Power is relative,” said Marugon. “Here, guns are deadly, but not powerful. Everyone has them, do they not? Even common ruffians. Their numbers negate their power. Similarly, magic is not so powerful in my world. It is potent, yes, but too many people know how to use it. Too many people know how to stop me.” He leaned forward and grinned. “Give me one gun, and I shall kill all my enemies. Neither magic nor a sword can stop a gun. Give me twenty guns, and I shall conquer a small country. Give me a hundred guns, and I shall rule an empire. And give me five thousand guns, and I shall conquer my world.”
“I don’t understand,” I said.
Marugon laughed. “I shall provide you with funds, you shall acquire guns for me, and I shall take them back to my world.”
“Why should I do this? For gold?” I said. I was thoroughly confused.
“No,” he said. His dark eyes glimmered like collapsed stars. “Hirelings are unreliable. You possess a cunning brain, Wycliffe of Chicago. I had planned to kill you once your usefulness ended, but instead you showed me the bounty of your world. I shall make you my partner. I shall give you power.” He laughed. “Together, we shall conquer. I shall conquer my world, and you shall rule yours.”
“Power?” I said. “How can you do that?”
Marugon grinned. “I shall make you my apprentice. I will teach you magic.”
“Right,” I said. “Yeah. Sure.”
Marugon laughed.
-JM