World of Agatha - 11 Elder Pererê

The Forest of Red Leaves had been in possession of the Ianomâmi-Tupi since time immemorial. It exuded a very special aura of mature vitality, just like an old turtle whose shell was still in perfect state.

At its center, stood a great city made purely of gold, the mighty Caraguatatuba, the current capital of the sect’s vast domain, which stretched across many different worlds.

On the most luxurious district, there was a large manor, which had five spacious floors. Compared to its neighbors, it looked neither big nor small, but its owner was a very influential figure.

Elder Pererê sat on a very comfortable looking chair in his study room, smoking a pipe. As he read some reports, a lot of smoke was pulled into his lungs. However, when he exhaled, it’s wasn’t air that came out, but three yellow butterflies.

Pererê was the name of his race, which was also known colloquially as the one-legged tribe. But since he was the only member of his race to achieve the rank of elder, people just called him Elder Pererê.

As for his real name…

Well. He had several.

“This is fascinating. I wonder who is being naughty with my mirrors.”

Recently it had been discovered that, around six months ago, a ceremonial mirror was activated without permission and so an investigation was launched to solve the matter.

What they found was very intriguing. The item wasn’t used inside the sect’s territory but on an abandoned outpost named Griseo Petram, a little and backwater world of importance to no one who mattered.

“Griseo Petram? Isn’t that the place with those evolved monkeys?”

Technically, there was no crime being committed, because according to the sect’s laws, since this was a long lost item, the finder had the right to do as he or she pleased with it. And so the investigation was disbanded.

But, since Elder Pererê was responsible for the Department of Transportation, this particular case ended up on his desk and called his attention.

Usually, old entities such as him would grow detached from worldly affairs, focusing almost exclusively to hone their craft in seclusion. Only getting involved in conflicts when it directly benefited them.

However, Pererê was different. Since a young age, he enjoyed adventuring, doing new things and especially toying with others. The whole reason why he decided to pursue power in the first place was so he could act freely and never be held accountable.

In other words, he was very whimsical. Always acting unpredictably. Once something caught his attention, he would pursue, only to throw it away when he grew tired of it.

So, just like that, he decided to search for the mirror finder.

….

The wind guided him. Moving much faster than it’s physical nature should have allowed. Even sound itself lagged far behind.

Saci flew over the Sacred Land of Pindorama, witch was the sect’s, very heart.

Much of it was a forest but there were also many stretches of wetlands, plains and other such biomes, all of them hiding secret wealth and might.

At the extreme south, the Silvery River was born, only a little bit away from the Eastern Sea, which it would never actually touch, as it flowed towards the opposite direction. The same was true about the Golden River, which was born on the extreme north.

Both met with each other on the west forming a great lake named Xaraiés. And all between the rivers and the ocean, this entire massive “island” of Pindorama, belonged to the Ianomâmi-Tupi Sect. The very core of its power base.

….

Saci approached the great lake, which channeled power coming from both mighty rivers. Like Yin and Yang, two very different kinds of energy constantly collided here against each other. This permanent wear and tear irreparably damaged the barrier between worlds that existed on this precise point, making it a great spot for otherworldly travel.

Of course, as a great user of space magic and the creator of the ceremonial mirrors, Pererê didn’t require this place to make his journey.

However, he decided to use it anyway for a few reasons. The first and most relevant one was the dangers waiting for him on the nothingness between the planes, which he could avoid using this method.

Besides, he just enjoyed feeling the water on his skin. After all, this lake was magical and the energy particles gave an invigorating sensation.

Stepping inside without taking his clothes off, Saci just drifted away, completely letting himself go. He sank and sank, until getting at the very bottom.

Or this would be the case, if there was a bottom to be found. The waters from bellow connected with the waters from above the firmament. Not the firmament of his own world, however, but of Agatha’s.

As the floodgates were opened, It rained, forming a mighty storm. And with the water came Elder Pererê, making his grand entrance at this new land.

….

Pererê was a master in space magic, so locating the position to which the mirror had lead was an easy task. Soon he arrived at Azov Forest.

“Uau, this is a mess! What is she building? A rabbit hole?”

Saci used his True Sight and gazed upon Morgana’s modified dungeon, passing through the physical barriers like an x-ray. It wasn’t pretty at all. Since it had grown little by little according to her necessities. Seen from far away, it looked more like a maze rather than a research facility.

For the Elder, her actions were really puzzling. Had she traveled to a different world with a one-use item only to build some ugly monument in the woods? Was she crazy?

Well, her species was really primitive, so he couldn’t rule it out.

….

Without difficulty, he bypassed the strongholds defences and no alarm was raised.

“Hmm. Those golems are cute. Made with dirt, huh? I suppose that’s one way to go about it if you are really, really poor.”

Saci thought with a mocking smile on his face.

But his joking attitude was soon to take a sudden halt.

“What the heck?!”

Examining the construct, the elder soon realized something was off and a few seconds later he uncovered the truth.

“The life of an animal? I can still see the residues at the core.”

He turned towards the room in witch Morgana was currently sleeping and asked with a shaky voice.

“Girl… You know this can be done with regular mana, right? You should know at least this much, no? Please, tell me you’re just playing a prank here.”

Saci bent over his own belly and laughed madly for a while, just like a child after hearing a joke for the first time.

Luckily he managed to cast Silent before all of this, guaranteeing his position wouldn’t be given away by noise.

In his concept, this woman appeared to be a very strange existence. An exotic creature whose mysteries he wanted to uncover.

Saci learned from his earlier challenge and now made himself completely hidden from every eye and ear willing to pry. And so he went towards Morgana’s room.

…..

While jumping around with his massive leg, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.

“Ah! I get it now. I understand the meaning behind this madness.”

Primitive civilizations often developed very unique solutions for their problems. There was no need to create something that worked everywhere if the conditions of your own homeworld are the only thing you know.

For this reason, country bumpkins like this woman would be utterly lost the first time they traveled through the void. The magic they knew was defective, only working on a very strict set of conditions.

Now Saci saw Morgana in a very different light.

“Hmm. When you consider this, she is actually quite talented. I don’t think my disciples on the sect would have been crafty like this if they were in the same situation. Those solutions may be crude but at least they work and she will eventually restore herself to her original power level.”

As he thought about this and observed the sleeping Morgana an amusing idea crossed his mind, making an evil smile blossom on his face.

“What an interesting little rabbit I found…”