Up Against Mooneye

By Mikkel Høst

A story inspired by myths, music and magic!

Long ago, a mysterious and powerful spell shattered the world's tallest mountain, causing it to crumble over the Great Eastern Empire's capital. The wounded empire shunned sorcerers from that day onward.

But the worst was yet to come for those who practised the mystical arts, for something had climbed down the mountain before it fell to pieces...

An adventure for all ages!

Desperate to make something of himself, a man named Saolan is one day given the opportunity to become a sorcerer’s apprentice, on the condition that he agrees to fight a despicable creature known as Mooneye.

Join him as he journeys through an enchanted forest, a peaceful port town, an underwater kingdom and many ancient wonders left behind by the sorcerers of old.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mikkel Høst
• Release date: Mar 8, 2021

Book preview

© 2021, Mikkel Høst

Edited by Réka Turcsányi

Illustration © 2020, Florian Garbay

Foreword

Hello, and welcome to your digital copy of Up Against Mooneye. I am thankful that you’ve chosen this story over so many others, and I hope you won’t regret it.

Up Against Mooneye takes place in a world where sorcerers have been around for a long time, having shaped and changed a now-thankless world that seems to be moving on. Technology in this world is similar to what we had in the 19th century, so sorcery is past its medieval glory days. As a result, the remaining camps of sorcerers are struggling to stay relevant.

Many sorcerers believe that the fantastical feats and amazing adventures that used to define them are long past, but I can promise you that the very best of them are still to come. Everything is changing. Old mysteries are on the brink of being solved, new experiments will be conducted, and the results will lead to conflict, resolution, action, romance, drama, and high-stakes battles which threaten to shatter earth and sky alike.

This is a story inspired by myths, music and magic, invoking the incredible heights my favourite melodies take me to, and the stories of gods and giants of olden times, told time and time again around dancing flames, becoming a little more extraordinary each time they’re retold.

Prepare yourself for a journey through stranger lands where sorcerers fight with clever tactics, forced to outmatch each other on more than power alone. Lands where wonderful things get lost for centuries, and where the mundane lives side by side with the magnificent.

Enjoy!

Table of Contents

Prologue: A Great Burden 6

Part 1: Far Away 11

Chapter 1: Rearranging 12

Chapter 2: Mountain’s Passing 18

Chapter 3: Blue and Brown 25

Chapter 4: A Sorcerer’s Apprentice 29

Chapter 5: Greenfire 35

Chapter 6: Huakanren 41

Chapter 7: Red Rocks 50

Chapter 8: Granburg 54

Chapter 9: Dicey and Gamfre 58

Chapter 10: We called him Mooneye 65

Chapter 11: Garden Below 78

Chapter 12: A New Mystery 90

Chapter 13: Gutenheimer’s 96

Chapter 14: Not Ready 102

Chapter 15: Cold Feet 107

Chapter 16: Frozen Rain 117

Chapter 17: Porcelain 125

Chapter 18: Echoes of the Past 132

Part 2: Deep Below 137

Chapter 19: Shrinking 138

Chapter 20: Enlargement 144

Chapter 21: Dark Clouds 150

Chapter 22: Welton and Kraut 153

Chapter 23: Illuminating Blue 157

Chapter 24: Multiple Shadows 165

Chapter 25: Qaral 169

Chapter 26: Finqui Roads 175

Chapter 27: Impossible Standard 179

Chapter 28: The Rubble Throne 184

Chapter 29: Thunder Punch 190

Chapter 30: Metal Ring 193

Chapter 31: One Question 198

Chapter 32: Banappling 204

Chapter 33: Deeper and Darker 210

Chapter 34: Seven Hands 218

Chapter 35: Everywhere and Everything 233

Chapter 36: White Flowers 237

Chapter 37: Distant Struggles 240

Chapter 38: Foot Spells 245

Chapter 39: Hungry Dunes 254

Chapter 40: I Survived Here 260

Part 3: High Above 273

Chapter 41: Night of the Passing 274

Chapter 42: Canvas 277

Chapter 43: Worlds Apart 284

Chapter 44: Thickening Air 288

Chapter 45: Torches 291

Chapter 46: Heavy Heart 296

Chapter 47: One Memory 306

Chapter 48: The Last Vision 320

Chapter 49: Numbness 325

Chapter 50: The Chief’s Fear 329

Chapter 51: Blackened Sky 335

Chapter 52: Bleak Reunion 338

Chapter 53: The Emperor’s Pride 342

Chapter 54: Never Enough 346

Chapter 55: Not A Mountain 354

Epilogue: The Longest Evening 363

Prologue: A Great Burden

The rain had finally ceased. Completely soaked and utterly furious, the man in grey robes walked a slim path through the hills. Noise of displaced mud followed every step he took, and under his sore feet, he felt slippery and unstable soil. It was the blackest of nights, and a harsh wind was blowing, rustling distant trees. Combined with the man’s heavy footsteps, this was all there was to hear. His face was mostly hidden by his ashy, worn-out hood. It had been a long and exhausting journey, but he was close. No landmark stood out, yet he knew exactly where he was going.

Nobody but he walked that path. His rage kept him going and it kept him warm throughout the chilly night, but the source of it was strangely unclear. There was an impenetrable fog in his mind, shrouding all memories of the seed from which his fury had sprouted. Yet he did not question it. He simply kept his quick, tense pace as he moved onwards.

After a while, he strayed from the path and walked over one of the hills to his left. From there on, it didn’t take long before he could see it in the distance: A small cabin near the cliff, overlooking the ocean. Stopping temporarily at the top of the hill, he noticed a faint glow in the window. Someone was in there.

Walking up to the cabin made him reluctantly sentimental. It was an old building, small and humble, with one door and one window, each on opposite sides – he had been making his way around to avoid being seen.

The place was pretty worn down, yet looking at it had a profound effect on the lone traveller. It had him longing for better times, even if memories of those times didn’t come to him. As he approached the door, he took a moment to gently put his hand on it.

Buildings were but buildings though, and this sentimentality was not nearly enough to soften him. Once the moment of hesitation had passed, he loudly kicked the door in.

Ragnel! he screamed. His voice was raspy, deep and weary.

The inside of the cabin was lit up by an active fireplace. Wooden shelves covered most of the walls, each filled with either books or various other objects; glass bottles containing plants or colourful liquids, gemstones of unique shapes and sizes, and crudely carved wooden figurines. In the middle stood a table, and on it was a bowl surrounded by empty bottles. The withered remains of a flower’s stalk lay there as well, headless and miserable.

A large chair was placed by the other end of the room, facing away from the door and towards the fire. In this chair, the silhouette of someone could be seen; a robed figure, reading a dusty book.

"Of all places known and unknown, you really thought it would serve you to hide here? he continued. You really thought any of this could ever end well for you?"

Ragnel closed the book, carelessly tossed it on the floor, and slowly turned his head, revealing himself to be an older man with a long, greying beard. I gave you a choice, he said. A tense moment passed.

Don’t you dare, seethed the man in grey through gritted teeth.

Oh, but I’m in such a daring mood these days, responded Ragnel as a wide grin appeared on his face. You’ve opened my eyes to what’s possible, that much I will admit.

If you seriously think I’m letting you get away with this… do you even understand the magnitude of what you’ve done?

It only happened because you refused my offer. I was about to relieve you of a great burden.

They are gone, Ragnel! Two of the bravest souls I have ever known, no longer among us thanks to your arrogance! And their lives are but a fraction of the devastation. You’ve made a lasting dent in the world, damage that even the gods would struggle to undo. All because you couldn’t accept that I didn’t find you worthy.

Ragnel snickered maliciously and stood up to face his visitor. He was dressed in blue, with several crescent moon symbols on the fabric.

And what do you wish to do about that? he asked.

The man in grey wasted no time. He shot a vibrant green flame with a wave of his bare hands. To his confusion, however, it came out tiny and was easily extinguished by his adversary.

So, that’s how you want it, laughed Ragnel. Fine by me. With a snap of his fingers, he demolished the old cabin with a loud crack, sending pieces of wood and glass flying through the air.

By being quick to put up a strong barrier made from pure, hardened defiance, the man in grey survived, but he couldn’t stop himself from falling over. He scrambled to get up while the dust was still settling.

Ragnel levitated himself over the cabin’s remains. A sharp, green glow pierced the man in grey’s eyes while he regained his posture. Several chunks of wood from the cabin’s broken wall were all floating in the air, burning with ghastly flames. They were flung at him.

He dodged them with elegance, even deflecting a few as he sprinted towards Ragnel. Once he saw an opportunity, he conjured up a ball of fire himself, but he did not direct it at the bearded sorcerer. Instead, he aimed for the rubble right below, which had been oozing and bubbling since the different elixirs and ingredients got mixed.

The result was madness. It started with a quick series of colourful explosions, followed by every blade of grass surrounding the wreck morphing into something huge and different: Tentacles, cactuses, giant arms that moved by themselves, anything that could roughly resemble ordinary grass, in all sorts of sizes and colours.

While not a perfect plan, it sure worked. Ragnel got swallowed up. He was in there somewhere, and it was time to enter the magical mess to finish the fight once and for all.

It was hard to see anything clearly from within the chaos. Perfect recreations of human hands and feet were swiping at him. Oversized beanstalks, feathers and bull horns cluttered everything, and a purple mist filled the air.

Suddenly, what appeared to be a flea jumped at him. It was Ragnel. He was tiny, but he could punch like a raging gorilla. The man in grey got a taste of it, stumbling backwards with a sore cheek.

Why would you even think to do that!? he yelled after regaining his balance.

Ragnel grew back to his proper size. Because you wouldn’t, he remarked. That’s how I’m planning to win.

Lightning struck from Ragnel’s muddied fingertips. The man in grey evaded and responded with his own lightning, but as they continued, he had a hard time keeping up. It was not going well. At this rate, Ragnel would win. He couldn’t let that happen. Much as he tried to think of another plan, it was too late. One of the beanstalks was snapped in half and he felt the top of it hit him with great speed, knocking him out of the chaotic jungle. He landed by the edge of the cliff, where the breaking waves made their usual sound below.

You’re strong, he heard, too winded and hurt to move. Even with everything the spell took, you still have some fight in you. That’s why it has to end here. Ragnel cracked his knuckles, and it was as loud as thunder. But before that, I should mention that I saw the beast crawl down before the whole place crumbled. He is majestic beyond words, is he not? A tail longer than most trees are tall! Teeth like a perfect predator’s! Eyes as white and bright as the moon! Our little disagreement has made the world a good deal more interesting and I might even begin to miss it.

With those final words, Ragnel made the slightest wave with his hands and his opponent was flung far into the cold night.

The man in grey felt the rush of falling through the air. Try as he might, he couldn’t stop it. He was too tired and far too beaten.

Splash! Hitting the ocean surface from such a height was so devastatingly painful that he began to lose consciousness while sinking quickly. As his eyes closed and his mind drifted off, he was unable to do anything but hope that the depths would show him mercy.

Part 1: Far Away

Chapter 1: Rearranging

Saolan Hu woke up, face down, to a loud noise coming from nearby. A thing hitting another thing. Something wooden. Likely a crate meeting the stone floor, which could only mean that his brother was up and in full swing. This, in turn, meant that he had overslept again, much to his annoyance. Before he even had time to groan about it, however, something else began to occupy the compartment of his brain dedicated to handling mild irritation.

It was back. There was no doubt about it. The exhausting summer heat had made a spectacular comeback, outdoing last year’s performance as per tradition. At least it felt that way. His mouth was dry and he wasn’t exactly comfortable, but getting out of bed felt like a preposterous idea. The strongest motivation he had was that an older, taller, meaner version of himself – right down to the black, messy hair – would likely soon come in and think it funny to serve him an entire bucket of icy water.

Knowing the alternative from experience, Saolan decided to get up. He did so one leg at a time, minutes passing between each movement, but he eventually conquered the monumental task. His room wasn’t big, but it was worthy of Palace Shengcun compared living on the streets. Aside from the bed, there was a tiny window from which sunlight would enter and hit the opposing wall with a crude little shelf of books, scrolls and objects he had collected over time.

After having a quick wash and getting dressed, he walked out into the blinding sunlight to find himself in the shop. It was a fairly large room, full of crates containing anything that could grow on a plant or in the ground: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, coffee beans and so on. It was the biggest produce shop in town, and their inventory came from all over the world.

Saojun – Saolan’s older brother and only family – was standing in the centre, stacking empty crates on top of each other. It didn’t take long before he noticed his newly awakened sibling.

Have the gods heard my prayer? he snickered as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. My brother has returned to walk among the living!

"Well, if the gods heard you pray, they’d know it was serious, remarked Saolan. Whatever happened to ‘good morning’?"

"Usually only applies when it is morning."

Out-witted once more, Saolan merely shrugged, which had become his way of taking a loss with dignity. Whatever, he grunted and pointed at the crates. Let me help you with those.

You should get something to eat first.

Fine then, if we’re not too busy.

"Even if we were busy, you shouldn’t skip meals. It’s a bad habit."

Saolan went back inside. A quick snack later, he went to work. There were nine crates left and they were stacked in threes. Each of them had different contents. These were the biggest ones, which usually meant that they contained fruit.

So far, it had been a day like any other. He did his part in helping his brother with his business, and they took over for each other whenever one needed to be somewhere else. That rarely happened, however, and the days were mostly spent working, eating, and sleeping. It had been like this for a long time.

The routine could be suffocating at times, but it did keep Saolan distracted, which he appreciated. Working all day meant less time to reflect on himself and everything that had happened in the last couple of years. All those failed attempts at making it on his own. Sure, it could have been nice. He could have pulled his weight, made them some money, allowed them to move on and do better.

The shop was still better than the streets. That’s what he kept telling himself. Whether he felt that way was hard to determine. It had been a harder, scarier time back then, but there was more to it than that. He often struggled not to feel nostalgic about it and the friends they had made as kids.

When he got to the last three crates, Saojun interrupted him.

I’ve been rearranging. Let me know what’s in each crate.

As you wish, responded Saolan.The top one is bananas. Where do you want those?

I’m thinking… middle of the room.

What about the apples?

Usual spot.

What about the banapples?

Saojun did a double-take. Oh right, I forgot I already ordered those. Place those by the entrance.

Really? These things?

I want to sell them fast. There’s going to be a tariff on all freak fruits. The emperor’s been putting out all these soft bans on everything made by sorcerers. Word is he wants to look ‘strong yet reasonable’.

Saolan suddenly stopped in his tracks. Something about his brother’s tirade felt familiar, but he was struggling to think of what it could be.

I only found out a few days ago, continued Saojun. Leave it to Han-Lun and his yes-men to completely disregard us smaller business owners. I can’t believe I’m being pressured to limit my inventory because of some old paranoia. Anyway, the cost is too steep, so I’d rather just sell my stock as fast as… I can… Saolan? Hey, are you alright?

I, uh… Saolan said as he snapped back to reality, embarrassed to realise that he had been staring intensely at absolutely nothing. Yeah, I’m fine, but…

Yes?

I don’t know. Sorry, please continue.

Soajun squinted. I pretty much said it all. Emperor’s being a thorn in my side with his new laws. We should get back to work. He then un-squinted. By the way, I talked to Mr Li earlier.

This got Saolan’s full attention. Yeah? Is it official?

It sure is. He’s retiring in a few weeks. We’ll be the only ones in town selling the fresh stuff. I can’t believe you were right. How did you guess?

It was a bit painful to think about. Several days earlier, Saolan had been fed up with working in the store, and he had dropped his broom to storm out, leaving his brother to run it alone at a time when they had several customers. The situation was embarrassing and he was angry at himself for reacting the way he had.

When I walked past Li’s shop, said Saolan, I noticed that their stock was running low. It seemed off on such a busy day and someone with Li’s experience wouldn’t have been caught off-guard. I just assumed they were slowing down.

Saojun put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. See, this is why I think you’ll be okay. You’ve got a sharp eye and a good head on you. Sure, farming and smithing didn’t work out for you.

And carpentry.

Right. My point is that you’ll find something for yourself. There’s no need to worry.

Well, I can always go back to scamming people, but then we’d have to move again.

Saolan was joking, but it was the kind of joke that reeked of truth and that made him regret saying it. He didn’t really want to go back to his old life, but part of him missed it.

Saojun shook his head and pointed at the banapple crate. By the entrance, he repeated before walking off.

Saolan did as he was told, placing the crate near the busy street outside. Despite not living in the most prestigious part of the world, the Hu brothers had always benefitted from their store’s location. It just so happened to be on one of the more well-travelled roads leading to the Imperial Capital. This meant tons of people passing through, and these were the majority of their customers. Saolan often wondered about them, and their struggles, and where they came from, and their business in the Empire. It might have been nice to sit down and talk with one of them; to hear about their lives and to share stories. Everyone always seemed too busy for that. The world was changing. Technology was moving on, the economy was recovering after decades of trouble, and as a result, everyone was suddenly in a hurry.

Everyone but him. Maybe all those travellers secretly felt the same: That they were too distant from the world around them. It just didn’t seem likely. Anyone with a distinct and important purpose – who had something valuable to offer the world – probably couldn’t relate.

While going through these thoughts in his head, as he was in the habit of doing so every single day while working, he noticed something. Two guys were standing right outside the shop, leaning over the newly-moved banapple crate. One was bald with a thin moustache. The other had long, greasy hair. Both were about his age, wearing shining rings and chains, laughing silently about something hard to make out. A moment later, they snatched two fruits each and ran.

Hey! yelled Saolan before he gave chase.

Chapter 2: Mountain’s Passing

The streets were packed at this hour, so it took a lot of careful navigation, but Saolan kept up his pursuit. He had his eyes on the thieves, despite their best attempts to shake him off. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just people on foot that he had to look out for. Carriages with goods were getting in his way, forcing him to be careful while still moving as fast as possible. He couldn’t avoid bumping into a few people on his way, and he apologised whenever this happened, but nothing was stopping him. He had to catch these guys.

After having dodged pedestrians for a little while, he saw the thieves turn a corner and run down a smaller, less busy street. Bad move. He had them now. Despite feeling exhausted, he pushed himself to run faster. He got closer and closer. At least one of them was going down.

Once close enough, he tackled the long-haired guy, whose share of stolen fruits were crushed under their combined weight. Saolan struggled against the thief, trying his best to hold him down.

Nice try! yelled Saolan during the scramble. This is what you get!

A small crowd gathered to watch the fight as it unfolded. Suddenly, the bald guy came back and punched Saolan in the face. He rolled over and felt a few hard kicks to the side, followed by a sensation of warm spit on his cheek.

The thieves laughed and ran away as a beaten Saolan stood back up, defying the fresh pain in his side. It made him wince. He dusted off his dirty clothes, wiped the spit from his cheek, and looked around with squinted eyes. A few people were staring curiously at him, while most simply carried on as usual. Nobody said anything. All one could hear was the footsteps of busy people walking past him, as if nothing had ever happened. He took a few seconds to catch his breath while giving everyone around him a mean glare.

What is wrong with this town? he suddenly yelled. This was enough to make several people stop and finally pay him attention. "I just got jumped and nobody does anything? Seriously? You people are the worst! He angrily kicked the sand, causing a minor cloud to rise. I can’t believe I have to put up with this! This town is in the running for the worst place in the Empire, and that’s saying something!"

The disrespect! An elderly man pushed through the crowd to approach Saolan. I didn’t see what happened, young man, but to speak of your home like this? Despicable.

Saolan was stumped. Really?

Really! The old man pointed at him. Maybe you should show some respect for the country you belong to! The soil on which we stand carries the blood, sweat and tears of our ancestors.

"Not to poke holes in your veil of patriotism, but I grew up an orphan. I don’t care about my ancestors!"

Maybe it’s time to start!

Saolan approached the sneering senior citizen who was hunched over. Give me one reason, he growled. One.

The old man rolled his eyes and walked away with a bitter stride. He mumbled something about how young people were so whiny, and how everyone knew how to show respect back in his day.

Saolan turned to the crowd and continued. "In a small town like this, people should have each other’s backs, but I never see that happen here. Everyone just keeps to themselves. I know it’s not always easy getting by these days, but maybe that’s the reason."

I’m sorry! yelled a small woman standing nearby. She was holding a broom, sweeping the decorative stone floor by the entrance of the local porcelain shop, which had been deemed ’the only tourist attraction in town’ by the family who owned it. This woman wasn’t a familiar face to Saolan, most likely a new hire. I saw what happened and I wanted to step in, but I was scared. I just sort of froze.

The surrounding crowd had started to scatter again. It seemed that most people had nothing to say. Saolan looked at the woman. She was tearing up, but tried to hide it.

Alright, responded Saolan bitterly. Alright, thanks for caring at least. I guess that’s a start. He turned around and started walking back home. On the way, he kept thinking about the woman. He hoped he hadn’t been too harsh on her. It was interesting, a new face working at the porcelain store. What did she do to get that job? What was she doing all day other than sweeping? What was her story?

Porcelain had never interested Saolan. He had always seen it as something for noblemen and he usually found such things unappealing given his experience with said people. Still, it could be worth considering. Maybe he could ask the woman about it, about what it was like and whether the owners would be interested in hiring him too. They weren’t seeking new employees often though so she was probably someone they already knew. Maybe she was a distant family member who had recently moved there for the job. Maybe she didn’t even do anything aside from cleaning. Still, even a position like that would help him move out of his brother’s shadow, or at least make him good for something.

Once he got back, Saojun wasn’t particularly happy.

Where have you been? he asked.

Saolan sighed. I saw these guys stealing fruit and tried to chase them down, but they got away.

You what? Multiple guys? Don’t do that, man, that’s dangerous! You could’ve gotten stabbed or something.

"Multiple as in two, and maybe it wouldn’t be so dangerous if we were surrounded by people who protected each other! Ever think about how selfish everyone is in this town?"

I don’t know, do you ever think about how dumb it is to just rush into things like that? What were you expecting? No matter what you do, you always need to have a plan before you take action. Always. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that.

Well, maybe the world doesn’t always stop and wait for you to make your stupid plans! If I had waited, they would’ve gotten away.

"That’s exactly what they did anyway! Not that it matters, they didn’t even steal enough for me to notice. Don’t risk your life over a bit of fruit, okay?"

Saolan wanted to end the conversation by looking too busy to talk. He went back inside and started sorting through the vegetables, trying to spot anything rotten.

Fine, he muttered while glancing at a lettuce. I just wish I could rely on anyone but you and maybe a handful of villagers.

Well, it is what it is, said Saojun, who grabbed a broom and started sweeping. I told you as much back when we first came here. The town has a rough history.

"So what? The entire country has a rough history."

Yeah, but Mountain’s Passing hit this town especially hard. It was hugely dependent on the old capital back in the day, so everyone here felt the full weight of it. We’re living in the sad remains of what was supposed to be another great city.

At this point, Saolan completely gave up pretending to work and turned around.

"There has got to be a limit to how much longer everyone can use Mountain’s Passing as an excuse! he exclaimed. It’s been over a century!"

He was so sick of hearing this brought up time and time again, not just by his brother, but by everyone. It seemed that every single time he had anything unflattering to say about the so-called ‘Great’ Eastern Empire, someone used this old event to defend it.

Huge events have huge consequences, persisted Saojun. Think of the paranoia, bitterness and apathy as the town’s cultural heritage.

Charming. I just don’t see how having another big, dumb rock in place of our capital would have made that much of a difference.

"Unhappy people of the past raise the unhappy