Selfies and the End of the World by Michael Anderle

Author:Michael Anderle [Anderle, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: New
ISBN: 9798888784358
Amazon: B0C7CMR9HB
Goodreads: 175077705
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2023-06-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“Another war?” Thea echoed. “Are you saying the other mage wars were, like, World War II level fighting?”

“The last mage war led to both recorded world wars, and the wars that took place before modern methods of recording events made both of those look like childish spats,” Eleanor told her. “Every time humans have discovered magic is real, all hell breaks loose. Inevitably, there is a confrontation that leads to the end of the world.”

Thea waved a hand. “But the world hasn’t ended.”

“Civilization has totally collapsed five times already,” Benjamin informed her. “This is something we don't teach our children until they come of age, but there are indicators in the mythology of humans pointing to the widespread death and destruction that ended previous civilizations resulting from magic being revealed. The myth of Atlantis is one. The fall of the Roman Empire is another. Did you ever wonder how the stories about ancient gods originated? Or why Krakatoa has not erupted again?”

Thea shook her head. “Ancient mythology is not really my thing. I assumed people made that stuff up to explain away what they didn’t understand.”

“In part, that’s true,” Eleanor agreed. “They didn’t understand magic and found ways to explain the presence of the fae and other magical creatures among them. However, with the rise of technology, it became clear there would need to be a separation of the magical from the non-magical.”

“But the mythology exists,” Thea pointed out. “Which means on some level, non-magicals have always been aware of the existence of magic.”

Phil took that one. “From the prehistoric era to the end of the classical era, the magical and non-magical coexisted, albeit fractiously. However, the rise of Christianity in the Middle Ages brought a shift in human perceptions. Populations were expanding rapidly and spreading faster than ever before in the West. Older religious groups' tolerance for the magical was not to be found in the followers of Christ and magicals were forced to flee from persecution. You are aware of the Crusades, yes?”

Thea nodded, glancing at the sword leaning against her wall. Her mother had apparently retrieved it. “Great Uncle Thad was a bigshot crusader, right?”

Eleanor shook her head. “Thaddeus Muir was one of the first guardians. He and his companions’ mission was to prevent the loss of magical life. History books will tell you the purpose of the Crusades was to convert Muslims to Christianity. However, they don’t say that edict was a cover for the Pope’s decree that mages and fae were to be exterminated at all costs.”

Thea’s jaw dropped. “I can’t believe that! I thought the Crusades were problematic enough before you told me the truth.” She paused. “Wait a minute. Atlantis was real?”

Her parents nodded. “The war for Atlantis was a little different from the others. A group of mages sided with humanity, and another group decided the best way to prevent all-out war was to exterminate the non-magical. Atlantis was not merely an island but a whole continent. The battle that sank

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