Over the next several hours, I was put through a grueling test of concentration, relaxation and focus. I got to the point where I was able to relax in an emotion enough to allow the little orb to cover me in its protection, and was able to hold that while I went about my business. I was even able to do it when nothing was going through my head at all. The only time I had serious difficulty was with Anger. It wasn’t really something I could call up at will, and The Great Mother wasn’t the right person to teach me.

“That was good, Ivor. You will need to practice more with your Anger, but I think you have the method down,” She said, standing.

She reached out a hand and I gratefully took it, rising from my seat at the base of the yew. “Thank you Mother, for your instruction. I will see to it that Elizabet is taught, as will be any children we have. Should I go see Odin about further training?” I asked.

“No, child. I think it is time for your spirit and your body to be reacquainted. And here comes just the man to help,” She said, nodding to the east.

I looked off to the east, spying a rather large man heading our way. His hair and beard were red as could be, and in his powerful arms he carried a monstrous ox.

“Oh shit,” I said, then took a deep breath. “This is gonna hurt, isn’t it, Mother?” I asked, afraid I already knew the answer.

“Oh yes, My child. This will be one of the most extreme things you will have ever felt. I do not envy you,” She said, looking at me sadly.

I sighed, watching the red-bearded god stride over to me. His strength was simply uncanny. The mountain of a man who, truth be told, looked like an overweight wrestler, dropped the carcass ten feet away from me, and stood there, hands on his hips. He directed his gaze to me, saying “Well boy, are you ready to pop off back your beauty?”

“Aye. I think I’ve learned all I can learn for one trip,” I said.

He knelt in front of me and set both of His mighty hands onto my shoulders. “I’m right proud of you, Ivor. You’re doing something most mortal men only dream of. When you can figure out how to return at will, we can start your training with your Anger. That’s the deal. You might pop in, or get called in once or twice before then, but no training will be given to you. You’ll have to earn the right to be trained by my father and I. The Great Mother” -he looked to her with a smile- “Has her reasons for your instruction. This is the best place for it.” He gave my shoulders a gentle squeeze. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir. I read you loud and clear,” I said with a grin.

“Good!” He boomed, standing tall. “One final task remains,” He said, walking back to the ox.

He hefted it up over his head.

“CATCH!” He said laughing, as he threw the massive corpse at me.

“Sh-” I said, wide-eyed as the ox landed on me with enough force to level a building. As the realm of Asgard receded from me, I reflected for a moment on how much I would hurt when I came to.

The Great Mother rounded on Thor angrily. “Thor! Why did you do that? There were so many other ways to send him back, and you just hit him with your lunch?”

Thor didn’t hear any of this, as He was too busy laughing. “Did…Did you see his face?” His laughter intensified as The Great Mother swatted him about the head and shoulders.

**********

The world was a blinding white reality of intense pain. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Or a three-ton ox thrown by the god of thunder.

I moaned weakly, tasting blood.

“...vor! Ivor, can you hear me? Wake up, sweetheart. Please wake up,” said the angel mopping at my forehead.

My eyes fluttered open, and I saw the face of my Elizabet, her eyed red-rimmed and puffy from lack of sleep and crying.

“Am I dead? Is this my Valkyrie come to take me to the halls of Asgard?” I asked in a raspy voice.

Elizabet wrapped herself around me, holding me tightly, sobbing hysterically. “You’re back. Thank the Great Mother, you’re back!”

I winced in pain, awkwardly patting her back. “Don’t take me to Asgard, Valkyrie. I just left there. Gods, I hurt so much,” I said with a wheeze.

She jerked back, her hands holding mine. “I’m so sorry, Ivor. You’ve been out so long, and everyone thought you were dead. I’m so happy we were all wrong.”

“It’s okay. Look, I really need to eat. It’s imperative. Can you bring me my Bag? How long have I been out?” I said in a rush.

“No, your Bag stays where it is. We’ve had food delivered by the Haarthuu every day. There’s plenty for you to eat,” she said, handing me one of the potato-like tubers. “It’s been almost six days since you collapsed.”

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“Six days?” I said, incredulous. I gratefully took the spud and shoved it into my mouth, the ecstasy of eating making my eyes roll back in my head. “Gods, this is good. Look, I’ll explain when I’m done, but I need to eat as much as I possibly can, like right now. Bring me everything you can, and go get more. Please. It is literally life and death,” I begged.

Elizabet nodded, and began bringing all the food she could to me. “I’ll be right back. I promise,” she said as she ran out the door.

I sat there, gorging myself like a starving street cat, feeling a bottomless pit in my belly gnawing its hunger at me.

I had almost finished the last plate of food when Elizabet opened the door, followed by Talah-ma’at, the boys, Blainaut, Thaddeus, The Elder and several other Lizardfolk, all bearing trays of cold food.

“Hi everyone. I’m sorry for scaring you. I OOF-” All further words were cut off as my boys jumped onto the bed, hugging me fiercely.

“Boys!” Both Elizabet and Talah-ma’at said at the same time, grabbign their attention.

“Get off him! He’s in a lot of pain!” Elizabet warned.

I wrapped my sons in a weak hug. “Your moms are right, boys. Get down. I am hurt pretty badly.”

The three children climbed down, hanging their faces. “We’re sorry, Mr. Ivor. We’ve just been so scared for you.” Ahte-naah said sullenly.

I took a shaky breath, trying to ease the pain. “It’s okay, son. I’m just hurting from what happened.” I said, smiling.

Looking up at the group of smiling people, some crying, I said “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I am alive, but weak. It’ll take a few days to regain my strength, but I’ll be right as rain soon. I just need to eat as much as possible.” My stomach punctuated the statement with a loud gurgle. “See?” Elizabet offered me her tray of cured meat and roughage. “Thank you, love.” I said, and began eating.

The food was set on the floor in the corner, and everyone filed out except my closest friends and the Elder. Blainaut was the first to speak.

“Ivor, I’m sorry for yelling at you. I’ve felt so bad these past few days. I was thinking that the last words I’d say to you would be ones of anger and irritation. And now that you’re awake, well…” he said, trailing off as tears filled his eyes.

Elizabet placed her hand on his shoulder. “Blainaut, he’s awake now. He’s going to be okay.” She looked sharply at me. “You willI be okay, right?”

“Yes. I’ll be okay in a day or two, once I’ve eaten.”

“See? He’s okay,” she said softly.

The tall man nodded, sniffling. “You’re still an ass, and I still don’t know how you’ve lived this long,” he said, laughing softly through the tears.

I chuckled and winced. “Yeah. That was dumb of me. I don’t think it was entirely my fault, though,” I said through gritted teeth.

“How? How is you dropping from the ceiling intentionally not entirely your fault?” Blainaut asked incredulously.

“Shut the door, please, Elder,” I said softly. Once the door was shut, I continued, “My magic was drained from me. Not just from the spells that day, but from an outside force. A person, or a group of people. Someone wanted me dead, and went to these lengths to do it.”

Elizabet’s face drained of all color. “What? Who would do such a thing? How do you know this?” she asked, horrified.

“When I passed out, I woke up in Asgard -that’s the realm where my gods live- and I was told by The Great Mother what had happened. She doesn’t know who, but she did know what had happened,” I explained.

“This will happen again, won’t it, Sir?” asked Thaddeus quietly.

I nodded. “This will most definitely happen again. She assured me that it would. We will just have to be on guard for when it does,” I said with a weak shrug, eating some of the cured meat.

“I’m okay, now. I think my gods and The Great Mother have afforded me some level of protection, but it won’t last forever. For now, I have to focus on getting my strength and weight back. Once I do, I think I’ll take you up on the offer of training, Elder. I think with the excess weight all but gone, I’ll be better able to withstand the instruction of the Haarthuu,” I said, munching some slightly bitter leafy greens.

“But, Ivor. Without your excess weight, you won’t be able to cast as much magic,” Blainaut warned.

“True. I may be the most powerful mage in centuries, but that means nothing if I don’t learn to pace myself, and use my magic intelligently. I’ve some ideas for how to circumvent the requirements. If I’m right, I could change the way magic is viewed across the world. I won’t know until I’ve been able to experiment,” I said, burping quietly. “Pardon me.”

“That’s more like the Ivor we all know and get exasperated by,” Blainaut said dryly, receiving several chuckles from all in attendance.

“Yes, but for now, you need to eat and rest. No magic until you’re better, understand me?” Elizabet warned.

“Yes, My Lady. However, there are two spells I would like to cast. Tomorrow, if I’m feeling up to it. One is to teach you, and the other is to Duplicate an item from my Bag. Only if I’m feeling up to it. The weakest first, and we will go from there. Okay?” I begged.

She fixed me with her stern gaze. “Fine. But if I catch even the slightest whiff of you having issues, I’ll gag you and spoon feed you myself. Understood?” she said, crossing her arms beneath her breasts.

“Yes, love. I understand. In fact, I can simply give you the words to the one, and you can practice. It shouldn’t use too much energy,” said, yawning.

“Ivor, it seems you need some rest. We will bring you fresh food and drink twice a day. I hope that will be enough,” said the Elder.

“Elizabet, will you get my Bag for me? I’m just going to take some things out. I really need to make a bigger one,” I asked.

She handed me my Bag, and I pulled out a few of the empty plastic bags, handing them to Blainaut after teaching him how they worked. “Take these and fill them with the items you’re going to give me. I’ll put them in here, and Duplicate them when I’m stronger," I said. "This way, I’m not costing the Haarthuu too much in resources. No sense in shorting your people’s food,” I suggested to the Elder

“That sounds good. We will do so. And now” -the Elder shooed the others out of my room- “we will leave you to your food and rest. I will see you tomorrow, Ivor,” he said as he shuffled out behind the others, closing the door behind him.

“Elizabet. There is something you need to know,” I said, causing her to look even more worried.