Chapter 12
SOMETIMES LIFE GIVES YOU DIAMONDS
It was Devon’s turn to suck up the pain and be brave. Everyone still conscious was standing on the wall, watching him expectantly. He was as ready as he was ever going to be, so he sat on the wall and slipped into the powder. The first thing he noticed was the dry tingle of the powder against his skin.
“Now, observe the mana-wyrms. You’ve certainly got their attention,” Izzy instructed.
Devon stared down into the silvery dust and saw what Izzy meant. Rather than swimming around in a circle, all the creatures had stopped. They were all facing him now. Then the chaos started as the wyrms began squabbling amongst themselves. His attention fell on something far below the arguing wyrms that was rapidly increasing in size. Devon realised it was a head that was rising straight toward him. The squabbling mana-wyrms scattered like skittles when the rising beast swam directly through them, heading upwards at speed.
Gasps and exclamations came from the villagers as they began to realise the sheer size of the creature hurtling up towards Devon.
“My god! You attracted a mana-dragon. Oh, Devon!” Izzy said, her words filled with awe.
“Is that bad?” June asked.
“No! My goodness, no, not bad. Far from it. If Devon can bond with a mana-dragon, then this moment will become a thing of legend. These dragons were thought extinct, just like he was.”
Devon was apprehensive before he heard Izzy’s words. That had now turned to fear. He watched as the mana-dragon continued to swim upwards. By the time it reached him, it was evident that the dragon was more than ten times his size. “Uh! Izz? That will never fit inside me.”
“Shh! This is a big moment. Don’t scare it away,” Izzy said. There wasn’t any sympathy in her tone, just unadulterated awe.
“Me scare that! Are you kidding me?”
Devon felt the question ram itself straight into his brain. It wasn’t in a language, just a concept. He knew the thought came from the monster in front of him.
The mana-dragon licked its ethereal lips and gave Devon a hungry look.
“I’m gonna die. I’m gonna die!”
“Shh! Stop being such a big wussy baby. It is just being friendly,” Izzy said, still without sympathy.
The dragon started to move. Its tail came around him and continued to circle until Devon was wrapped from toe to chin by seven loops of the monster. The dragon’s head rose until it was looking straight down onto his head. Devon looked up, straight into its maw. The dragon winked at him before dashing its head downward.
“Eeeeeeeee!” Devon squealed uncharacteristically.
“Shh!” Izzy hissed.
“Crikey!” Finn said, his face full of shock. “I’ve never seen him look scared before.”
Devon watched in horror as the dragon’s mouth enveloped him. The mouth disappeared inside him, and the rest of the body began to follow it. The sensation of the monster merging with him was almost beyond description.
Then it started to hurt as well. Devon fought back the urge to scream as pain, more intense than anything he could ever remember, engulfed every nerve in his body. It felt as if every cell of his being was rudely violated and then roughly repaired an instant later. Despite his resolve, Devon shook violently from head to toe. Every muscle spasmed then contracted fiercely as the sensations ripped through him. He gave in and screamed. His neck tightened, and his voice cut off as the feeling swept upwards and started to wreck his brain.
His mind warped and twisted and then, like the other pain, was repaired and passed over. Devon was sure that every molecule had been examined and affected by the faie dragon’s melding with him. He could feel that there was now something very different about every tiny part of him, including his consciousness. The only way he could describe it was miraculous.
Devon could feel aspects of his being coming alive, radiating power and response. His forehead ached, and he felt a sharp pain emerge from it. Devon reached up to touch the spot that hurt and felt something hard and shaped like a diamond. As he touched it, he felt a shock engulf him, and for the second time in as many minutes, his nerves tingled angrily and shouted at him.
“Devon, you must listen to me,” Izzy shouted. “Climb out of the pool. Now! You’re about to pass out. You can’t stay in there.”
A moment later, he felt arms wrap around him, and someone dragged him from the pool. It was at that point that Devon’s thoughts went dark.
He opened his eyes moments later and found himself lying beside the unconscious form of Gwen. Devon felt worn out but at the same time bursting with power. He reached into himself, looking for a bond like the one he had with Jet. What he found was the dragon sitting in his consciousness, grinning happily at him.
<’Ow do, yung un!> the dragon thought in a mischievous but amiable way.
A Somerset accent? Seriously? I have a mana-dragon from the west-country. Devon laughed hard. <’Ow do yourself, dragon. So how do you and I work then?>
“You okay in there, Devon?” Izzy asked.
Devon grinned. He also smiled internally at his dragon.
Devon screamed again as the agony coursed through him. He felt four burning paths sear their way from the dragon to his forehead.
Devon opened his eyes and blinked a few times. “I’m fine. Just chatting to my mana-dragon, who happens to be a proper wurzel.” He laughed.
“Ooh! I love your diamond. Very mystique. I wonder if that is a god thing or a ‘look at me, I’ve got a mana dragon’ thing.” Izzy laughed. “Probably both, as I have never seen anyone else with a crystal that protrudes through the skin. Most creatures with magic have a crystal embedded in the skull that is just under the skin. The only way to tell is to press the skin above it. Trust you to be different.”
“Is having my dragon a good thing?”
“The stuff of legends, Devon. The power he can create for you is beyond amazing. If you can handle him, then we’re in for some exciting times.”
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Devon thought about what Izzy had told him. Then he thought about what must happen next. It might be better for everyone to stay down here for now. “Izzy, can you please fetch the camp charm from the surface and bring it down here. It’s warm and dry down here, and Haven will have plenty of food and water, I expect.”
Izzy seemed like she was about to scowl and swear at him but thought better of it. She bounded off up the road instead. She’d realised that, apart from Devon, she was the only one that knew how to strike the camp and transport it down into the nexus.
Devon clambered to his feet and accepted the many offers to shake his hand and hugs he got in congratulations for surviving the mana-dragon’s assimilation. Those that had taken magic looked euphoric, and those that hadn’t were firing eager questions at them. The villagers all looked excited and hopeful. The tired, hopeless look that had dogged so many of them before had disappeared. He wondered if they realised how much more their lives were about to change.
His gaze fell on the ruins of the magical energy conduit. His brain informed him that he knew how to fix it. He wondered if his dragon could provide enough power to do it.
the mana dragon thought happily. The dragon knew his remark would confuse Devon and seemed to enjoy the prospect.
That explained why Lorna was still out for the count. She hadn’t assimilated a mere mana-wyrm. She’d got his mana-dragon’s smaller sibling. He was pleased to see that Finn was attending to an awakening Madi. That meant one less casualty to be concerned about.
He looked around. Trying to spot the other girl to whom Brack had referred. If there was a promising mage around, Devon wanted to know about her. He saw the girl lying on the floor next to Lorna, unconscious. He’d keep his eye on them both.
Devon walked over and stood back up on the low wall by the mana-pool. Beth came and stood next to him but indicated that he should ignore her. He smiled when she spoke anyway.
“I’ll tell you a secret,” Beth said. “Magic was my dream when I was a little girl. Thank you for sticking with me and allowing me to fulfil this fantasy.”
Devon gave her a warm smile. “You and Gwen had something in common after all. You’re welcome.”
He reached out his left hand and asked his dragon for a thirty-percent flow through half of his channels. If he started this repair any faster, he would damage the foundations. He reached under his shirt and pulled out the pendant. It was still glowing the intense blue that it had been on the surface. Devon felt two of his channels swell and deliver mana to the mana-crystal embedded in his forehead. He forced his will against the mana stream and directed it through the pendant and out towards the lower portion of the broken conduit.
As it left the pendant, the mana stream’s soft blue light expanded away to form a holographic overlay of the column’s original appearance. The image swelled until it engulfed the ruins from the base to the top, then when it had reached full size, the hologram began to solidify slowly. The construct creaked and popped as matter was pulled in from other planes and forced to form the desired structure.
Devon asked for all channels to open and increased the flow to sixty percent. He had to fight hard with the vast amounts of energy that flowed through the pendant. Trying to keep the mana in an orderly stream was like wrangling cats. By sheer strength of will and bloody-mindedness, he managed to keep the flow tidy and concentrated on the solidifying structure in front of him.
The conduit started to look corporeal and began to take on the details of its final form. Patterns of runes became visible, etched into the obsidian and crystal of the reforming column. Hundreds of fine channels took shape, flowing vertically up the shaft. These would contain the power as it flowed upwards through the stone. He knew that hundreds of other structures just like this were taking shape simultaneously, all around the world. This was the key-nexus. What happened here was reflected throughout the Earth realm. Progenitor magic possessed world-altering creationist powers beyond comprehension.
Finally, the forming process was complete. Devon stopped his mana-flow and waited with bated breath. For him, this moment was huge. He had never had to fix a nexus before. They were supposed to be infinity engines that would pump for as long as magical dust was there to shift. He used to repair waygates all the time. Every tinpot dictator or power-hungry king would try and damage them just to stop reinforcements from getting through. Nobody could get near a nexus, though. Not until that pox-ridden fairy queen had stolen his pendant and cursed him, that is. He intended to make her pay for that, though, and soon.
Devon jumped as a rumbling started. The vibration spread outward until the whole world was shaking. Every occupant of the Earth realm felt the ground jump; closely followed by the loud, prolonged thunder of five hundred infinity engines powering up and beginning to pump magical energy back up to Earth’s surface. Of course, no-one could see the results, but everyone experienced the seismic event. In the nexus, everyone squeaked as the whole cavern shook, and an ear-splitting thump rocked the cavern. The intricately detailed column began to glow with a warm, golden light. Enchantments and runes began to perform their tasks in harmony, and energy started to flow cleanly through them. Everyone jumped at the ‘whoomph’ sound as the pillar began functioning fully and radiating with a light too bright to look at directly.
Everyone in the cavern was further startled when Devon leapt high into the air and cheered loudly. “Oh, yes! I’ve still got it.” When he landed, he started to do a little jig that looked more like a dad-dance. “Yes, oh yes, oh yes, ohhhhhh yes!” When his euphoria had calmed a little, he looked around and saw nearly fifty shocked, confused faces and one filled with awe. Izzy was back.
“I cannot even begin to understand what just happened,” Beth said.
“Earth realm just got its magic back. Now things will get interesting,” Devon replied.
Izzy stepped forward to stand in front of Devon, then sank to her knees with bowed head and clasped hands. “My lord Wayfarer, I am your humble priestess in name alone, not by bond. I beg you, take my soul in binding as your disciple. Grant me your power that I might show the worlds your might and grant me your wisdom that I might guide your followers. I swear my lifelong fealty and devotion to you, in front of witnesses.”
Devon felt a tight tug at his soul as if something was trying to get his attention. His response came to him without a thought. “My bond is yours, priestess. My values are now your values.” When his words had finished, a bright golden light enveloped them. He felt a tight bond form between them and saw Izzy’s beautiful blue eyes turn golden momentarily.
“Wow! What the hell was that?” Beth asked in amazement. She looked deeply into his eyes as if she’d find answers in there. “You’re not seriously a god, are you? You can’t be; gods are just mythical beings. They have no basis in science or reality. You’re just a… just a… Fuck! You really are.”
“I’m just me, Beth.” Devon blushed. “The god thing is no big deal. Feel free to grovel, though.” He snorted.
Beth caught him with a hard punch to the arm and grinned at him.
Devon and Izzy had set the camp up in the nexus for that evening. He’d asked Jet nicely, and she had agreed that they could undertake the task of pulling Haven out of the nexus tomorrow so that he could safely seal the lower cavern once again. More villagers had asked if they could take a symbiot too, and Izzy had supervised another session of pairing people up with willing mana-wyrms. In the end, only three of the older villagers refused magic.
****-****
They had finally found a quiet moment and slipped away to Haven. Izzy put her hand on his back as he stood at the back of the gipsy caravan and looked up at the door. He’d been nervous about entering his old home again. His memories of time spent inside it were still sketchy, but he knew how much he loved the place. Devon ascended the three steps and respectfully turned the golden doorknob. The door opened outwards, and behind it hung a black beaded curtain that wholly obscured the view inside.
Devon hesitantly pushed his way through the beads and found himself standing in the familiar living area. It was just as he remembered. The colours offered a warm and cosy feeling, with a plush, dark, wine-coloured carpet setting the scene. Darkly-stained, wooden panelling rolled outward from the floor and then back in as it rose to meet the wood-vaulted ceiling. When the two of them entered the room, its dimensions changed. Once in the room, it was bigger than it had been when he’d been looking inside from the steps.
There was an entrance in a dividing wall at the far end of the room, concealed by a thick burgundy curtain. Devon knew that behind that curtain was a very nicely appointed kitchen, dining area, and a door that led you into the bedrooms and bathing area. Each bedroom had very generous facilities, but this caravan also had a communal bath and a spa. To the right of the entrance hung a large, golden-framed, full-length mirror. On the curtain’s left sat a luxuriantly upholstered armchair. That was his chair. Now that Izzy was in the room, there was a companion armchair next to it. The caravan was clever like that, adjusting its size and furnishings to suit the guests present. Devon wondered if it could stretch to fifty.
To the left of the armchair was a wooden bookcase, about five feet wide and spanning from floor to ceiling. Its deep shelves supported books of all sizes. The books were all leather-bound, not damaged or dusty, but they did look old. The bookcase was mostly for show because it concealed the entrance to a well-stocked library, that got bigger as more books were stuffed inside it, and there was a magical study area at its centre.
On the opposite wall from the bookcase was another curtained entrance that offered access to all Haven’s other rooms. Next to that were four capacious, double-doored cupboards. The cupboards lined the entire length of the wall not taken up by the entrance. Beneath them were four equally deeply shelved cabinets. All the furnishings were made from the same dark wood that seemed to be a recurring theme throughout. An intricately carved, wooden coffee table sat in front of his armchair.
The last thing of note was Jet’s favourite spot. It was a large fireplace with an ornately decorated surround and mantle. It protruded slightly into the room from the middle of the left wall. At the fire’s base was a deep, spacious hearth and atop that sat a sturdy firebox, iron trellis, and spit assembly. Jet was there now. She’d changed into her petite form and was currently fast asleep. This place was just as much her home as his.
The gods had provided for him generously. They wanted him to reap souls for them, and they’d enticed him to agree by offering him Jet and Haven.
“Devon, it’s beautiful. A bit small, but lovely,” Izzy said. She didn’t sound convinced.
“Oh, Izzy, how can my priestess have such little faith?”