Chapter 21 – Eyes & Ears

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” Draconis asked once he was alone with his master.

“He, he, he, he. You used a contraction, good job, and I did.” Deathwalker replied.

“Thank you, Master. My time with your familiar is helping me understand where you came from. As for that fey woman, why specifically do that in front of her?”

“Elder Martha tells me she is more of a spy for the Winter Queen, but Advisor Mona has one weakness... her fascination with magic. This will keep her distracted.” Deathwalker explained.

“You told me you wanted to not draw attention to yourself. Would this not spur her to action?” Draconis inquired.

“It was an acceptable risk. The vision I had showed Timberfall being sieged... things were not going well. I merely am helping to balance the scales. Besides, Elder Martha made it very clear I had already drawn the fey’s attention. I’m just choosing where she looks.” Deathwalker shared.

Just then Deathwalker got a feeling that he was being watched. Not wanting to give anything away he telepathically messaged his apprentice. “I sense we are not alone.”

“I sense it too. Shall I take action, master?” Draconis mentally replied.

“No. I have a better idea.” Deathwalker sent before he spoke out loud. “Come, let’s go get Garry. The festival starts tomorrow, and I promised my little murderhobo he could attend.”

Without saying another word Deathwalker and Draconis headed for the Portal Hub.

“Lilandra?”

“Yes, my hunky master?” Lilandra replied in his head.

“Draconis and I are about to return home. I think someone is spying on me. If they follow us in, rather than blocking them, can you isolate them and lock down any magic or chance for escape? I’d like to interrogate them.” Deathwalker sent telepathically.

“Easy enough. There is actually an anti-magic cell near the Portal Chamber. Once they enter the portal, I will have complete control.”

“Good to know.” Deathwalker replied with a hint of concern but brushed it off for now.

The duke nodded to his men as he passed through into the Timberfall portal hub receiving room.

The soldiers bowed and greeted in unison. “Your grace!”

“At ease. We will return later.” Deathwalker responded before walking through the portal.

There was a small flash of light shortly after. “Hey, did you see that?” One of the guards asked.

“See what?”

“It looked like a flash of light!”

“Are you seeing things again? Man do not screw up this assignment for us. It is the easiest gig we have ever had!” His comrade complained.

———

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Lilandra asked as she peered into the cell.

Laying on the ground, looking stunned, was a tiny humanoid with wings. The little being started to rouse from its stunned expression. It got to their feet a little wobbly.

“What is it?” Deathwalker asked before using his Insight on it.

Timov

Race: Fairy (Pixie variant)

Level: 49

Draconis leaned over to look at what they caught only to snarl upon seeing the captive. “Pixie! Damned fairies! They are nothing but pests and spies! They don’t even make a worthy snack!”

The little Timov visibly gulped before dropping to its knees. “Please do not eat me! I beg of you!!!” Then the little creature started to sob. “Take this job they said. It is a great honor to serve one of the advisors to one of the queens! Now Timov is trapped and going to get eaten! Waaaa!”

“Ugh! See what I mean, annoying things! Let me eat it so we can shut it up!” Draconis complained.

“Are they tasty?” Garry asked as he floated into the room.

“No! Mostly bones, but at least it will be much quieter in here!” Draconis replied.

“Eh, it’s small enough. I could probably just grab it telekinetically and slam it into the wall until it stops. Hmmm, I wonder if I slam the thing hard enough if it’ll pop.” Garry offered.

That made Timov wale even more. Tears gushing down the little creature’s face.

“Ugh! I agree with Draconis, that thing is annoying! Let me smash it boss!” Garry pleaded.

Deathwalker knelt, then took up a sitting position so as to not be so intimidating. He then raised his hand before he spoke in a calm voice. “Timov, are you willing to speak with me? If you stop crying, I can promise you my friends will not be so inclined to harm you.”

Deathwalker’s use of the little fairy’s name seemed to snap it out of their wows. “O-okay. Y-you promised they will not hurt me?”

“I can promise you as long as you do not try to cause harm, we will not do you anything harmful to you... at least while we are talking.”

Those words seemed to brighten up Timov. “Okay.”

Deathwalker smiled. “Great! Now why were you spying on us? You mentioned the Advisor, were you working for Mona?”

“Y-yes.” Timov hesitantly answered.

“Ha! I knew it! She upped her game after that little display with the citywide shield. You should let me eat her.” Draconis chimed in.

“Hey if we are entertaining eating hot fey women l, I think it only fair I go first! I think my long thick tongue could do wonders, he, he, he, he.” Garry commented.

“Really? Does your tongue size increase the amount you can taste or something? Would that not be a detriment depending on the situation?” Draconis asked in confusion.

Garry smiled. “Sometimes, but usually it just adds to the enjoyment. There was this one time...”

“At band camp!” Deathwalker laughed.

“Ha, ha, ha, ha! Good one boss!”

“What is this ‘band camp’?” Draconis asked in confusion.

Garry continued. “I’ll show you later buddy. Anyway, my point before I was so hilariously interrupted, I bit the head off this traitor and the combination of crunch, brains, and blood gave this amazing flavor! If I didn’t have all those taste buds, I never would have enjoyed it to the extent I did!”

“I could see that.” Draconis agreed.

“Umm, I think all your talk is making the poor little guy turn pale.” Lilandra noted.

It was true. The more Garry and Draconis talked about eating things the sicklier the little fairy looked. When both Garry and Draconis licked their lips as they stared at the little morsel, Timov visibly gulped. ‘I am dead for sure.’

“Alright guys, you had your fun.” Deathwalker strives to say with a straight face. It was clear he enjoyed the two’s banter.

“Eh, he is too small anyway.” Draconis replied.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“That’s what she said! Ha, ha, ha, ha!” Garry laughed for a moment before catching the side eye from Lilandra. “Okay, okay. Come on buddy, let me introduce you to some of the comedy movies from our master’s world.”

After the two left the room Lilandra commented, “They are like two teenage boys from your world.”

“The age doesn’t much matter. When you think of what is at stake in our lives, we have to find humor where we can. At first my familiar’s approach reminded me of an immaturity I wanted to overcome, but now... well I think it’s a way of coping, and frankly, he makes me laugh.” Deathwalker explained.

“It appears you are reconnecting with your emotions, at least in part. I can tolerate a little inappropriate crazy if it helps my master adapt and survive.” Lilandra said before pointing to the little pixie. “Though that little one looks scared to death.”

Deathwalker turned and sighed. “Please excuse my friends, Timov. They are just looking after me in their own way, and they tend to be very protective. Now tell me, are you bound by any agreements?”

———DEATHWALKER’S PERSPECTIVE———

“I am fairy, of course I am bound by agreements. We pixies are still like any other fairy-kind, though the arch-fey tends to not treat us that way. To them we are nothing but insects. They barely bother to use us as messengers and spies.” Timov explained.

“It is true, master. The fey tend to look down on or are completely indifferent to them, even though they are distant cousins.” Lilandra stated.

‘No wonder the little one was so scared of us. The way their kind are treated, they expected to be killed once captured.’ That thought made me ask a follow up question. “Can you speak on your agreement with Advisor Mona?”

Timov nodded. “She did not bother to require my silence. In her words ‘if you are stupid enough to get caught and tortured, let them know it was I who sent you before you die.’ She said it in her usual cold heartless way.”

“That seems risky to me.”

Timov shook his head. “Advisor Mona is scary, and I mean super scary. Most would not think to challenge anyone that has the ear of Queen Mab, and she knows it.”

“Arrogant, but I can use that to my advantage. What were the parameters of your agreement?” I asked.

“She did not want to deal with us lowly fairies. I was the one assigned to coordinate with other pixies. We would spy or run messages for her, all of that was coordinated through me.” Timov stood up straighter. “As the advisor could not be bothered to deal with multiple pixies, she appointed me to be her liaison. It was a high honor, but also dangerous.” Timov explained.

“Dangerous? You mean because we captured you?” I inquired.

Lilandra was the one to chime in “No, it is common for their so called ‘benefactor or employer’ to hurt or kill them for delivering unpleasant news.”

“Ah, sounds like they never got the old adage don’t kill the messenger.”

Lilandra nodded. “Quite right.”

I turned back to the little guy or gal. It was hard to tell what sex this pixie was. ‘I wonder if that would be rude to ask. Oh, well, more important things to figure out first.’

“You had no other conditions besides be a liaison and her messenger spy? Like you cannot lie or anything like that?”

“We pixies cannot lie! No fey can!” Timov stood up to their full height.

“Not telling an outright lie, is not the same as always telling the truth.” Lilandra warned.

Timov nodded along. “Wise words queen of the djinn.”

“You know of Lilandra?”

Timov looked incredulous. “Of course! She is one of the three queens! Any fairy with half a mind knows that.”

“But she was banished and locked away for thousands of years?” I commented.

“All her children may be imprisoned, but the djinn are well known to all of fairy-kind. No one is foolish enough to tangle with one as they can warp reality and the very forces of creation. All djinns should be feared, and their queen should be respected for her sacrifice.” Timov bowed as he said those last words.

Lilandra nodded in acknowledgement to the little pixie. “Thank you, Timov. I expect you to entreat with my master and give him respect just as you would with me.” She then turned to me. “All fairy-kind recognize djinns, just as all djinns recognize all forms of fey. As we all have some common ancestry, it is to be expected. I cannot hide what I am from them, just as they cannot hide from me.”

“As always, I appreciate your council and having you by my side Lilandra.” I said thanks to my first disciple.

“Tell me Timov, how were you being paid and is there any way for you to break agreements?”

“The agreement ended the moment I was captured. Advisor Mona would not waste her time rescuing someone as disposable as I.” Timov replied.

Lilandra spoke up once again. “If the agreement remained someone powerful enough could use the connection from their agreement to find and confirm her involvement. As it stands now, you have no definitive proof of her involvement. The masses do not trust or believe fairies and she is aware of that fact.”

“Why is that?”

“For the same reason I mentioned earlier, not lying is not the same thing as telling the truth. That and pixies gain power from agreements. The more magic the stronger and bigger they get over time.” Lilandra explained.

“It is a pixie’s dream to eventually become fey.” Timov said with hope in their eyes.

“That can happen?”

Lilandra nodded and motioned to the fairy. “Yes, but there is more to it than that. Give us a few moments Timov as I explain the nuances of impact and growing one’s meaning through their purpose.”

“This may take some time master so bear with me.” Lilandra telepathically said as she took my hands and we both closed our eyes.

When I opened mine, we were elsewhere. It did not take me long to realize we were in a Mindscape, a landscape where minds can meet either to share information or do battle. If she brought me here, that meant what Lilandra had to share was more complex than mere words could convey.

“Perhaps it is best to explain the power of meaning. Think of it as gravity that pulls power to you.” Lilandra waved her hand and shapes like planets and stars began to appear around us.

“Many see their purpose as the way to bring meaning into their lives. Though purpose is extrinsically tied to meaning, it is only one way to grow it. There are fundamental aspects of who we are and how we were created that give us Meaning. For example, I as a woman gain meaning by having children and being a wife. Just doing those acts gathers meaning to us, but what we purposefully do adds even greater meaning. For example. I could have a child but spend no time with it, not bother to nurture or guide their development. I gain very little meaning by doing such a thing. However, if I purposefully put focus and worked with them, both my meaning and theirs grow.”

“How does their meaning grow by what you’re doing?” I asked.

Lilandra waved her hand and a star’s light warmed a planet allowing it to grow life on its surface. “Simple, we are all connected. The more energy and attention I give something the more it will grow. If I fuel them with hate, then hate grows. Like attracts like and yet opposites will fuel the other with their constant conflict. These two approaches are why the Light and Dark are constantly at odds. The Dark creates conflict and competition to grow stronger.”

“But I have always seen conflict and competition to be healthy approaches.”

Lilandra nodded. “Conflict and competition are not by their nature evil but when fueled by darker emotions they become the very power source the Dark uses to become stronger. The Light tends to focus on cooperation, compassion, and understanding. Yet if not tempered correctly, these aspects can be corrupted and turned to serve the Dark.”

“It sounds like anything can be used to serve the Dark.” I commented.

Lilandra chuckled. “He, he, he, he. You are not wrong master, but the opposite is equally true. Anything can be used to serve the Light, even the most horrific tragedy can fuel powerful positive outcomes. That is why how we understand meaning is so important. If too much focus is given to the darker aspects of an outcome or possibility, then more meaning is given over to the Dark. Remember the Dark cannot create anything, they can only corrupt and twist it to their purposes.”

“Wise words. My Nanuz used to tell me similar things. No wonder he would constantly drill into our heads to focus on the good. Even in tragedy there is good, if you can’t find it, you’re not looking hard enough. Thank you, God, for giving me Nanuz who was such an amazing influence.” I said the last part as a prayer of thanks and appreciation. It was another positive habit I learned from my family.

“Yes, most of this you already knew. What you were probably not as aware of was the spiritual aspects of these thoughts and actions.”

“Makes sense. How does this relate to the fey and fairy-kind?”

“All of us grow stronger through the meaning we gather and what we feed. Djinn, fey, fairies, etc. all gain meaning by what they do. Granting wishes grows a djinn’s power. Their manipulation of the primordial forces of the universe to grant something to another, grants them a fraction of the meaning that was created as a result. I as their queen gain a fraction of what they do.”

“Awesome cosmic powers! Itty-bitty living space.” I quad to quote the famous and missed Robin Williams.

Lilandra smiled and continued with her explanation. “Making agreements for the fey works in a similar way. They gain a fraction of the meaning as it goes where it was meant to be. For the pixies, the more meaning they can help others gather or create, over time the more powerful they become. Eventually, that power can result in growth. They will get larger, and a few have evolved into fey. Many beings like Morrigan, who are seen as gods became that way because of the meaning they gathered and what meaning was sent to them from their believers. This is what has helped them bend the laws of the universe to their will.”

“Hmmm, very interesting. This actually helps me better understand faith magic... I have a question though.”

“What is that, my hunky master?”

“You could’ve explained this in front of Timov. I am sure they already know this. Which means there is something else you wanted to tell me.”

Lilandra’s smile grew wider. “Have I told you lately how much I appreciate your mind master?”

“Hmmm, not really. You’ve made innuendos about different parts of my body, but not my mind.” I replied.

Lilandra laughed. “Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! I do enjoy those aspects of you too. Well, let me tell you I appreciate your mind and let me answer your unasked question. Yes, there was something very important I wanted us to discuss in private. It has to do with your nature as the Third Path of Creation. Your ancient royal bloodlines, Power of 13, and Soul-Forging abilities they grant you something very special... you can completely alter, transform, or move meaning around! This is what let you break my bonds; you took hold of the meaning and purified it to suit your needs. That is the real power you possess and if you do not gain the other aspects of yourself, it will destroy you.” She said the last part with clear sadness in her voice.

“Well one thing at a time. What I am taking from this is I have been blessed to be able to gather meaning, therefore power at an unprecedented rate. Hence why I need the rest of Chronos’ power, so I don’t unravel at the seams. However, now that I have a better handle on the power of agreements you have given me some ideas. Let’s head back.”

In a flash, we were no longer in the Mindscape. I telepathically thanked Lilandra for her explanation of all the nuances of how fairy magic and agreements worked. With it I would be better prepared for dealing with the fey.

“Thank you, Lilandra, for always sharing your knowledge and insights. This has given me an idea.” I said out loud before turning my attention back to Timov. “So, if you are not under any agreements, what about coming to work for me? I have the perfect job for you.”

“Job?” Timov asked.

“Yes, a job for you and your friends.”

Timov took on a serious look. “What kind of job?”

————