Dragonmancer

by Simon Archer

  “We know you can heal and transform elements, and see memories, and carry items from history through the Journal. I am most interested in discovering new abilities for you. The one that we will practice the most that you’ve already demonstrated is, of course, healing.” Her voice was stern and almost irritated.

  “Why do you sound like you were angry with me?” I wasn’t going to let her off the hook for using a tone with me.

  “I’m not angry with you,” she started. “I’ve only got a few ideas on what to test you for, and I wish I had more. I do apologize if I seemed rude.” She put her head down momentarily.

  “It’s fine, as long as we are clear,” I replied. “Now, where would you like me to start?”

  “I want you to stand in the center of the room. Then I would like to see if you are able to tell me what I am thinking,” she answered.

  “You want me to read your mind?” Her request stunned me because I’d never thought to try.

  “Yes, try to read my mind,” she said as she tapped her foot impatiently. I walked to the spot she’d asked me to stand in and faced her.

  I had no idea how to start trying to read somebody’s mind, so I took several moments to determine how I was going to do it. Once I had a plan in mind, I nodded to let her know I was ready.

  “I’m going to think of something, and I want you to tell me what it is I’m thinking about,” she instructed.

  She lowered her face and stared intently at me from under her eyelids. I stared back, focusing on the black of her pupils. I began thinking of moments I’d spent with her over the last day and what she’d said at the time. With every word I recalled, I memorized the facial expression that had gone with it. I began to see the instances play before like a reflection off the blackness of her pupil.

  I concentrated nearly as hard as I had when healing Brave, on just seeing the images, and also hearing her voice at the same time. Soon the surrounding room went dark, and even Heather faded away, all except the center of her eyes. Once the room was black, and my memories of Heather were playing like a movie in the reflection of her eyes, I tried to look past the images, deep into her eyes. I wanted to see what was behind the surface.

  Suddenly my vision changed. It was like I was looking out of two sets of eyes at the same time. One set focused on the surface images I was watching, and the other was further in, behind the screen, so to speak. It took several minutes for me to get my bearings and control which set of eyes and images to focus on.

  Finally, I could give my full focus to the depths of her eyes, where there was nothing but blackness. Then another change happened. I was no longer standing in the testing room. It felt as though I was physically inside the blackness I’d been looking at.

  I felt tiny, yet powerful, and growing ever closer to her mind. I couldn’t see anything around me, but I could hear sounds from the images I’d remembered playing behind me. I walked away from the sound, into the recess of her eyes, until I encountered a huge green door.

  There was a tiny sliver of light coming out from underneath it, thank goodness, or I would’ve run into it. I reached for the small silver doorknob and pulled gently.

  The door didn’t budge.

  Deciding that there was no reason to be gentle again, I yanked on the door handle as hard as I could. This time the door opened, but only a little bit. The surrounding blackness lightened a bit, and I yanked again. That time the door opened fully, and I sucked my breath in.

  Heather was on the other side of the door. She was braiding a young girl’s hair by the river. They were both humming the same tune and smiling. The sun was bright, and a gentle breeze ruffled the wildflowers nearby. They were the only ones there, and it was clear that they absolutely loved it. Heather finished the braid, and the young girl looked back at her with gratitude. The two of them stood up and began walking away from the river, arms linked like best friends, or sisters, would do. The further away they got, the more faded the scene became. Finally, nothing remained but more darkness.

  I fumbled around and found the door. I gently closed it and began walking in the opposite direction. I somehow knew that I’d witnessed what Heather had been thinking about at that very moment. The walk back seemed twice as long as the one towards the door, but eventually, I began to hear the sounds of my memories again. The light from the ‘screen’ began to shine brighter the closer I got to it, and all the images were in reverse from where I was standing.

  I walked up to it, reached my hand out, and attempted to touch the images. The need to reconnect to them was a sudden and massive urge. The moment my fingers touched the ‘screen,’ I was back in my own body, staring at my memories in the reflection of Heather’s pupils. Slowly, I opened up my senses and began to take a bit of my focus away from the memories. Finally, the room appeared around me again, and I could blink.

  “You did it, didn’t you?” Heather asked once I’d blinked several times.

  “Who was the girl?” I asked, wanting to test what I’d seen.

  “She is my sister,” Heather replied. “That was the last time we were at the river together.” There was a flatness in her voice that left me confused.

  “Why was that the last time?” I had to know.

  “She died not long after. Snakebite,” Heather whispered. “I couldn’t get the potion to save her ready in time because I wasn’t home when she got there.”

  “Where were you?” I felt she needed to talk about her memory, though I didn’t have any real indication that she did.

  “I was here at the Academy,” she told me, a hint of resentment in her voice.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Heather. I truly am,” I wanted to comfort her, even though she was perfectly in control of the pain she must’ve been in.

  “Thank you,” she replied politely. “That is why I don’t spend much time here. I was so intent on learning everything I could, as quickly as I could, to take over as leader of the Witnesses, that my sister ended up dying. My mother had already died, so it was necessary for me to accelerate my training, but the cost was astronomical.”

  I went to her and opened my arms to her. I didn’t put them around her until she stepped in and laid her head on my chest. Then I hugged her tight and didn’t let go until I felt her let go. She stepped back, and right then, she grasped her forearm as it had started to glow a silver light. I grabbed her arm and held it out, smiling at her while the image of a potion bottle, and one of a needle appeared on her arm.

  “You are leveling up,” I explained, so she wasn’t scared.

  “That’s amazing! I need to up my crafting skills, so needle it is!” She touched the needle symbol, and it expanded to fill a circle on her arm.

  When if finished expanding, she looked back at me. She was excited about leveling up, but she still had sadness in her eyes. She tried to look away, but I caught her by the arm and pulled her close to me again.

  My voice was steely, yet soft. “You don’t need to be strong for me.”

  I closed the short distance between us and gently pinched her chin between my thumb and forefinger, forcing her to meet my gaze. Her light blue eyes widened, and I could see myself reflected in them.

  She gasped softly, and her lips parted. “I’ll be fine, Blake.”

  I watched, mesmerized, as her tongue darted out of her mouth nervously and wet her bottom lip. I felt myself stiffen at the sight of her slick lower lip, despite the obvious emotion that hung in the air. Something about the moment felt charged.

  I pulled her closer. “Let someone take care of you.”

  Her eyes darted to the floor, but she whimpered involuntarily. I could tell that the closeness of my body was affecting her, and I’d be a liar if I said she wasn’t returning the favor. Her breath shuddered, and my eyes traced the curves of her high breasts as they heaved with each small inhale.

  I released her chin gently and let my fingers trace down the line of her jaw. Her blonde hair tangled near the elegant curve of her neck, and I sank my fingers
into her thick tresses and pulled her mouth to mine. Her velvety full lips felt incredible against mine, and my cock throbbed painfully as she tentatively slipped her tongue into my mouth. After a moment, she opened her mouth wider and deepened the kiss, and I could feel all the tension in her body slip away. She needed something to take her mind off her painful memory. No, she deserved it.

  Her fingers slid up my neck and raked through my hair, and I could feel the arousal vibrating through her body like a dull thrum. I was glad I could give her this release. I ran my fingers down her unyielding, strappy top, eager to free her ample breasts.

  She whimpered softly again into my open mouth, and it was the most torturous sound I’d ever heard.

  “Here,” she said softly.

  Heather stepped away, and the absence of her voluptuous body pressed against mine made me feel cold. She unhooked her top and let it fall to the floor in a heap. My mouth nearly watered as I watched her nipples stiffen immediately in the open air. I greedily cupped each of her heavy, firm tits in my hand, then wasted no time running my tongue over the hard little buds. She arched into my mouth and groaned.

  My heart gave a mule-kick, and I ran my hands lower down her torso and let them run along the curves of her hips. Her strappy underwear rode high on her waist, exposing the curves of her perfect ass. Her breath came out in a ragged gasp as I reached my fingers just a little further down and grazed between her ass cheeks.

  “P-Please,” she whispered.

  I touched my hand to her chin and tenderly forced her to look at me once more. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” she panted.

  While she took a step back, I took the opportunity to take my top off. Her eyes roamed down my lean, muscular build appreciatively. My skin flushed with heat at the obvious look of desire on her face. She bit her plump, wet lip and hooked her thumbs into her skimpy bottom straps. I watched her pull them down her long, shapely legs and reveal the smooth triangle between her thighs. The pink bud of her swollen clit was obvious, and my blood pounded in my veins. I wanted to bury myself inside her and wipe away all of her pain with pleasure.

  “You’re perfect,” I whispered, my voice ragged and deep with arousal.

  She looked up at me with wide eyes, and I knew she wanted me to take control of the moment. She needed me to make her forget.

  I kissed her softly on the mouth and let my fingers drag lazily down the taut surface of her stomach. Goosebumps trailed in their wake. I touched her clit, and she nearly buckled against me. Her core was impossibly wet, and my fingers easily slid inside her tight channel. I felt her clench around my fingers. God, I wanted to feel that same sensation around my hard length. My pulse pounded in my throbbing erection, but I made myself wait. I had a feeling Heather needed me to take my time.

  Heather gave another soft gasp as I flexed my fingers inside her. She buried her face against my chest and kissed it gently. I slid my fingers in and out of her, relishing the feeling of her body, until I finally withdrew my hand from between her legs and wrapped my arms tightly around her again.

  Her voice was barely a whisper. “Take me, Blake.”

  I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw as the length of her entire, supple body pressed against mine. My hands slid down and cupped her round ass, and she arched into me. I didn’t think I’d be able to take much more.

  Her nimble fingers tugged at my waistband, and I groaned as my cock sprang from my pants. The feeling of her soft, warm body pressed against my bare skin broke the rest of my control, and I picked her up by her firm ass and held her aloft.

  Her legs wrapped around my narrow hips instinctively. I lifted her higher in my arms, barely allowing the head of my throbbing member to caress her slick center, then arched my hips to pull away again.

  Heather hissed with frustration and buried her hands into my hair. I kissed every inch of her skin that was near my mouth. She tasted salty and sweet, and I traced the line of her collarbone with my tongue. I wanted to ravage her, but it was incredible to tease her.

  I lowered her imperceptibly, this time letting the head of my cock barely sink into her warm folds before I pulled it back out. It was just as much torture for me as it was for her.

  Her hips pressed down into my hands as she tried to sink down further.

  She moaned until it was almost a growl. “Please!” I looked into her eyes, and she widened them. “I need you to.”

  She said the last line in a whisper, and it was all I needed.

  I grabbed her hips and fully sheathed myself in her. Her pussy felt incredible after all of my self-imposed teasing. She constricted around me and tightened her legs even further around my waist. I felt the ridges of my hip bones dig into her soft inner thighs. I hit deep inside of her, and she gasped and whimpered, but her legs kept me locked in tight. I could feel her clit rubbing against me each time we moved, and her soft moans built up into louder cries. I watched her face contort as she came, and the sight of it was one of the sexiest things I’d ever seen. Her obvious pleasure and the incredible tightness when she orgasmed made me finish quickly, and I crushed my mouth against hers for a final time as I pumped deep within her.

  She relaxed in my arms with a soft sigh, and I kept holding her tightly around me. I loved the weight of her body in my arms, and I kept her there until she relaxed her legs. I gently lifted her off me and set her back down once she got her feet under her. She was wobbly for a moment, her legs shaking from the after-pleasure of our encounter. Once she was steady, she let go of me and set to putting her clothes back on. I followed suit, and soon we were standing in front of one another, gazing at each other.

  “You are so incredibly caring,” I told her. “You don’t want anyone else to feel pain like you’ve felt, do you?”

  “No, I don’t,” she replied, shaking her head slowly. She took a deep breath and let it out, and straightened herself up. I knew she had just switched back to business-mode.

  “So, we now know that I can read minds,” I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Yes, we do. How do you feel?” Heather perked up with interest.

  “It wasn’t draining, if that’s what you want to know. It was like being multiple places at once. The most difficult part was focusing on which place to be paying attention to,” I tried to explain.

  “Let’s get you some more practice then. That time took quite a while. I bet we can get you in and out of thoughts faster the more times you do it.” She was smiling now, and clearly excited.

  “I’m ready when you are,” I laughed.

  25

  Heather had me reading her thoughts for another two hours, and she was correct. I got much faster at it as we went along. Finally, there was a plateau in progress as far as time was concerned, and the fastest I could do it was just under two minutes. At that point, Heather decided it was time to try something new.

  She conjured two chairs and took a seat. When I sat down, I could tell that the wheels were turning in her mind.

  “What do you think we should do next?” I asked, hoping her new idea was a cool as the last one.

  “It’s not really new for you, but I think we should get you some practice working with fire,” she answered, cocking her head to the side.

  “Actually, that would be quite new. I created a lava flow out of a match flame and a piece of coal, not fire.” Out of all the elements Gale and I tested my transformation powers out on, we hadn’t worked much with fire.

  “All the better reason to get some practice in!” Heather was out of her seat and conjuring her cabinet again in an instant.

  “What do you want me to make fire do?” I asked, looking around the empty room.

  “Here,” she said, handing me a match from the cupboard. “Light this and create a blaze along the far wall. Flat against the wall.”

  I took the match from her and struck it on the table. Holding it in front of me, I turned towards the wall which was several yards away. I concentrated on the flame and imagined a straight li
ne of fire in front of the wall. Instead of the spectacle of lights that occurred with the other elements I tested on, the fire from the match slowly began to move away from me. The match itself remained on fire. It just looked like it was growing a long tail headed for the wall.

  The thin fiery line crept across the room at an agonizingly slow pace until it was six inches from the wall. I tightened my focus down on the image of the flames in front of the wall.

  All of a sudden, the fire line darted to the ground. The moment it touched down, an invisible line on the floor, from one end of the wall to the other, went up in flames. The match went out, and what remained was a wall of fire burning hot and uniform.

  “Now, try to control the height of the fire,” Heather whispered quietly so as to not break my concentration.

  I shifted my focus to the flames on the far-left side of the wall and, in my mind, commanded them to die down a bit. They immediately shrunk to half their height. Then I moved to the flames next to them and did the same, but also commanded the first section to grow tall again. I repeated that again and again across the wall, making it appear that the flames were waving up and down.

  A power I hadn’t felt before surged through my body, and I knew I’d found the element I was designed to control. The heat from them was sweltering and energizing at the same time. I felt I could’ve walked through them without being harmed even.

  Without waiting for Heather to make any further suggestions, I put out the flames in the middle of the wall, leaving just the sides burning. Then I reversed it so that only the middle was burning. I went on for the next thirty minutes, bending the flames to my will until Heather apparently felt she’d seen enough.

  “Put them out,” she instructed me.

  I didn’t want to heed her order, but her tone reminded me that there was a lot of other work that needed to be done, so I put out the flames. When the room was finally fire-free, I closed my eyes and reveled in the power coursing through my veins. Every cell in my body was buzzing with the desire to control the fire again. I was certain that if I just reached out my hand, I could create fire and hold it in my hand. I was a split second away from giving into the urge to do so when Heather’s voice broke through to me.