Forgemaster (Book 1 in the Spirit Guide Saga)

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  “Not at all. Just knowing any child of ours is a result of my feelings for you. They will be beautiful.”

  “Stop. I told you I’m a sap for romance.” Tears began stinging her eyes, but hadn’t spilt. “Keep this up and I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

  “Okay… then would you like to watch a movie? If we don’t I can guarantee it will only get harder. You felt how I did yesterday about you. It stronger now and if I don’t have a distraction soon my libido will find a release with you.”

  “Same here. Now I understand why my parents can’t keep their hands of each other… the drive to mate is stronger every passin’ moment. Already I want to tear your clothes off… You’re right. I too need a distraction, badly.” Kanade stood quickly and walked over to her collection on the wall. “No. Romance will only make things worse.” She mumbled to herself. “No. No… Ah, this will work. Bewitched sound good?”

  “Kind of ironic don’t you think? A woman able to cast spells while her love interest is mortal.” He grinned. “All we need is Merlin to dress in drag and play the crazed aunt.”

  Hand instantly over her mouth, Kanade laughed. “Never thought of it like that…” She giggled again as she imaged the odd wizard cross-dressing. “Yes or no?”

  “Sure. Haven’t seen an episode since I was a little kid.”

  She popped out the first disc in the slot in the TV’s side and sauntered back. Ethan already had the remote in hand and selected the pilot episode by the time she sat. He then took her hand as she sat with her thigh up against his. For comfort he leaned forward so her wing could spread, but then she wrapped the downy feathers around him. Then the movie began.

  After the first half hour ended Kanade went to ask him something, but stopped when she saw his eyes closed and head on her shoulder, but his grip on her remained. Secretly she lifted his shirt as she had just remembered the punishment he endured and swallowed a lump. Most of his torso was discolored with bruises, new and old. He had been pushing himself so hard she worried if it was too much, but was so proud of the man that belonged only to her. She gently covered him and kissed his head. “Sleep well, My Angel. I’ll not let you go ever again.”

  He woke up for dinner and Kanade wasn’t mad he fell asleep. Only Floa joined them for dinner and then he had to go work. Kanade also had her own duties.

  Celestia was quiet, but saw Ethan became more energetic and worked harder than before. That night he couldn’t go visit Kanade for no weapons were ready. Dress informed she was already asleep. He stayed the night.

  In the morning everyone chatted together. Ethan ran a quarter mile more than the previous day, but for the combat lesson he didn’t get a repeat performance by landing a blow.

  As another time of meditation ended and Blake was on his way out Kira and a much younger version of her approached. “Lads, this is my little sister Minna.” The girl looked maybe eight.

  “Hello!” the bright green eyed child Witch looked at all of them. Minna looked up at the winged lady. “Enchantress Kanade, may I talk with you?”

  “Of course, Darlin’.” Kanade knelt. “What about?”

  “Spirit World and magic.” Minna adorably said in a black and green dress.

  “Of course you can.” The Enchantress willingly allowed.

  Meanwhile Kira secretly began casting subtle runes that shifted perception and blocked sound. When it was crafted and properly maintained Kira looked to Ethan, watching their interaction. “Ethan, could I borrow you for a moment? I need help carrying a few things.”

  “Sure. Be right back Kanade.” He said but didn’t get acknowledged.

  Kira headed across the drawbridge with the Elemental beside her and pulled out a vial from her sleeve. She looked at him and said “I’ve got a potion for you?”

  “Really?” He asked. “What for?”

  Quick thinking had her say “So you can safely touch my things. I don’t want to hurt you any more than the beatings you receive daily.” She held out the clear vial.

  “Thanks.” He took the mouthful trustingly. Immediately as it hit his stomach there was a moment of disorientation. “Kir…” He stopped and blinked. “Kanade? Where’d Kira go?”

  “Oh, Kira had to take Minna to her mother, but she told me what needs done.” Kanade’s image said and sounded just like her, but in reality was Kira herself. She smiled winningly and led Ethan to her bedroom.

  He followed, unable to differentiate.

  Chapter 9

  A bone chilling shiver shot down Kanade’s spine the likes she had never experienced before. Her eyes opened and immediately knew something was seriously wrong. A Naga and a Centaur walked by at the twice normal speed, but the movement would have had them tripping. Their erect posture was all wrong for the speed they used. Not once did they so much as glance in their direction. Their swift, critically honed sweeping gazes of veteran warriors didn’t pause on them.

  “Enchantress Kanade?” Minna’s small voice was bordering on frightened as the eight foot tall woman’s whole body was tensed. “What’s wrong?”

  “Is there danger to the foal this close to the castle?” Storm-shadow snorted, his hooves pawed the grass.

  Then Kanade realized the real problem. “Where’s Ethan and Kira?”

  “Big sister was right here… SISTER!?” Minna yelled in distress.

  “No!”

  “What, Kanade?” Storm-shadow trotted closer to the child.

  “We’ve been spelled. No one sees us and our minds have been shifted to run slower so time seems faster.” Immediately Kanade’s eyes glowed blue and with two fingers and a hasty movement she destroyed the much weaker magic.

  Sounds exploded with clarity as the magic was destroyed. Wind blew and eyes that once saw nothing jerked to the three of them. Perceived time returned to normal, but Kanade’s feeling that something was terribly wrong lingered along with the magic of a powerful Witch. Kanade’s worry had her power scattering for her angel. Magically attuned Witches and Wizards recoiled at the unwelcome feel. Two Witches near the entrance began an offensive spell, yelling at Kanade to stop or else. Only when she found him did the expansive power end and lock on.

  What she felt hit her like a physical blow and part of her mind was in control enough to say “Storm-shadow, get Minna to her mother.”

  Her wings snapped out as she leapt and flew through the air. Pixies and Gargoyles got out of her way. Not only was her size and speed that had them moving out of a collision path, it was her fearful expression. Kanade shot through the hall, heads snapping in her direction.

  She slapped her wings sideways and shot down the human hall and slowed as she rose to the third level and sixth from the stairs. She landed just outside the door and shook from head to toe, even her wings wouldn’t stop shuddering. No, please no. Be wrong, please be wrong. Kanade thought as her power told her already the answer but her mind couldn’t accept it.

  The number beside a silver made door had the engraving 306 carved above the handle. Protective runes were activated as they faintly glowed around the large door. Unable to stop herself, Kanade shakily brought her powers forth and began tracing a series of overriding runes only an Enchanter of great power and experience would know. The room’s runes faded and then Kanade heard the sounds she never wanted to hear. With shaking hands that barely cooperated she grabbed the handle and opened the door just a crack to look within.

  Immediate motion drew her attention and everything stopped. Her mental pleading, her power of sensing, trembling and even her heart ceased.

  Then Kira cried out as her naked back arched with released while riding cowgirl.

  Tears were the first to spill from Kanade’s eye as she looked on as the Witch had her legs wrapped around her angel and worse of all she noticed his dreamy smile.

  No! Kanade mentally screamed, but her empty lungs were uncooperative. Metallic blue wings sagged, lifeless. She pulled her eye away from the crack and felt teardrops fall from her chin in fat, salty droplets.


  Her legs moved away like they had a life of their own. Several were worried and curious as to her hurried flight and paused when they saw her walking away, more than a foot of her limp wings drug behind on the ground and her shell shocked look had the small crowd moving back. Kanade’s whole appearance was lifeless, stunned, but she walked forward. Some tried to talk, but she was unresponsive.

  Kanade moved out of the human’s hall, through the main hall, to the elevators, pressed the button to her floor, entered her room an fell apart completely. Tears flowed as she sobbed fully into her pillow and curled into a tight fetal position.

  Ethan blinked as he suddenly look around outside the castle and scratched his head. “What the hell?” he asked the empty air. Darkness was already set and he sparked a flame to push it away. Then he realized. “Oh crap!” He searched the area for reference to realize he was already on the path for home.

  He felt fatigued, more than he ought, but ran quickly. The faint orange glow of Celestia’s fiery body stood outside and he redoubled his pace. “Where have you been? Your three hours late, Ethan!” the Phoenix demanded, her talons tapping the scorched ground.

  He panted, hands on his knees before her. “What? Really? Celestia, the last thing I remember…”

  When it took too long the angered fire bird said “Well? What is it? You do not seem all together.”

  “The last thing… The last thing… oh!” he met her intense gaze. “I was just finishing meditating with Blake around noon. What time is it?”

  “Just after ten. Maybe a little hard work may jar your memory.” Celestia slapped him upside the head with a rather hard wing. “Inside with you. You have work to complete.”

  “ETHAN YOU ASS! WHAT DID YOU DO!” shrieked a voice just as he was about to go inside. At the edge of the house’s stone courtyard of unfinished weapons stood Floa in her larger, yet still short body. Her green fists were clenched and her flared nostrils and flat violet eyes were greatly angered. Even her large wings opened and closed like she wanted to fly over and do damage. Floa couldn’t approach like she so wanted with Celestia’s presence being so dangerously intense.

  “We are busy, Pixie. Disturb my apprentice some other time.”

  Instead Ethan came over when he realized something in Floa’s words. “Floa, what is going on? Why are you so upset…”

  Floa answered with an uppercut to his jaw that knock Ethan flat on his backside. “Damn!” Floa cursed as she clutched her fist to her breast. Hitting him so hard hurt, but she glowered through the pain as he moved his jaw and rubbed the pain away.

  “Touch him again and I’ll roast you.” Celestia chirped and walked forward. Floa couldn’t stand near and backed away with bright eyes when she realized the Phoenix wasn’t idly threatening. “Piss off now!” The Forgemaster’s three powerful fingers grabbed Ethan’s collar of his shirt and helped him stand.

  “Hold on.” Ethan pleaded through the pain to his master. Celestia’s emerald green eyes merely blinked in acknowledgement without leaving the stubborn Pixie’s stand. He stepped back, between them and looked to his usually cheerful friend. He didn’t get close enough for her to knock him senseless again. “Floa, why did you hit me? What on earth is going on? What are you accusing me of doing. I already have a splitting headache and then you deck me out of nowhere, and in front of my master no less.”

  Floa regarded him with contempt, but it was Celestia’s heated gaze that made her speak. “Kanade. What did you do to her?” his slow reaction made her blink. “You mean you don’t know?”

  “Know what? What happened to My Angel?”

  “Your angel?” Celestia scoffed. “Guides don’t bond with mortals.”

  “It’s true!” Floa said and the Phoenix wasn’t so sure for the moment. “Ethan, Kanade’s locked herself in her room. I, my daughters and even Storm have been looking for you everywhere for hours. Kanade’s bawling her eyes out in her room, but I cannot get in. Her room is protected and Dress was forbidden from opening by her order. I tried talking to her, but even I could hear her mumbling your name over and over. I’ve known her for her entire life and she’s never acted this way before. She’s the suffer in silence type, like you, but I and your friends are worried. I was warned when one of my granddaughters said Kanade lifelessly walked down the hall and disappeared to her room. She was dragging her wingtips on the ground, only a brokenhearted Guide would ever do that while crying and acknowledge nobody. So what the hell did you fucking do?!” She repeated.

  Instead he demanded “Floa, send me as close to her room as you can.”

  “If you hurt that child I’ll send you to the bottom of the ocean.” The Pixie threatened before seeing his hardening expression and clapped.

  “Seems I’m alone tonight.” Celestia said as Ethan disappeared before her eyes.

  Floa replied. “Get over yourself. Since Ethan showed up even I’ve seen your unfinished collection getting done almost twice as fast.” Before a reaction could come Floa Translocated away and from outside the hall’s window as Ethan banged his fist against Kanade’s door.

  Ethan herd her murmuring incoherently before he hit on the locked door. “Kanade! It’s Ethan open up!” He then stopped and listened, she still murmured. “Dress, open up!”

  From the other side he heard “Not allowed! I can’t go against her demand, not without Odin’s or the full council’s approval. She hasn’t reacted since she told me to not allow anyone inside. I’m worried.”

  An angry growl rumbled from his chest. “Dress, get as far away from the door as you can.”

  “You can’t…” Ethan didn’t hear the rest. The whole floor was empty and only reserved for enchanters or as a place of defense in combat. Right now only Kanade was there and she was hurting.

  Rage and fear for his soul mate fueled an inferno that shrouded his whole body. The fire funneled to his hands as he thrust them forward. “RAAA!!!” he roared and shot the superheated flames straight at the door. It took less than a second to reach the short distance and the impact made a deafening ‘Boom!’ that shook the floor, walls and windows. Runes near the topmost hinge, which protected against fire, flared to a bright bluish white and negated the inferno. Ethan knew it wouldn’t work, but had to try.

  Floa, still outside flying, stared openly, disbelieving his audacity.

  Still cloaked in fire, Ethan went to the door and heard what he hoped. The rune had made a translucent film over the wall and door, but the one for privacy remained dead. He sighed when he heard Kanade inside no longer mumbling, but now was strangely quiet. He killed the remaining flames since it seemed the much more forceful ‘knock’ had done its job and disturbed her current state. This time he knocked with his knuckles while saying “Kanade, it’s Ethan. Open up!”

  Her voice was bitter and it lashed at him. “GO AWAY, Bastard!”

  Swallowing down his own fears as to what made her so hostile he said “Not until I know you’re ok. Floa just got me and said you keep saying my name. What is wrong? If you don’t tell me I’ll stay here and…”

  “I said go the fuck away!” she shrieked. “After what you did… How…” the last part was too quiet to hear. He heard the strength leave her.

  “What did I do?” Ethan demanded. “If I don’t know what I did, how can I fix it?”

  “Fix it?” Venom filled her usually delicate accent. “Fix IT?! There is no fixin’ what you’ve done, You Bastard!” Anger resurfaced. “I thought you were mine? The only one you’d ever want… You betrayed me. You betrayed my love for you! Leave me alone!”

  “Like hell I’ll ever do that!” he growled. “Open this door now, Kanade! If your accusing me of something, do it to my face.” He heard her stomping with more anger than he understood, the lock at her door clicked and nearly jerked off their hinges from opening.

  Ethan stepped away the moment he saw her. He had never seen anyone look like she did. Her glittery skin was puffy, like her red, swollen eyes as tears stopped flowing hours ago and tear salt str
eaked her. Blue hair that always looked so well kept was in spiky disarray, wings sagged and her shirt was wrinkled and stained. But it was the hurt, betrayal, dejection, heartbreak, and sorrow mixed in with such hatred that it tore him apart. Kanade grimaced at the sight of him and the venom lingered in her words. “Like you don’t know. I saw you two together.”

  “What are you talking about?” he went to step forward and offer comfort through touch.

  Kanade slapped his hand away. “Don’t keep acting innocent, Ethan.” She hissed his name as if it were vile and sniffed. “I still smell her on you.”

  His hand still stung, but he didn’t back down. “Kanade, what is the matter with you?”

  “With me!? You want to turn this around and say it my fault you fucked Kira senseless?”

  “Kira? Fucked?” Ethan’s brow drew together. “Are you crazy? Kira is just a friend. A friend, Kanade. I never slept with anyone, let alone her.”

  “Don’t lie to me. I saw her legs wrapped around you.” She seethed and Ethan suddenly remembered Spirit Guides cannot lie. “And you were enjoying it. I saw you smile like a fuckin’ idiot.”

  This time Ethan went stone still. Very slowly his words came. “Kanade, I have no memory after Blake released us. Just a few minutes ago I found myself a half mile from my home with Celestia. What happened during the six or so hours? Please, enter my mind to see the truth. I would never be with anyone but you.” Her hatred lowered, feeling like this was a trap to torture her by replaying his latest conquest made it return. “Fine!” she bit off through clenched teeth.

  Kanade entered and first felt his confusion before hearing “What happened? Whoever hurt her will pay dearly! Why the hell can’t I remember?” The more she searched the most recent day’s memories, she then found a foggy blanket clouding out hours of his life.