In Creation's Heart

by Jason Hamilton

  Finally, only she and Naem were left. She turned to face him. “You ready?”

  “As ready as I can be for this,” he said, bracing himself as Jak grabbed his shoulder and instantly appeared at the beach in the blink of an eye.

  A small crowd had gathered there, people they had recruited from all over the city since arriving. There were Watchers Naem had worked with, there were villagers who had survived the demon invasion, and of course the Water Fae splashing around with some vigor in the nearby water. Semwei stood at one edge of the crowd with a handful of Gifter students. Jak caught her eye and smiled at seeing the stern but kind headmistress again. Hopefully they’d get a chance to catch up soon.

  A figure turned to face her and Naem upon their arrival. Jak smiled as she stepped forward to embrace her husband. Seph was a preacher, but one that actually seemed to have a lot of truth to what he taught. He was the first to recognize Jak’s full potential, and to advocate for Illadar, though at the time he hadn’t known exactly what Illadar would become. Now he was the love of her life.

  They embraced, and Seph held her tightly. “I knew you would be here soon once the Water Fae started appearing.”

  “They’re all here,” she said into his ear as they held each other. “There’s even a serving girl who helped to keep them alive all this time.”

  “And the queen?”

  Jak broke the embrace and met Seph’s eyes, shaking her head. “She’s too far gone. Cain got to her.”

  Seph hung his head, a look of conflict in his eyes. Jak let him have a moment, knowing what must be going through his mind. He was Queen Telma’s adopted son, and from what Jak knew, that relationship had never been a good one. And given the fact that Seph never talked about it, it was probably even worse than Jak knew.

  “I’m sorry,” she said after a moment. “I know things were never good between you, but…”

  He shook his head. “I can’t be happy to see Cain’s grip on anyone, be they demon or someone like Telma. No one deserves that. But if anyone did…”

  He left the phrase unsaid, and the implications surprised even Jak. Just how bad had his upbringing been?

  “Is everyone ready?” she asked, changing the subject.

  “I think so,” he said, turning back to look at everyone gathered along the beaches. “You know, I never had a congregation this large even when the city was packed with people.”

  She winked at him. “Well when you factor in all the Fae, and the brands, and your prophecies, I guess I am kind of a big thing.”

  He grinned, and Jak felt her heart flutter. “You don’t have to tell me twice. Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful that you love me, even when I’m nothing compared to…”

  She shut him up with a kiss. They held it for several seconds. Not a passionate kiss, but a connection forged between them. When she broke, she said, “Don’t let anyone tell you that you are nothing compared to me. I would be lost without you.”

  He pressed his lips together in a warm smile. “I love you.”

  Jak wrapped her arms around him. “I love you too.” Then, after realizing that pretty much everyone was watching, she let him go. “I’m going to send you and Naem back first, so you can help everyone else when they arrive.”

  Seph inclined his head, getting back to business. “Let’s do it.”

  Jak turned to face the semi-large crowd of people that had gathered. “Everyone,” she said, wandering closer to the ocean so the Water Fae could hear her as well. “We’re about to go to Illadar. It is an entirely new planet, located on the opposite side of the sun from us. The demons have no place there, and it is a place of peace where humans and Fae live together in harmony. That being said, there are risks. For example, some of you may actually become Fae upon arriving there. We’ve found that the planet is full of magic, and that magic can sometimes instigate that transformation. So this will be your last chance to stay here if that’s what you want.”

  No one moved, as Jak suspected they wouldn’t.

  “Very well. This,” she held up the Pillar of Space for all to see, “will let me carry you there. It is a Pillar of Eternity and possesses magic greater than anything we have ever seen.” She sent a short glance at Seph, who nodded. Jak reached her hand forward and touched Seph’s chest, just as she activated the magic of the staff.

  Seph disappeared instantly, as Jak mentally sent him away to Illadar. She turned and waved Naem over, who came without question and gave the crowd a brief wave before he too vanished.

  “Just as you saw us arrive here just now,” Jak went on, “These two have just appeared on Illadar. They will help you find lodging and food when you get there. Now if you still wish to go, please come forward.”

  Most of them crowded forward eagerly. Either they were all super supportive of her and the Fae, or they were simply too tired or scared to stay behind. In either choice, she was happy to help.

  One by one, she began sending each one tens of thousands of miles away, all the way to Illadar on the other side of the sun. She nodded to Nessa who again seemed eager for another trip using the Pillar of Space. She saw Watchers, still with some of their armor, though far less polished and covered with dirt and dark stains that could have been blood. Semwei stepped forward, smiling and muttering a soft “I’m so proud of you, Jak,” before Jak returned the smile and sent her to Illadar as well.

  Finally, all that were left were the Water Fae, still gathered in the nearby waters. Jak faced them. Since many of them were still far out in the water, she would try something else. Gathering her concentration, she honed and focused her mind to use the Pillar of Space in a way that stretched beyond what she could touch.

  This took far more mental effort, and Jak could almost see complex math equations and other such manifestations of the magic she was employing. This was far easier when she had the other Pillar of Eternity as well, the Pillar of Time. When the two were combined, they appeared to have even greater magic. Before, she could open huge portals for people to just walk through, but now she had to reach out to each one individually. And doing so without physical touch was not easy.

  Nevertheless, her mind found each of the Water Fae, and together in one massive burst of energy, all of them winked out of existence, at least on this planet.

  Jak took a deep breath, feeling the fatigue in her bones. She would need maybe one or two more Strength or Sleeplessness brands to avoid such feelings. Though she would need some of the space on her skin for others plans. She could make do for now. Extra Healing and Toughness brands seemed to be good enough.

  She stood alone now, with only the crashing of the waves on the sand as company. Looking up at the palace that towered high above her head, she gave a short wave to where the Royal Priest and the queen would likely be. Hopefully the Priest could find a solution to what was left of Skyecliff. They could only hope.

  With that last thought, she took a deep breath and willed the Pillar of Space to take her home.

  3

  She blinked as she instantly arrived in a much brighter environment. It was mid-day on Illadar and the sun blanketed the field she stood in with a warm light. All around her stood people, most of them humans she had just brought here, but many were also Fae, welcoming the newcomers to Illadar.

  Beyond them by several yards was a large lake, and from the lake came the sound of enthusiastic splashing. Jak worked her way past several people to get a good look at the Water Fae who were far more excited now that they were free and joined with their brothers and sisters in the water.

  Jak wandered closer, coming to rest near the side of the lake, sitting, and wrapping her arms around her legs. It was essentially her universal signal.

  And the signal was instantly received. Within seconds, Amelia, Jak’s best friend in two worlds popped up in the water not far from where Jak sat. “You found them!” she said, enthusiastically, a huge smile on her face. “I mean...it’s about time.”

  Jak snickered. “I’m sorry, I was too busy trav
eling literally beyond the sun to get them.”

  “Well you’re, like, super powerful now, so I really can’t be too impressed.” But Amelia winked as she said it. If her friend had been on dry land, Jak would have rushed to her in a hug.

  “You’ll take care of them, right?” asked Jak. “Make sure they get up to speed on everything that’s happened and get plenty of nourishment? They haven’t had the best treatment, obviously, before now. They’ll need a lot of food.”

  “Of course!” Amelia exclaimed. “And Skellig said we can start that expedition to reach the ocean soon. They arrived just at the right time.”

  “I’m glad to hear it,” said Jak. “It sounds like you all have it figured out.”

  “Well of course we do,” said Amelia with a wink. “Now did you see anything more of Cain?”

  Jak shook her head. “Unfortunately no, there doesn’t appear to be any sign of him anywhere, or the demons, or Marek. He’s keeping low.”

  “Well that’s a good thing, right?” said Amelia. “If he’s not around, then he’s not causing problems.”

  “I’m not so sure,” said Jak. “He spent years planning before he ever showed his face. And it all would have worked out too, had it not been for me. If there’s one virtue he has in abundance, it’s patience. Which means the longer he waits, the more worried we should be.”

  “Well, you still have a lot of recruiting to do,” said Amelia. “I’m sure you’ll hear something about him sooner or later.”

  “Let’s hope so,” said Jak. “I just wish I knew more of what…” she broke off as she saw Amelia’s face change. She was looking up at something above and beyond Jak.

  “What is that?” said Amelia, squinting. Jak followed her gaze and shielded her eyes from the sun as she tried to see what Amelia was talking about. Immediately she caught sight of...something.

  She squinted against the sun, which made it difficult to see, even with her Sightseer brand. But that didn’t last long. Whatever that dark shape was, it approached at an incredible speed. It was large, and had wings, and…

  Jak’s eyes widened in shock. No.

  “Everyone at the ready!” she screamed, launching herself into the air with her Telekinesis brand, and flying as fast as she could towards the approaching creature. She had to distract it, bring it away from the camp or they were all going to die.

  The dragon loomed in front of her, its wings spread wide, and the sunlight gleaming off its impenetrable, scaly golden-orange hide.

  It growled at her sudden approach and flapped its wings with a mighty gust of wind, almost hanging in the air. For a moment, they simply faced each other, and something passed between them, a sort of mutual respect, or an awareness that they were each facing a formidable enemy.

  Unfortunately, even with all of Jak’s power, she did not have the strength to take down this creature. With a roar, it lunged through the air and snapped its jaws at her. She dove out of the way, and watched as it forgot about her and continued its descent. Somehow it was ignoring her, even though it probably knew that she was the most powerful person on the planet right then.

  She zoomed after it, landing on its back with an awkward clutching at its neck. It barely reacted, only rippling the muscles in its back like a horse shaking off a fly. Why was it so oblivious to her?

  Trying something she had once seen Cain do, she put one hand on its body and sent a jolt of lightning into it, using her Thunder brand. This time, the dragon did react, though not nearly in the same way that it had for Cain. It rumbled and immediately twisted in mid-air so it was gliding upside down. Jak immediately clutched its neck and called on her Telekinesis to keep her attached.

  Had Cain sent the beast here? He must have, though she didn’t know how it was possible. Perhaps Cain had some form of transportation that she did not know about, something that brought the dragon here almost as quickly as the Pillar of Space. Or maybe the dragon was simply more powerful than they realized, and arrived on its own power. Regardless, they finally knew what had happened to the beast, probably sent out by Cain even before her battle with him at Tradehall. But then, something about that didn’t make sense either...

  Another roar split the air. Now was not the time to speculate on how it got here. Right now, it was all about survival. She had to get him away from the camp. Off towards the mountains maybe. With a mental and physical heave, she put all her might into trying to turn the creature’s head, like one would turn a horse.

  With the combined power of her Strength brand, and her Telekinesis brand, she actually had some effect this time. Together she and the dragon began to bank to the right, heading more towards the mountains on that side than the actual camp.

  But the monster was powerful, and it didn’t take long before it put on two great bursts of speed. Its wings almost seemed unnecessary as the means to propel itself forward. Perhaps it had some other form of propulsion, though Jak could not see what that might be. It would make sense though, that the wings were more like tools for navigation than lift. It was far too big for the wings to actually hold it aloft on their own.

  Now back on its previous course, the dragon opened its jaws and roared. Jak gripped her knees around the dragon’s back so she could place her hands over her ears. The roar echoed through all the mountains in the distance, the sound of certain doom.

  She tried again to divert its momentum with her magic. This time the dragon seemed to take notice of her, and it was not happy. With a suddenness Jak didn’t think the dragon was capable of exhibiting, it spun in place, like a child’s toy spinning around and around in the air.

  Jak held on, gripping the dragon’s neck with her knees, arms, and mental abilities, but it didn’t last for long. Eventually her grip slipped and she flew through the air in some direction or another, she couldn’t tell.

  When she finally got her bearings and righted herself in mid-air, the dragon was already halfway between her and the ground, still roaring as it approached the camp.

  Jak sped after it. At this range she could see others approaching and attacking the beast. Sky Fae were zipping around it, trying to confuse or irritate the dragon. Trolls and infantry were gathering in a line, and arrows raced into the air, pinging harmlessly off the dragon’s scales. Jak frowned. Skellig knew better than to attack with arrows, she’d seen the dragon in Mt. Harafast.

  Jak barreled into the flying creature just as it landed with a massive thud on the ground beneath it. Fae and humans continued to barrage it with their attacks, all of them useless. Flamedancer fire did nothing to its scaly hide, Telekinetics couldn’t hold it, and Strongarms couldn’t get close enough to do any good, though Jak had tried all those things and more, and none of them worked. That really only left them one choice.

  “Run!” she yelled as she struggled to stay atop of the dragon as it, in turn, tried to fling her off its back by twisting and waving its head from side to side.

  “Jak, close your eyes,” came a voice she recognized. Yewin’s voice. The leader of the Bright Elves.

  Immediately she did as instructed, but through her eyelids a blinding flash of light still made her want to blink off the afterglow.

  The dragon let out a sort of whining sound, like a dog’s but much louder and greater. It swung its head from side to side, as though trying to regain its vision. Good, at least they had that to use against it.

  “Run,” Jak repeated. She couldn’t see him at her angle, but presumed Yewin and possibly others were still standing there. “While it can’t see you.”

  A violent whip of the dragon’s head sent Jak flying. She landed hard on the soft earth, tumbling through a handful of brambles before coming to a stop. She needed the Pillar of Space. If she had that, she could climb on the dragon and use the staff’s magic to whisk him away to somewhere, anywhere that wasn’t here.

  She was on her feet in an instant, ready to run for the Pillar as fast as she could, when she stopped in mid-track.

  A single form was walking toward the dragon
, who was still protesting from the flash of light Yewin had given it. The dragon towered over the small human form, and small jets of fire spurted in multiple directions as the monster blinked its eyes and tried to see.

  She was close enough to see who it was. Immediately she started running towards him and the dragon.

  “Seph!” she screamed at the man. Her husband had previously expressed a certain fascination with the creature, but now was definitely not the time to be taking risks. “Get away, it will kill you!”

  Seph stopped, looking at her with an odd expression. Something like confusion, or no, more like...amusement. “It’s okay, Jak.” he said, and there was not a hint of fear in his voice. “I think it’s here for me.”

  Jak almost stopped running. How could it be there for Seph? Did it want him dead? But Jak thought back to the last time she and Seph had encountered the dragon on top of Mt. Knot. There had been a connection of sorts that Seph had made with the beast. He had somehow kept it from killing them, which had frustrated Cain at the time, who rode on top of the dragon’s back much as Jak had recently done. Jak hadn’t thought much of that moment when Seph had reached forth his hand and stopped the dragon from gushing fire onto the lot of them.

  Just as he had in that moment, Seph put his hand out again as if to calm the creature down. Jak didn’t know how a simple open hand would do any such thing, but to her astonishment, it was working. The dragon blinked several times at Seph, probably still recovering from the flash of Yewin’s Fae magic. But its wings were no longer flapping wildly, and no more fire escaped its jaws. Instead, its eyes narrowed at Seph.

  Jak continued her pace, and the dragon looked away from Seph to face her, its jaws opening with a growl that shook the ground beneath her. Seph put out another hand, this one intended for her. “Stay back, Jak. I’ve got this.”

  He’s got this? They were literally within decapitation distance of the beast’s jaws, not to mention its fire which could burn them to a cinder the moment it wanted to. Even Cain had not fully recovered from the effects of its dragon fire. Despite all of Cain’s Healing brands, his skin had never fully healed, and Jak suspected the same would happen to her if the dragon were to attack directly.