Most of all though, the tribe had noticed Cage was doing something to the island. It was clearly, if slowly, growing each day and he came clean on the details. He explained how he had been tasking the wards that protect them to start gathering all the land under water and bring it from miles away towards the west to create more space where more trees may grow, more animals can live and more room for their giant guests and neighbors. A gap in the reef had been made, which too would expand in time, allowing the sand, silt and nutrients to add to the island. He decided to keep the east side of his island untouched so as to not need to do additional work by sliding the entire island slowly away from the Vlaran coast. It would take nearly to summer before the island was more than bountiful, but the island will have doubled in size by minimum. He had wanted to do it for awhile, wanting to have the extra space and much of the sand below the Jamma Ocean to the west went unused. The dragons truly liked the idea of more legroom and contributed a generous helping of their mana to the network to keep all things running smoothly. The benefits weren’t difficult to win over his people. More land simply meant more territory for them, and more future hunting opportunities. Only minor monitoring every week would be needed to make sure that not too much sand was taken which would alter the ocean’s currents that brought warm water from the north to his home.
And Meeka was happy to always keep in touch with her parents each day.
Tohka’s eyes fluttered open and the witch smiled as she sat up. Before she could say anything the witch laid her staff across her lap. “My task is at last complete, Tohka. Your body can now safely carry a babe without complications. But it will still be weeks yet I’m afraid till you can try.”
Her hand rubbed her taut abdomen. “Poli?”
“She is correct.” The silver eye blinked in the open window. “For your kind, all is in proper alignment to grow a hatchling.”
Tohka slid off the table, slipped her necklace back on and said “Thank you magic woman, I will be grateful to you and make my man send magic to know when I carry his baby. Should I continue eating as I have?”
“Not necessary.” The young looking woman waved a hand. “I had you do it so I knew how much to alter your hormones and functions. Eat whatever you wish, but make sure your husband senses any changes when you succeed… Yes, yes, mate. Sorry, I know you don’t believe in husbands. Most women I deal with marry and is a habit.” Tohka relaxed, not needing to remind her again. “My ship will be collecting me in a few hours when I contacted them yesterday.”
“Would you like to enjoy the outside?” Tohka offered. “The sun is still out for once.”
“I would like that.” She stood and opened the door. One male warrior turned and didn’t ask questions. The witch said “Before I leave I wanted to thank you and your wives again for allowing me all the pleasures you gave. I will certainly be recommending this circumcision for you pleasured me as strongly as a man with a lance twice your size.”
“You are most certainly welcome.” He admitted and led the way down the stairs. Privately he whispered “If we go to Vin’re again, my mates want to have you again.”
The witch beamed. “I will look forward to such a day. Though I prefer men, those wives of yours certainly can make an old woman like me think otherwise.”
“That is why I won them.” He proudly stated.
Outside they found Cage and Daku fighting. “What are they doing?!” the witch said as she watched Cage slice off his partner’s wing with the pale sword and saw a counter as Daku’s greater body bit off Cage’s naked leg. Cage flipped around and his only remaining leg barely bent at the ground before a blast of sand and wind blew around and he inhumanly jumped fifteen feet and nearly severed Daku’s head from his shoulders.
They fell together, but suddenly Cage used force to open the beak and retrieve his missing leg while it didn’t bleed from more magic holding it all in. He plucked the missing limb out of the beak and fell on his bare backside as it appeared Daku was dead. He placed the limb together and a few brief seconds of blue, the ankle twitched and movement restored without even the slightest twinge of pain. Cage leapt to his feet and drug the severed wing back and reattached it before pulling the head back and repairing the damage. With a twitch, Daku returned and his glazed eyed snapped back into focus.
Tohka laughed. The witch asked with genuine concern and hesitation “Do they do that often?”
“Quite. Every other day actually. Usually before I come to you they fight. For once, Cage got the better of Daku. Usually my mate gets cut in more than three pieces. For once it was two this time. I’m used to it by now. Meeka still cannot watch. My mate enjoys fighting as much as sex, as you can see by his smile. Daku too.” She pointed and the witch watched as the two wrestled playfully into the water to wash their blood away.
“Such brutality.”
“Not for them. They live and love to fight. They battle each other for enjoyment. It is in their nature and as a woman, I want him in me. It proves he is a strong man and will make strong babies. What more can a woman want?”
“Our ways are clearly different.” She shook her head.
Brooke and Ulon approached, but she leapt off his nose and he caught her before setting her gently down. “Love, you are out so early? Is it over?”
“She says so.” Tohka grinned as Brooke embraced her.
Just past noon the fertility expert left and Cage lay stretched out with his hands behind his head, leaning comfortably back on Daku’s soft ribs. They were relaxing under the shade of a palm, watching Poli doing exercises with her two favorite people while dodging her own mate as the task was to capture and let the humans battle while falling on a dragon’s back and the silver beauty was giving her all, staying just out of reach.
“It is such a beautiful day.” Daku thought while closing his eyes to enjoy the peaceful moment.
“It sure is. Better than all the rain. At least the kids got to play on the slides without needing to pump all day.”
“Your cubs’ laughter is calming and exciting at the same time. I love hearing it. Even Ananna is having fun. She said my name last night, clearly too.”
“Ha, she called me Da Da!” Cage thought and chuckled. “I didn’t expect it because babies on Earth say it there all the time and she never heard it. And though you weren’t there, I saw Nolan and a woman he held at his hip. They were crying, but not in sadness. I promised them they would be known to their daughter as I captured their image in my diamonds and when she gets older I’ll show Ananna who they are and just how much they still love her. And when I did see them, they didn’t gather like mist. They dropped in through the roof, but I know I wouldn’t have seen them as I was a few weeks ago.”
“I too saw them and they asked I not tell your mates. They were there when she said my name. They both love her as much as we do. She is an adorable cub.”
Cage sat up when he saw gold come in and land. “Looks like Granny finally returned to us again…” he paused as his people at the beach began mumbling and Megdline asked “Is something wrong?” and Elder Metak asked skeptically “Megdline?”
Alarms went off and Cage and Daku jumped to their feet, the warlock grabbing Ghosts Bane off the ground and sprinting over. Megdline backpedaled as the two of them jumped between her, Frill and his people. The pale blade turned pure black. Then Cage blinked and pulled his energy out of the sword, adding it to his diamonds as he asked “Granny? What happened?”
Megdline gave him an annoyed expression before hearing Frill laugh and turned her sights to her Familiar. “What is going on? Why are you acting so oddly…” Then she heard her own voice and jerked upright. A magical mirror suddenly appeared.
The sorceress no longer appeared in her early to mid forties, but maybe eighteen. Her complexion was flawless, no wrinkles and her tan was even more golden than Cage’s. Her lips were full and high cheekbones glorified innocent looking silver eyes. “What the fuck?” she whispered one of her favorite curses she picked up from her st
udent and extended grandchild. “BARBAV!” she shouted and almost immediately the powder blue dragon general appeared. “What have you done? I’m young looking again!”
The general looked to Cage as he repeated her question, still unable to speak more than a few simple words let alone understand. She responded and Cage laughed. Megdline look ready to spit nails. “She says it was the consequence of the bond she made with you. Its side effect reverts your natural body back to its moment of greatest prime. Judging, I’d say you look no more than eighteen, twenty tops. She says you can return to your previous appearance. You know how to do it.” Megdline looked cute as she sulked for a moment before looking back at herself and changed before their very eyes as she reverted to a beautiful middle age woman, even adding a select few strands of her black hair to turn gray. “So, Granny, I take it you finally met with success and are basically Barbav’s immortal Familiar?”
The mirror vanished and she looked normal for her again. “Something like that. I just molded her magic and made a spell beyond my power. Even my husband would have struggled with what I made with Barbav’s power. Next thing I know she is holding a blue ball of light and Frill saying she wants me as her human companion. I was hesitant till this incorrigible hairball pushed me into it. The thing is, I feel no different or why she chose me.”
“Well she likes you.” Daku said. “As for feeling different, you won’t. I know of this spell, but if you were not already a mage, you will not change. If you were normal and were bound, you most certainly would have found a difference. It is also a rather sexist spell. If a man is bound he will gain greatly improved physical prowess, but a woman will become a witch.”
“Whoa, really?” Cage asked.
“His words are truth.” Mox said as he approached. “So much mana is in the bonding process it causes forced evolution. In two-legs’ especially. Females can use power outside their bodies. Males are internal. It is chaos magic, unable to determine why. Casters will not notice change as they touch mana, merely rejuvenated youth and immortality.” His great eyes settled on Barbav and changed languages. “If you bound yourself to Lord Zikon’s mate, I assume you’ve made a decision?”
“Yes.” Four sight mirrors appeared in front of her snout. Each one of the generals. “Return to the island.”
In minutes all the generals stood together while the entire Utala tribe gathered expectantly while Poli and Ulon stood behind them. The five spoke rapidly in a private conference. Then Mox was permitted to join. It was nearly an hour of tense waiting before the six broke up and the great black dragon said “A judgment has been made and all have put favor in binding the races of Raliea.”
The Utala tribe cheered, Ulon and Poli roared and Daku loosed a shrill roar.
The task was met with success.
“Megdline Two-legs, you and Frill four-legs will accompany Barbav to Fire Mountains and speak with Rex Nattan. Other generals leave, but one stay. I go in my young’s place.” He stepped aside and let Xamii approach.
She laid down and locked eyes with a lone individual. “Moril Two-legs, impress me you have with each rotation. Honor I give and gift of partnership.” She turned her palm up an a huge yellow ball of powerful magic swirled within.
Moril smirked. “And how could anyone guess this result?” Her family laughed. “I am the one honored and fully accept.” Moril leapt into the swirling energy.
A minute later an entirely younger version of Moril exited. All her tattoos were the same, but everything of her spoke of youth, power and sex appeal. Chala came right up to her true spirit mate and touched her face while tears spilled. “My Love, you are as beautiful as when we were making love out on the plains when it rained.”
“I feel like it too. My urges are stronger too.” Moril suddenly yelped as an illusion surrounded them, showing them as a pair tangled together in the grass while a storm bathed them. Then Moril dropped to her knees in exhaustion as the image vanished.
“Easy.” Cage said as he caught the chieftain and laid her down. “Moril, you just did magic without intending and you are not strong enough yet to make something so large.”
“Correct.” Moril’s new partner said as she gently touched a claw to Moril’s forehead. Moril sat up as energy was gently transferred. “Rest, Little One. I will guide you of your new gift. Time will be needed to make power stronger. I will tell my mates to bond with yours so no quarrel arises. As leader here, you must stay. I give resignation as general to be here. Rex Gralla will understand my intentions. Just wait.”
Cage plucked a rock from far away and held it between them. “Teach her to levitate this as one would use weights for muscles. It is relatively safe and will teach her control and not to do magic accidentally. That illusion was too much.”
“Permissible.” She responded.
“Here, Moril, hold it and imagine it rising a few inches and keeping it there. Stay focused or you will be liable to either kill yourself or someone else.”
She held it and simply looked at the rough stone. “Never will I make fun of Meeka Sister again.” Moril shook her head.
Suddenly Cage’s attention went to the rock as she made it rise. His eyes watched the magic leaving her hand to lift. New vision made the object seem to warp like the waves of a mirage out on the desert. The mild distortion had him suddenly piece things together and he stood, turning to lock eyes with Daku. “I remember!”
The griffin cocked his head slightly and blinked. “Context to be helpful.”
Cage’s mind raced and he said “The egg, a griffin’s egg! I remember where I saw one!”
“WHAT!?” Daku leapt forward till they were eye to eye. “Your emotions… you are certain of this?”
“Damn right I am. Tell me, does this mean anything to you?” Cage turned around and used an open space to create the illusion from his memory. The white sand turned to mimic snow and right in the center was what looked like a small pyramid waving like a mirage, but at the peak was the clear teardrop shape at its top.
“Cage, tell me immediately where you found that!” Daku demanded without delay.
“Does it have meaning?”
“Yes, that was a griffin hatchery my flock used during the nexus war. The slopes resemble those from the Stronghold. But why isn’t it clear?”
Mox said “Where was this, Cage Two-legs? That is my illusion spell only those with a dragon’s strength could see. If the spell is strong enough that you remember how this looks, we might be redeemed.”
“Frozen Forest. When Brooke and I were cutting through it I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me because she didn’t see anything.” He answered. “It was before Granny found us, but I finally remembered by watching Moril lift the stone. Are you saying what I think you are saying?”
Nothing was said yet everything was between all the ancient dragons, warlock and griffin. Rena although was the one to break the silence. “What is it, Dad?”
A smile of hope spread on Cage’s face when he said “There is a good chance Daku isn’t the last griffin after all.”
Mox hurriedly said “I will return immediately with our finest soldiers. You will lead us to the hatchery.” Blackness swirled and he disappeared.
“My Friend,” Daku said with a voice thick with emotion. “tell me this is no ruse. If that old spell is active it means life continues inside.”
The warlock grabbed a fistful of fur with both hands and held his gaze. “Daku, I would not joke of this. I would have forgotten if you didn’t make that egg carving. That unique shape bugged me all week long. I didn’t realize it up so close, but the wavy, mirage-like appearance finally clicked with Moril.” Cage then tried using seeker’s thread, but all it did was rise straight up. “Look, I’m doing it right now. It won’t let me lock onto its position, but just knowing of it makes a conjuring rather than not gathering. I know where it is too.”
Daku swelled in size to that of an elephant and said “How I missed it I do not know when I followed, but this is the best news i
n more than ten thousand years.” Cage summoned his robe from home and slid it on, sheathing Ghosts Bane last. Cage then leapt, using his new skills to add to his natural abilities, and threw his legs around his Familiar.
Brooke was the next to say “Love, it will be faster without us. If there are babies, bring them here. We will protect them.”
“Yes, bring them.” Moril said as she struggled to stand, still too weak. She gave up and spoke anyways. “Frozen Forest is too dangerous for the tribe to follow. I just hope all doesn’t fall apart.”
“As am I.” Daku said.
“White King, we volunteer to assist.” The beige general spoke.
“No, you must report to your Rex, Semek. Even a day could make the difference in preparing for the great war. And tell Rex Semek that if my flock has survived for more than two million years, I will resume as king and all laws remain.” He ordered and immediately leapt into a run before snapping his wings.
Right as the griffin and warlock left the safety of the island over a hundred dragon warriors arrived. Rex Gralla leading with Mox at her side. She didn’t bother with needless Draconian questions. “Where will we Jump to, Cage. Show us the nearest area of destination. We will move swiftly from where you tell us since we cannot go directly there.”
“It will be quicker to follow my coordinates.” A thought lowered a single ward. “When I disappear, Teleport to my position. I’ll only be visible for ten more seconds. Don’t wait. You can use a sight mirror to see the landscape from above and go there.”
Daku flew directly into darkness and a soft ‘pop’ later they reappeared nearly a mile away from the forever Frozen Forest. Daku barely had time to land on the top of a nearly barren hill before dozens of incoming Jumps appeared overhead. After ten seconds he ended the vulnerability, but already all the powerful dragons were there. “Hey, Daku, you better ride on my shoulder. Dragons will not be able to fly through without triggering traps.” To emphasize it acres of trees were unceremoniously ripped from the ground as each landed.
Ascension of the Warlock (Book 4 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 53
