“But how, they’ve never met or spent years learning about each other.” Megdline said to Frill.
“Expect the unexpected. That is what your husband said to us before we Jumped near Frozen Forest. Whatever his Familiar is, it is likely something new that we’ve never seen before. And if their connection is already on that level without ever meeting then those two are more deeply linked than anything we’ve learned about in all our time and travels. It also seems this Familiar is waiting. I get the feeling that having a warlock to deal with is the least of our concerns.” Frill looked to Cage. “You must not attempt to mind-link again till the council has decided what they will do with you. If you summon that creature then it will likely force their hand, Cage. Refrain from doing that again till a decision is reached. If by some chance you are asked to summon, then I will allow it. If you try again and the council finds out and goes to stop you, Megdline and I will likely have to fight you. I do not want such a circumstance to come to light. We really do like you, but we will fight if we are told. Did you clearly understand that?”
“I do. Every word is clear to me now. I cannot hear you meow or chirp any more… And what is this mind-link?” Cage asked him, knowing only Megdline would hear them. Brooke and Sean looked worriedly between them.
“Mind-link is a perfect union between master and Familiar.” The large feline said. “It is what links my life to Megdline’s and is irreversible. Before she summoned me, I was like any other cat, without any higher brain functions. It was such a life altering moment when I heard her words and felt her call. I was a kitten and then I became a Familiar. In an instant I was no longer bound by instincts that I could not control. Dragons call it forced evolution. Most of my hunting, mating and beyond human senses remained though. The magic that bound me to Megdline made me what I am today. Mind-link is an acquired skill that only the Familiar and his or her partner share. It is difficult to achieve, like how you meditated. There cannot be any distractions between either to achieve such a skill. You cannot speak with your mind while doing more than breathe. Megdline already explained how the mind cannot be read and that is true even for we Familiars, but we can converse as easily as talking. It is an unknown magic, but it works and distance matters not. I can be back in Twilight and Megdline could be here and could speak to me as I’m doing right now. But you are vulnerable when doing this. Because you cannot be distracted, you are open to attack.
“Without knowing any of this” Frill’s tail swished. “you spoke and were unintentionally pulling your partner to this location. Also you must know, the likely reason most mages with Familiars have a mark of their Familiar on their body has been hypothesized is due to the inseparable link between mage and Familiar.”
“If Familiars were once animals… have there ever been a human or a dragon summoned by a mage?” Frill eyes narrowed suspiciously while Megdline suddenly looked to have gotten pinched. “To answer your question, yes. It is the rarest of the rare to summon a higher life form, but it has happened. In Twilight’s history there have been three dragons, six humans, one wyvern and nine wyrms who have become a Familiar. It seems human magic is different, for dragons do not require Familiars themselves because of their immense power. Whatever your Familiar is, isn’t known. Now enough of this talk. Go back to filling your gems and if you try summoning again, scratches will be the least of your concerns, understood?”
“Loud and clear.” Cage said an began to ponder. Then he admitted “I’m sorry for scaring anyone. It wasn’t my intention. Are you alright, Sean?”
“Somewhat.” He replied quietly. “It was that sudden storm that scared me, Dad. I feared our shelter would be blown off.”
“And you?” Cage asked Brooke.
She took his hand with both of hers. “You didn’t respond when I tried waking you… Then Frill jumped on you. At least the storm is abating. Your description to the tribe was lacking when you told us about your first attempt…”
“Last time was worse, much worse.” Megdline said. “I had to erect a shield around myself, Frill and Meeka just to keep from being blown away. The storm then was more dangerous by far.”
The conversations ended and Cage went back to pouring his strength into four diamonds until he couldn’t handle any more. Sleep claimed him soon and with the constant humming of rain everyone else joined. Only Frill remained alert to watch over them. The only thing he found odd for the rest of the rainy night was the strangest beating of wings he ever heard.
In the morning they all woke to find the river swelled and flowed not twenty feet from their campsite. Frill had kept a careful eye on it. While the women started breakfast, Cage took Sean aside to give him a lesson in how to fight properly. Much of the night’s worry left the boy as he worked. Cage found a tree and pummeled it to get a proper workout. Sean kept his knife sheathed as he practiced certain moves over and over.
During breakfast, Cage watched the water flowing and it didn’t make sense. “Granny, yesterday that stream flowed to the south very slowly, but now the direction changed and is heading north. How can that be?”
“It is one of the mysteries of Oak Tree River. The waterways change direction when the water level rises beyond a certain point. The large amounts of rain will actually aid us now. No one can explain how or why the water changes direction, it just does. So do not look to me for an answer… and the flow is quick, we will make great time.”
After the meal, Megdline lifted the canoe without physical effort and laid it near the water. Everyone boarded before Cage pushed them into the center of the stream. Speed tripled without doing anything. Since there was less to do, Cage widened the siphoning that the gems pulled from him. It took more than he naturally recovered, but slightly. His mana had to fight to keep up with the drain and would take several hours before making him useless in helping to steer. It was a different, but effective form of exercise in which his body had to fight without overexertion. He and the others still paddled to go faster with the current. They moved far faster than any other method used so far and actually did less. By mid afternoon Cage had them change onto another branching river. It didn’t move as fast, but it still flowed in their desired direction. Cage planned the route carefully and specifically. They would stick to it. And it seemed to go well.
Too well.
Oak Tree River gave Cage a headache as he tried to understand the water’s odd behavior. It remained hot and humid and it made things miserable, but a splash of water helped to cool off their hot bodies. From time to time they came across fishermen, but none since they started rowing on the third day after trading for the canoe. It was how Cage wanted it. Avoiding the wider rivers would limit interaction and suspicion. Sean had found Cage’s ocarina and was currently trying to play and seemed to be having fun. The problem is, the notes were always off and it grated against the nerves. An hour ago they safely navigated a section of rapids and were gliding.
“What’s that?” Frill meowed and brought attention to the fore of the boat.
Up ahead looked like a wall of fog saturating the area. It was certainly odd because the river’s fog had burned off hours ago. Cage didn’t know what to expect and slowed the drain on himself if he would need strength. Cage said “Frill, do you smell anything? Anyone with a mind can tell the fog isn’t natural.”
The Familiar shook his head. “Nothing. It is not giving off a scent I can detect… Be careful though. Partner, can you push the fog aside?”
Megdline used a spell to try and blow the fog away and didn’t succeed. She strengthened the spell and only made all the nearby trees shake from the gusts she created. She tried different things to no avail. She got worried enough to say “I do not understand why it is not working… We should turn around and find another way. If my spells don’t work, who knows what the fog hides.”
The boat started to turn around, but then the current pulled them closer and no matter how frantically they paddled or used magic to change course the fog got closer. The banks on either side o
f the river were sheer rocks cut over many millennia. There was no reaching the bank or getting away from the wall. Cage was forced to say “Sean, stay close to Granny. Brooke you do the same with Frill. It looks like we do not have a choice except to go through. Remain calm, it might get scary, but I do not sense magic. If you see or hear anything, speak up.”
Sucking up some courage, the boat turned around and silently slipped into the thick fog. Vision became impossible beyond the reach of one’s arm. Cage could barely make out Sean’s and Megdline’s form. Brooke disappeared completely. The fog held a coolness one expected. Every little sound seemed louder from the splash of a fish to the rustle of leaves in the breeze. Sean jumped from time to time and Cage watched Megdline place a comforting arm around him to say all is well.
The first to yawn loudly was Sean. After a half hour of navigating through the never ending wall of white Cage began to grow tired. He kept shaking his head, but the weariness grew. Soon his eyes closed and would not open no matter how hard he tried. The rest also found it impossible to fall asleep right in the canoe.
“Looks like more uninvited visitors.” A hooded man in a forest green cloak said as the boat drifted out of the fog with slumped passengers.
“Bring them in. I will go inform Paola of the intruders and send others to help you bring them in.” Another cloaked figure said and disappeared into the woods.
The first hooded man raised a hand to magically steer the boat closer to himself. His surprise was genuine as he noticed them get closer. The canoe came to a stop along the bank and he came closer with a drawn knife should there be any deception. He lifted the eyelids to find each were sedated.
Before the figure could examine more of the visitors, three bright lights appeared and out of them came mages. They didn’t ask questions for orders were clear. The cloaked man picked up the large, shirtless man with black arms while everyone else each picked up a woman and the last individual carried the boy and large cat. They pulled the boat up to a safe location before taking the five into the village, creating intrigue from many others.
Waiting by the detainment cages was Paola. She said “Have they woken yet?”
“No, My Lady.” The hooded figure said. “It seems that one is a mage and likely the one over my shoulder is one as well.”
“Then make sure those two and the Familiar do not wake. They have blatantly stepped across the boundary and have forfeited their lives. The moon will be full tonight and each will be sacrificed besides the boy. They will fertilize the fields and make…”
“No, dear child.” Everyone heard and many watched as a spirit of their previous leader appeared before them for the first time. His form was glorious and those with the greater magical talents, including Paola went down on a knee with reverence. The spirit continued. “You have protected our way of life well, Paola, and led the village to be prosperous, but these individuals are not to be sacrificed.” The spirit came closer to the hooded figure. “Kep, treat that one with more respect than our most sacred seedlings. He is the cultivator and harvester.” Kep and all others gasped loudly. “Be wary of his wrath when he wakes and do not dare challenge me on this. Though my spirit is bound to the village, I can only intervene this once before other spirits stop me. Paola?”
“Yes, Wise One?” The woman replied with a bowed head.
“The time of isolation is drawing to a close and our people must once again venture out into the world. This man has his own destiny that will be harder than any other. Give him my boat to speed his journey and supply him with food.”
“Yes, Wise One. Are you certain he is the cultivator and harvester?” She asked.
“There can be no doubt in this. Farewell my bountiful crops.”
“Farewell, Wise One.” All who listened said in unison. The spirit vanished.
Paola stood and looked at the man with black arms being carefully stretched out in the grass with the others. She found it hard to believe the former leader would not allow a trespasser to be killed, but spirits have no need to lie. She said “Bring some food and the medicine with which to wake them..” Kep, the hooded man went to do just that.
Ammonia burned its way in Cage’s nose and he snapped awake to see a hooded figure standing above him. Cage grinned and flipped backwards while slamming his knee in the man’s head. He landed on his feet as the man screamed and fell from the painful blow. From a standing position he took in everything at once. Dozens of people stood around him, most carried a staff. On the ground laid Brooke and the others. Surrounded and his unmoving companions made Cage angry. His eyes sparkled with excitement and rage.
Before anyone could react, Cage lunged at those closest to Brooke and the others. The rise of magic made him cloak himself in a skin-like barrier. Blackness swirled around Cage’s fist as he had been taught how to shatter a shield if his power is greater than the opponent’s shield. Like the sound of shattering glass, Cage punched a barrier and destroyed it. Before the man could recover, Cage spun and kicked him in the chest. A quick flip and darkness around his left heel as it came down shattered a second barrier and a backhanded fist on the nose of the next person knocked them out.
“Back away all of you!” Came the command from a woman.
Cage spun and watched as everyone rapidly retreated, all except one. Black swords were conjured from his extended fingers as he took a stance. His sudden attack knocked everyone nearest his companions away and he stood among their unconscious forms. The deadliness in his eyes forced even the woman back. What she didn’t know is it was a bluff. Shattering a shield the way he had severely depletes his inner strength. The two shields he destroyed were very powerful.
“Please do not harm anyone else cultivator and harvester.” The woman said with a quivering voice.
“Then tell everyone to stop using magic. I will kill any who step one foot closer.” Cage warned. The woman gestured and he could feel magic lessening. To be sure, he lowered his barrier, dispersed the swords and found no one else used magic nearby. “Wise choice. Tell me what you’ve done to them.”
“You passed our village’s barrier. Nothing, not even magic can manipulate it. Slowly it makes you tired and fall asleep. We brought you here?” The woman said.
Cage looked around to find nearly everyone had pointed ears. Something Megdline told him most mages do to hear better, but he first thought them elves. Everyone wore forest colors and were mostly barefoot. Dogs, cats and bird Familiars made up most of the animals staring at him. There was also a silverback gorilla standing protectively before his small woman partner.
No homes he’s used to were seen, but he found larger, fatter trees that seemed hollow and realized the holes were actually windows. It was the first time seeing an actual home made out of a tree, without killing it. Worn trails snaked all around from use. The actual tree houses were wide and didn’t grow much taller than one expected, but nothing had to die to become a home. In fact, it made many homes beyond that of humans. Rabbit holes were near the trunk. Squirrels sped around while birds made nests in the upper branches.
Butterflies, bees and birds flew everywhere and many fruit bearing trees gave the area a wonderful aroma, especially with all the flowers. “You’ve made a beautiful home.” He said to the beautiful woman giving off a creepy, bestial presence. It seemed that these people spent so much time with plants they became something less than human.
She seem surprised. She grabbed the hem of her dress and curtsied. “Why thank you. My name is Paola, leader of this village. We no longer mean you no harm.”
“What changed?” Cage asked, hearing how she said ‘no longer.’ His eyes shifted as the three men he attacked were all crawling away to get support. They took his warning seriously and refrained from using magic, even to heal the bloody nose of the one he hit last.
Paola said “The spirit of our former leader would not have us kill you for trespassing. He said you were the cultivator and harvester. He would not have you dead to feed the plants.”
; “Well what about the whole non-direct interference thing? Spirits have told me they cannot directly have a hand with the living.” Cage said.
“My predecessor bound his spirit to the land in which we stand and maintains the fog that protects us from outsiders. He said as much as you did and can never do it again. Without his intervention, your body would have fed the plants at midnight tonight.”
Cage harrumphed and said “Then if you do not mind, we are leaving before you change your minds. Are you going to let us go or am I going to have to cut down any who get in my way?” His fist clenched meaningfully.
“You may leave, but the Wise One wants us to give you his boat and give food so you do not starve.” Paola said.
“Pass on the food. Where is my boat. It will do well enough.”
“Cultivator and harvester, your boat is well, but the one that is offered is special. The boat moves on its own, far faster than rowing or sailing. I cannot ask you to trust us, but it is a great honor to be offered it.” She enticed.
“Why do you call me Cultivator and harvester?” He asked.
“Because we mages have dedicated our lives to living with nature. Our people are either cultivators who nurture and grow all the plants you see or the harvesters who cut and take what we need to survive. None have ever been referred to both until the Wise One’s spirit claimed you to be. After seeing you hurt three of our most powerful sorcerers, I now understand you are the harvester and cultivator of men. Because of this, you are not an outsider, you are kin.” Paola declared.
Cage noticed a small jar near where he laid and woke. He outstretched his hand and magically jerked the clay jar into his hand and sniffed to find it more like smelling salts back home. Since he didn’t sense much hostility or any magic, he knelt and waved the jar in front of Frill’s node first. The feline sneezed before fully waking. Megdline came next, then Brooke and Sean. Frill yowled and began using magic which made everyone human back up. The Familiars crouched and were ready to defend against any attack. Frill’s tail jerked angrily at the situation and he yelled “Anyone so much as sneezes will have their throats ripped out!”
Familiar's Ancient Throne (Book 2 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 37