by Logan Jacobs
“I will not die today,” I swore as I grasped my mana and slowly forced the power of the Shodra out of my body.
“Gabriel?” I heard Deneth whisper.
She sounded worried, and I wondered if I had missed one of Maderel’s mages. And then, everything went black.
Chapter 14
My next coherent thought was that I was gently rocking back and forth. Which made absolutely no sense, since I was supposed to be in the middle of a battlefield, facing down Maderel’s army. I had some vague memory of Deneth standing over me, and Aerin filling me with her healing power. Though that had been earlier in the battle, and I definitely hadn’t been lying on the ground when she wrapped me in her magic.
I managed to open my eyes, but that didn’t help much. It was dark, wherever I was, though I could pick out wood planking on the floors and walls, and a bunk across from me. I looked down and realized I was on a bunk as well, but definitely not one in the monastery. And there was that swaying motion again.
I realized I was on a ship and I sat bolt upright. I created a mage light and examined the room more closely. It was small, just big enough for the two bunks and a folding table currently latched in place against the wall. There was a small pile of gear tucked in one corner, and I could see my own pack as well as one that I recognized as Cat’s.
I swung my legs over the side of the bunk, took a deep breath, and stood up. I managed to stay upright, though I still felt unsteady on my feet. I took another deep breath and then tottered towards the door. I pulled it open slowly and peeked outside. There was just a short hallway with doors and a ladder leading up. Nothing that told me what ship I was on or where we were going.
I heard Lavinia’s laugh from the upper deck and Aerin’s voice saying something about how halflings make poor sailors. Wherever we were, we clearly were not in danger. I looked at the ladder and decided I had to at least try. There wasn’t anyone watching so if I landed on my butt back on the deck, I could scurry back to my bunk and wait for someone to come check on me.
Harsh sunlight greeted me as I popped my head through the hatch. A swift breeze ruffled my hair, and I could smell the tang of salt water. I heard Maruk’s familiar rumble as he chastised someone for stealing some dried cherries, and then a black hawk I thought I would never see again flew from the deck to the mast.
Merlin was okay, and as I looked around the deck, I realized the rest of the Shadow Foxes were as well. They were all there, sitting in a circle of deck chairs while the ship’s sailors went about their business.
“Gabriel!” Lena cried out when she spotted me climbing slowly from the hatch.
The Foxes were quickly on their feet and heading towards me. Maruk made it first and lifted me gently to the deck. He led me to the circle where Dehn was already setting up an extra deck chair. Merlin swept down from the mast and landed on my shoulder in his cat form. He snuggled under my chin, his purr going at full blast.
“What, you were so anxious to see us you couldn’t be bothered to put on shoes?” Lavinia teased as I dropped into the chair.
I looked down and realized I was still barefoot. At least I had on a shirt and shorts or it could have been a lot worse.
“Give the man a break,” Imogen replied. “He’s probably still fuzzy from all that sleep he’s been getting.”
“How long have I been asleep?” I asked as I looked around the deck of the ship.
“A week,” Aerin replied as she peered at my aura. “Well, you look okay.”
“A week?” I gasped as her answer finally made it into the depths of my brain. “How is that possible?”
“What’s the last thing you remember?” Lena asked gently.
“Deneth had the Shodra,” I replied as I tried to sort through my memories. “Theira told her we would need them to defeat Maderel. I was able to use them, and I think I destroyed Maderel’s mages.”
“You did,” Dehn declared. “It was pretty cool. They all sort of shimmered and then exploded in a big burst of light. Wasn’t much in the way of blood and guts though, which was sort of disappointing.”
“I, on the other hand, was quite impressed with how clean it all was,” Maruk sniffed. “I actually managed to save that shirt.”
“Weren’t no souvenirs,” Dehn pointed out.
“Except those stupid rocks you picked up,” Emeline replied. “I don’t know why you think those are some sort of leftover mage bits--”
“People!” Imogen cut in. “I don’t think Gabriel cares about your shirt or your souvenirs.”
“Do you remember anything else after that?” Lavinia prodded.
“No,” I admitted. “Everything’s just black.”
“You collapsed,” Aerin explained. “Deneth was worried that you had lost yourself to the Shodra. But their healers are really good, and between me, Deneth, and the entire second floor department for thaumaturgical healing, we were able to keep you alive. You’ve been asleep this whole time.”
“Oh,” was all I could say. “What about the battle? Did we win?”
“After that bit of magic you pulled with the Shodra, I think win is an understatement,” Yvaine replied. “You not only wiped out Maderel’s army, but you somehow cleansed the land.”
“You should have seen the plants that were starting to grow,” Lena added. “I managed to take a few samples, but Deneth promised to send more. The going theory is that you bound all the unbound magic that had poisoned the land.”
“As long as she doesn’t send any more of that stinkweed,” Yvaine complained. “It took me three days to get that smell out of my hair.”
“Don’t worry,” Lena tried to assure Yvaine, “I’ve figured out why that batch exploded.”
“I’d still rather not deal with stinkweed in the guildhall,” Aerin added. “That stuff is obnoxious--”
“But what about Augustine?” I interrupted.
“The people of Augustine are working to rebuild the city on the surface,” Cat replied. “General Barcus had everyone organized into work crews and shifts. They already cleared a lot of the rubble by the time we left.”
“And where did this boat come from?” I asked.
“The Augustine Navy,” Emeline replied.
“The… what?” I said.
“Not all the ships in the port were destroyed,” Imogen explained. “And when the city moved underground, they hid a handful of the ships that were still in good condition, in case they needed to defend against pirates or such. This one was part of the Navy, and the city sent it and the other ships to deliver official proclamations about the return of the city.”
“Along with a whole lot of runners,” Dehn added. “They’ve already been in touch with Vima and some nearby cities. A lot of people have already made the trip across the steppes to Augustine, including a delegation of Vima businessmen hoping to arrange special tours.”
“Told ya,” Aerin smirked.
“I’m glad I was able to do that,” I replied, “though I would have liked to say goodbye to everyone.”
“Sorry about that,” Lavinia said. “But the city officials were anxious to send out their proclamations. If we hadn’t hitched a ride with this ship, we would have been there who knows how much longer, either waiting for you to wake up so we could start walking or waiting for another ship to arrive that would be willing to take us.”
“Take us where?” I asked.
“Home,” Lavinia replied. “To Ovrista.”
“I like the sound of that,” I admitted.
The Shadow Foxes exchanged several glances then, and I saw Emeline blush as she suddenly found the ropes piled on the deck to be extremely interesting.
“Okay, what?” I demanded.
Maruk coughed and studied one of his boots while Dehn simply scowled at everyone. Cat was grinning, clearly waiting to see who would talk first. I suspected he had a wager with Aerin, who was also watching the other Foxes very closely.
“There’s more news,” Imogen remarked as she looked first at Em
eline and then at Lena.
“Somebody just tell me,” I insisted.
“I’m pregnant,” Lena replied happily. “And so is Emeline.”
I nearly toppled out of the chair, but Maruk steadied me.
“That’s wonderful news!” I exclaimed.
“And we’ve invited Imogen and Cat to join the Shadow Foxes,” Lavinia added.
“It’s perfect,” I declared.
And it was. I was surrounded by good friends, had a home that I could call my own, and a flock of children on the way. And, of course, there was the adventure. We had saved the fucking world.
What more could I ask for?
Epilogue
Twenty years can go by in a heartbeat. It still amazes me to think about how much time has gone by since the Battle of Augustine, as it’s now called. Those first days back in Ovrista were rough, since many people refused to believe that Maderel had been a manipulator and that he had planned to use the Shodra to destroy the world. But as the details of the battle emerged, even the most ardent of Maderel’s supporters fell silent.
Six months after our return, the Academy approached me and asked if I would serve as the next Arch Mage. I agreed, under certain conditions. First, I would continue to be a member of the Shadow Foxes. Second, the ban on manipulator magic would be lifted and manipulators allowed to attend. Third, the school would be renamed the Evreas School of Magic. Finally, I insisted on a redesign of the Tower, which now has a golden glow that welcomes every type of mage within its walls. Oh, and I eliminated the tax on mages living in the city.
The Shadow Foxes became the guild that everyone wanted to hire, and we went on to have many more adventures together. We also became the family I knew we would. Lavinia, Aerin, Yvaine, Emeline, Lena, and Imogen became more than just my lovers, they became my wives as well. Between them, I sired more than twenty kids, my youngest a two-year-old that Imogen recently gave me, and she’s already talking about bearing me another in the next few months. I’m proud to say that all of my children have magical skills, and I taught them how to master both manipulator and elemental magic.
Maruk, Dehn, and Cat are my brothers, and I know I can count on them for anything. We’ve helped each other out of a few barroom scrapes over the years along with a few other adventures that were strictly for the guys. All of my kids love them, and they took on the role of doting uncles with abandon, a part I’ve been happy to play as well for Dehn and Cat, and hopefully soon for Maruk as well.
The Original Shadow Foxes, as our newer members refer to us, have mostly retired from adventuring now, leaving those long and arduous treks mostly to the next generation. We all had enough gold from our own adventuring, and Aerin’s wise investments, to allow our retirement to be occupied by our passions rather than any concern for money.
Maruk, for example, operates a successful import company specializing in rare antiques, teas, and finery, supplied by his cousins Sulla and Urim. He also runs a small restaurant on the side that showcases the world’s great chefs. It was his passion for fine food that led him to the discovery of another orc, a woman named Brunhilda, who shared his love of all things civilized. Their wedding is set for next weekend, after two years of planning, and we all hope they have a child soon.
Lavinia became my first wife, and we took our vows together just two weeks before my first son was born. We named him named Artho in honor of Lavinia’s father, and he’s probably the most powerful mage I’ve seen in a long time. Lavinia discovered that she loved children, despite her own harsh upbringing, and in between handing out ass-whoopings at the martial arts academy she and Imogen founded, we had six more children who challenge their mother constantly. Despite her complaints about her “wild” children, I know she wouldn’t have it any other way, and she showers them, and my other children I’ve had with my other wives, with an almost endless amount of love and affection that I never would have expected from the once angry archer.
Emeline returned to the revamped School of Magic to earn the title of Master. She also helped me develop the new curriculum, in between delivering three children, two rambunctious boys named Emilo and Ernao who love to climb, and a daughter named Elly who loves to sail. In later years, she became an instructor at the school, and her classes in cartography and combining elemental magic quickly became the most popular classes we offer.
And then there was Aerin, who set up a nonprofit company that helps pregnant women who have no other access to medical care. She’s never offered me any more information about Marv’s story, but she is as devoted to the cause as she is to our two sons and two daughters. They all inherited their mother’s understanding of money, and our oldest, a boy named Tasca, now manages the accounts for the guild.
Lena still spends most of her time at the guildhall buried in her lab. Our twin daughters, Molly and Polly, often join her. They share their mother’s love of color, and it’s not uncommon to find all three of them strolling through town with rainbow-striped hair. Lena and I had one other child, a boy named Kieran, who spent most of his childhood hiding from his sisters and their strange potions. Kieran, Molly, and Polly are favorites among the new generation of Shadow Foxes, who rely on their strange concoctions every time they head out, despite the imminent threat of orange hair or green skin.
Yvaine resumed her duties as Marchioness of Constello, which she quickly parlayed into a role as a roving diplomat for Ovrista and the School of Magic. The beautiful Marchioness gave me four children. Our oldest child, a beautiful girl named Cecelia who looks very much like her mother, largely runs the family estate while Yvaine is off brokering another peace treaty or trade agreement somewhere. The second, a boy named Cedric, is a stout adventurer and budding swordsman who trained heavily with his mother, Imogen, Lavinia, and Maruk. Our third child, another boy named Alex, enjoyed the magical arts and antiquing, and he became quite the lore master. Our youngest child, another daughter named Gabriella, who looks more like me, spends most of her time in the library, reading books and dreaming about visiting not just other countries, but other worlds. Yvaine loves the diplomatic world for many reasons, but if you ask her, she’ll tell you that her favorite moment was when she strode through the streets of Maraz in the most revealing dress she could find, untouchable thanks to her diplomatic status.
Imogen was the last of the Shadow Foxes to become my wife. We danced around each other for a few months after Lavinia gave me my first son, and then Imogen finally asked for her chance to bear me a child. Our first bout of lovemaking was incredibly passionate, and she continued to visit me every night for more of my seed until it was obvious that her belly was swollen with my child. Then we married a few months after, and she gave birth to a boy, Hector. He takes after his mother and is far more quiet and watchful than his siblings. Imogen gave me three more children: Gela, Yuo, and Stara, and the trio are wonderful comedians and tricksters, even though Stara is only two years old. The once-thief spends much of her time helping Lavinia, both with the school and the children.
Cat often accompanies Yvaine on her trips, serving as a combination bodyguard, confidante and aide. He has a cool head, something that has turned out to be not that common on the world political stage. He’s also sired his own share of children with various aristocratic women, though he hasn’t yet taken a wife. Yvaine hinted that threats from his family were largely to blame for that. Mothers and children alike all adore him, though, and they’ve formed their own family group, even if it is without the blessing of the old elvish families.
Dehn married his lady love, Alicia, and bought a pub. It was a small operation to start with, but with Alicia in charge of the funds and Dehn bringing in the trade, they’ve turned it into the place to be any night of the week. Dehn’s three sons are all old enough to help out on the really busy nights, though they inherited their father’s quick temper, so that can be a dicey proposition. Mostly, Alicia handles just about everything, from managing the books to selecting the wrestlers for the weekend mud wrestling tournaments
. Dehn spends most of his days in the bar, regaling the customers with tales of his time on the road. Turns out, Dehn’s a good story teller, and the bar is always packed with people who come to hear him spin a yarn.
Those children I conceived during our great Shodra adventure are grown now, and most of the rest will soon be joining the ranks of adulthood as well. Artho is preparing to travel to Augustine to study the Shodra with Deneth, a rare honor reserved for only the most adept mages. The others will scatter as well to continue their own training, even in lands far beyond Augustine.
I saw Theira again, not long after I had taken up the role of Arch Mage. Artho was only a few months old, and it was my turn to watch him while Lavinia put in some time on the archery range. He had fallen asleep in my arms, and I watched him as he drowsed, soaking in the feel and scent of him. Merlin was curled up nearby, basking in a ray of sunlight.
“You look happy,” Theira said, which startled me.
I nearly dropped Artho and Merlin sprang to his feet in alarm. Artho, however, slept through it all.
“I am,” I replied as I eyed the goddess. She still looked like she had wandered in from Paris fashion week, but then gods and goddesses don’t really age or show any signs of wear and tear.
“He’s quite handsome,” Theira remarked as she looked at my son.
“He’s also very loud,” I laughed. “And he already disobeys his mother.”
“Well, you can’t really expect one so young to stop throwing his peas on command,” Theira pointed out.
“Perhaps you can explain that to Lavinia,” I replied.
“I doubt she’d listen to me,” Theira sighed. “She’s never been very impressed with me.”
“Er, well,” I hedged, uncertain if Theira found that insulting.
“It’s alright, Gabriel,” Theira laughed. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“It’s good to see you,” I said with a smile. “I wasn’t sure if I would ever see you again.”