Edge of Chaos

by Des Pensable

  How could he be an Agent of Chaos and look after a daughter? Was this a tactic to split him and Miranda up? Was it a tactic to help bind him and Miranda together? What an incredible mess. Yllandril had warned him about opening the divinity seed. Its knowledge was too dangerous for mortals but if didn’t open it then he would still be trapped in the soul crystal prison.

  Three hours later, after the storm had abated, Miranda returned in her Miranda body form soaked and bedraggled. Tigerlilly noticed her first as she approached the dome and Aquitain opened it for her to enter.

  ‘Mummy, mummy are you alright?’ she shouted.

  ‘Yes mummy’s alright little one.’ Miranda replied as Aquitain created a new mindlink with her.

  ‘Aquitain we need to talk!’ she said.

  Chapter 13 The Tempest Awakes

  Miranda walked across to the small crystal figure of Aquitain, picked it up and hurled it across the room. It hit the wall and fell on the floor.

  ‘How can you walk around pretending to be so smart and do something so bloody stupid?’

  She saw Navarro and Gizel looking at her a little shocked.

  ‘Put them to sleep! This is not their business.’ she shouted and immediately Navarro, Gizel and Tigerlilly fell asleep and she burst into tears walked over picked him up and hugged him to her chest.

  ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do. I’m all mixed up. How can I be a mother? I don’t feel like a mother yet there she is. She’s even helped me and protected me. How can we look after her? We’ve no home. People are trying to torture us and kill us. We’re supposed to save everyone and you don’t even know the worse of it yet. I’ve been changed and I’m dangerous and I can kill you and her. I want to love you and you won’t love me anymore!’ she sobbed.

  ‘Mandy. Please don’t cry. We can work it out.’ he replied as she cried her heart out.

  ‘I lied to you. I’m not sweet innocent little Mandy. I’m a horrible bitch that you will hate!’ she sobbed.

  ‘It can’t be that bad.’ he said.

  ‘It’s worse that you can ever imagine.’ she sobbed.

  ‘I’ve got a good imagination.’ he replied. ‘How about you start from the beginning?’

  ‘There’s another side of me that you’ve never seen.’ she said.

  ‘I’ve worked that bit out all by myself.’

  ‘You have?’ she asked surprised.

  ‘When I was returning your memory, your spirit aura was so bright and your spirit was so full of magic essence it’s a wonder you didn’t glow in the dark. Allalanllea said you could have been a sorceress when you were a child but your mother wouldn’t allow it. She wanted you to be a druid. So I suspect that something else happened.’

  ‘That’s true.’ replied Miranda. ‘Snowbelle didn’t want me to be a sorceress as she had another idea instead. I had a relatively normal life until I was about seven and my sorceress abilities began to show. Snowbelle took me out to witness a violent storm and I was both terrified and excited. She showed me how she could control the direction of the wind and flow of the rain and I was fascinated.’

  ‘After that she began to take me out regularly and started to teach me how to control the elements myself. I loved it. I quickly became addicted to power. I became a storm child. I learnt how to detect storms, how to manipulate them and then how to start them. By the age of sixteen I lived only for storms. I created them and guided them and increased their destructive power with my magic. In hours I could create a hurricane that would last for days. I must have killed thousands of innocent people and creatures over the years.’

  ‘Then one day I had the feeling that I wanted to go beyond creating storms. I wanted to be the storm! I wondered if this was possible and asked Snowbelle and she said that she would pray to the Lady about it. When I awoke the next day I was bound by the tattoo. It stripped me of all my power. I couldn’t raise or even control a small gust of wind.’

  ‘I was devastated. I was shocked beyond belief that my mother would do this to me. I threw temper tantrums and behaved very badly for a couple of weeks then went on a hunger strike. In the second week of the hunger strike I began getting dreams from the Lady. At first I ignored her but as I got weaker I began to listen. She offered to make me a priestess of hers and give me some druid abilities in return for my obedience.’

  ‘She said that if I wished to create and control any more storms I had to learn self-control. This was a totally alien concept as being a princess I had never in my life had to practice any self-control. I was an absolute bitch to everyone and they hated me for it. I started eating again but fought against self-control for ages until eventually realized that it was in vain. The tattoo had robbed me of all my storm abilities and without any powers I was nothing.’

  ‘I finally conceded and as I slowly learnt a little self-control the Lady rewarded me with simple druid abilities. One day a few of years later when I had finally achieved a high level of self-discipline I had a dream that she would allow me to have my storm powers back if I could convince a wizard to remove my tattoo.’

  ‘I immediately sought out a young wizard and offered myself to him in return for removing the tattoo. He hardly looked at the tattoo, convinced me that he could remove it and wanted payment before he did. He died between my legs before anything happened and I discovered the tattoo was lethal. I was shocked.’

  ‘Over the next couple of years I sought out other more experienced wizards who examined the tattoo more thoroughly and declined to help me. They said it was too dangerous. I went a little crazy. I lost hope. I thought I was doomed to life of abstinence; I would never regain my storm powers and didn’t want to live. Snowbelle and Allalanllea became very worried about me and eventually hired a woman mind healer to help me.’

  ‘She visited me three times and each time I felt better. I regained my self-esteem and self-confidence. I forgot about why the tattoo was put on and everything about my storm powers. She must have locked away all those memories. I became obedient to the Lady and Snowbelle. I became the tame little puppet person that you met. I wandered the jungle, immersed myself in my job and felt a kind of ignorant happiness not knowing what I had lost.’

  ‘I never knew who the mind healer was until the night we were in the underground safe house together where you showed me images of your family. The woman doctor that cured me was your mother. It triggered some of my memories to return. I had to get a wizard to remove the tattoo but I couldn’t remember why. I remembered that there were conditions on the removal of the tattoo so I fooled myself into believing that only my true love would be able to remove it and I wanted you to be him.’

  ‘When you restored my memory a couple of hours ago, you unlocked all the memories that your mother had sealed up. I remember everything. It’s shocking and embarrassing and even worse I’ve discovered that the tattoo which was supposed to stop the energy build up, no longer works.

  I’ve become more powerful and more dangerous. I want to be with you and Tigerlilly but I’m not sure what will happen yet. I hope that I can control my emotions. You may have to be very patient with me for a while.’

  ‘Judging from what you’ve said and the recent storm I guess that you’ve got your storm powers back.’ he stated.

  ‘Tain. I’ve become much more powerful. I am no longer a Storm Caller. I am a Tempest. I can be the storm itself. That storm you just witnessed was me!’ she replied.

  ‘Wow! That storm was impressive Mandy. It has to be another attempt to split us up.

  ‘Did you have a storm tutor called Katarina?

  ‘Why yes I did. How did you know ? asked Miranda.

  ‘The Mentarin in the Felynx body claimed to be her. She said she was on our side. She claimed it was her that arranged your escape and her that led me to you in the dream world and her that guided me to you here.’

  ‘I heard that she had died years ago,’ replied Miranda. ‘but I guess it’s possible that was a story told to everyone when she joined the Mentarin.�
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  She said that the Dark Lord had a session working on your spirit before she could get you out. He has read your memories and probably stimulated your transformation. Your spirit may well be partly elemental in kind now.’ he said trying madly to remember anything he knew about Tempests.

  ‘Hmmm. You are probably right Tain. Tempests are known to be petulant, temperamental, violent and malevolent. They are full of hate and despair. They live to destroy. They don’t get on with people even wizards. I don’t want to leave you. I want to be with you and love you and Tigerlilly but if I become malign and dangerous we may have to part.

  I have just depleted much of my sorcerous power in the storm but as it returns I am likely to become more emotional. I will try to control my passions but they will try to control me. You must understand and help me or we are doomed.’

  ‘Keep calm Mandy! I had a talk with Allalanllea after we exchanged pledges and she told me that you might have some problems when the tattoo was removed. She suggested that I bleed off your power periodically. I can do that. I can also make a power limiter to keep your power level under control but for that I’ll need a well-equipped workshop and the right materials. So don’t despair, whoever has planned for us to be together made sure we would be equipped to handle our personal problems.’

  ‘I’ve changed too Mandy.’

  ‘I’ve come to realize that bodies are just the homes for our spirits. My spirit was living in your old home, your spirit was living in some Felynx’s old home and Tigerlilly’s spirit has a unique home of her own. It’s the spirits that are important. When I change bodies I remain much the same person. My abilities, powers and memories all move with my spirit. The body has an effect on me but less than you would imagine.’

  ‘I have learnt how to move between bodies like the Mentarin and how to unbind and bind spirits to them so that they can be permanent. I can even make simple construct bodies and maybe later more complex ones.’

  Miranda was stunned. It seemed so simple. She loved shifting and being in a cat form anyway but the thought of living in someone else’s body seemed wrong and disrespectful. What did he do to gain this knowledge?

  ‘You can move your spirit between bodies at will and even make new bodies. These are things that only the divine and the Mentarin can do. You are not divine so have you broken the laws of nature in order to save yourself? I don’t think I could accept that. Have you become one of those horrible Mentarin or even worse? I need to know!’

  ‘Mandy I am different. I don’t feel different yet but I guess I will in time. My father has made me an Agent of Chaos. I had no say in it. I don’t know how or why he did it. I don’t even know what I’m really supposed to do but I have learnt one thing and that is the rules the gods impose on mortals no longer apply to me. I need only live by my rules.’

  ‘Who is your father? Are you now immortal?’ she asked.

  ‘I have been told that my father is K’wala the Chaos Bear. It would make a lot of sense. Remember the Lady made me into a bear when I died the first time. I learned how to growl like K’wala from one of his closest followers and other things.’ he replied.

  ‘I haven’t met my father yet but I have met one of his messengers. I don’t think that I’m immortal and I don’t seem to have any more abilities or powers. Maybe they come with time. Maybe I have to earn them. Maybe I’m only a temporary Agent of Chaos. Who knows? What I do know is my feelings for you haven’t changed. I pledged my love to you and I will care for and defend you and Tigerlilly with all my power until my spirit is gone.’

  ‘Hmm. This is no coincidence Tain. You have been changed and so have I. We are still being manipulated like puppets. It’s some grand plan and Tigerlilly is now part of it. The question is whether her purpose is to keep us together or drive us apart?’

  ‘Tigerlilly is an abomination and as a priestess of the Lady I should be shocked but I’m not. I should demand her death but I can’t and won’t. I should despise you for making her but I don’t. I should be afraid of your new abilities to move between bodies but I’m not. The Lady blocked my powers with a binding that would kill me if it was removed. That is not the action of someone interested in my well-being. If you are no longer bound by the rules, then neither am I. We shall make our own rules.‘

  ‘Tain can you examine my tattoos please.’

  Aquitain used his power to see her magic tattoos and was surprised.

  ‘Mandy, they’re gone. Your tattoos are gone!’

  ‘I though so.’ she replied. ‘When I became a storm my body transformed into elemental fury. I couldn’t imagine how they could remain.’

  ‘Thank you, Tain. By unlocking my memories you have succeeded in removing the tattoo where everyone else had failed. I’m now free and independent of both the Lady and my mother. Together we are now a force to be reckoned with.’

  ‘I have all my memories unlocked as well Mandy. I’m much more dangerous than you can imagine. Consequently, we’ll both have to be careful not to act impulsively or many people will get hurt. With power comes responsibility and danger.’

  ‘Think about it Mandy! Without your love I am likely to end up like that malign spirit terrorizing Moonmist and without mine you might become an uncontrollable storm bitch terrorizing Moonmist. The gods are not fooling around they have something important for us to do and only by being together can we save ourselves and everyone else.’

  ‘The puzzle pieces are finally falling into place. We need to return to Astaria as soon as possible.’

  ‘You’re right Tain but I hate being manipulated and I’m really starting to dislike the gods.’

  ‘My feelings exactly Mandy!’ he replied.

  ‘What are we going to do with Tigerlilly? She’ll be in danger whether we take her with us or leave her somewhere.’ she asked.

  ‘I don’t know yet. We’ll have to think about that. Fortunately we don’t have to make that decision right now.’ he replied.

  ‘You must make me an amulet to control my power at the first opportunity and you must get a new body for yourself. I’ve been forced to be abstinent for too long. I’m going to need a lot of loving to help control my tempest emotions.’

  ‘Are you going to be this bossy all the time?’ he asked.

  ‘I am no longer sweet little Mandy. I’m a really bad bitch Tempest. I’m your chosen and we have a daughter. I remember how I was before the tattoo. I was so damn horny the only way to calm down was to make a storm. If you want me to maintain control you will have to learn to quench my lust. I’m sure that you’ll enjoy it!’ she replied.

  ‘Oh. Well that does sound like a challenge. I’ll see what I can do about it.’ he replied with a smile.

  ‘There’s something else I’ve discovered.’ she said and changed to a Llanllean spider.

  ‘I really am a Llanllean! When you get a body we can make love like spiders do. That should be a mind blowing experience even for a mind mage.’

  ‘Whoa. I’m not so sure about that.’ he said. ‘Even though I was a Llanllean, that sounds a bit creepy.’

  ‘He he. I knew that would spook you.’ she laughed.

  ‘Tain, I’ve just had a good idea. I want to borrow some of your power. Then, can you please wake up our guests and remove the dome and move everyone back a good hundred paces.’ she said with a devious smile and ‘Don’t forget your mind clay.’

  ‘Yes dear!’ he said with a grin. ’How much would you like?’

  ‘Enough to show the gods we are armed and dangerous.’ she replied.

  He recreated the Newman size image then woke up Navarro and Gizel.

  ‘Did you put me to sleep again? What’s happened? What’s she doing?’ asked Navarro.

  ‘I did put you to sleep while I discussed some domestic issues with my chosen, the Princess. Neither you nor Gizel needed to know what we discussed.’

  ‘The Princess is going to do something special to celebrate this our reunion so I am going to remove the dome and as it will be still dark ou
tside could you light up your staff again please Navarro. I will also place a light on my body so that you both can see a little better. Can I ask a favour of you Gizel. Could you pick up Tigerlilly and my little crystal body and carry us.

  ‘It would be an honour to carry you Lord Warden,’ she replied with a giggle.

  ‘We need to move up the hillside here a little for our safety and so that we can see a little better.’

  Miranda spoke to Aquitain and Tigerlilly through their mindlink.

  She asked him to light up the area for about fifty paces around her and he did.

  ‘Witness the power of a Tempest in a Druid’s clothing my love. This is for you and Tigerlilly.’ and she began singing and a song throbbing with power flooded the area. Her body turned into a creature like a tree that grew several paces tall. It could walk and gave off a greenish light.

  Two stone elementals appeared near her and started churning up the ground and crushing the rock to fine powder. They created a small bowl shaped crater about four paces deep in the centre and ten paces in diameter. They levelled and flattened a circular area for a hundred paces around the rocky crater. A water elemental appeared in the crater and it filled with water forming a pool.

  A series of air elementals came carrying leaf litter, small insects, grubs and seeds which were dispersed over the levelled area and left. A thick fog moved over the area from the pool and turned to water dampening the soil. Miranda’s song changed and grass and small bushes began to rise out of the ground and thick thorn hedge grew around the periphery of the area.

  They watched and listened to Miranda’s song for another 10 minutes until it stopped and a whirlwind formed that rose up into the sky. A dark cloud formed and chain lightning lit up the darkness from horizon to horizon. They vaguely heard a voice on the wind say ‘I proclaim ….’ And the rest was lost in the sound of thunder.

  The whirlwind returned to the ground. The hedge parted leaving a gap for them to enter and in her Newman form Miranda beckoned them to enter.