Laugh of Destruction (Book 3 of the Death Incarnate Saga)

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Laugh of Destruction (Book 3 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 14

by Jr H. Lee Morgan


  “I’m sure about it.” The griffin replied. “After a few centuries, even long lived creatures tend to forget what was without a reminder. For this reason, I stay hidden for so very long.”

  “And what a surprise it was from my husband’s explanation of that day you came to save us.” She smiled. “He said that the whole council was speechless for several minutes after your timely arrival.

  “After I was told of the decision to let you live I actually laughed. I so feared what would happen should they go down the other path because there would be too much needless bloodshed. As a friend, I don’t know if I’d be able to actually face you without holding back because of said friendship. When it was clear you would be granted an uninterrupted livelihood and I could continue to be your teacher, a great weight lifted off my chest.

  “I spent quality time with my love, telling him of my experiences, even if he read every report I sent back to the council. I visited some of my worried grandchildren and even a few curious dragons came to ask me what it was like traveling with a warlock, when they learned I arrived. Cage,” His black eyes remained unwaveringly on her. “your presence, I will not understate this, has gained much excitement in both man and dragon alike. Even some of the most ancient beings want to truly meet a man not only from a world void of mana, but also as the only living warlock to exist. And many wish to speak to you too, Daku.”

  “So I’ve become a celebrity without even trying.” Cage sighed with great disappointment. “Great… now I’ll know even less peace. I’m more used to blending in to avoid attention because it will be harder to recognize me. With fame, it will be much harder to get around.”

  “Such is the price to be king of a flock.” Daku said. “Before the Great Divide, when all warlocks and most of the flocks were Jumped to Earth, I and the five other white kings and two white queens were always the center of attention. There are benefits and risks to everything. As leaders, Cage, we must be looked to as hope or even enemies, should that be required of us. We must be what is needed. Though it will be more difficult to go unnoticed, it can also be said that others will listen our words more readily than some unknown stranger. It was bound to happen to you, even back before your ancestors were removed.

  “As an elite warlock, your path would still have placed you above others just as my colorings and power did for me when the flocks were still around.”

  Megdline then added. “Anyways, Cage, I know you well enough to realize that if you put in effort that you can be seen without being seen. Do you understand what I mean?”

  Cage smiled and said “Want to see one of my skills from Earth in action?”

  “Why not.” Megdline responded.

  Cage shrugged out of his shirt and pants and began moving in an odd way to Megdline, Frill and Daku. He walked straight, but still in an odd languid way before suddenly running flat out. Each one of their jaws dropped as Cage wove through and around people, staying just out of peripheral view or causing others to believe that something was amiss. He moved around like a ghost, weaving in and out of people so closely that if someone so much as leaned a fraction in any unforeseen way that he would crash into someone and cause an uproar. Only three members of the tribe saw their chieftain speeding around and were confused by it. Then the next moment he was gone as if by magic. Those few who saw, blinked as if their minds were playing tricks.

  “Where did he go?” Megdline asked a minute later when she couldn’t find her student anywhere.

  “Cool huh?” Cage said and startled Megdline, Frill and Daku.

  All three turned around to see him leaning against a tree with a broad grin.

  “How did you do that?” Daku asked in complete surprise. “I didn’t even sense you using magic and few times have my eyes failed me. I do not understand.”

  “Neither do I.” Megdline affirmed for herself.

  “Did you see how I moved differently before running?” All nodded to him. “I was using my body language to subconsciously tell everyone that all is well and to relax. When I saw my movements quickly put everyone at ease I needed to be free of clothing so the fabric didn’t make even the most subtle noise to alert and give away my position. I then ran in everyone’s blind spots in such a way as to not raise suspicion. I had to control my breathing even, so that nothing would make someone’s instincts warn of my nearby presence. The strong breeze and soft sand also helped dull my sound.”

  “But how did you disappear?” Frill asked with curious golden eyes. “We would have felt you using magic. And how did you sneak up on us?”

  Cage grinned. “I didn’t disappear. Though I’m by far the tallest man here, your eyes saw what I wanted you to see. I found one of the men heading to the trail Daku made when he brought the trees in and I nearly perfectly matched how he walked. Once in the trees I crept around to stand where I currently am.”

  “If I hadn’t seen it for myself I would swear such a thing to be impossible without magic being involved.” Megdline spoke. “I wish to learn how to do that. It could be useful one day.”

  “No problem, Granny, but to pull it off successfully you’ll either need to get used to being naked or wear clothing that doesn’t rub and make noise.”

  “If I want to I can modify my robe to be form fitting with but a word.”

  Her statement made him curious. Cage asked to see such a feat and watched as she stood and whispered a word under her breath. Her pyramid of topaz twinkled as the robe began writhing as if unseen hands pulled on the fabric. Cage had seen the sides split magically before when she went to ride a horse, but he watched as her robe transformed into a single piece bodysuit without seams. Her every aspect was form fitted by the yellow cloth. The only difference that stood out was two pockets hugging either hip.

  “Granny, after I master growing crops, you’ve got to teach me how to make something like that.”

  “If that is what you want, but I must admit I thought you’d prefer to learn how to fly, Jump or learn storage magic first.” She teased.

  “Nuh uh.” He grunted. “Clothes that magically tailor to different needs, that intrigues me more. I’ll have more use with clothes for the moment. I’ll learn flying and Jumping afterwards… will I have to make my own clothes.”

  “Why of course, Dimwit. You have to learn how to create from scratch for the clothes to properly function for you alone. Making magical clothes are threaded differently than those made by people without our gifts.” She then said another word and the skintight clothes slacked before returning to the normal robe form. “I have your word to learn that trick of running, but it will wait for we need to make the last boat to hold all the animals safely.”

  Together they left the shade and proceeded to the remaining trees yet to be altered. With the aid of the whole tribe the trees were rolled together.

  “You know how it needs to be done, Cage.” Megdline said as she sat right next to him with crossed legs. “We’ll do this together. We’ll first meld the trees flush together before widening and flattening it. Remember that the weight of the animals will be great so we’ll need to trap air inside in strategic areas to keep it afloat. We’ll worry about the railing and pens later.”

  Cage closed his eyes and focused on sending his magic into the felled trees and began the demanding task of seamlessly binding the trees together. Megdline did the same on the other side of the slowly forming barge. The difficulty involved required intense concentration and a constant flow of mana. To keep from getting exhausted Cage and Megdline’s gems glowed as they used it to fortify themselves. The diamonds and large topaz gave power back to the owner and the draining did little in Megdline’s gem since she’s been storing for far longer than her apprentice. The wood groaned as it was reworked and had any flaws removed.

  Slowly the barge began to take shape like a large, flat oval shell. Beneath ran three large blades that would keep the barge from tilting and leaning. Long tubes of air were trapped when the wood sealed over the holes so that the wood could wit
hstand greater weight. Slight curvature would funnel water to the center and wash back should waves breach the barge’s side.

  Hours passed and the barge’s shape and form were finished as the two mages had to take a break and eat. Both were irritable so few got up the nerve to speak. Even Brooke and Meeka could only help by giving their man a backrub to relieve the pent up tension. And one of the middle aged women also rubbed the tension out of Megdline who groaned when skilled hands went to work.

  Feeling better after a meal and a relaxing massage, Cage and Megdline went back to work to finish crafting the pens out of limbs for chickens and a gated fence to hold the horses.

  Just before midnight Cage and Megdline finished binding all the boats securely. The wooden nails used earlier were woven into every fiber without a seam, almost as if every boat had been grown specifically this way. Cage found his diamonds nearly empty after using them so much so he slightly increased the siphoning rate, but only enough to not be a hindrance. He sensed the level in his teacher’s topaz and had to shake his head, he couldn’t even tell she’d used even a drop of mana with so much still contained.

  Finished with what he set out to do, Cage called it a night and fell asleep, exhausted in Brooke and Meeka’s arms. Megdline was invited to rest with a small family still wide awake to get some rest as they watched over everyone.

  “Rise now, partner.” Daku brushed a large knuckle against the side of his partner’s head.

  Cage’s eyes opened from his ever usual dreamless sleep to find Daku’s form much larger than he’d been earlier. He’d slept so hard that neither Brooke nor Meeka were laying beside him. A quick scan located Meeka’s beautiful mane of blonde hair over by one of the boats as she helped Brooke and other villagers to finish securing supplies to them. He found that most of the village was excited to reach their new home and had already stretched the leather walls of their teepees across the framework as a platform which would hold all of their supplies and were lashed down by rope and leather straps.

  Judging by the dripping water from Daku’s fur, he’d recently been in the water and seeing the barge floating with all the animals tethered and secure made sense.

  “Morning, Daaaku.” Cage yawned openly before standing and shaking the beach sand from his hair. “You got the barge in the water I see.”

  The griffin’s deep voice carried though he tried to talk calmly in the early dawn light. “Yes, the other humans kept the animals from being too frightened and hurting themselves while I pushed the floating tree into the water. It floats well, better than I expected it to.”

  “I can see. It will be more difficult to maneuver, but it should hold well.”

  A full bladder took priority in Cage’s mind as he left the beach for the trees to relieve himself. He then had to meander over to the nearby stream where he splashed cold water on his face to wake completely and feel invigorated. When he looked closer at his reflection to see he’s missed shaving for several days and a stubby beard fought for control of his jaw line. He conjured a mirror image of himself for better clarity along with a three inch black knife created purely by magic. Unlike normal knives or swords which are just as dangerous as the real things, this blade’s only purpose is designed to cut hair only. No matter how hard it’s pressed or used, it will cut only hair, leaving skin unmarked. The short bristles of beard fell away as the magic knife shaved his jaw smooth.

  His fingers soon couldn’t feel any missed sections, but he decided his hair had grown a little long. All through his travels, it seemed men of this world preferred longer hair unless they were soldiers, but Cage never liked his hair long because it could become a hindrance in certain circumstances. The knife went to work and the magic made the task much easier since he could create a second mirror to see the back of his own head. Soon, his hair was much shorter, but still long enough to comb with his fingers.

  A quick dip cleaned him and chilled to the bone.

  Cage returned to the beach a few minutes later to approach the lead boat he’d be using for his family and a smaller family with one young man of nineteen years, his three women each around eighteen and four very young children he’d fathered. “Anything I can do to help?” he asked the group.

  “We’re almost done, Dad.” Sean said as his head popped up from the mound of packs. Rena looked up beside him to smile before tying down and putting a knot in a rope.

  “My, don’t we look handsome.” Meeka said, strutting over to run her fingers along his smooth jaw. “I was beginning to think you were intentionally letting your hair grow.”

  “Nonsense.” Brooke laughed. “I would have shaved him in his sleep soon if he didn’t take off the scruff. I don’t like kissing him as much with a rough beard. It chafes my thighs when you mouth my flower.”

  “Noted.” Cage said.

  “Mothers, were finished!” Rena said while climbing down.

  Brooke and Meeka turned to their children and checked to make sure all is secure one last time. The children did a good job.

  “I need to go tell the elders and boat captains the password real quick. By the looks of things, we’ll be heading out shortly. Hey, Kiddo” Rena turned to look up at her dad since she liked the nickname. “go find me a bucket, fill it with some beach sand too.”

  “Alright, Dad.” And off she went, her little legs speeding across the sand.

  Cage made sure the spell Twilight had on him remained in effect to find his sight mirror showing only white and nothing he tried made any difference. Reassured, he found the elders surrounded by children as the little ones listened to them. The elders were reminding all children were to sit in the middle of whatever boat their families used and were to stay inside at all times. Thankfully, Cage knew that all children over three years knew how to swim unaided for a brief time. Soon the children scattered to finish last preparations.

  To the elders Cage asked “Have you stored the day’s worth of water I cleaned last night?”

  Elder Metak nodded. “Yes, along with those light wooden rings you call lifesavers. Many of us woke early to finish and not wake you or Megdline…” his aged brown eyes turned to give fair warning that Megdline herself approached them. Cage turned some and acknowledged his teacher with a smile. She didn’t say anything, just listened after a great yawn. “As I was saying,” Metak continued. “Daku helped get the barge, as you call it, into the water safely. We will all have a simple meal of bread and eggs from what remains of our last of supplies.”

  “Good work.” Cage said. “Now, you must know the words needed to enter the island safely. Now remember this carefully and tell the other leaders of the boats. The password is ‘Blue Lagoon’ it is simple and will be changed soon when I’ve got enough time to develop a better one. I already told you it will hold you still until you give the correct password. It will let you leave if you want, but it won’t let you through without that password.”

  “Blue lagoon?” Metak asked to be sure he said it correctly. Cage nodded and the elders all said it several times under their breath and went to the individual boats they’d be leading and some spoke to the other older members of the tribe.

  Back when Cage first had to apply a password to the skull pillars he chose blue lagoon for much of the island reminded him of how beautifully it correlated to the old classic movie. It was simple and accurate for a temporary password.

  “Granny, you still planning on sticking with the barge?”

  “Yes, it will need some help if the boats are going to stick closely together.” She explained. “Dimwit, you keep the lead and I’ll make sure the barge doesn’t lag behind.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Nearly everyone gathered around the cooking fires where some women were passing out wooden plates of scrambled eggs. Everyone ate their fill, but Cage still couldn’t bring himself to tell other’s it wouldn’t be a great idea. Brooke, Meeka, Zatal, Moril and Lanna all chose to pass on the meal, not giving any explanation since they all went through seasickness to varyin
g degrees.

  “Let’s get going while the tide is high!” Cage shouted and led the way towards his boat with his and the other family. Most of the boats were all near the lapping water so it made pushing easier. Sean and Brooke sat together on one seat in the center of the boat while taking care of the four much smaller children. Cage and the other man pulled from the front while the five women pushed. Together they managed to get the boat moving forward.

  In moments the boat’s weight diminished upon the water. The design of the canoe made it safe and harder to spill. Cage and the other man held the boat relatively still as their women each climbed in. Thanks to the weight of supplies and the buoy system, Cage pulled himself in without problems. The man in the back pulled out one of the paddles and began rowing with the help of his mates. Meeka and Brooke helped row from the beach as well.

  Daku, remaining large, helped others who were struggling to get into the water. Before long, every boat had cleared the beach and were rhythmically rowing due west for Cage Island.

  When it was clear that the boats were all holding together and were cutting through the water, Cage turned around to ask “Rena, where’s that bucket?”

  “Here, Dad.” She said and struggled to lift the heavy wooden pail. Her mother sat a paddle down to take up the weight “Good spirits, Child! Did you leave any sand on the land?” Brooke huffed teasingly. Meeka laughed and passed the bucket forward to Cage who took it with one hand. “Thank you.” He called back to his daughter who smiled at the praise before entertaining the younger toddlers.

  Finding too much sand, Cage dumped out nearly a third before collecting and funneling water from the sea by a simple spell. The sand oversaturated and filled the bucket with another inch of water. He sat the sloshing bucket down between his legs and reached over where he found his pack within reaching distance, pulled it close and found the small pouch with all the larger crystal shards. He selected six and put the others back. He began feeding them some mana to be able to use the wards he intended to create.

 

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