Force of Nature

by Shawna Logue

  “That quickly?”

  “If we waited, the forest would die, as would all the creatures in it. That’s not an option.”

  “Where will you live?” I was getting a bit upset at this turn of events.

  “Well, certainly we can stay in Cathedral Grove, but I’m afraid that it wouldn’t feel right to me. There are so many memories there, but I don’t know that I could live in the forest without being in the castle. Justin and Maria have offered their place, which will do for the short term, but I don’t know where I will end up in the long term. I need to be around magic, and I’m not sure that the urban setting is quite fitting for an old soul like myself.”

  I thought about the elf trying to fit in with regular society. I could imagine it to be difficult to make such a drastic lifestyle change. There were few places where someone as distinct as Fallon could fit in. I could think of one place though.

  “Why don’t you work for Mobius?”

  He laughed again, and the twinkle returned to his eye. “You know, Connor said the same thing.”

  “He did?”

  “Yes, he seems to think that both Jack and I could share a lot of expertise with his employees.”

  “Jack?”

  “Yes, it seems that those two have forged quite a bond. I assume battle does that to a person. Jack and Connor have done nothing but watch over you, and discuss magic. Our two energies are really quite different, and it turns out the type of magic you use when casting affects the spell’s power. When you transferred our magic to Connor, some of the spells he cast had an entirely different outcome. Perhaps this is why they were able to put up such a strong defense against-” He cut himself off at the mention of his daughter. “Also, I hear your leprechaun friend was a key player as well. How I wish I could thank him.” He was wistful now.

  I didn’t entirely follow him. I was lost on the “forged quite a bond” part. I couldn’t imagine the two getting along. It was weird. I tried to refocus on Fallon’s words.

  “So you really can’t move?” he asked.

  “Well, I can talk, so that’s something. I think I can move my head a little bit.” I tried, and though it expelled a lot of effort to do so, I was able to turn my head slightly towards him. It felt so heavy.

  “Well, that’s something. And you have sensation, so you aren’t paralyzed.”

  “No, I can feel my body. It feels heavy. Like I my limbs are being held down by sandbags and like an elephant is sitting on my chest. I can breathe alright though, which is handy,” I laughed weakly. “You know what’s weird though?”

  He raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. He had that same curious expression that Jack often had when watching me.

  “It’s just that, despite this weight, I feel hollow. Like I have nothing left.”

  Something flickered across his face, but he composed himself.

  “What?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “I think that’s enough for you today. Maybe you should get some rest.” He rose swiftly, stopping momentarily at the door. “Again, thank you.” A second later, he was gone.

  What had I said? Did I offend him? Something had registered with him. Did he know how to cure me? A few minutes later, I heard arguing outside my door.

  “No. It won’t work,” Connor argued.

  “I’m fairly certain it will,” Fallon contended.

  “What if it doesn’t work? What if she seizes again? That is a risk I’m not willing to take.”

  “I don’t believe it’s your choice, Connor.” Fallon’s voice was strong and full of conviction. “Don’t you want to try every option to make her better?”

  “Of course I do! I just think we should research-”

  “You and I both know there is no research on this. She is unique.”

  “I don’t want her to be dependent on it!”

  “I think you might be too late. We have to try.”

  I was getting sick of the arguing. I wanted to know what they were talking about. I called out, “I can hear you!”

  The voices fell silent. “Come in here, now!”

  The door opened, and I was surprised to see Jack. His face looked torn. I could tell he wasn’t sure who to side with. Connor and Fallon were behind him.

  “Want to tell me what’s going on?” I said, looking directly at Connor. His face was frozen.

  Jack broke the silence. “My father thinks you should try to get some magical energy in you. Maybe then you will be able to move.”

  My eyes never left Connor while Jack spoke. I could see he was afraid.

  “You think it won’t work?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know what it will do to you. But if you had seen your face in the forest…” He looked down. “I couldn’t bear to put you through that again.” Jack put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. The sight of the two of them looked wrong.

  “I think I would like to be alone,” I finally said. “I need to think about this.” Connor’s face was pleading as Jack turned him away from me.

  It was hard to watch them walk away, but I was feeling overwhelmed. I closed my eyes. I wondered if Fallon was right. Maybe I needed magic to survive. Something had happened in the forest. I had overloaded, and now I was dependent on it in order to live. I wondered if Connor had ever used so much magic so quickly, and completely drained himself of it.

  Alex?

  My eyes flashed open. I couldn’t see anyone in the room, but then again, I couldn’t exactly turn my head easily.

  Alex, are you alright? the voice repeated, and I realized it was in my head.

  “Bob?” I whispered. “Where are you?”

  Outside. I’ve been waiting for my turn to talk to you.

  “How long have you been there?”

  I flew over the forest last night, and saw all the destruction, and I started to worry. I could feel your signature all over, but it was mixed in with so much other magic I wasn’t sure what had happened. I tried Mobius, then here.

  “Does anyone else know you are here?”

  No. I am hidden.

  I tried to think of how such a huge creature could stay hidden and laughed.

  It’s nice to hear you laugh, he smiled in my thoughts. I take it you are alright?

  “I can’t move, but other than that, I’m alright.” It was a lot easier to stay light about the matter than face it head on.

  He snorted angrily, and I was sure I heard him outside rather than in my head. I tried to calm him. “Fallon seems to think I can cure this if I drain some magic.”

  Fallon?

  “He’s an elf. King- former King of Cathedral Grove.” I heard him start to question, so I added, “Long story.” He didn’t push.

  And what does Connor think?

  “Come on, Bob, you mean to tell me you weren’t listening in?”

  He laughed my favourite chiming laugh, and I knew I was right. Fair enough. I guess what I should have asked is what do you think?

  I took a deep breath. “I want to move again, but I don’t want to have another seizure or overdose or anything like that.” It was painful and terrifying.

  Understandable.

  There was a long silence.

  Connor’s a fool, he said quietly in my head.

  “Sorry?”

  Fallon is right. I think you need magic to survive. I think that without it, you will probably die. He shuddered mentally at the thought. I need magic to exist in order to live, and I think to some extent, you are the same. You just need a direct source to fuel you.

  “Why now? I’ve never needed it to survive before.”

  I don’t know, Alex. My guess is that you have always been this way, it’s just that you never used so much so quickly before.

  “How could I have always survived off magic? I didn’t even know it existed until a few months ago.”

  Yes, but that doesn’t mean that you didn’t use it without realizing it.

  “Nic told me when he first met me he could tell I had potential. Do
you think I was subconsciously draining a force line?”

  It’s possible, he answered thoughtfully.

  “But because I had never had never transferred magic to other people, my body had maintained a natural balance?” Things were clicking together in my mind. “But I put that balance out of whack when I started to drain and refuel so quickly, and now I am completely empty?”

  That’s what I believe, yes.

  “Huh. That’s a lot to think about.”

  We were both silent in contemplation for a moment before Bob finally spoke. I’m going to let you sleep now. I’m glad you are okay.

  “Wait,” I called. I felt him pause in my head. “Why me?”

  What do you mean?

  “Why do you care about me? I mean, surely you have much more important things than worry about a silly mortal? And of all the mortals, why me?”

  He chuckled. Because you care, Alex. You sensed me when I was unable to move, you respect me, and most of all you are absolutely fascinating. I can’t just ignore something as special as you.

  I rolled my eyes at the word “fascinating” but when he was done, I whispered a quiet, “thank you” before closing my eyes. Outside, I heard him take off. “Come back soon,” I added.

  I started to drift into sleep almost immediately. At some point I was aware of another presence in the room. At first, the noise of the door closing had worried me, and had I been able to move, I would have tensed up. But I felt a familiar soft hand take mine and kiss it gently. I didn’t open my eyes. After a moment, I felt Connor slide up next to me on the bed. His arms wrapped around me, and gently turned me onto my side. I ached to be able to touch him.

  It felt like he was making sure I was still there. Every few moments he would touch my face, my hair, my hand. Once in a while he would kiss me, and had he kissed my lips, I would have kissed back.

  Eventually I realized getting to sleeping wasn’t working. I opened my eyes, and found them staring directly into his. It was dusk, and the faint orange light that came in the window sparkled in his cerulean eyes. We stared at each other for a long time. How I wished I could move. Finally, it got too much.

  “Connor?” I whispered. “I think Fallon’s right.”

  He nodded slowly, then pressed his forehead to mine. “I know.”

  I hadn’t expected this answer. Connor was usually so over-protective that I didn’t think this was an issue he would budge on. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, then easily scooped my lifeless body into his arms.

  “Right now?” I asked surprised.

  He looked confused. “Do you wish to wait?” He started to put me back down.

  “No, no, let’s try this.”

  “I’m going to take you outside.” He carried me down the stairs, where I caught sight of Jack and Fallon talking to a third person.

  “Dermot!”

  “’ello, Alex!” he said chirpily. Despite his bright smile, his face looked worn. His usually cherubic face was covered in a messy, bright red beard, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

  “What happened to you? Where were you?” I asked quickly. Connor stopped on the landing so I could face Dermot. He didn’t seem to have any trouble holding me up.

  “She caught me mid-phase. I was stuck on the astral plane for some time. I only just got free about an ‘our ago.”

  I saw Jack and Fallon exchange loaded glances. I could only assume this meant that something happened to Lahela that would have broken the spell. Why else would it have taken so long for Dermot to break free? I swallowed the lump that had unwillingly formed in my throat.

  “We’re going outside,” Connor said, as though this explained everything.

  Apparently it did, because they all rose simultaneously to follow us outside.

  Connor took me to the backyard, his eyes never leaving my face. I could see all of the force lines that littered his yard, and though I yearned for all of them, I forced myself to wait for his signal.

  “I’m going to levitate you,” he said quietly. “Just in case you-” he winced as he remembered what happened in the forest. “Just in case you fall, this way you won’t hit the ground.”

  I nodded. After talking to Bob, I really doubted that anything bad would happen.

  You’ll be fine, his voice echoed in my head.

  I laughed. “You’re still here? Where are you?”

  “Alex? I’m right here. What is it?” Connor asked, confused.

  “Oh, nothing,” I lied.

  I heard Bob’s responding chuckle in my mind. I’m close enough.

  After Connor and the three others formed a square, Connor released his hold on me. Instead of falling though, I floated, my limbs dangling awkwardly below me. Everyone watched me with worried glances, except for Fallon, who seemed confident.

  I waited a moment for some sort of signal, but when it became clear they were all waiting for me to act, I took a deep breath and began.

  I gently reached out for the nearest line. I let the power trickle in. I didn’t want to overdo it, but the second I felt the power, I knew I wanted more. I knew then that Connor was right, I had overdosed, because now the magic was a drug. I craved it more than ever. I opened the flow up more, and just as I started to taste the energy, I felt myself being lowered back to Connor’s arms.

  “How do you feel?” he asked, squeezing me tight to him.

  “I don’t know,” I said brusquely. “You kind of interrupted me.”

  He laughed at my change in attitude. I was glad to see he had lost the tenseness he felt earlier. Without warning, he released one arm and my feet dropped out to the ground. I nearly fell over, despite his other arm supporting me.

  Reflexively, I slapped him. “What the hell was that for?”

  He kept laughing, reaching up to grab my hand. He kissed it once before I realized what I had done. “Oh! Sorry, I-”

  “It’s okay. It looks like Fallon was right.” To prove his point, he let go of me completely. I waivered a couple times, but was able to stand.

  “Of course I was right,” Fallon said from directly behind me. “I’ve been around long enough to know a thing or two.” He chuckled with slight pride at the result of his idea.

  I turned, and though it still took some effort, it was more from stiffness rather that the unnatural heavy weight I had felt earlier. I hugged him, and to my surprise, he hugged back. Jack joined in too, followed by Dermot, and I was soon squashed in a large group hug. Connor watched with amusement from the sidelines until they released me.

  “My turn,” he said once I was free.

  I didn’t wait for him to hug me. Instead I leapt up and linked my legs around him, kissing him long and hard. He nearly fell backward at the force of my jump, and I suspected he had used magic to keep himself upright.

  “Sheesh! Get a room already!”

  I released Connor’s lips and looked past him, to the voice of this newcomer.

  “Maria!” I dropped down to the ground just in time to collide with her hug. She was crying.

  “It’s okay,” I laughed, as she squeezed me. Over her shoulder, Justin mouthed “Thank you.” I could tell he was genuinely sincere, but also wanted to leave this moment for me and Maria.

  “Can’t…breathe…” I stammered.

  “Oh! Sorry!” she said, releasing me, but taking my hand to pull me back inside the house.

  I stayed up far too late talking to Maria. She wanted to know everything that happened from the moment we left Mobius. Apparently, my version was much more interesting than either of the boys’. I sensed that they probably edited some of the more violent parts out, but seeing as I hid behind a tree for most of it, I couldn’t really give her too much in the way of details. She was particularly interested in one part of the story though.

  “You fell off the cliff?” she said, mouth opened wide in shock. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Connor, who up until now had been talking to Dermot in the kitchen, shift to listen in.

  “Um, ye
ah,” I lied. “It was pretty terrifying.” I made a creased face to emphasize the fear I had felt. This was the wrong move, as I saw both Maria and Connor respond uneasily. To lighten the mood, I added, “Thank goodness we took those swimming lessons as a child.”

  She laughed, and her face eased. “Synchronized Swimming is hardly life-saving.”

  I shrugged, and we both laughed.

  “I think it’s time for me to go to bed,” Maria said, stifling a yawn. “Connor,” she called, “thanks again for letting us stay.” He nodded as she rose and went upstairs. I only had to wait a moment before he was at my side.

  “Fell? Was there something I missed from that story?” He raised an eyebrow.

  I stared at him a moment, but before I could answer, he added, “I’ve seen that cliff Alex. It would be hard to fall off it without hitting the rocks.”

  I gulped. “Yeah, I jumped. It was the only way to get away from Lahela and her killer Triffids.” I waited for him to stiffen or at least react in his overprotective way, but he didn’t.

  Finally, he spoke. “That was probably smart. I wish I could have stopped her spell, but she had me pinned, and when I finally broke free, it was too late, you were out of sight. I wanted to chase after you, but-”

  “I know,” I said, twisting my wrists in my hands. He took them in his, forcing me to unwrap them.

  I still felt guilty not telling him the whole truth. How would he react if he knew I had jumped thinking I wouldn’t survive? Looking back, how had I let myself believe Morgan’s stupid visions? How could I have risked so much? How could-

  He dropped my hands forcefully. “Whoa! Alex! What’s wrong?”

  I snapped out of it. “What do you mean?”

  He looked at me with a terrified expression, before it turned to sincerity. “Alex, you have to control yourself. You started to give me your power.”

  “I’m sorry,” I choked. What else could I say? I reached for his hands again, but he shied away. It surprised me how much that small gesture hurt. I felt so overwhelmed by the events of the day, that his reaction made me start to cry. As the tears fell, I saw him struggle with whether or not to comfort me.

  I forced myself to calm down. “I have control now,” I said through my teeth. I held my hands out, palms up, and waited.