She believed she made the right decision. Now she only hoped Gris would understand and won't be upset with her and return to the palace. A few times her doubt forced her to stop inside the dark tunnels of Midlaan and go back. But she wanted to see her family. She missed them so much. Her heart ached for a chance to hug every child and Elder teen, and of course Dean.
Oh Dean. I'm so sorry.
By now they had to have heard the news about her resurrection. They were probably confused, worried, and still in grief. She repositioned the bag of pastries and sweets Trekon had given her across her torso and pushed onward. The wet pungent odor of the connected sewers to the tunnels pressed her to move faster.
Then a dangerous roar of thunder made the ceiling tremble.
What was that?
She stared up into the daylight showering down from a grate. The distant sound of rioters and horses galloping came to a sudden silence.
Mageia gasped and leaned against a stone wall cringing. Her magic had awakened again. It gushed madly through her limbs like an angry tidal wave. But she wasn't upset or at least she didn't think she was. Confused mainly. A wave of exhaustion overcame the strength in her knees, and she slid to the floor.
Magic is the spirit of Hamino. It is unbiased and pure, Dawnis' words popped into her head. It knows hearts more than any god or an Ordained could know. But it is easy to obtain and too addictive to let go. For a Fairests, you are born with it and can never let it go until the next Fairest.
"I don't want this," she muttered, fighting to hold back tears.
The magic mixed into her emotions and began to prick at her skin. Then the dimmed darkness gradually came to life in bright twinkles of purple. Almost like a hundred stars had descended to surround her. Mageia shook her head, panicked. She swapped at the magic only for it to swarm together and follow the motions of her arms and hands.
Fairest.
"No," she shouted in frustration.
She jumped to her feet and ran the familiar route to the exit. She didn't stop to look back or see if the magic followed. She climbed up the abandoned well and into the Old Forest. The daylight blinded her for a second, but not long enough to reveal the magic trail. With a mind of its own, the trail gathered and reentered her body all at once, knocking the air from her lungs.
Mageia coughed and crashed against a tree as the forest spun in circles. Nausea struck her gut. She gagged and vomited bile feeling ungodly sick. Dropping into the grass, she finally caught her breath.
"Hamino no," she said to the Old God as if he still existed to hear her complain. "Why me? I don't want this."
An ear-shattering screech pierced through her cry, icing her blood with fear. The ground shook beneath her hands as a craver dropped before her. The stench of death wafted into her face. The bat-like creature as big as three combined men opened its long-pointed beak and screeched. Mageia trembled and covered her ears. Her magic sprung alive prepared to defend.
The craver flapped its wings, glaring its beady black eyes at its next prey. Mageia scrambled to her feet and hid behind the tree she had leaned on moments ago. The craver came closer, its sharp claws violating the grass taunting her to run. But she knew these creatures too well. The Old Forest didn't have clustered trees and bushes like the woods leading into the Dauntless Mountains. These trees were tall, lean, and stood far apart except their full tops, meaning if she ran into a clearing, the creature could swoop her up within seconds.
Thick sweat formed along her brow.
Fairest. Fairest, the whispering voice returned.
Her temples tightened and her lungs squeezed. "Not now," she strained, clinging onto the tree.
The craver screeched again, getting closer. The trees rustled above, and a new fear crept into her soul. It was calling its friends!
"Damn it," Mageia said knowing she had to chance it and make a run for the Dauntless.
She wished she had her sword or the jeweled hilted dagger she had stuck in the shadowdemon's neck. She spotted a thick branch big and sharp-tipped enough to use for a defense. She dashed for it and with one flap of its wings the craver soared towards her in one glide.
Mageia yelped and threw the branch at the creature. It missed, but it startled it enough for it to pull to a halt and glare at the stick rolling away.
She decided she may as well run. Over her years of being an outlaw and a thief, she learned a great deal about running and escaping. So just as the craver redirected its attention to her, and glided closer, whipping the air around her, and snapping its beak at her back, she dropped to the ground and rolled towards a tree. It forced the creature to flap higher up into the sky to awkwardly avoid a collision. As it rerouted itself, Mageia's adrenaline already had her slipped back on her feet in a run.
But the craver regained its bearings. It charged at her this time at full flight. She sprinted behind another tree, causing it to swoosh by. It screeched in pure anger. Mageia chuckled, but knew she wasn't out of danger yet until she reached the Dauntless. So, she decided to reevaluate the situation and turn this into a cat and mouse game.
From one tree to the other, Mageia ran and stayed low to avoid the cravers' beak and claws. But just as the trees began to tighten in space, another craver, much smaller in form, crashed down from the trees above her head. Mageia gasped and had no time to react.
One of its feet grabbed her by the bag of goodies she managed to hold onto. Being that it was across her torso, her body lifted with the bag. Her feet dangled and the ground drifted away. Then the creature gave a bloodcurdling screech. Mageia clung onto the bag's strap and glanced up just in time to see two arrows join the first lodged in its chest.
Instantly, the creature released the bag and gravity released Mageia. Her stomach heaved and her magic burst out of her body in a puff as she crashed to the ground. The air knocked out of her lungs, Mageia strained to catch her breath. The small craver flew away to lick its wounds or die, but the older one continued its pursuit, desperate for its revenge. Arrows swooshed past the fast creature. She could do nothing but hold out her hand as it came to claim her once and for all.
Fairest.
The voice, louder than before, spoke, "Fairest," again which revealed its location in that instance. It came from deep within her soul. Her heart did two massive pumps shooting magic into her arm and out her hand. Instead of scattered uncontrolled magic, a gleaming ball of purple magic burst from her palm and punched the craver in its face and body. The impact sent the craver flying backwards, crashing into a few trees. Flimsy, stunned, and possibly injured the craver took off, screeching wild.
Mageia laid on nature's floor, frozen in shock. As expected, what little remained of the blast began to slide back into her body.
Fairest, the voice, her voice, continued to whisper as darkness closed around her.
~*~*~
She appeared again before the majestic tree and its calming energy. Every part of her wanted to touch it, to accept it. But she turned away from the tree and its carved symbol and decided to try the door blending into the wall across the space. As she climbed over thick roots, something shot pass her face.
She stumbled to a halt. What was that? She thought.
Tweeting arose in the silence, guiding her to the tree top where a tiny purple finch sat on a limb. Mageia's jaw dropped.
"A yawnet," she mumbled. These tiny birds were said to have migrated from Fairlaana to the north yet spotting them were rare. If someone did see one or even catch it they were rumored to bring great fortune. As if it read her mind or intentions to be closer to it, it flew closer and landed on the point of the ruby slab.
"Who are you?" the bird chirped.
"Who am I?" she said, a bit confused. Shouldn't this tree, let alone this magical bird know who she was? "I'm Mageia Seviine."
"Who are you?" It repeated a few times, fluttering its wings.
"I should be asking you that," Mageia said.
"Your heart. Me afsand," the voice said, this time in its normal tone.
"I'm sorry. I can't seek you right now," she said and edged towards the door. "I don't want any part in this. Please leave me alone."
As she continued to move with the yawnet calmly watching, her foot caught itself inside an uproot thicker than her ankle. And just as she lost her balance and fell, she woke up from the dream to the music of laughing children. Lavender hung in the air prompting her to take in her surroundings. Shadows of children playing fluttered through the cracks of the familiar wall of wood. Mageia blinked strongly to keep from bursting into tears. She was inside her hut. All her possessions were still intact since the night of the rescue. But someone had replaced her lavender flowers and possibly added more. It pleased her that her family knew her so well.
What a strange dream, she thought. The hairs along her arms stood as if trying to tell her it was not a dream. Her magic still tingled beneath her skin, reminding her it had gone nowhere. Her right hand felt numb where the magic blast had exited, but she had to admit how awesome it felt leaving her body. Like a relief of stress and pressure building within her, screaming for air. Yet still, she couldn't get herself to fully accept the magic and what she was.
Why didn't you tell me mother?
She gave a sad chuckle wishing her mom was here to hold her and whisper an assurance that everything would be okay. Perhaps, if it'd be possible, she could reunite with her parents in the Serene. Dawnis seemed nice enough to allow her the privilege one day.
She climbed onto her feet and rolled out the kinks in her shoulders. A spare sword sat across the hut brought an urge to use it and hone her skills. The door creaked open, pushing the desire to the side. They both froze. 15-year-old Faebrin, an Elf-boy and a skilled collector with a kind heart appeared to have been crying. But only joy now screamed from his face.
"Faebrin," she said, and they collided into a strong embrace.
The Elf-boy burst into tears, trembling in her arms. "I'm so sorry," he said.
"No. No. There is no reason for you to be sorry," she said.
She could see why he would be sorry. He possibly blamed himself for alerting them about the children in the Taefo, the chosen ones for the Ceremony's first midnight sacrifice. No, it was her own fault she got caught or perhaps it was destiny. But she didn't want to think about that right now. She just wanted to hug the boy and never let go.
"She's awake," a little girl shouted at the doorway.
Mageia didn't know this girl's name but did recognize her as one of the twelve she helped rescue from the Taefo.
Faebrin pried himself off and allowed her to exit the hut. Children screamed with excitement, all dressed in their finest attires. Even the Elder teens stood where they were sitting, smiling to their ears. As she walked further into the small clearing, the children couldn't hold themselves any longer. They clung to her the best they could until she was surrounded by a bundle of giddy life.
Mageia was amazed by how many children she had in the encampment. But she didn't care. She didn't even care about the tears streaming down her cheeks. She just held as many as she could.
I am home.
"Geia," a familiar voice called from the entrance to the clearing.
She caught eyes with her best friend Dean Unknown. The scrawny redheaded 17-year-old gave her the brightest smile she'd ever seen him do. His green eyes sparkled with tears.
After peeling herself out of the warm hugs, she approached Dean and they hugged. He buried his face into the dip of her neck and muffled a sob. So, she held him tighter.
"All right children let's go run off and play," 15-year-old Jaice said, and the children obeyed. "We'll come back together at lunch."
"Dean, I'm so sorry," Mageia said unable to think of what to really say.
"I'm so glad yer alive," he said. She trembled, happy to hear his silly accent once again.
"Same here," she said.
"I want a hug Dean," Esan's twin sister, Esa, said tapping Dean on the shoulder.
Mageia chuckled as Dean forcibly released her so she could hug everyone.
"Wow, Mageia, so is it true what they're saying?" Esan said. "The gods resurrected you?"
"They say you have magic and could be a goddess?" Jaice said.
"I knew there was something different about you. I mean like anyone born with eyes like yours has to be something right?" Esan said.
"Shut up Esan," his twin sister said.
"I'm just saying," he said.
Mageia sighed and shrugged. "Apparently, I am what the rest of the realm call a Fairest. It's not what I wanted or expected, but it's a lot to process."
"The greatest rulers are those who don't want to rule," Jaice said. Wrapped about her torso was the baby they had rescued.
Mageia smiled though her cheeks heated with embarrassment by the teenager's kind words of wisdom. "I guess we shall see," she said. "Who put you in charge of the baby?"
Jaice giggled. "We ladies take turns sometimes, but I love her the most."
"Whatever Jaice," said Esa with a playful roll of her eyes.
"You know, some of us were healed last night," Jaice said rubbing her bald head now clear of scabs and producing a thin line of hair.
Mageia gasped with awe at the girl's miracle. "I heard a lot of people were healed," she said recalling Lord Hercones and Gris telling her the news and how the palace Strange slaves declared they were Fair all along thanks to Mageia's painful death.
"Yes. And baby Geia too," Jaice said.
"Baby Geia? Oh no you named her after me?" Mageia said with a gasp.
"We thought we lost you, Chief," Gavin said wrapping an arm about her shoulders and pulling her close.
Mageia chuckled. "You didn't have to do that."
"In honor of a beautiful courageous woman, of course we had to," Dean said arms crossed over his chest. After a minute of chuckles, Dean interrupted. "May I speak with Geia alone please?"
Some of the Elders gave her second hugs while some drifted away with smiles across their faces. Mageia wanted to hug Dean again and when the clearing cleared, she did just that and sucked in his scent of nature. Fresh tears rolled down her face and she prayed to never leave his side again.
A/N
Finally Mageia has returned home. But that run in with that craver though... Believe it or not, that entire part was written at random, not even in my outline. So hopefully, I have more surprising moments like this from my characters whispering in my ear.
Again, thank you so much for reading!
- LeQuita