Summoner 17, p.23
Summoner 17, page 23
I considered his words for a moment and studied my wife. The man was correct. If Nia didn’t receive medical attention straight away, she wouldn’t make it. I briefly entertained the idea of flying directly to Varle on the pyrewyrm, or even Sera’s snapdarner, but the effort would require too much mana after I’d exhausted so much during the battle, and the train would likely be a lot faster than my monsters anyways. As Nia’s husband, it was my duty to protect her, so I needed to do anything I could, even if the risk was large.
“You’re right,” I agreed as I glanced at Nia. “How far is Noelstev from here?”
“Depends on the method of transportation, but maybe an hour or two,” the man replied. “Unfortunately, we don’t have any carriages right now, so you may need to use one of your creatures.”
There was no other choice.
I had to do something to save the woman I loved.
“Okay,” I agreed. “Noelstev it is.”
It was time to leave the cabin and set out for the town. I considered grabbing our belongings from the upstairs bedroom, but time was of the essence, and I needed to get Nia on a train to Varle as quickly as possible. We would have to send for our suitcases once Nia was healed up. Besides, there wasn’t anything in there that was important enough to warrant any extra maneuvering.
So, I gently lifted my wife up from the sofa and carried her in my arms. Her silver hair flowed around her, and I had to raise her up higher to keep it from dragging on the ground.
I was about to walk out the door when the older gentleman stepped closer to me.
“Gryff?” he began. “Thank you, for everything. I hope your wife--”
“Thank you.” I nodded, but I couldn’t bear to hear the rest of his sentence. “Once I get to Varle, I’ll send word to Grand Mage Kenefick straight away, and hopefully he can get some troops out to Adorna and help you all rebuild.”
“Thank you for your kindness.” The older gentleman nodded back.
Then the older woman from before joined the man’s side.
“Best of luck, Gryff of Njordenfalls,” she said softly, and her dark green eyes were warm and sincere as she reached out and touched my shoulder. “I will pray to the Maker for your safe travel and your wife’s recovery. I know things seem impossible and the odds feel against you, but have faith. You and your wife have overcome many battles, and this is just one more. But you will conquer. I am sure of it.”
“Thank you for your kind words today,” I thanked the woman, and then I addressed both her and the man. “I am happy to have met you both.”
“Call on me any time you are near Adorna,” the old woman said. “My name is Marjah Mires.”
“And I am her brother, Devlin Mires.” The man smiled. “I hope we will meet again one day.”
“I hope so, too,” I said, and after one last wave goodbye to the villagers, I carefully carried Nia out the door.
Dio had waited in the yard, and the tawny beast paced back and forth nervously. When he spotted me, his ears stuck straight up into the air.
How do we fix her? he asked determinedly, and his nub of a tail flicked back and forth.
“She needs a potion, and apparently, Adorna was the only place around here with an apothecary,” I sighed. “The villagers told me I have to get to Noelstev and hop on a train.
Climb aboard, Dio said, and the saber-toothed cat squatted low to the snow-covered ground. I’ll have us there in no time, and then Nia will be better, and she can give me lovins. And I’ll give her lovins. She looks like she could use them.
“It’s too far, and you’ve done a lot of running around today,” I pointed out. “I’ll need to find some kind of alternative so you don’t collapse on me, too.”
I can handle it, Dio growled.
Sadness swept over me. I knew Dio only wanted to help, and he loved Nia almost as much as I did.
“I know you can, but this isn’t about us, buddy,” I said to him softly. “We have to get Nia to that train so we can get her to Varle as soon as possible.”
Okay, Dio reluctantly agreed, and then the big cat shrank down to kitten size. Pouch?
I steadied Nia in my arms and then opened my hip pouch just enough for Dio to jump up and climb inside. I felt the cat settle in, and then I turned my attention back to my wife.
Her complexion had grown even paler, if that was even possible, and though she still had a pulse, she was looking less like a person and more like a corpse by the moment. I cupped Nia’s cheek and resisted the urge to break down into sobs. She needed me to be strong for her, so that’s what I had to do.
I reached around to my bandolier and summoned my pyrewyrm. Since it’d only been used to transport us from the cabin to Adorna, the pyrewyrm hadn’t used up too much energy, and I felt comfortable with flying it to Noelstev.
The serpentine pyrewyrm appeared in a burst of smoke and lowered itself so I could mount it. Once I had Nia settled against me, the pyrewyrm flapped its shadowy dark wings, and we rose up into the air. While I didn’t want to fly too low with all of the pines surrounding us, I also didn’t want to risk going too high while holding on to my unconscious wife, so I ordered the pyrewyrm to fly at a height somewhere between the extremes. Its pace was quick, but not too fast that I couldn’t hold on.
The brisk air was harsh against my skin, and I immediately wished I’d thought to bring a warm blanket for Nia and I to warm ourselves with. I shivered. Maker, all I wanted was a piping hot bath, and my loving wife there to share it with me. Once she was completely healed, I would whisk her away for a proper honeymoon, one that didn’t involve monsters or battles.
I curled Nia up closer to me, and as I stroked my wife’s silver-blonde hair, I remembered the first time Nia and I had ended up in the infirmary together. It was during my first year at the Academy. We’d been mid-duel when a rift had opened up, and like the cocky bastard I was, I’d leapt into the portal of the Shadowscape to take down whatever monsters popped up. Scared for my safety, yet incredibly pissed, Nia jumped in after me as backup, and together we’d combined our magic and our abilities and fought off the monsters in our way.
Of course, we’d depleted our mana in the process, but still. It was the first time we worked together as a team, and now here we were, husband and wife. I snuggled her closer to me and kissed her icy forehead, and I wished she could wake up so I could tell her just how much I loved her.
She’s waning, you know.
Sera’s voice rang through my mind, and my brow furrowed at the sound of it.
“How did you--”
Your human wife… you’re worried, so much that you haven’t been concentrating on much else, I’m afraid, Sera murmured. The wards loosened up a bit, and here I am.
“Great,” I sigh. “Just what I need right now.”
I miss having fun together, Sera pouted. We haven’t played together in ages.
“Sera, this seriously isn’t a good time,” I growled.
I’ll say, Sera quipped.
“I’m serious, Sera,” I snapped. “I don’t have anything to say to you right now, and I have more important things to worry about.”
What have I done to make you hate me? the dark winged Archon sighed. I know I have been a little aggressive when it comes to our agreement--”
“A little?” I snorted.
I desire your powerful seed, Sera murmured. I don’t see the problem in going after what you want.
I sighed. This again. The only hope I had to sway the conversation was to change the subject entirely, which proved to be easy as her prior words sank in.
“What did you mean by ‘she’s waning?’” I wondered as I pulled Nia even tighter. The pyrewyrm had picked up speed, and the flight was less than smooth.
I meant it as I said it, Sera replied simply. Your human wife served as a vessel for all of that raw, untapped energy. Even for a goddess, that would have been an impressive feat. Unfortunately, human bodies were not meant to control that type of magic. It’s wild, intense. She was pushed too far.
“Her mana was depleted,” I said.
She’s going to die. You know that, right?
“I’m getting her to the train station in Noelstev, and from there, we’re heading back to Varle so Arwyn or Meridan can heal her up,” I replied, and my tone grew irritated. “She’s going to be fine.”
Master, that will take far too long, Sera murmured. She doesn’t have that much time.
“Don’t say that,” I spat.
I know it’s hard to believe, but I’m not taking pleasure in telling you this, the Archon murmured in an almost soothing voice.
“That’s definitely way too hard to believe.”
I don’t enjoy the human woman, I can’t lie about that, Sera admitted. But my remarks about her health don’t stem from jealousy. I’m hurting for you, master, and I sincerely mean it when I say that at the rate she is going, she will not make it through the train ride.
“Then what do you suggest I do?” I scoffed. “Ride this monster all the way to Varle?”
Of course not, this thing couldn’t make it all of the way there. You’re too far away, and though this monster didn’t fight today, it still doesn’t have all of its energy.
I laughed. “So, what is it, then? What do you propose I do? C’mon, Sera, I’m all ears.”
I’m not talking about human transportation. Sera murmured. I had… other avenues in mind.
“Excuse me?” I asked, and I was completely lost.
It would require quite a bit of mana, the dark Archon warned.
“What are you talking about?” I wondered with a raised eyebrow.
Opening a portal directly to Varle, Sera suggested, and my jaw descended toward the floor.
“A portal… directly to Varle?” I said slowly. “How will that--”
I told you, it requires quite a bit of mana. But it is the only way she will get the urgent care she needs.
“I’m not so much concerned about the amount of mana, as much as I am the timing of this proposal,” I growled. “Has this always been an option? I thought I could only open portals through the Shadowscape.”
It is possible to open them in this realm as well.
“Why didn’t you suggest this in the Southern Continent?” I demanded. “Was it possible then as well?”
I felt anger rise in my chest as I thought about all of the struggles that could have been avoided if I’d been able to open up a direct portal. For one, I wouldn’t have been stranded in the South for as long as I’d been, and we could have reached Varleth so much faster, hell, we could have returned home to Mistral much sooner than we did. In fact, there were so many instances over the past year that could have been remedied if I could simply open up a portal and teleport to a location.
The more I thought about it, the more furious I became, and soon my hands shook with rage. I managed to steady myself, but it took all of my willpower to not explode at the Archon.
As I keep mentioning, opening a direct portal requires quite a bit of mana already, Sera began slowly. The further the distance, the more mana it requires. Travelling across the world in one go would have destroyed you completely, especially with it being your first try. If I’d told you about them while we were in the Southern Continent, you would have insisted on attempting, and you wouldn’t be sitting here with your wife right now.
“I suppose that’s true,” I sighed after I considered this for a moment. “Since Varle is closer to us now than it was in the South, would it be easier to get there?”
Don’t get me wrong, Master, I am being fully transparent when it comes to these details, Sera stated. It will require much of your mana. But you should be able to handle the power. The distance is not so great.
“So, it’s possible?” I wondered, and I looked down at Nia. The sooner she received medical attention, the sooner she could recover.
Yes, it is possible, Sera said. I wouldn’t have suggested it otherwise.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at the dark-winged Archon. “How does it work? What do I do?”
The key is concentration. You must remain completely focused or else you will end up somewhere you did not intend.
“Concentrate,” I muttered. “Got it. Now, where do I concentrate on exactly? My destination?”
You’ll want to choose a location in Varle you know well. Somewhere you can easily visualize every detail possible. The more familiar you are with the location, the more likely you are to open a portal to that exact spot.
“That seems easy enough,” I remarked.
I will assist you with the rest, Sera continued. But you must concentrate, no matter what. If your mind wanders even slightly during the process, you will not end up where you wish to be, and that could have devastating consequences for both you and your human wife.
I took a deep breath. I’d taken risks before, but this one was definitely the biggest gamble. I wanted to trust Sera, and I really had no other choice. She was absolutely right. If we continued on the pyrewyrm, Nia might not make it. The serpentine monster was fast, but mana depletion wasn’t something that could wait. Even if we made it to Noelstev, we would still have to get back to the Academy, and Nia didn’t have that kind of time.
Close your eyes and concentrate.
After another long inhale, I kissed the top of Nia’s head, and then I closed my eyes. The motion of flying made the endeavor a little scary, but I let go of my fear and did my best to focus on my destination.
Somewhere comfortable, somewhere I could visualize.
My immediate thought was our mansion, and more specifically, my bedroom back in Varle. I surely knew it well enough to feel confident in my memory, and so I concentrated on every detail of the room.
I imagined the light gray walls and the large window that sat in the middle of the wall opposite my bed. I pictured the dark wardrobe, the plush gray comforter that swelled over the bed frame, and my desk that held all of my school supplies and various other belongings.
I felt a ripple run through me. Something was happening, I could feel it. A pressure started to build in my head, and I could feel my mana being dragged out of me.
It was working. I needed to stay focused.
I pictured Layla snuggled up against me, with Nia and Erin flanking me on either side of the bed, and Cyra and Freya sleeping soundly beside them. I pictured dressing in the morning with Nia on the edge of the bed urging me to get a move on. My bedroom was completely safe. It was a place for me to unwind, relax. A place to dream, to play and catnap with Dio… and most importantly, it was a place where I could curl up with my wives and lovers after a long day. Somewhere we could enjoy each others’ company, show each other our love, and strengthen our connections to each other.
Before we’d moved into the mansion, I’d never had a permanent room before. Maelor and I travelled around so often in my childhood and stayed in so many inns that I’d never had a place to think of as my own. It really hadn’t been until my first year at the Academy that I’d had a place to call my own, and even then I’d shared the dorm room with Braden, which wasn’t a terrible thing by any means. The ox-like summoner and I shared plenty of great times in that room. I caught myself thinking about my secret trysts with Layla, my talks with Braden, and the late nights I spent studying. That room had been the location for so many firsts and so many loving nights.
Suddenly, my head erupted with a splitting pain I’d never experienced before, and the rest of my body began to weaken. My heart rate accelerated, but I could feel the rest of me begin to crash. I clung to Nia and opened my eyes for a split second. There was a shimmering outline in the sky directly in front of us, and it grew larger and brighter as the pyrewyrm flew closer, but before I could get a better look at it, everything went black.
Chapter Eleven
I awoke with a start, sat straight up with a gasp, and struggled to catch my breath. Then I whipped my head around to get my bearings, but my surroundings were completely blurry, and the effort made me feel dizzy.
Was I dead? Did we fall from the pyrewyrm’s back? Did we even make it back to Varle in the first place? And where was Nia? I had so many questions that needed to be answered, but for right now, I needed to figure out where I was.
So, I felt around me, and the texture of what I laid on was quite soft and vaguely familiar.
“Gryff?” I heard a woman’s voice call out, and suddenly, the bright room started to come into focus, and I spotted a friendly face I hadn’t seen in a long time.
“Finally, you’re awake,” Meridan noted with a relieved expression. “Thank the Maker. I was really beginning to worry about you.”
“Meridan?” I asked groggily, and as I glanced down to see white sheets draped across me, I realized I was in the Academy’s infirmary.
Holy shit. We’d actually made it to Varle after all.
“The one and only,” the red-haired healer laughed lightly. “Welcome back to the land of the living. I was wondering if you were ever going to rejoin us.
“Wait, how long have I been out?” I wondered. I blinked rapidly as my eyes fully adjusted, and I twisted my back and stretched. I was pretty sore, and a dull ache radiated throughout my limbs.
Sera certainly hadn’t been kidding about the mana exertion and the toll it would take on my body.
“About four days,” Meriden replied matter-of-factly as she walked over to a shelf and searched around the various bottles and potions.
“Four?” I repeated. That would definitely explain my disorientation. I ran my hand through my hair and glanced around the infirmary, but it seemed to be empty. “Wait, where’s Nia? And how did we get here?”
“Look to your left,” Meridan said as she glanced over her shoulder at me.
I did as Meridan instructed, and sure enough, Nia Kenefick was in the bed right beside me, with her arms at her side as she slept.
“Thank the Maker,” I sighed gratefully, and I fought back tears as I watched her chest rise and fall with her breathing.
