Summoner 18, p.14
Summoner 18, page 14
“I hadn’t noticed,” I lied through my teeth.
“Sure,” Carth snorted. “Anyways, I apologize for her behavior.”
“It’s fine.” I shrugged. In the grand scheme of things, Quilla’s absence hadn't been that big of a deal to me. “Here’s my real question, though. You let me go, what does that mean for this feud?”
“You’re asking if we’re still enemies?” Carth replied, and the horned Archon nodded her head as she thought on it. “Well, Beastmaker, try as I did, I don’t believe you have much interest in changing teams.”
“Nor do you,” I countered.
“Regardless, I want you to know my offer still stands,” the goddess said. “Should your human friends take your… news poorly, you are welcome to return to my side.”
“I don’t see that happening,” I snorted. “But thanks, I guess. If you get tired of being evil--”
“One day, you’ll realize that good and evil are subjective,” Carth interrupted me. “Appearances aren’t always what they seem, Beastmaker.”
“So I keep hearing,” I murmured, and the Archon looked out into the dimly-lit hallway.
“Let’s get going,” she decided. “The dawn swiftly approaches in your realm, and I’m sure I’m right in assuming you’d rather return home with the sun on your back.”
The goddess’ last sentence dripped with bitterness, and I tried to imagine a time when the Archons lived amongst the light, but it was nearly impossible to picture. Carth and her alliance were creatures of darkness, and if I had it my way, in darkness they’d continue to remain.
“Yes,” I agreed. “That would be ideal.”
I was so excited I wanted to shoot up out of the bed and race to the front door of the castle as fast as my legs could carry me, but I had to maintain decorum. So, I casually got up and walked over to the wardrobe, but I paused before opening the dark wood doors.
“I’m afraid I don’t have my battle clothes,” I noted with a smirk. “They sort of fell apart on my first day, remember?”
“While part of me finds pleasure in the idea of sending you home completely naked, you may take a set of clothes with you as my gift.” The Archon grinned at me. “Just a little something to remember me by.”
“Thank you,” I muttered, but I fully knew I intended to burn the garments when I returned to Mistral. The last thing I needed was Carth to sneakily send some of her unknown magic back into the human realm with me.
Once I was dressed and equipped with my bandolier and other weapons, Carth tugged on the chamber door and held it open for me.
“By your lead.” The horned goddess smirked.
After one last glance at the black marble chamber, I exited the room, and Carth swiftly followed until she drew abreast of me. As we went down the corridor in silence, I did my best to ignore the Shadal that floated about us. I couldn’t risk getting caught just as I was being released home, and I knew my face couldn’t maintain its innocence.
The back part of Carth’s skirt dragged on the floor as she walked, and the candlelight reflected off the silky material in just the right way. I didn’t want to linger on her body for too long, but I had to admit the dress felt unfair. She looked incredibly sexy.
I pinched my arm behind my back. No, I couldn’t fall for this again. Carth was gorgeous, and a great fuck, but she was just the sort of trouble I didn’t need.
So, instead, I gave the interior of the palace one last look. I would have to look into the history of this place or see if Headmaster Sleet knew anything about it when I returned. A structure that predated the split between the realms was intriguing, and I was certain Sleet and the research team would want to know all about the castle.
That is, if they didn’t already.
After one last sweep, the goddess led me outside of the palace. We crossed through the courtyard, and as I glanced around the dark landscape, I was sort of disappointed by Xanrith’s absence. Despite our argument, the flame-winged goddess had shown me kindness, and I wanted to thank her for healing the maripor bite. At the same time, though, if she didn’t want to see me off, I couldn’t pine over her. As Carth made it abundantly clear, the Archon alliance were still my enemies, and I couldn’t let one act of mercy blind me to that.
I eyed the flowers that lined the black stone path, and despite their possible deadliness, I decided to pluck one to take back with me to Mistral as a gift for Arwyn. The professor would be delighted to see the plant in person rather than hear retellings of them, so I carefully tucked it away in my side pouch.
Carth watched me with a bemused expression, but she didn’t say a word about it as we made our way down the path. It appeared she was leading me back to the spot we’d appeared to before, which meant I’d hopefully arrive just outside of the Enclave when I stepped through the rift.
Once we reached the point in the field we’d entered from a week prior, Carth stopped in her tracks and placed a hand on her hip.
“This is where we part, Beastmaker,” the goddess announced with a sad smile, and the Archon’s russet eyes were dull with disappointment. “I wish I could convince you to stay with me, but I know that’s an impossible desire. Should you--”
“I know,” I interjected, and I flashed her a smile. “If I change my mind, you’ll be here. I don’t see that happening, but thanks anyways, I guess.”
“I don’t suppose I can persuade you to give me one last kiss goodbye?” Carth wondered, and as I debated the idea, the goddess elegantly swayed over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her perfume tickled my nose, and I gave in to her desire.
The goddess and I shared a single, passionate kiss, and once we parted, the horned Archon waved her hand, and ripples appeared in the air. Moments later, the sky rippled, and the shimmering outline of the portal opened.
I stood in front of the rift and took a deep breath. One hand rested on my bandolier in case something was amiss, but Carth remained elegantly poised to the side.
“Goodbye, Beastmaker,” the green-skinned goddess sighed. “I hope to see you again one day.”
“Forgive me if I don’t feel the same.” I smirked. “But thank you, for the hospitality, I guess. I would say it was fun--”
“Say no more,” Carth purred, and with one last look at the goddess, I faced the rift.
It was time for me to go home, so I took a deep breath and then walked through the portal.
When I stepped through the rift, I was suddenly blinded by a wall of pure white. I blinked my eyes furiously in an attempt to focus, but the intensity of the light sent a spasm through me, and I fell to my knees as I broke through with a thud. The ground below me was soft, and I closed my eyes in an attempt to save my retinas and felt around me to get an idea of where I was. The floor beneath me was prickly and slightly wet, and when I opened my eyes a smidge, I detected a deep shade of green.
Grass.
Holy shit.
I was actually home.
I allowed myself to fall completely to the ground, and then I gleefully rolled around in the grass like I was a child rather than a full-grown man. The blades poked me in the cheek, but I didn’t even care. Life was all around me. I took a deep breath, and my nose was filled with the fresh smell of dew and wildflowers.
No more death, rot, or decay. No, this place smelled like life and sunshine.
I opened my eyes, and the pale purples, reds, and orange shades of the sky flooded my senses with happiness. I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed color until the dawn glowed before me, and my eyes widened as I took in every hue. Carth’s night-dark castle had been a cold, lifeless entity, but Mistral was soft, comforting, and warm, like a familiar blanket.
Brilliant orange sunbeams rested on my face, and I laid there as long as possible to soak in the warmth of the rays. After a moment of enjoyment, though, I knew it was time to find my bearings, so I slowly rose up from the grass and looked around me.
The field was a long stretch of rich green, but I frowned when I noticed the full-leafed trees were dotted with bursts of amber and yellow.
How much time had passed in my absence?
I searched my memory for how the field looked when I left, but all I could picture was destruction and enormous monsters. I continued to think about it, and then I remembered the season. Winter. Our honeymoon in Adorna had been snow-capped, and fresh snow dusted the ground when we’d discovered Carth’s herd shortly after that.
I could see winter had come and gone as I glanced around the former battlefield, and the realization sent me into a bit of a panic.
How much had I missed? A month or two? A year? I prayed it hadn’t been any longer than that.
I rose from the damp grass and dusted off my trousers. I could worry about the details later. For now, I needed to get home to my women.
So, I reached into my bandolier, retrieved an ice blue, wing-shaped essence crystal, and smashed it to the ground. My vingehund appeared, and the canine-like summons stretched out her blue wings and let out a happy bark. She trotted over to me, and I affectionately scratched the top of her head.
“Good to see you, girl,” I cooed. “Wanna get us home?”
The vingehund barked again and crouched down so I could mount her. I climbed onto the canine monster, and with a flap of her powerful wings, we took off into the morning sky. As we soared through the air, the breeze tickled my face, and the warm temperature filled me with joy. I was quite literally on top of the world, and as we neared the towering orange walls of the Varle Enclave, my excitement swelled.
The ground beneath us was bright and lush, and I was surprised the landscape was so unblemished by the ruin of the intense battle between Varle and the herd of megas. It was almost as if a fight hadn’t occurred in the first place, and I wondered how the people of the Enclave had fared as the time passed by. We’d lost many to Carth’s herd, and though the number could’ve been a lot higher, it was still a big loss for our army.
Suddenly, the sunset orange walls loomed closer, and the vingehund adjusted her stance so we flew horizontal to the fortress. The impressive structure reached up into the clouds, and all that was visible beyond them were the familiar white marble towers of the Academy.
The vingehund pumped its wings faster, and we accelerated rapidly as we rose higher and higher into the air until we finally breached the top of the walls.
I let out a victory cheer as I spied the airships that hovered above the Enclave.
We’d made it.
I ordered the vingehund to fly lower, and then I directed her in the direction of the Academy’s grounds. The mansion I shared with my lovers rested at the bottom of the hill that led to the school, and I was curious to see if anything at the Academy had changed in my absence.
We descended, and soon we reached the sprawling lawn of the Academy’s grounds. I spied groups of young mages outfitted in the colors that denoted their classes and clustered together throughout the yard, and a smile reached my lips. The familiar sight of students rushing to class brought me excitement, and I was looking forward to rejoining my classes and returning to normalcy.
Well, as much normalcy as my pretty strange life could allow.
Before long, the emerald grounds vanished beneath us, and as we neared the bottom of the hill, my stomach was into my throat. I attempted to practice what I would say when I walked through the front door, but no matter what I rehearsed, it all felt wrong.
Then the vingehund let out a joyful noise, and I was reminded I was supposed to be happy, not scared. My women were the best in the world, and they would welcome me back with open arms.
“Thanks, girl.” I smiled down at my monster, and I scratched her behind her pointed ears.
Suddenly, the tall white walls of the mansion appeared before us, and I ordered my monster to land. The vingehund let out a yip and then gracefully touched down on the lawn. I slid off her back and gave her one last pat of affection before recalling her and returning her essence crystal to my bandolier. Then I straightened out my jacket and ran a shaky hand through my hair in an attempt to smooth it.
I was certain I looked like a mess, but I reminded myself I’d been through an ordeal. I wanted to look my best, but surely my lovers would care more about my return rather than crazy hair or rumpled clothing.
I approached the circular driveway that arched across the lawn, and as I did, the front door swung open, and I heard a high-pitched shriek.
“Gryffie? Maker fucking shittttt! Gryffie, is that you??”
A dark blur suddenly rushed by me, and my stomach heaved as I reflexively braced myself for the tackle. The figure barreled into my body and wrapped its arms around me with a surprising amount of strength, and a citrus perfume invaded my senses.
A grin spread across my face.
“Hi, Layla,” I greeted my girlfriend, and tears welled up in my eyes as I held her close.
“It’s about fucking time you showed your face around here,” the petite summoner chastised me, and her voice was muffled by my coat. “You’re in big trouble, mister.”
“I’ll accept whatever punishment you deem necessary, Bethel,” I chuckled.
“Good, cause it’s gonna be intense,” Layla muttered, and she tightened her already firm grip around me.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I whispered into her silky hair.
“I’ve missed you, too,” my girlfriend sighed.
“Layla, you need to be careful,” a stern voice reprimanded in the distance. “In your condition--”
The familiar voice cut off, and I lifted my face from Layla’s hair just in time to see the orange-haired woman fly across the yard over to me.
“Gryff!” Erin cried out, and her amber eyes instantly erupted with tears as she saw me. “Thank the Maker, it’s really you!”
“Hi, Erin,” I greeted the mage with a happy smile. “It’s good to see you.”
The orange-haired mimic started to say something, but her chest was wracked with sobs that drowned out the words.
“Goddamnit, Erin, you’re gonna make me cry, too,” Layla sniffled.
“Hey, no crying on my watch,” I said to them softly, and then I swept the two into a group hug. The three of us held each other in silence, and then after a minute or two, we broke apart.
“I thought I’d never see you again,” Erin whimpered as she wiped a stray tear from her red-flushed cheek. “I know one of your Archons assured us you were okay, but it wasn’t easy to accept.”
“Sera is a little scary,” Layla agreed. “I wasn’t sure if I could trust her word at first.”
“I’m so sorry I left without saying goodbye,” I apologized. “Carth--”
“Sera told us you didn’t have long to decide,” Erin interrupted with a pretty smile. “Once the shock wore off, we understood why.
“You’ve always been such a strong man, Gryffie, so none of us were surprised you had to go off to the Shadowscape and play hero.” Layla grinned.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” I grinned back at the brunette mage, and as I looked my lover over, I finally realized something about her was different. Her shiny auburn hair was slightly longer than the last time I’d seen it, and the silky tresses nearly skimmed the tops of her collarbones, but her hair wasn’t the only change.
The tiny mage’s normally flat stomach jutted out in front of her, and her small hands rested on top of the bump.
“Wait, Bethel, are you…?” I trailed off in disbelief, and my eyes widened at the realization.
“Took you long enough to notice!” the summoner giggled. “But yes. I’m pregnant, Gryffie. We’re having that cute little baby we talked about. You’re going to be a daddy!”
“Maker, Layla, that’s amazing!” My heart almost exploded from a surge of adrenaline and happiness, and I smiled from ear-to-ear as I swept my lover back into my arms.
“While we’re on the subject, you should also know…” Erin laughed, and the mimic brushed aside the heavy sweater she wore.
The oversized garment had swamped her tiny frame and concealed her equally swollen stomach.
“You’re pregnant, too?” I gasped as my heart just about stopped in my chest.
“Yes indeed.” Erin smiled back at me, and her amber eyes twinkled as she eyed her stomach. “I’m due any day now.”
“Me, too!” Layla added, and as I looked back and forth between my pregnant lovers, I thought my eyes were going to fall out of my head. I didn’t think I could possibly smile any harder, but my lips continued to stretch as I stared at their cute baby bumps.
“Holy shit, this is insane,” I laughed with a hint of hysteria.
“You did fuck us quite a bit before you left,” Erin noted. “This pregnancy was quite the parting gift.”
My face felt sore from all of the smiling, but I couldn’t stop myself. Holy shit, I was about to be a father to two children.
But, suddenly, my elation bubble burst.
“How long have I been gone?” I asked quietly, and Layla and Erin shot each other sideward glances. My stomach was in knots as I waited for my lovers to answer me, but the women seemed nervous to reply.
Finally, Erin cleared her throat.
“Nine months-ish,” the mimic revealed gently, and my eyes grew round as the breath stilled in my lungs.
Nine months?
I’d been in the Shadowscape for nine months? No wonder Varle looked so different when I arrived. But if I’d been gone for nine months, and Layla was this visibly pregnant…
Oh, fuck.
Freya and Cyra.
“Where are the others?” I demanded.
“They’re inside,” Layla answered me softly, and she placed a hand on my arm. “It’s okay, Gryffie, everyone’s alright. We’ve all been taking care of each other while you were gone.”
“Let’s head inside,” Erin continued, and her features were serious as she regarded my nervous expression. “I’m sure the others are going to want to see you.”
“Likewise,” I croaked. Then Layla and Erin stood on either side of me, and we linked elbows and started toward the front door.
