It only took a short time before Tripha pulled his magic back and they were left, yet again, reeling slightly at the loss of another’s magic from their centers. This time, though, AJ was more prepared and more grounded. He found his feet easily and managed to actually stay on them. Compared to the magic of the Goddess, the magic from Tripha seemed paltry.
“Do you wish privacy for this moment, a’anish, baka?” Tripha rumbled at them.
AJ didn’t even have to ask Brian. He felt his lover’s feelings, which perfectly matched his own. “No, Tripha. Better let all who are present hear this and understand. Rumors will still spread, but this way, all that are here will know the truth.”
“So be it.”
The dragon settled himself more comfortably on the ground, curling his tail around his body until he was comfortable. Once he did, one of his great eyes winked at AJ. “All of us know that the magic you possess, the magic of the trulion and the baka were created by the Goddess when she created the world of Nellador.” He began, looking around as he spoke. “In her infinite wisdom, the Goddess knew that there would always be some who would wish to dominate others. Some that would try to rule the weak.
“So she created these magic’s, these roles, to pass to those that were worthy. The trulion was made and so, in times of great need, is one born. But the baka was made to be a sign to those that know such things that the trulion found is one born true. There has only been two other baka in our history. But there is more to this all. For not only did the Goddess create these roles to be the truth seekers, the protectors of all, of all races and of none, she also made them for two specific people. This is known only to her chosen.”
The entire courtyard was quiet as Tripha spoke. He had everyone’s attention, completely and totally. Nervous, Brian squeezed AJ’s hand. AJ tightened his own grip. It was soothing to be touching skin to skin.
“All the trulion who have come before, as well as the two other baka, have possessed magical talents beyond what others could do. But none have accessed the full amount of their abilities. None have tapped the full potential inside of them. They could not even be opened to it without it destroying them. You two…” Tripha turned his head to look at Brian and AJ again, his gaze seeming ageless. “…are the two these powers were built for. The Goddess had done for you what she was unable to do for any other. She has opened your magical abilities to their fullest and bestowed you with your rightful powers, powers that no other have possessed and with strength rival to none in the light.”
New powers? Immense strength? AJ couldn’t help closing his eyes and looking inside himself, testing those magical currents that ran inside of him, and looking deep into his center. Was there a difference? Was his strength so much more than it was? He had grown used to being strong. To doing things without thought to the strength it took. He knew that logically, the only way to test this new strength would be to attempt magic, stronger and stronger until he found his limit. A mage couldn’t sense his own strength, though others could if they were watching one draw, much as he and Howi had done for Brian when he’d first come over.
But…new powers? What were these new abilities? Brian seemed to be having the same thoughts, for he spoke AJ’s thoughts out loud. “What are these new abilities, Tripha?” he asked.
“You, Brian o Littrell, baka, will find your magical abilities to be stronger. Your speed will have increased, as will your strength. You will find you can manage more weaves for longer. Also, your healing magic has grown. There is not much that you won’t be able to heal now. You now have the ability to shelter magic as the dragons do so that it cannot be sensed by another mage. You also, it appears, have gained an affinity with animals. Both of you have, actually.”
That drew AJ’s attention. “Affinity with animals? You don’t mean…” Remembered stories of things that even the elves weren’t sure were true flared up in his mind. He knew that Elves, to an extent, could express their feelings to animals. He also knew that blood mages bartered the souls of animals to transform their own bodies into that animal…
Tripha looked over to AJ, understanding. “You will find you can enter their minds, speak to them in a sense and hear what their response is if you so wish. Not that all animals are capable of intelligent conversation. But yes, young Alyck, you have guessed on the second part. Though our baka only may enter their minds and speak, you yourself have gained the ability of the shape shifting. Changing the matter in your body in a way others have tried. It is simply earth, used to turn your current cells and change them into something different, such as you have done with the earth around you before.”
Shape shift? Well, son of a bitch! If that wasn’t fucking cool. AJ couldn’t stop the grin that split his face. He heard Brian’s purely mental chuckle. ‘Naturally, you get something cool like that. Geeze.’ Brian teased him.
But Tripha wasn’t done. “Brian, you will find that your earth and water magic are stronger. You have the ability now to sing to the earth, to make it grow in the shape you wish it to grow, as elves have done in history past. But your natural elements, your fire and air, grant you with abilities that no other currently have.
“You now may center and ground yourself and detach your spirit, becoming as fluid as the air and fire that you control, traveling on that air to look at the world in pure spirit form. Be careful. By doing this you open your body up for possession or attack, and your spirit to be grabbed by those that sense it. Make sure your shields are strong if you ever try.”
Brian looked surprised, his eyes wide as he digested this.
“The both of you possess the ability to speak to one another’s mind through your bond. But you will find now that you may sense the thoughts of others and that you may enter their mind to speak with them mind to mind.”
Turning his large head to AJ, pinning him with his gaze, Tripha stayed silent for a moment before deciding to speak. “You, trulion, bear the greatest responsibility with your gifts. Though your strength has grown, it is your new abilities that will bear on you the most. Your shape shifting, which may not be as great as you think. Your spirit magic will be stronger now, as well. Do you understand what that means?”
“No.” AJ whispered, though he was afraid that he did.
The look in Tripha’s eyes said he knew this, but he still explained it anyways. “You’ve reached onto the other plane, the place of the spirits, when you banished the ryursa spirits from your friends and from your own body. You sensed them, though you could not see them. You will find that you can see them now. Not just little spirits, but large ones as well, and the spirits of the recently departed or those strong enough to stay on the earth. You will also do the work of a Priest of the Goddess in that you can grant passage for the souls to the arms of the Goddess so that they may find their eternal rest. You can settle disputes between the living and the dead and grant them peace.”
Jesus shit, that sounded insane. More responsibility, on top of what he already had. The trust the Goddess must place in him to grant him something like this. He felt humbled. “If this is her will, then so be it.” AJ spoke softly.
Kindly, Tripha gave them a smile. “Go, my friends. Go to the woods where all is still sheltered. Go experiment with what you have.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two did the only thing that they could do. They went to the forest to experiment with their new abilities and to test their strength. Tadhg came with them at their request, as did Flreu. Tadhg, because he was the master magician there. Flreu, because he was their Grandfather and their king.
Brian went through his paces first. He sat on the ground in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by trees, and meditated until he was perfectly calm. Then he drew in his power, letting it fill him until he could hold no more. AJ watched as that power grew and grew until it matched what AJ had possessed before they’d met the Goddess. Brian was strong. Very strong. “Let it go slowly, love.” AJ whispered.
Very slowly the magic drained away. When he was calm and steady again, Brian opened his eyes and smiled at them. “What should I try first?” he asked. It was almost a little like Christmas morning, playing with new toys. Even though with stronger powers they’d also gained more responsibility, they had to understand what they had. Why not have fun while testing it all out?
AJ sat down on a rock, folding his legs up until he could rest his arms and his chin on his knees. “Well, let’s sum this up, heart song.” He said teasingly. “According to Tripha, the Goddess basically opened your magic wide. So, you’re stronger in your weaves now, as strong as I was before all this. You’re now strong in healing too, I guess. You now have the ability to make shields like the dragons so that no one can sense our magic if we don’t want them to. You can speak with animals, sing to the earth and make it grow, and detach your spirit from your body. You can also thought sense and project your thoughts. That sum it all up?”
“Quite nicely.” Tadhg said with a laugh. His eyes twinkled as he turned to Brian. “Let’s do the mundane first. Sense my thoughts. You have my permission, the both of you.”
AJ concentrated, the same as he could feel Brian doing. Just to make sure this stayed fair and that one wasn’t ready from the other, they blocked their bond for a moment. After a moment, AJ smiled. He and Brian spoke together. “You were thinking of Leusha dancing amongst the trees.”
“Very good. Now, send a thought to me. Brian first, then Alyck.”
Watching, AJ saw Tadhg nod after a second and Brian smiled. He sensed that it was his turn now. Delicately with this new part of his brain that he hadn’t felt before, AJ extended a small essence of thought toward Tadhg. ‘Greetings, honored Uncle.’
‘Greetings, young Alyck. Congratulations. The Goddess has blessed you both in this.’
Now that this was settled, they moved on to testing the rest of Brian’s abilities. Flreu knelt beside Brian, whispering in his ear the ancient ways that the earth had been sung to. AJ knew that this was different than making things grow with the element of earth. This was growing a plant the way you want it to grow, different than its natural form. Like growing a tree into a throne.
They started simple, having Brian sing a soft song, growing the flowers around him in a wreath. When he did it, joy lit his face, making him clap his hands.
The next thing they tested would work for both Brian and AJ. Brian centered himself and grounded tightly to the earth. Then he sought inside of himself, deep down into his center. AJ could feel his lover exploring what he found there, testing this and that as he went. Then, seeming to run off an instinct that felt ancient, Brian’s spirit detached from his body.
A gasp slid past AJ’s lips. He actually saw Brian’s spirit rise from his body, watched as it hovered above them. One of his hands rose up, reaching out to Brian’s fingers. The insubstantial form of Brian’s hand touched his, going through AJ’s hand. Very carefully, Brian sank back in himself. When his eyes opened again, he looked tired. “Now, that drains the hell out of you.” He mumbled.
It took assistance from Tadhg for Brian to scoot back and rest against a tree. “I could feel the energy it took for me to be like that. More than I had thought it would. I’m fine, just a little beat. Wow. Insane experience, though. Between that and the singing, I think I’ll just sit here for a while.”
Flreu took a seat beside Brian, linking hands with him, gesturing for Tadhg to go with AJ.
Still perched on his rock, AJ grinned at his Uncle. “I take it you want the summary of my magic too, Uncle?” He called out.
Tadhg smiled, standing before AJ, hands clasped behind his back. “I do, Nephew.”
“The same speech with the animals that Bri has, as well as the thought sensing and projection. We’ve tested those two. I also have spirit magic. To see and to speak with spirits. To help them pass to the Goddess when they are having trouble crossing over. Also, to settle disputes between the living and the dead and to grant peace between them. I saw Brian as spirit, sensed him, and could have spoken to him if I so wished, so we know that works.” He grinned again. “Oh, and let’s not forget the shape shifting.”
With one fluid movement, AJ launched off the rock to land lightly on his feet directly before Tadhg. “You want to witness me testing this one? Then watch, oh honored Uncle.”
As he’d been waiting and watching, AJ had been thinking this one through. Thinking how he might be able to change the matter in him to that of another animal. The only way he could think of to do this was either to study an animal and make sure that he matched its genetic makeup, or to run on instinct, picturing with clarity the animal he wanted to become as he let the magic rage inside him.
There were few animals nearby, so AJ had to go for the latter. It seemed the most likely one to do anyways. If this was ancient magic, made for him to do this, than it should know what it was doing with just a slight amount of guidance from him.
Stepping back, AJ breathed deeply, calming himself and seeking that glowing center of magic. Then he wove earth, same as he did when changing things in nature, but this time he focused on what he wanted to become and placed the weave over himself. It seemed to shimmer through his body, lighting up his cells, his bones, his very matter. Muscles changed, tightening in some place, shrinking in others, growing in still more places. Bones changed shape, growing or shrinking as needed. Organs adjusted themselves. The pain of it all caught him off guard, though he realized he should have expected it.
With the torture that he’d lived through in his life, AJ was able to not gasp or cry out as his body changed and the pain ran from head to toe. His skin changed, his face, everything. In a moment that seemed like eternity but was only seconds in reality, AJ changed from himself to the form of the animal he’d been thinking of. A horse.
He’d always admired the strength of a horse. The beauty of it. As a child, he had been raised to respect horses. They were your friend, a companion on travels, a trusted partner in battle. You learned to appreciate their intelligence, strength, and loyalty.
Ever since Tripha had said what he could do he’d been picturing it, trying to think of what it might be like to be another creature.
Nothing could have prepared him for this.
The pain was gone once the transformation was done. The adjustment to a horses type of vision was disorienting for just a moment, but then it settled down and he had no problems whatsoever. He shifted, testing his new legs. There was power in those muscles.
Though Brian’s mind he could see himself. Brown, the color of his natural hair, with a mane that fluttered with the breeze. ‘Beautiful’ Was Brian’s thought.
Nickering, AJ pawed the ground, unable to speak his thoughts aloud. He took a few testing steps, experimenting with the feel of this body. It was nothing to maintain this shape. The weave he’d placed over himself was self maintaining. It took none of his thought. All he had done was applied it, leaving it tied to his center, and then turned his thoughts away from it. To remove it, he would only have to remove that weave, which was easy enough.
Right now, he wanted to have fun. If he didn’t think about it then it was easy for him to move. To test the area around him by smell. He could smell what the others around him were feeling. No fear in the air.
He felt amused when he reached Brian. He could see his heart song’s face as well as feel his emotions. AJ dropped his head down, nuzzling his nose against Brian, enjoying the sensations it brought. ‘Hello, song of my heart.’
‘You are beautiful, Alex.’ Brian sent back. One of his hands came up, stroking down the length of AJ’s head, between his eyes and down to his nose. ‘You didn’t think about your clothes, though. They’re shredded behind you now.’
‘Who needs them?’ Tossing his head, AJ let out a soft whinny, making Brian smile at him. He stepped back, turning his side toward Brian. ‘Ride?’
He felt Brian’s surprise first. Then the amusement. He felt and saw Brian step up to him. Felt the hand grip firmly in his mane, making him want to chuck. It came out sounding like a soft whickering sound. Then Brian swung up, settling himself on AJ’s back easily, his other hand fisting into AJ’s hair. “We’ll be back.” Brian said to Tadhg and Flreu before bending down to whisper by AJ’s ear “Show me how you can fly, love. Let’s go.”
With a loud cry, AJ raised his front half up, pawing at the air for a moment before taking off through the trees. He heard Brian’s wild laughter behind him as they leapt a rock. AJ let himself go, stretching out his muscles, the wind tearing over him. Never before had he felt so powerful, so free!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flreu watched them as they took off through the trees, the sounds of Brian’s laughter echoing back. He couldn’t help but smile. “There is no one else like those two.” He whispered.
“No, there is not.” Tadhg echoed as he stepped up beside his King.
“The blessing of the Goddess is on them. She had even the playing field. In all her wisdom, she had granted us this change, this ability to fight for what is ours.”
“I pray you are right.” Though the two were no longer visible, Tadhg stared off toward the direction they had left in. “I pray that this will be enough. That they will be enough. I pray they will still be alive when this is done. That all of us will be.”
Flreu put his arm around Tadhg’s shoulder and held him close to his side. “If there are any out there that can do this, it is them.” He said gently. “Blessed are those that ride at the hand of the Lady.”
Together, the two stood and stared, thinking of things gone past, thing that were, and the things that may yet come to be.