Sorcerer in a fantasy world
Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Chapter 78

I rested content with the memory of true dragon life. In the back of my mind I processed what Treator had said. Knots of mental tension unwound and I felt a clear vision for the future for the first time in a while.

Goals: Build a home. Try and pursue a genuine love. Grow my current relationships. Defeat this Clavile. Prepare for the Roman Gods, dealing first with Mars. If possible, a new thought came to me: find a way to visit my homeworld. The issue wasn’t power or means though both would be difficult even for me, but in direction that is navigation. I only got here by Umbra’s sacrificial spell and Iris’ call. How to get to earth and back without getting lost was a goal beyond me for now.

While I didn’t see them at the time, the group was occupied with Mars’ forces as we duelled.

"Damian!" Iris shouted.

"Champion!" Morgana shouted.

"Sorcerer!" Làidir shouted.

Perhaps I should have checked on them, but I was rather overwhelmed with all that had happened to me.

I almost barked back at them to shut up. Childish, but I was done. A brutal fight and I had just made and lost a friend. It was not a good time to be shouting at me whatever their intentions may have been.

Laying on the grass, I said "I’m alright." I sighed. "Resting my eyes."

Eyes shut, I longed for my room so I could hide away and forget all my troubles. But it was far away and I was still alive. I had survived the God of War.

"You all okay?" I asked.

"Those beasts of Mars are tricky. Nothing we had seemed to really hurt them."

"Ha. The Bear stopped when I threw him away." Morgana boasted.

Iris shrugged, "The wolf also went far, love."

"Well, I had the bird and I didn’t see either of you catching the damn flighty beast." Làidir complained.

"I’m glad you are okay."

"What happened with Mars? You won?"

"No, come lie down. I need a rest. We can catch up."

I told them everything that had happened from the duel with Mars to talking with Treator.

"So, the Dragon is dead. We have completed the quest given by the Kings." Morgana replied.

"Didn’t happen as planned" Iris worried while wringing her hands.

"It is enough. If they complain we can simply take the land. We don’t need their permission. I am asking out of kindness. I would prefer friendship, but I won’t grovel to their whims for it." I said fiercely. Defensive after my brutal takedown by Mars.

Morgana frowned, her brows knitting together, "It is a matter of law."

"We are powerful enough, Morgana, where we can make laws. I want to work with the Gelts, and Druids. But, I won’t serve them."

"No one is above law."

"And no one should be shackled to the ambitions of a powerful elite. Let alone the Kings of Gelts pawns of an Unseelie. They who make, govern and fund the enforcement of those laws and give out dangerous quests to potential allies. I’m going to create a wonder. The first step to ensuring our security and freedom. I won’t jeopardise it based on a known risk."

Iris pleaded, "The Circle is there. We need to get along."

"They are puppets of Clavile whether they know it or not. I won’t play his games. I don’t trust him or any of his offers. I include Elkilbour in that as he controls the city. I will be like the character of that story you told... Clavile can come to me and I will beat him in my space. The sooner we can get our people out the better."

"The Circle is everything to me. My last connection to my heritage, to people like me. Samiya will grow up alone with no one like her if we abandon them."

"Iris, I have no one. I am a foreigner, an otherworlder. You are one of my few true connections to this world. I am forced to challenge not just one god, but an entire patheon for you. I will not risk you, Morgana or any of our people when I know the city is a trap devised by even more of your enemies. I must protect you, you asked it of me. Let me do my job."

"Then you have to find a way to protect the Circle too. It is as much of me as my body."

"We can’t just leave Elkilbour to the likes of Clavile. It is wrong." Morgana added.

"Despite your protests, I won’t challenge him in Elkilbour. The way to win is to have him challenge me in my land. Treator said so, your story said so and I agree."

Morgana reasoned, "It is all guessing for now. Why don’t we return to Elkilbour first? Let us see what happens. We have to anyway. Samiya, Bryette, Tulisa, everyone is there."

"Fine."

"Let us." Iris answered.

I was quiet during our return to Elkilbour floating on my newly repaired magical barge. Morgana and Iris were silent. My shoulders hunched over hung in terrible tension. A new fear and anger had been birthed in after my encounter with Mars.

I was the problem.

Làidir didn’t care. Rattling off a blow by blow account of her battle with Mars’ eagle companion. I had never seen her so chatty or happy. Violence really did it for her.

My one word responses or grunts didn’t seem to phase her. Instead, it gave her more opportunity to talk about battle.

I admit it was somewhat endearing listening to her confidently retelling her battle and overcoming the eagle, if not quite killing it. I half-smiled, at least she didn’t face a humiliating defeat like I had. I was saved by Treator.

"I wonder how you would fare against Mars?" I wondered aloud

Her smile vanished.

"We lost. My brother and I."

"I...sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken."

"Not your fault. Only battle I lost. Best fighter I ever faced. Worse, we couldn’t hurt him. Leave a killing blow."

I smiled ruefully, "Same. Stun him, but couldn’t even wound him. Dragonfire I doubt will even leave him lasting injuries. Just slowed him down.

"Then why did he run?" Iris asked. A rather obvious question.

"I don’t know. Maybe he had enough. We hurt him alot, he was in pain, but not near death or anything."

"But he believed you could. I am sure of it." Morgana added.

"I hope so. The sooner he is buried the better." Làidir stated darkly.

"A problem for later. Morgana was right. We need to go back to Elkilbour."

We zoomed across Alba to the city of the Gelts gliding across the surface of the earth with the speed of a helicopter. My irrational anger abated slightly from talking and the passage of time.

Almost as soon as we arrived back in the Druids circle. We were walking under an oak tree in the outskirts of the Circle of the Druids. Sun shone down on us out in the open a fair distance away from the Druids homes and halls.

Donna appeared. She rushed to greet me. Me specifically. Like a moth to the flame or a homing missile to its target.

She pulls me into a hug pressing her hot, and all too soft body into mine.

It was a bit much, delightfully so, but boundary breaking. Arousal and paranoia hammered like blacksmiths in my head. She left me as always confused and wanting.

However, a familiar face interrupted,

"Damian, can I have moment?" Rebecca asked.

I might have angrily brushed off another if they had done the same. Donna had that affect on me. But, I trusted Rebecca and she was the later wife of Galen. He sacrificed himself to protect me. I owed him and by extension her an unpayable debt.

"Of course." I said.

Donna’s hand, her capacity warmth, rested on my arm, "We were speaking. She can..."

I turned to Donna. "Another time."

Donna froze. Her eyes widening, slightly, with surprise. Her hand dropped to her side.

"But..." She began.

"I insist." Perhaps, I was being rude. But, so was she. I wasn’t going to get caught up in Donna’s way or nothing.

"Fine, Tomlin will keep me company. I’m sure we will have a pleasant and energetic time together. " She barked back and stormed off with silent fury.

It was a petty attempt to make me jealous. It worked; annoyingly. A bitter nausea settled in my stomach. I wanted to chase after her and pin her to the wall. Lash her to my side with sweetness and fury.

Stupid of me, and I didn’t.

"What is it, Rebecca?" I asked with perhaps too much frustration.

I hadn’t had sex in a day, which after getting into the habit of it, I felt withdrawal. Donna’s teasing worsened the situation. I had almost died. It all left me feeling pissy.

"I am sorry. Should I leave?" She said with a bowed head. Truly regretful.

"No, I am being rude." I take her chin and raise her head. "Anything that I can do for you, Rebecca. Just say it. Galen saved me, and you looked after our people. Go ahead, my time is yours."

"I am happy to hear that, Damian. You have given me hope, and I know Galen would be proud of his choice. I will do whatever I can to honour all of our dreams of creating a brighter future for our people."

"I am glad to hear it. So, what was it you wanted?"

"People are curious about what is going to happen to us. They are worried with you having been gone. Some despair that they are abandoned. Gainor your most devoted follower and Geoff the bard fiercely fight against such lies in your name, but hearing from you I think would be best."

"Are we agreed on what we want?" Iris asked.

I had almost forgotten about her, Morgana and Làidir. Each was a supernatural beauty in her own right, where beauty was one among many traits. Yet, I couldn’t detect any magic that a Druid like Donna could be using on me.

She just had that much of a powerful effect. I couldn’t explain it.

Morgana spoke, "Damian wants to build his wonder, and I want to see it. I think building a home for our people and ourselves. Settling down and securing our homeland. That is what matters right now."

"So, do I." She glanced at me, her eyes well up with no small amount of pleading, "Will you promise to think about helping the Circle?"

Làidir shrugged, "I don’t care. But the sooner you sort out your duties to these people the quicker we fight. You keep putting me off."

I sighed, "Yes, yes I do."

Iris frowned and pointedly glared at Làidir, "Isn’t the Circle you’re home. How can you just abandon it to go fight a guy you just met? What is wrong with you?"

Làidir, if she was offended didn’t show it, she stared back with a nonchalant expression, "I value the strong. The Sorcerer feels strong. All one needs in life is a strong family and strong enemies. The Romans and Unseelie are my enemies. I thought to live with my brother, but now I sense someone stronger. Don’t worry, my brother will keep the Circle safe. It is everything to him and he is nearly as strong as me."

Iris nodded. She was still frowning, but slightly appeased.

Further conversation was stilted when Tara walked up to us escorting Tulisa who held Samiya’s hand.

Iris’ anger dried up, she rushed over to catch a sprinting Samiya. They clutched one another in a fierce hug.

Bonds grow fast during desperate times. I was well aware of Samyia’s need, but perhaps I underestimated how much Iris threw herself into the role of mentor and surrogate mother.

Who am I to judge? I am facing a pantheon of gods because I long for intimacy.

Tulisa embraced me, "Are you okay?"

I felt a surge of irritation, "Why do you ask?" It was a stupid question. Most why questions are, I think I hear Morgana say, and this one put Tulisa on the defensive when all she had done was showed me concern.

A concern that made me feel vulnerable. I wasn’t prepared for that not when my defeat was so fresh.

Tulisa however put on a brave smile, "You look like you’re in pain." She poked my forehead. "You are all creased up."

I held her tighter, "Sorry, I’m better now."

"It’s okay. We’re safe now."

The problem though was we weren’t. Mars was coming with the most powerful army in Albion, and I wasn’t yet prepared on how to stop him.

I break our embrace.

Làidir snorted and stepped in between Tulisa and I. She went to speak then seemed to think better of it. Whatever she was going to say judging by her twisted expression directed at Tulisa was mean.

Làidir hugged me. It was a clumsy grasping, but I wasn’t so cruel as to breathe her earnest intentions. Don’t twist what is already bent out of shape.

"It’s alright. You did well thanks for holding back on Tulisa. It may be rude to say, but you’re not alone in feeling lonely. Hugging is nice, right?"

"Right. Almost as good as fighting."

"Not quite as fun as sex."

She didn’t answer that one straight away.

"How honest of you."

I pulled away as she was speaking.

"Everyone get enough of our lover yet?" Morgana asked with heavy overtones of sarcasm.

"No." Samiya said cheekily and dived in for a hug. I patted her back and returned her endearing hug.

Iris used the chance to sneak in a hug with Samiya.

Morgana sighed, "Betrayed so easily."

She continued, "We don’t have all day. I will gather everyone and then get ready. We also have the Kings meeting afterall. Rebecca make sure he is dressed. He is amazing in many ways, but I don’t think dressing up is one of them." Morgana mocked me.

She wasn’t wrong.

"I can handle my dress. I will make sure Tara and Làidir are dressed appropriately." Iris said. "If you can handle it."

Rebecca winked in my direction, "If Tulisa helps, I will try my best."

"Come along, Master." Tulisa said, taking my hand. Rebecca followed along as I was dragged into the darkness (along to one of our temporary houses) and fitted with clothes.