Chapter 29

“You are the only one that can release me. I have been in this horn for many, many years. The council cleared me to be released 500 years ago, and Myria and the other mage like you were going to do it, but she disappeared the day before. Please, mage Tom, sir, I have done my punishment,” Frilly begged, almost in a little girl whining voice.

Sighing, Tom now knew that things were getting complicated. “You’ll have to give me a few days. I have to research this so I do it right. I need to talk to the two members who remember how you were banned to the horn,” Tom replied.

Frilly nodded her acknowledgment. Tom was starting to wonder if this was going to be as easy as he thought it was going to be.

Almost a week later, Frilly stood before Tom. Everything he’d learned had him a little worried. In order to bring Myria back to her former self, it was going to require that someone almost die if not just outright die.

Frilly’s condition required a massive amount of energy, which he’d been storing all week. Sighing, Tom went over everything that he would have to do. Damn it, he wished there was some other way of doing this.

“Frilly, I have worked on this all week. From everything I found, this will almost kill you. I wanted you to know in case you wanted to back out,” Tom said.

“Tom, sir, I have waited a long, long time for you to come along. If there is any chance, any at all, I will take it. I was in love at the time. I want to be again. So, to ask me if I wish to remain like this, the answer is a resounding hell no!” she almost shouted.

“Alright, I just wanted you to know if this doesn’t work, I’ll feel guilty for a long time,” Tom said.

“No, Tom. If I die, then I’ll still be free. Know that one way or another, I won’t be in this prison anymore,” Frilly said, a smile on her face.

Tom started the long process. Frilly shook when the power hit her, a smile plastered to her face. Ten minutes later, Frilly started screaming. It felt as if she was being ripped apart. Tom tried his best to not let the magic waver. Frilly was in extreme pain; the splitting was becoming a more and more real feeling. Time seemed to almost stop when Frilly noticed her body was glowing. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. Looking at Tom, she saw he was concentrating as hard as she had ever seen him. Passing out, Tom was grateful as her body suddenly split and also started to grow. Almost 45 minutes after he’d started, two bodies were on the ground beside each other. Finally, he’d done it! Leaning over both of them, Tom saw that the second was okay but unconscious. Frilly had stopped breathing and lay still. Damn it! He wasn’t going to lose her!

Reaching out, he started her heart and then let go. Nothing. Again, he started her heart. It beat on its own for a minute, then stopped again. Tom growled and hit her chest, pumping her heart and breathing for her. He’d learned this when he was in the military, and he hoped it worked as well as he remembered. Feeling her heart finally beating on its own, he breathed a deep sigh. Many races had appeared, most with their mouths open—no one had ever seen this done before. The mage council came forward, Azel yelling in joy as he hugged his unconscious daughter Myria. Tom sat, worn out again. Damn, he swore, he felt a hundred right now.

Myria opened her eyes a few minutes later or rather squinted, wondering where the hell she was now. For a minute, she was still confused until she saw her father Azel.

“Papa!” she shouted. “How? When? Who?” Azel looked over her shoulder at Tom. Myria followed his gaze and her eyes flew wide. “You’re ... you’re real! I thought I was dreaming again!” Flying over to Tom, she hugged him and deeply kissed him.

Tom was happy as could be. She was finally here. Checking on Frilly, he saw her finally open her eyes. Her mouth wide open, she screamed, “You did it! Thank you so much!” Looking closer, her mouth dropped open again. “Myria? Is that really you?” Myria just nodded as the two women embraced.

Tom shook his head. Damn, just out and the whole world was happy now. Hmmm, Tom wondered, would they let him have two wives? Both women turned back and smiled at Tom. Hmmm, okay, they can hear me now. Both women laughed and nodded yes. Nice, thought Tom, this was going to be interesting. Elsewhere, in a cell, Malamon screamed, feeling the last of his energy fade. With no powers now, he had no way to recharge. With a scream, his body began to shrivel and turn to dust. The guards smiled. Finally, the bastard was dead.