Chapter 15

There were only 36 of them left. Well, 35, as one was the dark council’s champion. The fact that they were freakishly strong compared to the rest that he had faced here wasn’t lost on him either. Alan watched as the last of the ash or dust blew away, the remnants of the last one of the five he had faced. Shaking his head, he had to admit once they went evil, it obviously sucked all the intelligence out of them. Really, just how stupid could you get? Thinking you could defeat a far superior force even with help?

Thinking a moment more, Alan was really at a loss as to who was killing these mages; it wasn’t the others. They might be bad, but they were fiercely loyal to each other and the council. There were only two white mages on the planet, and as far as he knew, Merlin was still low level. Or was he? There really was something odd about the man, and Alan needed to get answers before this went any further.

Appearing back at the sanctuary, Alan decided that NOW was the time to talk to Merlin. Walking in, Alan was a little surprised when he saw that Merlin was not only awake but waiting on him.

“I knew when I started this that you weren’t stupid. I just thought it might take you a little longer to figure it out so that I had more time,” Merlin told Alan with a heavy sigh.

“More time? More time for what?” Alan asked, an even more perplexed look on his face.

“More time to get my power higher. I have felt so useless for so long, my power at such a low level. As you know, there are several levels of power. Those that are low, just above apprentices, then the mid-range, a high range, then of course there is what I have deemed an ultra range. For many years, I have tried to raise my power to be of more use, but alas, failing each time. That is, ‘til I met you,” Merlin explained.

“‘Til you met me? What makes me so different from others?” Alan asked, a look of concentration on his face.

“There are ways to grow one’s power, but as of yet I have not discovered any. You, my dear boy, have a natural ability to increase your powers each time you use them. As I said, there are those four levels, each divided into three parts of their own. When I first saw you, you were as high in the high range as you could go. You have since moved past that into the ultra range, and I’d say that you are almost halfway through that now,” Merlin went on.

“Alright, so what does all this have to do with your power?” Alan asked.

“Yes, right. I have always had an ability to ape or copy another’s power if it was within my level. When you first released me, I felt your power growing ability. At first, I tried to copy it. I found it took all I had in order to do that after a few tries. The most amazing thing I have found was that when I started to use my power again, they started to grow! After I executed the first dark mage, I felt my power move into the mid-range for the first time in my life. So, I kept practicing. Very, very slowly, I built them up. After the second, the other day, I discovered that I was forming new abilities! I have never been able to thought move; now I can for several miles,” Merlin had lowered his head.

“That explains why you slept so long. It took a lot out of you; I know that for a fact, it always does. As the power increases, so does the demand on the body ‘til the body grows used to it,” Alan told the man.

“I apologize for copying your power. I so desperately wish to return home to my Queen Glimmer. I have missed her so over the centuries. I am willing to do almost anything to make that happen, but to you, a fellow white mage, I do apologize,” Merlin told Alan, his head still bent low.

“I have seen your Queen Glimmer; I can understand. Believe me, I would be the same way about Hopix, as I love her with all my heart,” Alan said as Merlin smiled, a funny gleam in his eye that wasn’t lost on Alan.

Hopix had been in the great common room and was just returning when she heard Alan’s confession about her to Merlin! Her mouth dropped open. He loved her with all his heart!? She thought he was only just beginning to love her! Her heart soaring, she stopped and just listened to the discussion as they went on.

“Merlin, I made a promise to your Queen Glimmer that I would find you and return with you. It is a promise I intend to keep, for now I hold all the cards. I intend to keep it that way,” Alan told a now shocked Merlin. “So tell me, Merlin, just how high are your abilities now?”

“As I said, I had already moved into the mid-range and have been slowly building. The last I looked, I was almost as high as I could go in the mid-range. The higher levels are taking much longer as I find that I haven’t given my body sufficient time to adjust. Yet, I was hoping that I could get high enough to actually be of aid to you,” Merlin explained sadly.

Alan had been nodding throughout Merlin’s explanation. “We need to keep your levels a secret, and that means by everyone, Hopix.” Alan said with a smile. Hopix’s head slowly eased around the doorway.

Her mouth hanging open, Hopix was slowly advancing into the room. “But how...?” she started.

“As you heard, my abilities have been increasing. Lately, I have tried to always know where you are. You mean far more to me than you at first thought.” Here, Alan smiled at Hopix, giving her a warm feeling deep in her chest that she loved.

Turning back to Merlin, Alan smiled. “I am sure just the fact that you can thought-move will be more than a little help. I am afraid that after these last five died, they won’t come after me in mass anymore. We are going to have to go after them each separately. It might take a while; they are the strongest and probably the smartest.”

Merlin was shocked that Alan wasn’t mad; had it been him, he might have lost it, feeling violated somewhat. Nodding his head, yes, this man Alan was a rare find. Looking over at Hopix, he was definitely glad that he and she had finally gotten together. Then again, Alan and she hadn’t had sex yet. Holy shit! Merlin smiled inside. Alan was in for a real eye-opener when that happened. Sex was one thing, but with a Fairixie, it brought a whole new meaning to the phrase soul mate!

The little smiles Alan saw Merlin try to hide when he looked at him and Hopix weren’t lost on him either. There was a definite connection between a human and Fairixie that he had yet to realize. Soon, he thought, after this, he and Hopix would be united. Alan felt that the type of union they were going to have was the type that many dreamed of but few ever found. Shaking his head, Alan decided help or not, he needed to finish this and soon. Hopix’s body was beginning to drive him crazy the closer she was.

“I want you to stay here and work on your abilities; if and only IF you reach a higher level do I want you to even consider stepping out of this sanctuary. I mean it, Merlin; I didn’t come all this way just for you to get killed when I have almost cleared the planet.” Alan told Merlin sternly.

Sighing, Merlin nodded. He might have higher power, but as far as his body was concerned, he was still a weak mage trying to get by. “Alright, I’ll try, but this sitting here is killing me. I came here all those years ago to try and free this world. Alan, they have a secret that you might find helpful later on. I was just starting to gain their confidence when I was betrayed!” Merlin growled, a look of hurt on his face.

Nodding, Alan and Hopix walked out and headed toward the surface. They needed to clear this planet soon. Alan could feel that the people were almost broken; even those he’d freed were still in a vein of mind that this too would pass and they would be slaves again. Sighing, all Alan could see was an almost repeat of the Tribocs. It had taken the intervention of one of Queen Glimmer’s people to open up their hearts enough for him to help them. He most definitely didn’t want that to happen here.

Looking over at Hopix, Alan nodded and they both made their way to the next or weakest of those left. Two sets of eyes watched as they left, one a soon-to-be great ally, another a great enemy only interested in the death of Alan and Hopix. They finally arrived at the place, Alan guessed you would call it. Though to him it seemed as if almost all of where the dark mages stayed were just dung heaps.

Firing off a few bolts, Alan awaited the eventual screaming he knew would come. There was a rushing of power toward them, then an almost ghostly apparition appeared in front of Alan. ‘Hmmmm, this was different!’

“You dare to come here and insult me and my home? You are indeed as brash as the others said you were. No matter, I have more than sufficient power to end your meddling here and now!” With that, the apparition tried to surround him and take all the air from the space between it and Alan. Most definitely different! Finally, an enemy that was original and not the same old thing!

“As much as I am enjoying your company, I think it’s time you left this world. I’ll offer you the same deal as I did the others.” Alan told the ghost-like mage.

“It matters not! Within moments, you will be dead, and then neither of us will have to worry about it!” The apparition told Alan.

Sighing and shaking his head, Alan waved his hand and blew a hole in the wall that was in front of him. Screaming, the ghost creature was trying to seal the hole when Alan told it, “Now, about the deal. Just give up and leave. There will be no retaliation. Stay and, well, I’ll have to kill you, though I really don’t want to.”