Chapter 83

The refugees from Azurana were confused, fearful and completely out of their depth. Looking back, I’m amazed at how we actually coped with an influx of nearly seven million people. Fortunately we had a lot of help from our allies, particularly the Æsir who distributed the Azurans between their five worlds and were able to use their harvests to feed and sustain them. Jeeval’s people as the acknowledged leaders (by us and Jerhz’s people, not necessarily the refugees) aided and assisted in this by making sure that needs were seen to and transfers to New Azurana were expedited as soon as possible. Jeeval herself had survived having been practically the last Azuran off Azurana as the denizens of the Outer Reaches moved in for the kill. We did have some difficulties with spurious Malakha and Caddiysh who had come through at the last and tried to take up old habits, along with a few who brought their own personal vendettas with them and accused their neighbours of being collaborators (and vice versa). The Nephilim types were taken into custody awaiting trial, whilst the neighbours were simply split up between different worlds and different colonies on New Azurana proper.

I, on the other hand, was in a world of trouble with both Morgana and my partners, neither of which seemed inclined to be very forgiving of my actions on Azurana. Morgana’s dressing down lasted a good three hours and had me wincing at times over her not so glowing autopsy of my stepping into the energy stream.

“This will be taken up at Council level, John. You may well face severe sanctions, or at least an attempt to place severe sanctions upon you and possibly me, as I’m supposed to be in charge of you. Though God alone knows how I’d have prevented you from actually doing what you did in the time you left me,” she sighed at the end.

“It was necessary, my Mage,” I finally said after a little thought. “Don’t ask me why, I do not know, but it was and if necessary I’ll get Marcus and Patrick to back me up and if they really push it, Hilda too,” I finished with a chuckle.

“What makes you think they will?” Morgana asked, though I suspected she already knew.

“Jude told me to follow my instincts and they’ll never let me down,” I replied.

“Damn the man,” Morgana stated without heat. “If you tell Marcus that, they will back you up.”

“I did follow my instincts, my Mage, but you can berate Jude about it soon,” I chuckled.

“Doesn’t work with him, he just listens, and then smiles and all of a sudden I feel a little silly,” she sighed.

“Must be love,” I chuckled, watching her blush.

“Very well, John. I can’t prevent them wishing to scan you, but I will warn them of the consequences of attempting to lay down sanctions,” she said, after a little thought on her part.

“Hopefully it won’t be necessary, my Mage. But it’s always a joy to watch certain Mages and their reaction to a visit from Marcus and Patrick, even better when it’s Hilda,” I said with a grin.

“It certainly is, John,” Morgana replied with a wry smile. “But please, John, a little more warning the next time?”

“Yes, my Mage. I’ll try at least,” I answered.

That sadly was the easy part. What came next was Róisín and Abi taking me to task as well as informing me that Brianna and Imelda were fuming too, though not permitted to join us as yet.

“Are you sure he’s alright, Abi?” Róisín eventually demanded of her co-partner after she’d dressed me down, along with Abi.

“There’s no sign of the energy, nor any signs of its effects. As for him being alright, no, not really, the man can be an utter fool at times, yet still come away smelling of roses,” Abi stated.

“It needed to be done,” I said quietly.

“Perhaps, but does it always have to be you, John?” Róisín asked plaintively.

“I just see the obvious a bit more quickly than some and act instinctively,” I replied.

“Obvious to whom? Trust me, John, that was not bloody obvious!” she replied.

“It really wasn’t, John, not even to my sisters,” Abi added.

“It worked,” I chuckled.

“That’s about the only good thing to come of it. We got a lot more Azurans out; but you could have been lost to us, John,” Róisín said.

“I’d already shown you the way to release someone,” I replied, taking her in my arms.

“Landulf had been there for hundreds of years. He might have learned a few tricks in that time, John,” Abi stated.

“He doesn’t strike me as the type,” I replied.

“You couldn’t possibly know that!” Róisín hit back.

“Most of the people who have made an enemy of my Mage are of an inflexible mind-set. They pick up new things via others; they rarely experiment or research themselves,” I replied.

“That’s true enough,” sighed Abi.

“I could have lost you, my love,” Róisín finally broke down and let the tears flow.

“I promise not to do it again,” I sighed.

“Until the next time,” chuckled Abi.

“Well, unless you know of another energy stream keeping a realm intact in the Outer Reaches, then it’s not likely,” I chuckled in return.

“You’re not to go challenging Oonagh to any personal duels either,” Róisín sniffled.

“No chance of that. If we meet, I’ll cheat and use a Null bullet,” I replied. “Take it, destroying the energy, did not destroy the Daoine Sidhe?”

“No, John. Then again that was rather unlikely. They used it to reconstitute themselves from their spiritual form after they transferred across to the Outer Reaches, not to keep themselves alive. They can still return to energy form, but can’t draw power from it anymore to remake themselves if they are hurt or damaged,” Abi replied.

“So they’re vulnerable to ordinary weapons now?” Róisín asked.

“In a similar manner to a High Mage, yes,” Abi replied.

“So it will be down to us as Verenestra’s Sidhe can’t handle Null too well.” I sighed.

“Probably, well and our allies too,” Abi added. “The other good news is that Null will work properly upon them in our realms.”

“Yes, that was very dangerous for us, as the energy forms they took were affected, but not killed by Null,” I mused.

“In our universe, energy is energy at the quantum levels and Null interrupts our ability to play with it,” Abi explained. “In the Outer reaches energy is delineated into specific forms as different rules apply there, hence Null only works on ‘physical’ energy like hellfire, not the spiritual energy that was coming from the energy stream ... which couldn’t work in our universe at all.”

“Just have to make sure they don’t transfer another world full of people over there,” Róisín mused.

“We’d detect it,” Abi stated. “We’re much better at that sort of thing than the Nephilim.”

“No Seers,” I chuckled.

“Not yet. We’ll see now they’re free from the Outer reaches,” Abi replied.

“How did you keep those energy balls at bay?” I asked.

“Polyphasic screen designed to keep spiritual energies away from us,” Abi replied.

“I can’t even detect a Theurgist, never mind the energy they use,” I sighed, seeing Róisín nod as well.

“It’s not something I’m allowed to discuss, John. Sorry. I’m only allowed to tell you we can and only after it’s been observed,” Abi replied looking slightly embarrassed.

“Allowed by whom?” Róisín asked.

“The Higher Powers,” Abi replied.

“Not the Council?” I asked.

“No, though they’re aware of some of the restrictions we’ve had put upon us by the Realm Spiritual,” Abi admitted.

“Only some?” I asked astonished.

“Yes, John. My sisters and I see things that are not meant for mortal eyes. The Higher Powers know this and permit us to exist so long as we do not breach certain rules; rules that I cannot even tell you what they are, so please, my love, don’t ask,” Abi replied.

I nodded, I knew what the Higher Powers did to those they judged as inconvenient or in breach of their arcane rules and I loved having Abi in my life.

“Pushing the limit by even telling me such rules exist?” I asked.

“Yes, my love,” she replied, eyes downcast.

“Well, I promise never to do it again,” I said looking repentant, but fooling neither of them I suspect, but it got me hugs and kisses.

“So the threat from the Outer Realms has been minimised?” Mage Sofya asked during the Council debate.

“In so far as we know,” Morgana replied. “There has been no attempt so far to return there by the Daoine Sidhe.”

“In so far as you know,” Sofya emphasised.

“Indeed, Mage Sofya. Nor can we simply go and ask either.” Morgana retorted.

“What of the rogue Mages?” Sofya asked.

“Three at least were taken down by Jeeval’s people using neurotoxins. The rest fled to Tír na nÓg with the Nephilim leadership, or what was left of it,” Morgana replied.

“An astonishing victory, Mage Morgana,” Mage Cixi added.

“Hardly a victory, Cixi. Too many were left behind because they did not trust us, or indeed were actively hostile to our plans,” Morgana demurred.

“Seven million saved is hardly a defeat, Morgana,” Cixi sympathised.

“It could have been more, had we more time,” Morgana replied.

“Casualties?” Mage Zola asked.

“Amongst the Mages, none. Though other than the attack on Lorkhan, no Mages were on the front lines. The new armour worked well and saved many lives we believe,” Morgana replied.

“Was not a Seer injured?” Sofya asked.

“An unfortunate incident, caused by a Nephilim fighting band returning when the Zudraj gate was being attacked. Seer Melanie was somewhat bruised by a Nephilim weapon strike, though not otherwise incapacitated,” Morgana replied.

“The new armour?” Sofya asked.

“Yes, it protected her extremely well as we’d probably have lost her otherwise,” Morgana agreed.

“Impressive. Many of us were not happy exposing the Seers to danger, even if they insisted,” Sofya said, nodding.

“I cannot say I was too happy myself. But we needed the Seers to deal with the gates,” Morgana agreed.

“I agree, though I do believe that may have been the easy part,” Sofya added.

“I suspect you’re right, Mage Sofya. The bulk of the Nephilim armies were withdrawn to Tír na nÓg where they have been formed into a guard for the Daoine Sidhe,” Morgana acknowledged.

“What of the blight?” Mage Rowenna asked.

“Reversing,” Mage Julia replied.

“That’s a relief. None of our arts would even touch it,” Rowenna nodded.

“Yes, the energy source had some very unusual properties, on our side of the divide that is” Morgana added.