Summoner 19, page 6
part #19 of Summoner Series
“That’s good to hear!” I encouraged him.
“Yeah!” Mur said, but then his ears drooped. “I’ll admit, though, it does get a little lonely down here. I don’t exactly have a lot of people to talk to.”
“So, the researchers never figured anything out about changing you back?” I prompted him, and the moose hung his bulbous head.
“Unfortunately not,” he sighed with downcast eyes. “They’ve taken a lot of notes and made me drink some unpleasant potions, but none of them have succeeded. I’ve kind of given up any hope of being human again.”
His dejected tone made my heart hurt, and I wished there was some way I could help the kid. But what could I do? It wasn’t like I had moose-reversal magic.
Suddenly, I had a realization.
“Give me just a moment,” I said to the shapeshifter.
Mur offered me a confused nod, and I stepped away to a deserted corner of the stables for a bit of privacy. Then I reached deep within my consciousness and loosened the wards around Veopa.
Well, hello there, master, the succubus Archon purred as she was set free. How can I be of assistance?
“I need you to release the spell that binds Mur to his moose form,” I informed the Archon. “You were the one who put the spell on him. Could you undo it as well?”
The goddess had been responsible for Mur’s imprisonment in his animal form, so logically, she seemed like the one who would be able to break the enchantment.
Are you referring to the child shapeshifter? Veopa clarified in a bored tone.
“Yes,” I replied in a sharp tone. “That’s the one.
Hmm, the Archon contemplated. I’m not certain there’s anything I can do...
“Don’t be coy,” I sighed. “C’mon, Veopa, can you just do this for me? The kid’s been stuck as a moose for almost a year now. I think he’s more than proven himself worthy of your praise.”
Ugh, I suppose I’ve had my fun with him, the Archon decided. If it pleases you, my master, I shall loosen the restraints of my spell. The boy shall be restored to his human state.
“Thank you,” I said to the Archon, and then I walked back over to where Mur was chewing on some hay.
“Well, Mur, today is your lucky day,” I began, and I casually stuck my hands into my jacket pocket. “I think I’ve figured out the solution to your problem.”
“Wait, really?” Mur gasped, and his dark, watery eyes shot back up from the dirty ground. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, sir.” I nodded at the shapeshifter. “Are you still resigned to being a moose--”
“Oh, fuck, no!” Mur interjected, and the phrase was so distinctly Layla-like that I cracked up at the sound of it.
“That’s what I thought,” I chuckled. “Alright, let me call forward someone who can help.”
I reached back within my mind and summoned Veopa to join us in the stables. The succubus Archon appeared with a flourish, and her ethereal beauty was almost enough to make me lose my breath. She smoothed her red gloved hands over her ice blue silk dress, and once the flimsy garment was free of wrinkles, she tossed her silky silvery-black hair behind her shoulders and scrunched up her delicate nose.
“This place reeks of piss and excrement,” she grumbled as she kicked a tiny pile of hay with her high-heeled boot. The goddess wrapped her arms around herself as if she were afraid to touch anything else, and she raised a sterling eyebrow as she studied the stables. “I will never understand the human way of caging animals. It’s unnatural.”
“I know it’s not our finest invention,” I sighed. “But, hey, the sooner you change Mur back into a human, the sooner you can escape it,”
The statement seemed to be enough to convince Veopa to speed up the process, and the Archon perked up immediately.
“Fine,” she declared, and then she turned her attention to Mur. “Step forward, my child. Though it pains me, I shall undo the gift I have bestowed upon you.”
“Th-th-thank you, my lady.” The moose bowed his head and eyed the goddess carefully as he slowly approached her. The shapeshifters of the Southern Continent had devoted themselves to Veopa long ago, and while I could tell Mur still held on to some of that awe, I also knew he feared her greatly after she’d trapped him in his current form during Vay’s full moon ritual.
“She isn’t going to hurt you,” I assured him quietly.
“Of course, I’m not,” Veopa huffed. “I wouldn’t hurt one of my own.”
I shot her a sideward glance, but the goddess didn’t waver under my gaze as she waved her hand in the air, and a pale blue aura outlined Mur’s moose body. The light pulsed like a heartbeat, and after a moment or two, it became so bright it nearly blinded me. Then, as quickly as it appeared, the light vanished, and Mur the moose was no more. In his place stood a young man with curly brown hair, deep brown eyes, and a round nose. A pair of small antlers poked out through his curls, and he seemed noticeably taller than he’d been the last time I’d seen him, as if his year in moose form hadn’t had an effect on his maturity.
Mur held his hands out in front of him, and his lips quivered as he analyzed each individual digit.
“T-t-thank you,” he stuttered, and his dark eyes widened at the sound of his own voice.
“You’re welcome.” Veopa shrugged. “I hope your time in your animal form has enlightened you.”
“It definitely has.” Mur nodded. “Thank you, my lady.”
Veopa turned back to me. “Now that the child has been dealt with, perhaps we can move on to more… adult situations?”
“Yeah, now’s not really a great time for me,” I gently declined. “Perhaps we can revisit that idea later.”
“Very well,” the Archon sighed, and without another word, the goddess dissolved into silvery mist and then disappeared completely.
The side of my neck where the succubus’ tattoo resided began to tingle, and once the sensation faded, I turned back to Mur, who was still examining himself with an almost childlike delight.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” the shapeshifter declared, and then he unexpectedly threw his arms around me and wrapped me up in a tight embrace. “I can’t believe I have arms again. I’ve never been this happy in my entire life.”
“I’m glad to hear it, buddy,” I grunted through the hug. “It’s good to have you back.”
Finally, Mur let me go, and once he did, a concerned expression touched his features.
“Now that I’m not a moose… where do I sleep?” he wondered as his dark eyes glanced around at the stables. “Or do I just stay here?”
“You don’t have to sleep in here ever again.” I shook my head. “Unless you want to, of course--”
“I wouldn’t be upset if I never stepped foot in this stable again,” Mur interjected, and his lips drew into a thin line.
“And with that being said, you’re no longer trapped in your animal form,” I pointed out to the moose shapeshifter. “I don’t know if you’ve given it much thought, but if you wish to return to the South, you’re more than free to do so.”
“I’m not so certain there’s anything left for me there,” Mur admitted softly. “But at the same time, I’m not exactly a mage… ”
“Would you want to stay here at the Academy, then?” I wondered. “Freya isn’t a mage, either, but the headmaster helped set her up with classes. I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t do the same for you.”
“Really?” Mur asked with widened brown eyes. “I could stay in Varle?”
“I don’t see why not.” I shrugged.
If Mur didn’t want to go home, no one could force him, and while he technically wasn’t a mage, he possessed a little magic. Perhaps the headmaster could help the shapeshifter develop it further.
“Yay!” Mur exclaimed. “Oh, I was so scared I was going to be left behind, and I definitely don’t want to leave.”
“Well, then it’s settled,” I decided. “I’m sure the headmaster can arrange a room for you, but in the meantime, I have plenty of space back at my house, and you are more than welcome to stay with us.”
“In a room with a real bed?” Mur gasped.
“Absolutely.”
“What are we waiting for?” he exclaimed. “Let’s go!”
I stifled a laugh at the kid’s enthusiasm. “Alright, let’s do it. Follow me.”
While we walked back to my home, Mur remained entirely silent, and every so often, I observed the shapeshifter looking down at his human features in awe. I was grateful Veopa was able to reverse the curse and glad Mur finally had a chance at a somewhat normal life. I wasn’t quite sure what would happen to the lad now that he was no longer a moose, but I was certain Sleet wouldn’t turn him away. The headmaster had happily accepted Freya with open arms, and if my warrior wife could charm him, I had a feeling Mur could, too.
When we walked up the circular driveway, I noticed the shapeshifter’s nervousness.
“You okay?” I asked him.
“Sorry,” he apologized. “Aside from the wedding, I haven’t really left the Academy since I got there, and I definitely haven’t ever been in a house this big before. I’m a little overwhelmed.”
“Don’t be.” I shook my head. “We all love you, and everyone’s going to be excited to see you. I promise.”
Well, except for maybe Freya. Moose Clan and Hawk Clan had a history of tension that my wife still held onto, and I knew she would be uneasy with Mur’s presence, but I felt like I owed the boy after all he’d been through, so hopefully she could adjust.
“Okay,” Mur decided, and the boy gave me a genuine smile.
We continued up the driveway, and I held the front door open.
“Gryff, you’re back!” Arwyn greeted me when we stepped in the foyer, and then her expression slackened with shock when she noticed Mur behind me. “Wait… is that--”
“Arwyn, I believe you know our good friend, Mur,” I announced, and then I ushered the shapeshifter forward.
“Hello, Miss Hamner.” Mur waved at the beautiful professor, and the boy’s cheeks flushed nearly as crimson as Arwyn’s hair. “It’s nice to see you again.”
The healer’s eyebrows creased together as she looked Mur up and down. “How…?”
“Veopa,” I answered her as I rested a hand on Mur’s slender shoulder. “She was the one who put the spell on him in the first place, so I just asked her to reverse it.”
“Huh,” Arwyn remarked with a surprised expression. “Simple, yet clearly effective. If only we’d have thought of that sooner, but then again, you’d been in the Shadowscape for so long… ”
“Mur’s going to stay here with us, if that’s alright with you,” I informed her.
“Absolutely,” the professor assured me, and then she gave Mur a maternal smile. “Mur, are you hungry?”
“Starving,” the shapeshifter admitted quietly.
“Well, let’s go ahead to the kitchen and fix you something to eat,” Arwyn decided.
I let go of Mur’s shoulder, and the healer held her hand out to the shapeshifter. Mur took it with no hesitation, and the flush on his cheeks deepened even further.
“I’ll catch up with you guys in a bit,” I announced. “I have a few things I need to get ready--”
“Sounds great.” Arwyn flashed me a kind smile. “I’ll put a plate together for you.”
“Thanks, Arwyn.” I winked at her.
The professor led Mur down the hall and into the kitchen, and once they cleared the foyer, I headed up the spiral staircase to my room. I wanted to make sure my bandolier and various pouches were in order before we left. My old professor, Rori Brevins, had impressed the idea of an organized pouch upon us before his departure from the Academy, and it was a habit I wanted to keep up with as much as possible.
My hand was on my doorknob when I heard motion behind me.
“Hey, Gryff?” Ashla called out to me.
“What’s up, Ashla?” I turned around to face her, and the ice mage sped to catch up to me.
“I know everything is really overwhelming right now,” she began as she fidgeted with a silver ring on her index finger. “And I know this probably isn’t the best time to bombard you with more information--”
“Nonsense.” I shook my head. “Here, let’s step into my room. We can talk a little more privately.”
“Okay.” Ashla nodded.
I held out my hand to the dark-skinned mage, and once she took it, I led her down the hallway until we reached my bedroom. I held the door open for her, and she offered me an appreciative smile. I closed the door behind us, and then we sat down on my bed.
Ashla continued to fidget with her hands, and her chocolate-brown eyes were downcast. Her nervousness was almost contagious, and it took everything I had to remain composed as I waited for her to tell me what was wrong.
Finally, I couldn’t take the suspense any further.
“So, what’s going on?” I prompted the former mercenary leader.
“So… while you were off fighting Carth and the quartzriel, just before the whole debacle with Layla and Erin, I was spending time with Arwyn,” Ashla began after she took a deep breath. “I probably could’ve waited, but I’ve been a little impatient, and I knew since Arwyn was a healer, she could help me out.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned. “What did you need help with? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Ashla assured me as her eyes met mine. “I promise. I’m actually more than fine… Gryff, I’m pregnant.”
My heart skipped a beat inside my chest as the ice mage gave me a beautiful smile. This day was certainly going in an eventful direction, and this news was definitely unexpected.
“Holy shit!” I exclaimed. “Ashla, are you serious?”
“Yes.” She smiled, and I immediately swept her up into my arms.
“Oh, Maker, Ashla, this is fantastic!” I declared. “I didn’t realize you could find out so early--”
“Well, usually you can’t,” Ashla admitted. “And that’s why I needed Arwyn’s help. She had some kind of potion that’s infused with her healing magic. It can detect pregnancy right away, apparently. My period was a couple of days late, and even though it was still a little early, I was too impatient to wait.”
“Ashla, that’s seriously amazing,” I said as a stupid grin spread across my face. “Wow.”
“Wow, indeed,” my girlfriend giggled. “I know it’s still so early, I just… couldn’t wait to tell you, especially since you’re leaving tomorrow.”
“I’m so glad you told me,” I replied to her. “That will definitely give me something to look forward to when I get back.”
Then I drew my dark-skinned lover closer to me and kissed her full lips.
While the idea of another baby should have startled me, I was over the moon. Even though everyone believed the Beastmaker prophecy to be my destiny, I truly believed I’d been put on this earth to be a husband and father. Nothing brought me more joy than my family, and the idea of it growing even larger gave me an overwhelming sense of purpose. While Ashla had been late to the party in terms of wanting to be a mother, I knew the ice mage was capable of being the best one possible to our future son or daughter.
I continued to kiss and make love to her well into the night, and as Ashla and I celebrated the good news, all thoughts of the Archons and the prophecy fell away.
The next day, I rose bright and early and made my final preparations for the mission. I made sure to spend some extra quality time with my children, and as I studied their tiny faces, a pang of fear spread through me.
Time worked differently in the Shadowscape, and as much as I didn’t want to think about it, there was a distinct possibility I could be gone much longer than a few days. Nine months had passed in the human realm during my week with Carth, and there’d been times where my days in the shadow realm had lasted weeks and months. There was no way to determine how long my absence would last, so I made sure to give each of my babies individual attention.
As I cuddled Nicolis to my chest, I prayed to the Maker this mission would last only a week or two at the most. I’d missed a lot during my week with Carth, and I didn’t want to miss out on any of my children’s milestones: their first steps, first words…
Nicolis let out a coo, and the gentleness of the sound soothed my nerves almost instantly as I kissed the top of his curls.
“Thanks, buddy,” I whispered, and the little guy reached up and tugged on my ear.
“Need a hand?”
I turned around to see Nia leaning against the nursery door frame, and her piercing blue eyes glittered with amusement.
“How long have you been there?” I asked her as Nicolis decided he’d rather play with my jacket collar instead.
“Long enough to fall in love with you all over again,” the ashen-haired elementalist purred. “Here, let me take him.”
Nia crossed the room and joined us in front of the cribs, and once Nicolis realized his mother was present, he lost any interest he had in me and instead focused his attention on her.
“Hello, little man,” Nia murmured at our son as I carefully placed him into her arms. “Let’s give your dad a break from the tugging, shall we?”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing that,” I said.
“Hearing what?” My wife frowned.
“Hearing myself being called ‘dad’,” I admitted, and heat rose to my cheeks as Nia’s lips curled up into an amused smile.
“That’s too precious,” she replied. “Just wait until you hear them say it aloud--”
“I was just thinking about that before you came in,” I laughed as I stroked Nic’s peach-soft cheek. “It’s going to be so strange.”
“Definitely,” Nia agreed. “The first time I hear them call me ‘mom’ or ‘mama’, I’m probably going to spontaneously combust or something.”
We shared a laugh at that idea, and even Nicolis chimed in with a squeaky giggle of his own that only made our laughter intensify. Once we’d settled down, Nia’s features softened.
