The Prequel
Ruan
The pair lay resting no more than an hour when the earth began to quake and shiver. He watched in stunned fear as his protective ice walls shattered loudly, against his command. They had been the strongest he'd ever created. And had been swept away like harmless pesky flea. Ruan leapt to his feet to stand over the mare's swollen belly like a bodily shield as each deadly frozen shard came at them, but they disintegrated into a glittering dust just before it reached them.
The world trembled again. A memory flashed and seared him with pain; a time when he and his sister had felt this same shudder beneath them, and had gone searching for their mother. But they never found her. Now he knew the truth, thanks to Reagan. It was a heartbreaking ending but it was closure.
Another lance of fear shot through him; fear he'd lose her this time. He had to protect her. She was vulnerable.
Before he could warn his companion, a hidden magic suddenly plucked him from the ground, silencing his protests. He struggled uselessly against it as it pulled him up and up and up.
And away.
Panic gripped him as he soared through the skies. A vast figure manifested through the thick fog of clouds; a mountain. There was no such mountain in Beqanna. What is this? he questioned. The light of fairies swirled around him, spiriting him away from where he was most needed.
WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?, he shouts within his mind, the only place he can speak. He needed to be with Reagan, not here. REAGAN!
He was carried through an invisible boundary. It tugged at his soul, ripped and festered, siphoned his very essence. He cried out as the power of ice bled away from him, and he felt his spirit drain with it. His thoughts drifted in and out of consciousness and he fell limp.
Ruan, a woman's voice tolled in his mind, calm and flawless. The mother of all magics. My wolf.
Ruan stirred, groggy and slow. A thin tendril of remaining magic in his blood responded to her voice, always the faithful pup. The fairies placed him gently upon the mountain, into Her hand. He tried to hold his weight boldly, but collapsed.
"What have I done to irk you, Mother," he questioned sadly, weakly. His magic was gone. He hadn't realized how much it was a part of him. Now he couldn't feel it, nested familiarly within his soul. He was a shattered spirit, broken and incomplete. The gaping loss ached like an infected wound.
My magic is a GIFT. It has been misused overmuch, and I will not tolerate it further.
He could feel the underlying current of anger, frustration, in her ethereal tone. And pained sadness. Regret.
"I have only ever used the magic for good," he defended softly. "In the protection of others." His mind flitted to Reagan, remembering his strongest walls he'd built to keep her safe when her own magic was spent. It was the least he could do in return for the answers she'd given him. Here, so far from her, he almost felt like she was with him. As if a small part of her had attached to his soul in their powerful exchange, and remained there still.
He rose, shaking, to his feet, prepared to defend Reagan as well. She had only done it to give him answers; not to misuse the magic. But the Mother spoke first, as if sensing this.
Always the selfless, Ruan. she said gently. He could hear the sadness in her voice, could sense the shake of her head.
Do not think you are the only one punished for other's mistakes. There are many that remained loyal as you have. You may earn it all back, yet.
Wings. Unicorn's horn. Immortality.
These I offer to all as temporary appeasement. May it aid you in your recovery.
Which do you choose?
He did not hesitate. His eyes hardened, staring through the misty wind surrounding him as if he looked her in the eyes.
"I will take nothing. Nor will I ask for the return of my magic until every last soul has redeemed their own," he said firmly.
Always the selfless, she repeated with a quiet, mocking chuckle.
Ruan sensed he was dismissed, and immediately he pivoted and bolted. He had to find Reagan, and be certain she was safe. He feared the earthquake may have taken her and her unborn child. He was supposed to have watched over her, keep her safe until she regained her magic. Now she never would; not for a while, anyway. What would she do when she learned she was as weak as everyone else now? When she found he was gone from her side?
He galloped dangerously down the mountain, careless of his own health. His mind could only think of returning to her, the one who owned this sliver of unfamiliar spirit within him. He would carry her with him always, now.
He ignored all others around him, barreling through them heedless of their own panic as the magic left them. Only one thing was on his mind, and he swept through to the bottom of the mountain with cold determination. It was the only part of him that was cold now. He clenched his teeth at the reminder. Unlike so many, he had not depended on his magic, his power of ice, but he felt it missing as if half his soul had been stolen. A gaping amputation.
Ruan reached the end. He could see the boundary before him. It flickered briefly, as if She wanted to be certain he saw it. A final warning. His brows knit together, but he did not slow as he raced to it. He wanted to show Her he wasn't afraid to live without Her power within him.
He leapt through it, higher than he ever had before. Bold and fearless. Defiant. His sooty black head passed through first and it cascaded across his skin like cool water. A soft breeze brushed beneath his pale belly at the height he'd lifted to. The purple spots of his leopard printed-sides flickered with a light he was unaware of as he sailed through the air. As his shoulders passed through Her unseen barrier, another part of him flared to life on each side. A new part of him.
..you did not think I would let you leave without aid, surely, he heard her haunting whisper in his mind. It faded away with one last comment, You will need them. Good luck, my wolf..
A light skittered across the invisible masses, and great wings shimmered to life at it's passing touch; white with the same coal black that covered his face. He didn't have to look to know they were there, he could feel them. As if they'd always been there, he felt them. The muscles stretched from his own, and his mind already knew how to call them, command them.
He glared as he felt the breeze course up from under his pale belly and push up beneath the vast wings, carrying his leap into flight. Whatever. It would get him to Reagan quicker.
He had to find her.
The world trembled again. A memory flashed and seared him with pain; a time when he and his sister had felt this same shudder beneath them, and had gone searching for their mother. But they never found her. Now he knew the truth, thanks to Reagan. It was a heartbreaking ending but it was closure.
Another lance of fear shot through him; fear he'd lose her this time. He had to protect her. She was vulnerable.
Before he could warn his companion, a hidden magic suddenly plucked him from the ground, silencing his protests. He struggled uselessly against it as it pulled him up and up and up.
And away.
Panic gripped him as he soared through the skies. A vast figure manifested through the thick fog of clouds; a mountain. There was no such mountain in Beqanna. What is this? he questioned. The light of fairies swirled around him, spiriting him away from where he was most needed.
WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?, he shouts within his mind, the only place he can speak. He needed to be with Reagan, not here. REAGAN!
He was carried through an invisible boundary. It tugged at his soul, ripped and festered, siphoned his very essence. He cried out as the power of ice bled away from him, and he felt his spirit drain with it. His thoughts drifted in and out of consciousness and he fell limp.
Ruan, a woman's voice tolled in his mind, calm and flawless. The mother of all magics. My wolf.
Ruan stirred, groggy and slow. A thin tendril of remaining magic in his blood responded to her voice, always the faithful pup. The fairies placed him gently upon the mountain, into Her hand. He tried to hold his weight boldly, but collapsed.
"What have I done to irk you, Mother," he questioned sadly, weakly. His magic was gone. He hadn't realized how much it was a part of him. Now he couldn't feel it, nested familiarly within his soul. He was a shattered spirit, broken and incomplete. The gaping loss ached like an infected wound.
My magic is a GIFT. It has been misused overmuch, and I will not tolerate it further.
He could feel the underlying current of anger, frustration, in her ethereal tone. And pained sadness. Regret.
"I have only ever used the magic for good," he defended softly. "In the protection of others." His mind flitted to Reagan, remembering his strongest walls he'd built to keep her safe when her own magic was spent. It was the least he could do in return for the answers she'd given him. Here, so far from her, he almost felt like she was with him. As if a small part of her had attached to his soul in their powerful exchange, and remained there still.
He rose, shaking, to his feet, prepared to defend Reagan as well. She had only done it to give him answers; not to misuse the magic. But the Mother spoke first, as if sensing this.
Always the selfless, Ruan. she said gently. He could hear the sadness in her voice, could sense the shake of her head.
Do not think you are the only one punished for other's mistakes. There are many that remained loyal as you have. You may earn it all back, yet.
Wings. Unicorn's horn. Immortality.
These I offer to all as temporary appeasement. May it aid you in your recovery.
Which do you choose?
He did not hesitate. His eyes hardened, staring through the misty wind surrounding him as if he looked her in the eyes.
"I will take nothing. Nor will I ask for the return of my magic until every last soul has redeemed their own," he said firmly.
Always the selfless, she repeated with a quiet, mocking chuckle.
Ruan sensed he was dismissed, and immediately he pivoted and bolted. He had to find Reagan, and be certain she was safe. He feared the earthquake may have taken her and her unborn child. He was supposed to have watched over her, keep her safe until she regained her magic. Now she never would; not for a while, anyway. What would she do when she learned she was as weak as everyone else now? When she found he was gone from her side?
He galloped dangerously down the mountain, careless of his own health. His mind could only think of returning to her, the one who owned this sliver of unfamiliar spirit within him. He would carry her with him always, now.
He ignored all others around him, barreling through them heedless of their own panic as the magic left them. Only one thing was on his mind, and he swept through to the bottom of the mountain with cold determination. It was the only part of him that was cold now. He clenched his teeth at the reminder. Unlike so many, he had not depended on his magic, his power of ice, but he felt it missing as if half his soul had been stolen. A gaping amputation.
Ruan reached the end. He could see the boundary before him. It flickered briefly, as if She wanted to be certain he saw it. A final warning. His brows knit together, but he did not slow as he raced to it. He wanted to show Her he wasn't afraid to live without Her power within him.
He leapt through it, higher than he ever had before. Bold and fearless. Defiant. His sooty black head passed through first and it cascaded across his skin like cool water. A soft breeze brushed beneath his pale belly at the height he'd lifted to. The purple spots of his leopard printed-sides flickered with a light he was unaware of as he sailed through the air. As his shoulders passed through Her unseen barrier, another part of him flared to life on each side. A new part of him.
..you did not think I would let you leave without aid, surely, he heard her haunting whisper in his mind. It faded away with one last comment, You will need them. Good luck, my wolf..
A light skittered across the invisible masses, and great wings shimmered to life at it's passing touch; white with the same coal black that covered his face. He didn't have to look to know they were there, he could feel them. As if they'd always been there, he felt them. The muscles stretched from his own, and his mind already knew how to call them, command them.
He glared as he felt the breeze course up from under his pale belly and push up beneath the vast wings, carrying his leap into flight. Whatever. It would get him to Reagan quicker.
He had to find her.
