VARIS

Honestly, I didn’t know why more pixies didn’t find a summoner they could travel with. This crystal was just way too cozy. My little private space was an impeccable home with a cute little garden out front, a fireplace and bookshelves for when I just wanted to relax; and of course everything was of the perfect size for someone that topped out at six inches tall.

It probably had something to do with the fact that I could decorate the place how I chose. Dimensional homes were created by the will and imagination of the one that created them. My summoning crystal was set up in such a way that I got to create my home how I wanted it, and could change it on a whim.

Still I would have to pop back out and check on the boy in a little bit, but this bubble bath was just too comforting for the stress I had been under. When Morgan asked for a pixie to go with the boy I hadn’t known why at the time. Now it was almost obvious, he had known something was going to go wrong with that Talent. If I hadn’t been there he would have died or become a human monster. Even now the Talent wasn’t as dormant as it had been before, all the progress he had made on how much aether he could channel over the past few months had been negated, and he was actually generating less than he had been when I joined him. I just hoped he would get some benefit from the Talent in its current state.

I turned my attention to the other matter at hand. I could feel the first evolution approaching, probably before the end of the school year if things continued at the rate they were progressing now. There were the two standard paths I had expected, the Aether Fae and Yggra Nymph. I was already discounting the Nymph aspect as that began my tie to a specific place and I enjoyed my freedom a bit too much. Aether Fae was a good standard option, and could develop in a myriad of ways as I gained access to what the humans called Force Binding. I also would grow bigger, which was always a plus when you're surrounded by things ten times your size. It is really hard to read books when the books are bigger than you are.

What I hadn’t expected though was the third option that even in my sense of aether was shrouded. I knew it had something to do with my bond with Magnus, but that was the extent of my knowledge. It was a gamble though, because if that evolution stopped me from generating my own aether then the boy would probably be doomed if that damned talent flared up again.

I let out a sigh, the bath wasn’t as relaxing now. Getting out I willed myself dry by adjusting the air and heat in my home. I hoped the kid wasn’t getting into any more trouble, but from what I had seen that only happened when he was sleeping. Occasionally.

My aether touched the bindings in the air around me and my private sanctuary faded as I shifted myself out of the crystal and into the workshop. I should have expected him to be here. Stamping my foot on the table I was now standing on I shouted at Magnus, “What do you think you’re doing. You aren’t supposed to use your aether until your grandfather returns!”

The boy had the audacity to grin at me as he said, “We are just putting some plans in place, look just paper no channeling required.”

The girl, who fairly glowed in my sight, gave me a short nod and said, “It’s true, the plan was for me to handle the channelling if we needed to test something.”

My hands rose of their own accord to grip fistfuls of my hair as I groaned and said, “Look, you need to avoid pushing that Talent of yours into activation again. It seems to respond when you are trying to find solutions. Which means if you go to try anything crazy it might flare up again.”

At least the boy had the good sense to appear chagrined when he replied, “I actually hadn’t put that together. Can you keep an eye on me for a little bit and see if it starts to act up? I need to know where the limits are.”

I was about to argue before I realized it was a good idea. It would be better if his grandfather was on hand, but the boy wasn’t capable of remaining idle. I let out a sigh and asked, “What are you working on?”

“Well Jessica pointed out a few ideas for my pistol. I was going to see if I could incorporate them into the design or if I needed to come up with a new one completely. Actually I think the Talent did activate a little, but I don’t feel any drain on my aether,” he answered.

I motioned to the paper and said, “Okay work on it again, I’ll let you know if I see something.”

I focused on that damnable talent as Jessica said, “Okay, there was another type of pistol called a revolver. It was actually widely used before the type Morgan has. The main feature we want to include is the cylinder that would hold six bullets. Since you have the ammo set up as a binding rather than stored in the chamber could you use the chamber for the energy source instead?”

Magnus replied to her, “I could, they would be smaller unless I scaled up the entire weapon; but with six of them it would offset that a bit if I made a more efficient storage. I don’t see the point though.”

“The point is you could probably set up different magazines with variations on the projectile spell, potentially having it throw spells instead of bullets like the lightning attack for things like the spiders. Then you just have to put a new magazine in for the type of attack you want. That lets you use your cards for one off situations. You can only carry so many at a time.”

The boy’s grin grew wider as he said, “But if the spell is changeable then the energy sources are all that I need to carry enough of.”

“Right, it's a bastardization of a revolver and an automatic, but why not use it. Though if you start saying ‘I am the Law’ after becoming an operative I’m going to hurt you,” the woman replied.

Magnus paused and said, “Okay, that right there. I can tell you're quoting something just like the old man does at times. I met your parents back in the fall though. He always said it didn’t matter since he couldn’t go back, but what is going on.”

I spoke up, “You know that sometimes a lady has to have secrets right? If your grandfather won’t tell you, why should she?”

I could see the mark of higher powers on the girl just like I saw on Morgan. It could be disastrous if Magnus ran afoul of them. The girl though shook her head at me and said, “No, it’s alright. We can’t go back as far as I know. I’m not sure if we would want to as it is. The simple truth is we aren’t originally from this world.”

“Okay, that doesn’t explain things. Grandfather told me there are other worlds out there capable of supporting life, and that the stars are actually like our sun. It didn’t really matter to me except as idle curiosity. Might be fun to visit one though,” the boy said.

Jessica laughed and replied, “I don’t know how you can be the most curious and laid back person I have ever met.”

When the boy shrugged she continued, “Basically I died, met some woman who claimed to be a goddess and was reborn here. I got to keep my memories, which is how I knew the music your grandfather was playing. I haven’t met anyone else from our world before now, but I actually thought you were in the same boat as me until I met Morgan.”

“So it’s the same with him?” Magnus asked.

I had to stop the girl from answering, “Nope, you have to get your answers on his past from him. You don’t want to be mixed into the schemes of the powers if you can help it.”

The girl sighed and said, “She’s right. There are legends back home about what happens to people who get mixed up in the schemes of gods and powers. I’m a little afraid of when that shoe is going to drop on my head. It’s part of the reason I’m trying to help you create some new tools. I’ve seen signs that others from Earth have been here before and kept their memories, but they all must have been from a while back if no one else knows about them.”

I reached out a mental voice to the dryad that had introduced me to these crazy people, “What do I need to know regarding this situation. Did I get dragged into the schemes of powers?”

“No, little one. At least not directly,” Alara answered, “We sought you out because Morgan was warned about the Talent the boy has. The warning was for services rendered. There might be schemes we don’t know about though.”

“You could have told me this beforehand,” I grumped.

“Would it have mattered? You were already considering introducing yourself to the boy,” the damned dryad said.

“What he’s interesting. If he were a pixie I would have talent him home to introduce him to the clan,” I said knowing the dryad wouldn’t stop pushing.

I ignored the melodic laughter that echoed out from the branches of the big oak and focused in on the pair of humans who were determined to make me grow bald.