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Chapter 39: Bastion Ruins

The rest of the day past in a haze as I waited for nightfall dreading the moment I would leave. But like all things you dread time has this magical way of seemingly speeding up and somehow I was up in my room watching Ian snuggle up in his blanket and I had run out of time delaying.

Ian really was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on. His body seemed to be flawless and seeing him snuggled up in my bed made my heart flutter in my chest and made my magic stir within me.

I decided to take a shower hoping to stall as long as possible and when I got out I put on my pajamas but also put on my socks.

"Night" Ian said as I got into bed "I love you"

"I love you more" I said and I shut off the light.

I wrapped my arms tightly around him

"I will protect you" I said "always"

He had already fallen asleep

I watched him for a while and thought about all the things that happened that finally got us to this point and my heart swelled just thinking about it. I would do anything for him. I felt my magic send a chill through me at the thought.

"Ian?" I whispered but go not response

I got out of bed and walked over to his side and put my hand over his head and said

"Sleep" I said feeling the cool rush of magic chase down my arm and cover Ian's head.

Somehow I knew that would keep him asleep for the next several hours and I could escape the house undetected. I got dressed and silently left off the back porch and down the gravel path to the lake.

The air was freezing and even through my coat I was cold.

"I wish it was warmer" I muttered and I felt that familiar chill pass through me and I suddenly felt the air warm around me as if I was standing in a warm pocket.

It was odd, for the first time since I discovered I had this power did I actually enjoy having it and I felt a smile cross my face as I loosened the zipper to my jacket a little.

I closed my eyes and tried to sense where I needed to go. I actually didn't know where the Gallants lived and in part of my mind I assumed they would send someone to get me and as I reached out with my magic I noticed three figures in a car about a hundred yards away waiting on the side of the road.

"Bingo" I said walking around the house and up the drive.

It took me about ten minutes to make it to the car and I wasn't shocked to see Clayton, Casey and Colin waiting for me. I simply unlocked the back passenger side door and got in.

"Good evening gentlemen" I said as I got in.

"Hi" Clayton said from behind the wheel. Starting the car and turning the lights on, we were suddenly moving to our destination.

"Took you long enough... shit" Colin muttered "been waiting hours"

"Sorry" I said

"Don't listen to that brat" Casey said from the front passenger seat "We've waited far longer before"

"Aye" Clayton said

"May I ask where we are headed?" I said

"We're meeting at the temple" Clayton said "They need to be updated about your presence, and about some other things" he said cryptically

"Okay" I said and I watched as Clayton pulled onto the main road and I watched two more cars pull out and follow us.

I noticed the cars behind us instantly because it was so late and this kind of traffic was unheard of on my road. The cars behind us were most likely from the temple if the story Jackson told me was accurate. I was hoping that Colin would look out for me.

"I think there must have been a much better way of going about this" I said

"You're a human" Casey said "you fall under a different set of rules"

"And apparently I am magically bound as well" I said

"I guess the most important thing is that you meet our elders and they get to know you, we will be working closely together." Casey said

"To open a gate?" I asked

"Yes" Clayton said "The gate had been sealed shut, there is no fancy spell or anything to unweave, just raw magical force holding the door closed. The only way to open it is with a hand of Ada but being a hand is a rare gift. Jackson is the first one we have ever met.

"That seems a bit strange" I said

"Being a Hand of Ada is believed to be a gift from the goddess herself, I believe there have not been other Hands of Ada for a reason" Casey said

"No Proof" Colin interjected

"Shut up brat" Clayton interrupted

"How many elves are there?" I asked

"We're not sure" Clayton said "probably a couple of thousand"

I was shocked

"That many!" I said

"Well we can't be sure, a bunch of us have found each other and quite frankly finding Jackson was a near miracle. Thank heavens Jared Petrie recognized him for what he was."

"Jackson said his dad err... human dad's grandmother was an elf" I said

"Elves and humans can mate but our genome is aggressive, you either get born an elf or a human and nothing in-between." Casey said "In Jared's case he was born human, his brother Jacob is elf."

"His grandmother?" I asked

"Is dead" Casey said "we're not immortal, she caught Lyme disease and didn't make it"

"Jared and his family are the exception to the rule since he was born of elf. There are no others like him" Colin said

We fell silent as we drove out of town and down to the freeway

"Where are we going?" I asked

"Boston Harbor" Casey said and I fell silent again

We drove for about forty five minutes into Boston and got off towards the marina and I saw a tall ship with masts before we turned into a garage with a gazebo to the left and the next thing I knew we were in an underground parking garage.

Clayton parked and announced

"We're here" and we all got out.

"What is this place?" I asked

"This is the remains of the temple of Ada" Casey said "It's a holy place where we all gather"

"Why am I here again?" I asked

"Well I am hoping Lord Aldo can tell us more about why you are like this" Clayton said

"Me too" I agreed

We walked a short ways till we got to an elevator and we got inside and instead of hitting the buttons Clayton opened the emergency phone and dialed a set of numbers and the next thing I knew we were going down instead of up.

The doors opened and I saw two elves standing guard in front of a huge set of doors. They nodded as we passed and the doors opened. We were led into a great circular room and about thirty elves and some younger children we gathered around seated at several small tables. In the front was a raised table where three older looking elves were seated.

The room itself seemed ancient but clean as we seemed be surrounded by white marble on all sides. There were no electric lights and everything seemed to be lit by torch. But regardless the room was well lit and I could see quite clearly. The room was surrounded in smooth columns that were also white marble. Along the outer walls were several sets of murals depicting what looked like battles.

In the center was an older looking elf with dark brown hair that was tied into an elegant braided ponytail. He was wearing formal robes like something I would see in a Harry Potter movie. To his left was a slightly younger looking elf with lighter brown hair cut short in a modern style and he was wearing a sharp business suit, he clearly worked in the modern world. And to the Right was a younger looking elf with long blond hair that flowed down in an elegant wave and was tied at shoulder level, he was wearing leather armor almost like the one Jackson wore to the Halloween Dance.

We walked forward to meet the head table and for an instant I felt like there was something trying to reach into my head and I instantly felt my magic send a chill through me blocking whoever was attempting to read my mind.

The elf in the center stood

"Friends" he said "you have called this meeting of the Conclave in a matter of urgency, now you stand before us with this human, is this boy the one the Dark Lord and the interloper have been hiding from us?"

"Yes my Lord" Clayton said bowing

"A Hand of Ada, passed to a mere human child" the elf spoke in awe and then there were more muttered speaking this time a little more loudly and I caught snippets of conversations throughout the room

"Prophecy, the one, gate, cannot be, nigh, gate" I heard

"Silence!" the eldest spoke

"Child do you know who I am?" he asked and I shook my head

"My name is Aldo Vera Al Rune" he said "I was a priest here at the temple of Ada long ago when elves still held power over this land."

I bowed slightly to acknowledge him

"Our people once used you humans as slaves, your life spans were short, and your intelligence limited, but over time you grew in numbers and eventually began to procreate with our population and the High King ordered a purge."

"What happened then?" I asked

"A great war" he said "that lasted five hundred years and nearly tore the world apart, we were defeated and our cities razed into the ground. We fled to this place our holy temple of Ada and opened a magical gateway to another world so we might live in peace"

"Then why are you still here?" I asked

The elder then paused and I could see a tear roll down his cheek

"The humans came and began destroying the city and would soon find the gate. A few of us remained behind to close it and ensure it would remain closed, we have been doing just that for over three thousand years" he said "what you see here represents the survivors and their families of the brave few who remained behind."

I bowed again out of respect

"Tell me, how did you come into your magic?" Aldo asked "it must have been difficult"

"I was discovered by Jackson Petrie who..." I was interrupted by Aldo who started speaking over me.

"Who is this Jackson?" Aldo asked

"The Interloping Hand" The elf in the smart suit said while giving me a cold stare.

"I see... go on" Aldo directed to me

"Well things kept happening until I could feel my magic and understood what it was" I said

"When was this?" Aldo asked "when did you learn of us?"

"I saw Jackson standing on a pool of water" I said

"He used his light-footed skills in front of you?" Aldo asked

"Showing one's powers in front of a human is punishable by death" The smaller elf said and I looked to him not knowing who he was

"This is Vash" Aldo said "my youngest son and interpreter of our laws"

"Wait just a second!" I said angrily "I had already used magic myself at this point"

"Does not matter human, our laws do not apply to you" Vash said

I looked on as the elf in the suit had an awful smile

"May I introduce my son" Aldo said "This is Veritas Vera Al Shawmut"

"Do not raise your voice to us infant" Veritas said "unless you wish to be silenced"

"I'd like to see you try" I muttered

With a snap of his fingers the chamber was suddenly surrounded by guards. He then pointed to me and I watched six of them move towards me.

My magic surged within me and I watched two of them move towards me at lightning speed and my magic compensated by slowing them down and I moved out of the way and kicked one of them hard in the back of the knee sending them down hard before time resumed to normal.

The other four descended upon me and I simply thought

`Repel'

My magic simply burst out of me and I watched the four fly backwards away from me and crashed into the other guards surrounding the room.

I looked up to Veritas and now I was angry

"Is that all you have?" I said remembering Jackson's story I added "Son of a boot polisher"

I wasn't ready when suddenly Veritas himself came at me and caught me around the neck and squeezed.

I tried calling my magic but it was like it had suddenly vanished.

I couldn't breathe and I began to panic as I flailed my arms wildly

`Oh god help me' I thought as I fought to get free but his hold was so strong.

"I'm going to teach you a dog's proper place" he whispered in my ear and closed my eyes as I began to feel dizzy

I heard some banging in the distance and apparently Veritas did too

"What is that noise outside the..." Veritas shouted and then suddenly I heard a deafening crash

The chamber shook and debris fell from the ceiling and in the blast I managed to break free and fall to my knees gasping for air.

`What on earth was that?' I wondered

Suddenly I heard a ruckus from outside the chamber and I turned towards the entrance hall and suddenly the doors burst open and I could feel magic wafting through the air.

Jackson had arrived

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Cailen