Chapter 4

Tom could only stare his mouth hanging open. "Your daughter? 500 years?"

"Yes," Azel said, "you haven't realized just how long we live have you Tom?"

"Well, I knew from Frilly that many lived a long time but you ... and she ... how... ?" Tom started.

Laughing Azel replied, "I'll try to explain. You see, mages barring injuries or total depletion of their energy can live 3-5 thousand years at present I am only 3000 I am the youngest on the council. My mate and I were young, we were only 1200 at the time we were allowed to have her."

"That's considered young? damn, wait you were allowed? What the hell does that mean?" asked a confused Tom.

"The birth of a mage has to be approved by the council of all magical beings. Most mages live in the human world, live a life with a regular person, hell they even have children. These children are called malfs or worse half lings, not a very good label. Most often they don't develop magic even though one parent was a mage. As little as 1% develop, like the 14 year old you found the other day," Azel stopped a moment.

"So are they treated badly?" asked Tom

"No, not badly but their powers aren't as strong and develop at a much slower rate, therefore they don't often make friends and see many pass them. I remember a reverse case 75 years ago, Very unusual. 2 mages were granted permission and had a child, when tested, she showed no sign of powers. They had such high hopes for her but after a year there was no sign at all. They placed her with relatives to raise her, watching her for years. About 50 years ago Malamon began actively killing magical beings again, unfortunately they were the only ones who knew where she was, so all contact was lost when they died. We were concerned as she was only the second born in 5000 years so as you can see it is extremely rare," Azel said lost within his thoughts.

"So, these reverse cases they never develop powers? Did they know their parents?" asked Tom Shaking his head no Azel continued, "No, in the two cases I know of, they never did. Though they did live much longer than regular humans it's only to 100 to 120, like the humans mages live with, their memories are erased and a new life is inserted, so you see she never knew what she was. Yes, I know you think it's cruel but believe me it's a lot kinder than letting them know, it's bad enough when we watch them die. As far as I know she was the first that contact with was lost."

"Ok, ok, so tell me about Myria," asked Tom, "why did she pull away when I tried to heal her?"

"Well," started Azel, "If she is a captive of Malamon, then the pain you felt could be helping her, she might feel that no one can heal her, there are a number of things that could influence her decision," sighing Azel looked down, "she was always independent, taking on the world. The council advised her not to take action against Malamon, we thought at the time she had listened to us. Later we found that right before she disappeared, there had been many disturbances nearby a known locale of Malamon. This was the basis of our decision that she had been killed."

Sighing Tom stood, "I'll let you know if I find out anything more." With that Tom lifted Frilly and was gone. Now that Frilly was healed he was more at ease, laying her in her small bed Tom went to sit on his couch again. Watching her sleep Tom thought of Myria again, he knew she was in trouble she had to be if Malamon had held her captive for 500 years. Tom thought of Azel's words that she was the strongest mage to ever sit on the mage council let alone lead it. That might be why she went after Malamon, even in his weakened state though, Tom felt that Myria wouldn't have been much of a match.

Trying to not think of her capture, Tom knew that there was some way he could help her but it seemed to escape him. Not realizing that the events had taken a toll on him, Tom fell asleep within minutes of sitting. Again floating in the gray mist this time Tom thought I'd be ready. Myria appeared moments later, a most welcome sight.

"I tried to find you but you weren't anywhere in his building," Tom said feeling ashamed hanging his head, "I looked everywhere, I had Malamon, I even removed one of his powers but I couldn't find you," fresh tears fell from his eyes as Myria's grew wide. Myria then smiled at him. Tom's head jerked up as the familiar feeling rapidly flew up his body to his ribs. "You're healing me, I know I have a lot of pain but so do you I saw your father today and told him, he is glad you are still alive," again her eyes flew wide and she shook her head yes.

The feeling was now almost at his shoulders his thoughts clearer than he had ever known them to be.

Myria floated closer just out of reach the feeling now at his shoulders he felt more than before, he could sense that Myria was indeed in a type of prison but it felt different, very strange. Now above his shoulders on his lower neck he felt her being drawn away, this time though as she left he followed her. For what seemed like hours he followed her energy back to where she was, then he was clear. Calling out very softly for her he waited in the darkness of her prison, it was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Suddenly he heard something moving towards him, gathering all his power, it drew closer.

"What are you doing here?" he heard in almost impossible to hear tones, "You must leave at once or your mind will never leave."

"I can't leave you here, not to languish forever, I can release you now," Tom said feeling the way back beginning to close, "come I have the power to bring you back."

"I don't doubt that, Tom, but as long as he is weak and alive I can not leave here, go! I can feel the portal closing!" Myria's whispered voice urging him to action. With that Tom was flying as fast as he could back out the way he'd come. Just as he cleared where she was, he heard a smashing clang and all feeling of where she was, was gone. Searching he didn't know where she was nor could he even feel a trace of her energy. It was obvious that she was extremely proficient at hiding or her captor was that good at hiding her, either way Tom vowed to find her and release her.

Awaking Tom thought of everything that had happened, seeing that Frilly was up and moving around made him feel even better. Tom hadn't been sure the plan would work and he knew that it wouldn't again. Sighing Tom set about making a new plan this one he felt would be much more effective than the last. Tom also knew that he had to do more damage this time when he faced Malamon, he just wished he knew what power he had taken from Malamon that way he'd have an advantage and any he felt was a damn good start to Malamon's defeat.

Azel stood before the council of the mages, "I have questioned Tom, it appears he has been in contact with Myria though I am curious as to why she never spoke to him. I might have an idea as to what she did 500 years ago but I need to test many things to make certain. I don't believe she is a prisoner of Malamon but rather a prisoner because of Malamon. Therefore in order to release her it will be up to Tom and our actions."

Many on the council gasp though a few had suspected something of this nature.

The eldest spoke up, "what would you have the council to do? Tom as you call him is as powerful as this council, even then we might not be able to subdue him, I realize that if Myria has come to him then she has decided he is good, I am not so easily swayed. We have no way of knowing where he is from or who he really is, I can not trust that he is good as Myria would think, therefore we stay on guard." Azel shook his head, idiots! he knew better and also knew that this might be the undoing of the council.

Tom set out the next day prepared to implement his next plan. By the end of the day he had found and removed another 10 of Malamon's cronies' powers looking into all of them trying to find where Malamon had escaped to. Damn it! Malamon was it appeared more paranoid than he thought, it seemed that when he felt they had life force enough to feed him, then they were drawn to him. Sighing Tom set out to get more of them he hoped that it forced Malamon to try and confront him directly. Reaching out he felt to see if there were areas that were shielded from him the result was dizzying. Well over 1000 places, Tom knew that this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. Reaching further he found at least 4 times that in the rest of the world.

Sighing Tom went back to work removing as many as possible, now he was going to other countries where he found that the balance was still well on the dark side. He had just taken out a slightly powerful one when another appeared far more powerful than any he'd ever faced.

"Found you!" the man shouted, "it appears that you have taken it upon yourself to defeat us alone, a mistake you'll soon regret!" With that Tom was slow to move smiling to his self, this was just what he'd been waiting for. Reaching out he felt the four others, freezing each he kept open and reached for the first. There he found the man's defenses thick and his thoughts almost mirroring Malamon's. The man started to throw everything at Tom he could each missing Tom. Delving deeper he saw Malamon weak, laying back in concentration reaching in as quick as he could Tom snapped 2 then 3 almost had the fourth when Malamon looked at him.

<you'll pay for that ass!> Malamon was screaming back at Tom. Taking hold he violently ripped the fourth loose as Malamon screamed then he was gone.

Damn it! pulling back Tom felt the first bolt of fire break through nearly hitting his arm. Crap!

Tom quickly crushed everything magic leaving the man a sobbing pile of flesh. Drawing the other 4 near, a shocked and frightened look on each of their faces Tom ripped all the magic out of them leaving them all in a neat pile.