Chapter 579: How Far I'll Go
South?
"How far south," Councilman Ezer asked, his intelligent eyes already beginning to calculate the distance.
"As far as you can go." The fairy's bushy eyebrows lowered, as if pointing the way. "The bottom of the world."
The farthest south Mairwen had ever gone was to the sandy lands of the Dunesmen. Although she knew that there were lands beyond those of the friendly nomads, the princess had only read about them from books.
The continent which held all of humanity as well of the land of magic was wide and vast but not endless. Whether traveling east or west, eventually the earth gave way to a mighty ocean dotted with countless islands.
Sailing to them was not for the faint of heart, and pirates like Xander made the travel even more perilous.
But the south…that was another matter entirely.
The mainland did not stretch far beyond what mapmakers called 'The Center Ring.'
Beyond that, the wild waters of the south were all that could be seen until they gave way for floating icebergs large enough to house creatures that defied the imagination.
Creatures, Mairwen realized, like the snowbear whose blood had been cultivated by Sir Taran in order to create his first Abomination. The princess unconsciously shivered as a thought struck her. If Gela and the others were turned into poor copies, then the original would likely be a far more fearsome thing to behold.
"There's nothing in the far south but ice, isn't there?" One of the less vocal Councilmen asked. A few of the others nodded. "I mean, people have tried for generations to seek what is out there and they either come back empty-handed or not at all."
Nanny laughed from the far end of the table. As the only human in the room who could claim any magical heritage, she clicked her tongue at the other's lack of understanding.
"We mortals only seem to believe in what we have ourselves experienced with our own senses. Of course there is something at the bottom of the world. Think about it. If the Fairies finish changing the seasons in the north, where exactly do you think they start?"
The room began to murmur. Even Aurora, who had contemplated the answer idly before, did not have a response.
One by one the eyes all found their way to Reyan. Only he--and possibly Hanna--could say for sure.
The curmudgeon grumbled under his breath. He didn't like telling the fairies' secrets, and this was one of the dearest to them. "I'll tell you the tale but it must not be spoken beyond this room. If I catch wind of this spreading, I'll give each of you your death of cold when I get my powers back. That goes even for you, Missy!"
The fairy glared at Hanna. She shrugged. "Even when I am able, I shall not share the information from here with the rest of my kin. I need you to help save the Fates, the least I can do is honor a simple request for discretion."
Satisfied, Reyan closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the old fairy seemed years younger as he recalled the memories.
"It has been many many years since I have wandered the way of the fairies. It is why the Maker created us, after all. But it is long, perilous and not for the faint of heart. When I almost didn't return one year, I was asked to retire."
Reyan left out that this is what had caused him to reject the rest of the fairies. If they did not want him to help with their calling, then he in return wanted nothing to do with them. If not for being the chain bearer for their race, he likely would have left the land of the magic and never returned.
"We have a place in the heart of our clan," Reyan explained. "At the change of seasons, we have a festival and send our well wishes to those who are going to make the journey. At the end of the celebration, the voyagers shrink to pinpricks of light and circle around the Ageless Agate."
"The what?" Aurora had heard no mention of such a gem while with the fairies.
"It is our sacred stone. It calls to the fairies when it is their turn to travel. It is nearly impossible to resist the pull. When all hands converge on the Agate, the season of my kin make one large and sudden transport to the South. It feels like a thousand of our portals happen all at once." Reyan shivered.
The feeling of the transport was otherworldly but pleasant, like being wrapped in a blanket of clouds. It was different from how the Fates or Leprechauns moved from place to place, making the method of travel fully unique to the fluttering season-bringers.
Reyan sighed. "When we come out the other side, we have to move quickly or risk being killed or captured by the beings there. The weather never changes in the South. It is always bitter cold, just to varying degrees. So we spread only a little bit of magic there not to disturb the balance.
"Once we are all in the air in a great cloud, we part ways and go in every direction to begin the season's change. We don't all meet again until we converge at the mystic spires. That's when our job for the year is complete.
"After so many years of completing my calling, I can say I have seen most of the world and its wonders. Yet I still prefer my own little hovel..."
'And the palace, apparently,' Aurora thought the words but did not speak them.
Most creatures, whether human, magical or beast, wanted somewhere to belong and be wanted. The world held many charms, but even the Empress preferred her own little sitting room with her family over all the grandeur which Valiant had to offer.
"But the seed?" Alvar felt like he had missed a piece of the puzzle.
"We enter the South over the Seed. That is why we have to rise into the air so quickly. If we even give a hint that we are trying to disturb its resting place, we will be finished before we begin. Only once has a fairy engaged the creatures and not been immediately killed. But Zeru was whisked away and was never heard from again."
"Can the Ageless Agate transport creatures other than fairies, do you think?" Devrim asked. Going to the land of the fairies would be a quicker and less dangerous journey than braving the arduous sea voyage.
"Even if it could, that is a moot point. The stone is fueled by magic, and we have nothing to power it..." Reyan cleared all the food around him on the table onto his plate.
If he was going to have to travel soon, he may as well eat as much as he could while he could.
"Wait, if no one can travel and there is no magic...does that mean we are stuck in an eternal winter until we fix this?" Mairwen liked winter--it reminded her of when Renat proposed--but an unending one sounded dreadful.
Having taken a huge bite, Reyan's answer was somewhat muffled. "Welph, that is very possible. Howph-ever, I fink it is more likely that—" the fairy swallowed. "Ah, that was good. Anyway, I was saying that I think it is more likely that we will eventually have a never-ending, scorching summer instead. The sun is still shining and sooner or later it will warm everything up to unbearable temperatures."
"So our options are to help the magical folk get back their power or to eventually cook like geese over a spit?" Ezer presented the choices as much for himself as for the Council.
Looking around, Ezer could see his words had affected the other Councilmen. The few that had seemed reluctant to even be having this conversation nodded in contemplation.
"There is a third option." Reyan took another bite, forcing his audience to wait. "You could ignore the problem and hope the Gifted figure it out on their own. That would have my vote if I weren't, you know, one of those Gifted I mentioned."
"And what are the odds you can do this without our support?" Aurora asked.
Her loyalty was first to her people. If she could spare them and have everything still turn out alright, she would take that course.
"With our magic? We could probably manage without humanity. But as the way things are…it's a death sentence for us before we even start. As much as I hate to say it…I think we need you." Reyan smacked his lips.
The words tasted bitter. He did not like the idea of needing anyone, especially weak, fleshy humans. It was almost more than he could bear.
"He's right," Hanna agreed, her words taking some of the sting from Reyan's verbal wound. "Even Justum said to find you. Our situation is dire."
Aurora nodded. "Then there is only one thing to do. I only hope I have a coat warm enough…"
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