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It had been a week since Tom had been burned and hurt. Frilly was worried
Tom hadn’t smiled, laughed, hell he hadn’t even smirked. Something had most definitely
changed, Tom was so determined training everyday as far from his house as he could get.
Frilly had watched his power steadily increase, it was a little frightening. They were
on the seventh day straight of training, Tom pushing his self as hard as he could, often
till he was exhausted barely able to move.

They had been lucky so far no one had showed up during these sessions,
Frilly was afraid that it wouldn’t last. The seventh day they were just getting
started when the same man that had hurt Tom flashed in.
“HA! there you are you little bastard,” the man laughed, “still a weak little bitch
I see,” with this the man’s face grew angry. “I don’t know how you’re doing this,”
he snarled, “I won’t miss this time!”
Snarling back at the man Tom also laughed, “you’ll be surprised, I am not the man you
fought before.”
“As if, you have no power compared to me, this time you’re dead!” The man shouted
“You know something bitch? you talk to damn much,” Tom sneered back.

The man’s face strained as he threw the first two fireballs at Tom, this
time Tom was ready. They grew closer, this time though Tom didn’t try to stop them
he’d learned and as they made contact with his shield his power flared. The man’s
eyes grew large when the fireballs bounced off and headed back at him! Moving away
he was shocked when Tom was beside him, this time though he really couldn’t move
Damnit! Then he felt his power slip huh? It wasn’t draining it was … waning, weaker,
then it was gone what the hell?!

Tom found that the thoughts of the man were totally distasteful. Finding the
center of where the man’s power came from, Tom had reached in and simply crushed it.
The man stared at Tom opened mouthed like he had been shot, “what have you done!” He
screamed.
“I took your ability to have powers away, you don’t deserve them,” Tom snapped
“You WHAT!!? You can’t do that! no one has that power, not even the master! the
man screamed. “You have to kill me please! Without my power I am of no use anymore!”
“He won’t hurt you he can’t fi…” Tom started
“NO! kill me, you don’t understand I am nothing now, he will eat me, my soul!”
with that the man ran out into the street, into traffic and was struck by a passing
bus.

“NO!” screamed Tom unable to stop him, the man was dragged by the bus a hundred
feet till it stopped. Unfortunately the man’s body was mangled by the bus and death
was almost instant. Tom just looked on in shock was this master that bad? Ready to
go, Tom called for Frilly. When she wasn’t there immediately he was a little annoyed
but after 5 minutes he began to get worried. It was about that time a hovering sphere
floated up to him.
“Hello Tom, I am Malamon, I am in possession of your talisman’s spirit. Obviously
you don’t need her but I need what she knows, you have become an…annoyance at
best. I will offer you a deal, join my ranks you know those idiots don’t care about
you, only your power. I can show you wonders.”

“Uh huh, the spirit? What of her?” Tom replied.
“Ah! her you can kill her, eat her what ever you want,” Malamon said.
“I see and what do I get out of it, fame, power? What? Tom calmly stated.
“Uh, yes, yes, you can have those, “Malamon hesitated.
“As I thought you can’t guarantee me those things, you know what? do me a favor and
just piss off ok?” Tom snapped, “as a matter of fact,” with that he destroyed the
sphere with just a look at it.
Malamon was pissed off reaching out he grabbed the spirit and jerked her to him,
“You will talk you fucking little bitch! no one defies me for long!” Frilly
screamed as he tried to invade her mind, Damnit! he must still be weak.

Frilly had shut her mind down completely as far as he was concerned she was
about dead but she wasn’t fooled, he could feel her power as she could his. They
were both old magical beings and hid their power well. She had to wonder why was
Malamon so interested in Tom, he wasn’t that noticeable, his power wasn’t that
noteworthy, so what was it about Tom that set him apart.
Malamon tried to push harder but she’d already shut herself down. She had done it
quick also, meaning that she was an old being, laughing he liked it! He would so
enjoy eating her soul, her power would increase his to the point that he could
finally speed up his healing.

Tom flashed back to near his house, “Azel! appear now damnit!” Another
flash appeared next to him.
“Yes Tom what’s wrong? Azel asked worried at the look on Tom’s face.
“It’s Frilly, that fucking Malamon took her, the bastard that killed hisself
by the park today was only a diversion,” Tom spit out.
“He will not kill her, he wants information. Well he won’t, till he gets what he wants,
she is an old being unfortunately, she is strong and will last much longer than most.”
Azel shook thinking of poor Frilly.

Sighing Tom knew it was his fault he had let himself get distracted Damnit!
he should have been able to have felt the other who took her. “Thank you Azel, I
will handle this and soon, if I have to take everyone of his men out I WILL!”
Azel backed away for just a brief moment he had felt Tom’s power spike high, extremely
high. By the gods! It had felt higher than the elder’s, Azel was shaking thinking
what Malamon could do with that kind of power. Tom had increased that much in
less than 2 weeks? Azel quickly called all the elders who appeared within seconds.
“I suggest you don’t interfere, I am not the man I was the last time we met.” Tom
spat out, then wind began to blow, the sky darkened, the elements started storming.

The elders were more than impressed, the eldest stepped forward, “I suggest that…”
A bolt of lighting struck between Tom and the elder causing the elder to jump back.
“Young man we…'” the elder started, with that the elements got wilder forcing the elders
to form a shield around themselves.
“I SAID I DO NOT NEED YOU!” Tom shouted surprisingly louder than the tempest.
“I will handle this myself!” with that he vanished within 20 seconds everything was
normal.
“The young man has such power I haven’t felt anything like that since…,” the eldest
said.
“Yes,” said Azel,” “he has the power like him but can he control it?

Tom was sitting at his dining room table trying to think of a way to rescue
Frilly. Damnit! everything he came up with failed, got him or her killed or many magical
beings killed. Sighing the only plan he saw that had any chance of working was
the priginal he had come up with in the first place. Lying down he fell asleep within
moments, damnit he was so tired he hadn’t even noticed that he had pushed his self that
hard. Unfortunately with sleep came dreams even those provided no solice, he hadn’t
seen the woman with the golden hair all weak. Floating in a mist this dream seemed
to be as unrestful as the others. Hearing a sound Tom turned and there she was!
“I have waited to see you all week,” Tom said
The woman shook her head yes and looked down almost seeming to be afraid to look at him

“I know you can’t speak but can we converse before you disappear again?” Tom
asked hoping she would. Again she nodded yes, as Tom gently caressed her face.
Again he felt her pain she felt as if she were imprisoned, she rubbed her face on
his hand. Oh god, her skin was so soft, forgetting a moment he started trying to pull
the pain from her for a moment maybe 2 seconds he felt her pain slip away. Then
she was rapidly moving back from him.
“Oh my god! I am so sorry, I forgot to ask, your pain, your pain is as bad as mine.”
Tom apologised watching her hovering nearby, “did I hurt you?”
Smiling she shook her head no, Tom felt a tingling warmth again moving up his feet
past his ankles slowly creeping upward.

“Myria, will we ever meet? Tom asked
She shook her head yes, Tom could feel it now moving up his calves.
“Are you ok? Do you need help? Is that why you came to me?” Tom asked
Myria shook her head no with a finger up, yes with two fingers held up, yes and no
holding up three fingers.
“Can you tell me where you are?” Tom was starting to get frustrated.
The word Malmon appeared between them,
“What? Malamon has you? I’ll kill him to free you!” Tom shouted.
Shaking her head no, a worried look on her face, the words no yet appeared, grow
stronger. Tom was befuddled the tingling now above his knees almost to his lower
thighs strangely Tom felt calmer than he had ever in his life.
“how can I? I refuse to let the council train me, the spirit of my Talisman was
taken by Malamon she and you are the only ones I trust. I don’t know how to train
without her I think that’s why he took her.”

Myria looked at Tom with love and smiled again, the tingling warmth growing
slightly faster, now to his waist Tom’s thinking was actually clearing. Tom started
to see plans and ways to get to Malamon but they weren’t complete. Reaching out
Tom held Myria like a magical anchor when he felt her being pulled away. the
tingling was past his waist just at his navel. Damnit she was healing him! It
had to be when she had before only the little bit he found he had a lot more control
but not enough, he had to give her the chance to finish. Reaching the bottom of his
ribs he saw a few of the plans completed many were only 3/4 but they were more than
he had before. Hanging on to her with a magical tether was starting to tax him and
he could feel her starting to weaken also. Mid way up his ribs the tears were
starting to fall from his eyes, “Myria I can’t hold you, I am so sorry,” quickly
she was drawn away, Tom too weak to follow.

Tom awoke with tears in his eyes he felt he had failed her, just those two
seconds of contact when he had healed her, just that little amount he had felt
her power jump quite a bit, but was it enough for her to withstand Malamon longer?
Frilly was aware that Malamon had stopped, but she dared not increase her mind. It
was strange but she would have thought that Malamon would have broken through before
now. She might be an older being but she wasn’t that strong, without Tom her power
was basic at most this was odd, very odd indeed.

Tom set out the next day looking for those that were helping Malamon, within
an hour he had found and turned off? He guessed that’s what it was, the powers of 5 more.
Rounding a corner he found the sixth, this time though the man was attacking a much
weaker young man. Tom could see that the young man had just started to develop his powers,
pissed off Tom seized the sixth by the throat holding him high, this time he wasn’t
gentle smashing in Tom quickly and violently crushed everything dealing with magic in
the man’s center. Screaming his face contorted in pain Tom threw the man across the lawn,
“you tell Malamon that I am coming for him. Soon there won’t be enough of you to feed
him then I will have him, go!”
Tom walked over to the young man though not skilled in physical healing Tom knew some.

The young man was just a boy, Tom was tempted to kill the man but held back.
The young 14 year old was shaking violently, reaching in Tom began to repair the pain
in the boys mind. Soon the boy was more relaxed, looking deeper Tom saw that the boys
powers had been partially drained but not removed or shut off. Boosting the boys life
energy Tom felt the boy grow stronger. Stirring the boy yelped and started to try and
crawl away from Tom.
“What’s your name boy?” Tom asked trying to keep his voice calm.
“It’s Denny sir, are you going to kill me?” the boy asked still slowly backing away
from Tom.
“No Denny, I don’t do that. Azel!” there was a flash and Azel was there.

“Got a young one for you,” Tom told Azel, “I just stopped one from killing him,
his name is Denny, I’ve done what I can for him but you guys are better than me at this.”
Azel could only stare in disbelief Tom had stopped? Looking closer, then closer still
Azel saw nothing then suddenly there it was, bursting forth like a new flower suddenly
blooming.
“Thank you Tom, he will be the youngest we have had in some time,” Azel said.
“I have to go I feel two more nearby,” with that Tom was gone leaving an opened mouthed
Denny staring where Tom had been standing. For the next few days Tom shut down a total
of over 300 of Malamons cronies, Malamon was starting to weaken again. The little bastard
had seriously depleated and decimated his allies.

The little bitch was good but he felt he was close to breaking her, even in this
weakened state. Now the little bastard was more than annoying, now he had moved all the
way up to full blown enemy, an enemy that needed to be killed and absorbed. He had to get
the information from her and quick! A flash nearby told him one had arrived reaching out
he felt…something was wrong! the man was sobbing there was no magic in him then how?
Tom flew across the room trying to shut malamon’s power off forever, he had just reached
in but it was different than any he’s ever touched. Crushing just one Tom was thrown
across the room, panicing Malamon fired at Tom and was gone, After deflecting the blast
he cursed that Malamon had gotten away. Finding Frilly and freeing her Tom laid her on
the talisman.

Now Tom started to search everywhere opening every door, he found nothing
Damnit! where was she? “Frilly? have you seen a small woman with golden hair?” Tom asked,
Frilly shook her head no. Tom sat beside her thinking he had missed something.
Reaching out he searched the whole building again even seeing into the secret rooms
he found still he couldn’t find her. Defeated Tom collected a semi-conscious Frilly
and walked out of the building. Azel and the whole council were waiting for him.
“I thought I had him, damnit! I had ahold of his magic center the dark thoughts were
so hard to ignore, I managed to shut one power of his off but I have never seen
the power strands as thick as his,” Tom spit in bitterness.
“You have to remember Tom,” Azel started, “he is an old magical being his powers are
strong but a single power lost is a good start.”

The council again thanked him and were about to go when Azel noticed that
Tom was still upset. “What’s wrong Tom you seemed distracted.”
Sighing Tom sat, “I know he had another prisoner a beautiful golden haired woman,
she has come to me in dreams asking for help but I failed her,” hanging his head
Tom felt ashamed as he started to cry he felt his failure had cost the life of the
woman he loved.
“What is her name? I will ask around the magic community.” Azel asked
“Though she never spoke, she showed it to me it was Myria,” Tom replied
A gasp rose from Azel and many of the council members that were withing earshot.

“You’re sure her name was Myria?” Azel asked a strange look on his face.
“Yes, I have seen her three times now, the last time I touched her in the dream
and started to heal her of the pain she had,” hanging his head, “but I didn’t ask
before I started and I am afraid she may be mad at me, her power jumped in just
those two seconds but there is so much pain there it would take alot of healing
to help her mind.”
“Tom you don’t know who she was?” Azel asked
“No, she never told me but her smile is like a perfect day, not hot, not cold,
everything is at peace the air is clean, the sun shining in a cloudless sky.” Tom
replied a dream like look on his face.

“Tom, the woman you described sounds like Myria Sal, she was the leader of
the mage council for centuries. 500 years ago she vanished, with the activity of
Malamon at that time we thought he had killed her. You see she was at that time
the most powerful mage to ever sit on the council,” Azel said a hint of hope in his
voice.
“I saw her a few days ago, she told me she was a captive of Malamon, she wasn’t
alright, she needed help and…. this was strange I asked her if that was why she
had come to me she said yes AND no, about then I felt her being pulled back
I tried to hold her with a tether but it was so exhausting,” Tom started to cry again,
“I held on with everything I had but it wasn’t enough, it’s almost like she let go.”
“Tom you did the best you could at least we know she is alive,” Azel said. A small
tear rolled down his face.
Concerned Tom asked, “Azel are you ok?”
Drying his eyes Azel looked at Tom, “Yes, I am Tom, I had almost lost hope of seeing
her again, after all I am her father.”

TO BE CONTINUED