Archmage, Part 6
#6 of Archmage
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Archmage, Part 6
It's been about two months since Shariykah finally let me out of her womb. It took her about three days to get around to it, even though she convalesced in one, not that I'm complaining. Anyway... A lot has changed. For starters, Shariykah and I have become officially betrothed. That's what she calls it, anyway... I like the sound of engagement better. Anyway, my family to this day is still skeptical about it, but they relaxed when she points out to them that we have the same career choice, and are both on the way to pulling 4.0 and having our choice of schools.
It's not like there's a big rush... We have all the time in the world, after all. Other matters have been addressed, such as some of the ideas I had a couple of months ago. Thaddeus helped me build the transcription machine, which makes copies of essentially every book penned before suffusing the book, and the concepts within, with energy that causes readers everywhere to feel more relaxed, interested, and focused when reading. It'll still take a while for even a slight change in the education system, but at least I can say I've done my part.
Besides having an expansive, magically-penned library and a fiancée, I find myself sitting on my family's patio, Shariykah sitting next to me as we look over the green valley with a new, somewhat confounding question.
"What now?" I ask as I continue to look into infinity.
"Well... You go and do whatever you can." She reaches over and pats my hand, in an almost consoling, apologetic kind of way.
I look over to her. "So just... go?"
"Well, yeah... You've brought somebody back from the dead, more or less... You're capable of great things now." She lets out a sigh as she turns to look at the valley... I'd almost forgotten that we've kept the air clean since that day on the mountain-top. I suppose that's one act of philanthropy, and I've noticed in the papers that one meteorologist called it an "Atmospheric wonder."
I reach down beside me and pick up a glass of water I'd brought out, and for once I manage to drink from it without water spilling down my snout. It's amazing that I haven't broken it either, a testament that I've finally managed to control my tail's inadvertent flicking with frustration.
"But... What should I do? If I just go out and hand somebody all of their dreams, they won't even believe it. They might think they're crazy, or think I'm the devil or something." This seems like a very real, somewhat disturbing possibility to me. If I perform strong magic in front of somebody, or ever reveal my serpentine form, I'm willing to bet that at least one village will not be above calling me the spawn of satan.
"It requires finesse," she says with a somewhat wistful tone, "If you let yourself be noticed in too big of an act, there are those who will come after you."
I look her over, forgetting she's a millennium old with more experience than anybody else I've ever heard of. It's hard to tell, looking at her guess-brand sweater and stylishly-worn jeans. A thought crosses my mind that she must've lived through some of the renaissance period, and I picture her in a bustle and corset, and begin laughing.
She looks at me somewhat confused, and then cracks a smile. "What?" I can feel her trying to pry into my mind and find the ludicrous image of her, but just to provoke her; I muster my own power to stop her.
"Not telling!" She starts to pout, looking at me with puppy-dog eyes. "... Aww, okay." I describe it to her, and she responds in a way that leaves a red handprint across my muzzle.
"Ow."
She grumbles, "...it was all the rage back in..." This continues on for a couple of seconds, before I bring her back to the matter at hand.
"So, you have to hear me out. If I hand people what they need to live, then... there will be no value to it. If I do, then... they'll just get lazy, and expect me to do everything for them." I idly slide my claw-tips over the glass in my hand as I ponder this.
"You mean you don't want to be a pack mule for all of your life? From the other night it seems like you didn't mind being ridden one bit!" I blush furiously as I try to hush her down, and look back into the house. Thank god my parents didn't hear that... God, I feel like one lame mage sometimes.
I reply in a hushed tone, "I do admit, I'm still a bit worn out after that... but it's not the same as being expected to do people's jobs for them, unless they're prostitutes I guess. I'll just have to be more subtle about how I help people..."
She smiles and nods, and at that point I get a wave of inspiration. I can be a guardian angel, more or less, with these abilities, helping people from the shadows or in ways they don't expect. Perhaps I could find missing people, or help somebody find the cure for cancer? I think about how I could go about doing that...
I'm interrupted as she leans over and kisses me on the cheek. "Don't get ahead of yourself cowboy, you have to remember to pace yourself. You're going to be at this for a long, long time..."
Huh... That statement always hits me like a ton of bricks, and suddenly I have the picture of my own student someday laughing at this Abercrombie tee, saying "How could you go around wearing that crap?" Beyond that, there's a small nagging at the back of my mind... like I've forgotten something.
Shari chimes in with, "When was the last time you've talked to your friends, anyway? It's a week into winter break and I've not seen head nor tail of Dave..."
Oh, jeez. The realization that I've spent so much time with Shari and my family in an attempt to retain balance that I've been neglecting my friends. It makes me feel doubly like a jackass simply due to the fact that I get mad at my friends if they forget me because of their own "Significant others"...
I turn to Shariykah as I stand, and offer her my hand. "How 'bout we go see him right now?"
-o-
As my beloved and I pull up to Dave's place, he has the door open. I hear a "Dammit!" from inside, and as we open the door we see him playing Lego Star-Wars on his xbox.
"Oh, hey. How's it going, man?" He doesn't even make eye contact, as he's clearly trying to make some very difficult jump. As the little Lego man shatters with each successive failure, he gets just a bit more frustrated before finally pausing the game. With a charming smile, he turns to us and greets us. Again.
"Hi, how's it going?" It's just like him to do that.
"It's going great! I've never been better!" I say this unusually honestly... I really do feel so much better.
He stands, and addresses both of us. "So... what'd you like to do?"
Shariykah chimes in, "I have a request... I see you've got silent hill here. I want to see my cowardly little snake play that."
"Heh..." He glances at the game, "I would love to see him scared shitless again."
God damn it, I don't want to do it...
"God damn it... Okay."
-o-
About two hours later, I have a set of very amused friends around me, and I almost needed a new set of pants. Being able to cure cancer apparently has no bearing on how cowardly you are.
"Okay, I think I've had enough. I want to ask you something, Dave."
He quizzically looks at me, the game still on pause.
"I've been thinking about this for a while, and I'd like to present to you an offer that you'll never get again." I try not to stammer as I say this very grave announcement, all the while still getting the casual what's-going-on look.
"I want to take you on as my own apprentice." At this, Shariykah looks extremely surprised, as I've kept this idea incognito from everybody. "I think you have it in you."
He gulps. "Uh... to become... a snake?" He's still somewhat shocked, clearly.
I feel like I'm probably fucking up the idea somehow. "Well, no... I'd pick a form that I thinks represents you, and then... enhance you"
He stares into infinity. I can see the look of confusion on his face, replaced suddenly by the wide-eyed look of a sudden realization. He's being hit with the same feeling I had, the gravity of what he could become, and how he could improve. In him, I see myself: Kind of geeky, with not much point to his life. The possibilities, and the responsibilities are all hitting him like a truck.
"Well... " Silence. The anticipation during his pause is horrible to me... "No. I mean... I can't say yes right now. It's too..." His voice is laden with hesitation and confusion.
I look to Shariykah, and she smiles at me. She whispers softly, "This is all you."
Turning back to Dave, I smile. "Listen, I know it's a big decision, but if you think about it... You can be a hero." A hero with no recognition. "It's within your reach to help people!" Ungrateful people. "You could be alongside your friends, being a paragon of life for eons to come." Eons of servitude... but it would never cease to help humanity. "In whatever way fit, you could be a pillar, the last, best hope of humanity if bad goes to worst." A protector that, in time, could be the inspiration for great works of art or literature. "You can do amazing things... and go at your own pace." And have time to relax, and enjoy eternity with loved ones. "It's a lot of work... but you could live the life."
He clearly could hear me becoming more confident in myself as I tell him about the path he might go down. "... Maybe. I'm sorry, I need some time."
With that, Shariykah takes my shoulder. She tells him with a smile, "If you ever make up your mind, just give him a call. We'll give you your space." I'm pulled out, still feeling horrible about leaving my friend in such a state.
Before I can say a word, she looks into my eyes and tells me flatly. "If people need space, give it to them."
Somberly, I hang my head. I feel terrible, until I realize... I've given him the chance of a lifetime, a golden ticket so to speak. By the time I reach my car, I have renewed hope about the world, and about my own problems. I'll get through them, with the help of my love and my friends. I get into my shitty old car, and happily chug away.
-o-
At about seven o'clock that night, I get a phone call, and I know who it's from.
"Hey, Dave, what's up?"
"Not much." He sounds unusually perky. "I made my decision... I'll do it." I immediately think about how I will teach him all of the lessons that Shari taught me without fucking him.
"Okay... we can begin on Monday, if you want." It's pretty early, but I think he'll go fo...
"Nah, I'm getting my copy of pokemon black then." I facepalm, but hear him laughing on the other end. "Yeah, that's fine. Just... Promise me you'll pick something cool for me."
I can already see what he'll be... "How's a robin sound?"
He chuckles. "Cool. You know me too well. Anyway... See you then!"
We say our goodbyes and hang up, and I turn to see Shariykah right next to me with a sinister grin on her face.
"Hmmmm... Got a new apprentice, have you? Better get rested up." She winks at me, taking my hand.
I follow her to the bed with a smile. She slowly strips down to her underwear, and I'm once again blessed with a view of her perfect, voluptuous form. She crawls into the bed, beckoning me with one finger.
I follow her, stripping down to my boxers and flicking off my shirt on the way to the bed. I feel her smooth, damp hands running up my sides, her eyes gazing deeply into mine. A murr escapes my own lips, and I finally manage to break the silence.
"So... What kind of kinky fun am I in for tonight?" I can't help but blush, as I wait for an answer.
"... Nothing. The readers would expect that by now."
"What?" She clicks off the lights, and promptly falls asleep.
~Fin.
-o-
Sorry for the super long break, and then the unusually short story. It was always meant to be an epilogue, one that I never quite got around to. ^_^ I hoped you all liked the story, and feel free to comment.
This story series is dedicated to Stephanie Waverider and to Geist378