Ink Forged

~Root of All Evil~

Maevus waited, watching the oak doors with suspicion, but they stayed closed. She couldn't move, exhaustion and a strange sick feeling ingrained in her bones, and all she could think was how terribly vulnerable she was.

Even if one of her dragons decided to pull themselves into this world, she wasn't sure she had enough energy to sustain them. She had been blessed from birth with a substantial reserve of magic because of her particular Charm, one that had only grown deeper as she trained, but whatever Adela had done to her had taken more than she'd realized.

Unable to bear it any longer, she let herself fall to the side, clutching her arms around her as she shivered uncontrollably. Teeth chattering, she struggled against the urge to be sick, but was unsuccessful. She rolled to her hands and knees, grateful that her long hair was already mostly tied back and that she hadn't eaten in four days.

When it was over, she staggered to her feet, but only managed a step or two before she fell to the ground again. The golden stone beneath her whirled and her ears were buzzing.

"Poor dear," a matronly voice said, and then gentle hands were helping Maevus to her feet.

She tried to look up, but her muscles wouldn't cooperate. Whoever the woman was, she helped Maevus into the nearest bed, then a cool cloth was wiping the sweat from her brow.

"I warned that wicked woman," the voice murmured. "I warned her what that tool would do. Magic is not meant to be taken like that."

"Tool?" Maevus croaked, eyes finally finding her caretaker.

The woman smiled kindly, wrinkles exaggerating themselves around her mouth and eyes. Her light purple hair was streaked with silvery-grey at the temples, but her age took none of the surety from her hands, or the anger from her voice.

"Anmedeis," the woman said with distaste. "The empire's newest technology, so of course they put it in the hands of fearful bigots like Captain Adela. Drink this, child."

A warm cup was put into her hand, the healer's cool fingers making sure it wasn't dropped. Maevus caught a whiff of Revana's Leaf and Geldalla's Breath, the tantalizing scent making her drink greedily.

Magic and life flooded through her, which was appropriate considering that it was made from plants gifted to the people by the goddess of magic and god of life themselves.

The plants were rare and valuable. Maevus had to force herself to not drink ever last drop of the brew. Sheepishly, she glanced at the woman, sitting up as the sweet taste of magic lingered on her tongue.

"Better, dear?" she asked with a warm smile.

Maevus nodded, eyes going once more to the doors. A thread pulled taut around her heart, and before she could stop him, Medella appeared in a puff of green smoke already shrieking with concern. 

The little green dragon bobbed its head from side to side before twisting it nearly upside down then back upright as he looked at her. The plume of feathers on its otherwise scaly head were ruffled with alarm. He clicked his sharply curved beak, feathered wings stretching out before being folded neatly at his sides. The spikes ridged along his spine were standing straight up, all the way down to his tail, which was whipping side to side with agitation. 

The little taloned fingers of his forepaws grazed gently against Maevus' arm, and she stroked a finger over his sleek feathers, from the plume on his head, down his spine along the side of his spikes to the middle of his back.

Medella chirred, liquid-dark eyes softening. The emerald green spikes down his spine flattened, nearly disappearing under the lighter green feather covering most of his body. 

The delicate emerald scales covering his forepaws, feet, tail and head transitioned nearly seamlessly into the feathers. His opal-white talons were razor sharp, but gentle as he assessed how badly she was hurt.

"I'm okay, Med," she whispered, stroking a finger over his now flat spines. He made a small chirping sound in the back of his throat before cocking his head to stare at the healer sitting next to them. An opaque eyelid slid across the eye she could see.

The woman was staring gape-mouthed at the dragon perched on Maevus' thigh. She opened her mouth to keep Medella from attacking the healer, but he just clicked his beak in a friendly sort of way, perhaps sensing a kindred spirit.

The dragon hopped down to the mattress, nestling next to her, obviously not going anywhere else anytime soon. Maevus didn't have the strength to send him away after what had just happened with Adela.

"Is that a..." the healer started faintly, then shook her head. "Of course. Dragon-Charmed, obviously. Though I must say, dear, a Charm like yours is a rare gift indeed. He's lovely."

"Thank you," Maevus said, placing a fond hand on the dragon's warm body. Through the thread tying him to her soul, she could feel he was still too drained to help heal her, but his mere presence in her world was enough.

Her fingers slipped under his wing to the joint where the feathers were downy and soft.

"I'm Kerna, by the way," the healer said, bustling around to clean up the bile Maevus had choked up. "That nice boy who was in here earlier brought you to me, but between you and me, I'm not sure he was supposed to."

Maevus blinked in surprise, unable to muster up an answer other than a small frown.

Kerna didn't notice, her expression darkening as she returned to her seat by Maevus' side. "Are you feeling better? I wasn't sure what to give you since magic-sickness was unheard of until recently. Of course, that's because there was no such thing until they invented that wretched bit of glass and metal."

"The Anmedeis?" Maevus tried out the strange word, shivering at the evil sound it made. "What is it?"

"It's what you saw, dear," Kerna said grimly. "It's a device that steals magic. Sucks it right from the very skin of Encants such as yourself."

Medella made a squawking sound of displeasure and twisted his head around, beak nibbling gently at Maevus' fingers. Her other hand went to the pendant at her throat, comforted by the familiar shape of the always-warm stone.

"That's... that's impossible," she said faintly.

"That's fear, child," Kerna said softly. "Tread carefully. You'll find little sympathy in the capitol. Find a strong guild and good friends. Perhaps you might be able to survive the coming storm."