Page 10 of Gift from the Stone

“For many years, the portals seemly worked like one-way travel. If you were native to Elementra, you could travel in, but no others were allowed. If you were here from another realm and left during the one-way travel, you’d never be allowed reentry. When the portals closed both ways for good, you were here permanently, no one from the outside allowed in and no one let back out, regardless of where you were from. The last portal to officially close was the one to the nonmagical realm, around five hundred years ago.”

“Why was that portal the last to close?”

How in the world did I end up there?

“Again, this is all scholarly assumptions over the years, but I believe it’s because of its absence of magic. Elementra was trying to allow all her inhabitants to return home because if they stayed in the nonmagical realm, they’d eventually lose their magic. Unlike the other realms, where magic was present, they’d have kept their element and gift and would have adapted to the land they now resided in, like the beings stuck in Elementra adapted, but not the nonmagical realm. They would’ve devolved, so to speak, in just a few generations, if not less. They’d be almost completely human, with just slightly better health than their nonmagical counterparts.”

“Fascinating. So what’s your hypothesis on you and the few who can still leave Elementra?” This is a large history dump, but just like with the gem, I have a nagging feeling the history of the portals is important.

“Well, technically, I’m the only one I know, personally, who can move to the nonmagical realm and come back. There are most certainly others who can because we’ve adopted traits from the realm that were never here before, such as the communicators, but I’ve never met them. The few others I know who can transport out of Elementra, can get to one of the other realms. I believe it’s because we were in those realms at the time the portals closed.”

My eyebrows shoot to my hairline, while he aimlessly strokes his beard and his brows furrow as he drifts into his mind. “You were there when they closed, closed, or became one-way travel?”

“Closed, closed. I had an inkling there was something in the nonmagical realm that I needed but could never find. I was willing to stay behind to find it, never returning home, but Elementra obviously had other plans for me. I attempted to transport to another part of the nonmagical realm where I could sense powerful, familiar magic radiating, but instead, I transported back here, right outside of this cottage.”

There’s a hint of longing in his voice that alludes to the fact he’s always wanted to know what it was that had him searching high and low in the nonmagical realm, but the loving, grandfatherly smile he shoots me tells me he’d never change a thing.

As much as I want to ask what he thought he was looking for, I don’t want to be insensitive to his feelings, so I keep my mouth shut on that.

“Is this book in my journal? I’d like to read up on the portals a little more.”

“Yes, it’s in there. Just search for the book name when you want to read up on it.”

I thank him as I hop up and return the book to its proper place on the bookshelf. Heading into the kitchen, I let my mind wander to all the possible paths we have now to get information on the Mastery.

Now that we know they’re in both the nonmagical realm and Elementra, their use of a portal or there being someone who can transport like Gaster, is a huge possibility. And the gem, that could possibly have something to do with blood magic. So I guess multiple possibilities and a lot of questions really, but eventually, questions lead to answers.

“Would you like to go on the porch? Give our eyes a little break and get some fresh air,” Gaster asks as I hand him his tea and take a sip of my coffee.

“That sounds great. My mind is moving a million miles a minute right now, so a break would be nice.”

“Or it could be the multiple cups of coffee you’ve had, child,” he teases as we take our seats in the rocking chairs.

“Har, har very funny. It’s only my third cup and we’ve spent a lot of time reading and that’s put me into a sleepy mood.”

“Tell me how else you’re feeling. You and the boys seem to be moving in a better direction now?” His tone reflects a combination of warmth and protective care. The bond that connects me and him floods with familial love and I smile warmly at him.

“Yes, we are. They’ve been amazing ever since I came back. Even Caspian, in his own way. Their possessiveness and protectiveness are in overdrive right now, but that seems to really please my little hussy bond more than anything.” I laugh like I’m joking, but my heart flutters thinking about all the attention and affection they’ve been showering me with, and I instantly begin missing them.

I’ve been pretty good at keeping my emotions in check since I knew they’d be gone all day, but all it took was one mention of them and now I want them home.

“I didn’t mean to upset you by bringing them up, but I wanted to check on how you were feeling. I’d also like to talk to you about something, and I don’t want to upset you by bringing it up either.” He pauses, giving me a moment to collect myself again.

“I’m fine, I promise. It’s getting harder as the day goes on and they aren’t home, but I’ll be okay. What are a few tears. What did you want to talk about?” I give him a reassuring nod to carry on. I can suck it up for a little while longer.

“Yesterday, child, was heartbreaking to watch and I hate to feel like I’m sitting by not helping you handle the horrors you’ve lived. There’s a spell I can teach you that can shift the thoughts you’re having, divert them to happier ones.” His eyes convey an unspoken desperation and plea, one that screams he’d truly love to be able to make all my dark thoughts disappear.

I eye him skeptically. Not that I’d doubt anything he’d offer to teach me, but I’ve tried plenty of times throughout the years to think happy thoughts when the panic starts but have always failed once the memories got their claws in me. I’ve only recently been able to curb the panic, and I have no doubt it’s because of the proximity to the guys and the bond pushing me.

“Explain it to me a little more, Gaster.”

“The spell is called a Diversion spell. If you were to ever start slipping into a flashback or even a panic attack, you’d say the spell and whatever you’ve decided to be your diversion would then take over the direction of your thoughts. To activate the spell, you simply say the command in your mind.”

If this is true and works, I won’t have to suffer these crippling attacks anymore. I could begin to heal properly, not just shove it down and ignore it like I do.

“It’s as simple as saying a spell?” I croak out.

“Not the first time, no, but once you have created the spell, then yes, it’s as simple as commanding the spell.”

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