Chapter 8: Eighteen Months Later

“I can barely keep up with the demand for my disks,” muttered Oberon to Tajor. They were in Oberon’s lab working feverishly on the sun and silver disks that killed Werekin and Shapeshifters.

“The battle is raging all over Terra Firma, we have to contain them before the human population is decimated and the fight is very close to home.”

“We cannot let on how worried we are Oberon; Atlantis does not need to know.”

Oberon chuckled wearily and said, “She all ready knows Tajor. She has known for weeks that the battle with the Werekin is close to our homelands. We have become used to our v’ma’ter’a’s magic that we no longer notice her slipping in and out of our minds at will.”

“She is so close to birthing our Little Ones she does not need to worry about the possibilities of loosing loved ones to the coming battle.”

“My Lords?”

“Yes, Twa?” asked Oberon.

“A summons by King Borland for both of you.”

Turning Tajor noticed the transportation globes hanging in the air in front of Twa. Oberon sighed and said, “Twa, while we are gone you must protect our v’ma’ter’a at all cost.”

Oberon and Tajor’s movements mirrored each other’s and they simultaneously changed into the same clothing, and reached out for the transportation orbs and vanished. They appeared in the King’s private chambers. He was looking out the window whose view overlooked a dense forest.

“Thank you both for coming.”

“Your welcome your Majesty,” replied Oberon.

Clasping his hands behind his back, King Borland said, “We need an advantage over the Werekin, more then what your disks currently give to our warriors.”

Silence descended between the King and Oberon and Tajor, a prickle of unease crept up Oberon’s back, linking his mind with Tajor’s he shared his unease with his Mate.

Clearing his throat, the King continued, “It has been brought to my attention that we do have a secret weapon that we can unleash on Those That Cannot Be Spoken Of. Atlantis has innate magic and she can destroy all of the Werekin with her magic.”

Rage swirled in Oberon’s mind, blinding his focus until all he saw was red. Tajor was there anchoring him he felt Atlantis’s growl at his anger as it hit her like an ocean wave. He saw her double over in pain, and knew that his uncontrolled anger at the King’s suggestion had triggered her body to give birth.”

Tajor spoke into the deadly silence that filled the room, “Who brought our v’ma’ter’a to your attention?”

“Her uncle.”

Tajor sucked in his breath and held it and said between gritted teeth, “Her mother’s stepbrother? That uncle? The same one who wanted nothing to do with Atlantis when she was a Youngling? The same uncle who disowned her from her Clan because she was raised by the parents of her heart who happened to be Tree Elves, that Uncle?”

King Borland did not reply to the rhetorical questions from the brother of his heart. Who knew the answers to his questions before he asked them. Borland grimaced at his brother’s raging anger.

“No,” spat Oberon.

Turning around with a scowl on his face, Borland demanded, “You dare to tell your King no?”

“I dare because she is preparing to give birth to our Little Ones even as we speak,” replied Oberon as he began to calm down.

***

Atlantis was in the wintry garden thankful for a moments quiet from her hovering Mates. They were both in the lab working on the disks that would be sent to the Elven Warriors on the front lines killing the Werekin.

Atlantis used a subtle thread of magic and made two piles of disks and with a wave of her hand she added them to the stockpile in Oberon’s lab, placing hers under his so that the subtle difference in magic would be disguised.

Sighing, Atlantis slowly walked around the forest that happened to be in the enclosed sphere of protection that Oberon had put up as the battle with the Werekin began raging over a year ago.

Rubbing her belly, she hummed a tune to her Little Ones, who giggled back at her and kicked her hand, enjoying the push she gave them back through the layers of protection that separated them from her. Smiling Atlantis rubbed her enlarged stomach and chuckled.

“Hi Twa,” she said.

“How do you do that Atlantis? I haven’t been able to sneak up on you in months, well since you acknowledged that you were having your Little Ones,” grouched Twa.

A tingle of unease jangled her system and Atlantis said, “It is night time on the earth.”

Suddenly she was tired of winter and she turned the snow into water and made the sun chase away the clouds and evaporate the melted snow that was in the sphere, she made the sun burn brighter and she through a veil of protection over her and Twa, and she placed her hand on Twa’s shoulder and transported them to the flat roof of her home and waited.

“Your scaring me Atlantis, what is doing on?”

Waving her hand she brought the disks to her from Oberon’s lab, separating the disks into two separate piles; she looked at Twa and said, “They are here.”

A wave of red anger hit her mind and doubled her over, pain ripping through her body as the Little Ones began demanding entrance into the world.

Forcing the red haze of anger from her mind, she slammed a block in the middle of the communication channels she shared with her v’ma’ter’i closing them to her condition and the situation she currently faced.

Using his magic, Twa was stunned to feel the thick, sharp edge of evil bounce back at him form his probe of the land beyond the globe of protection. He threw up a ring of fire around the globe, burning the Werekin that were the closest to the circle of protection. From the corner of his eye he saw the blurred motions of the disks fly through the air through the sphere and incinerate the Werekin and shapeshifters that they met.

Waving her hand, Atlantis knew that unless something drastic happened she would be overwhelmed. She used a small hole in the layer of protection to develop and forced direct sun light through the hole and using her metaphysical eyes was stunned that it didn’t have the intensity of the disks and only singed the Werekin that it was trained upon.

Reaching down deep within her, Atlantis called upon the wind that roamed the earth, and demanded that it bring the sun to her aid. Suddenly the earth’s sun was in the sphere, and the burning intensity of it made her skin begin to blister.

Using her magic she dissolved the globe of protection, allowing the real earth’s sun to scorch the Werekin. She watched as bodies disintegrated into ash and dropped to the earth’s crust.

Weaving a spell, Atlantis sent the earth’s sun over the land seeking Werekin and dissolving them where they stood. When the oily feel of evil no longer lingered in her mind, Atlantis replaced the sun in the proper orbit at the exact place that it would have been in if she hadn’t stolen the sun from the sky to use it for her own devices.

Her breath was stolen from her lungs when she was doused with cold water from head to foot, it was only then that she realized that her clothes were on fire and her skin was blistered and she slowly slumped to the ground.

***

Twa realized what Atlantis was attempting to do, he sent a summons globes to her Mates. He then watched as the earth’s sun appeared and the walls of protection explode around them and the evil Werekin turn to ash. The sun chased the night away killing any Werekin in its path and before he could blink the earth returned to night, and eerie silence reining no sounds of night, not even a chirp of a cricket.

Shock thrust though his mind as he realized that Atlantis was on fire. He doused her with a waterfall that materialized out of thin air. He turned as her Mates appeared and watched in horror as Atlantis slumped to the ground. Oberon caught her body and disappeared with it into the forest. He laid her down on a bed that Tajor conjured up and gazed down at the ravished and burned body of their Mate.

Tajor leaned over the bed and whispered, “By the Gods, she’s going to die.”

Oberon said, “No she’s not.”

Sadly Twa gazed down at his friend and said, “No she is not.”

“Stretching out his hands over the bare burned body that belong to Atlantis, Twa, sent a healing stream of magic into her body and began healing her, taking on her wounds to his own body, and healed hers from the inside out.”

Atlantis opened her eyes and met the burned face that was Twa, knowing what he had done, quickly eased him down on the bed and summoned Isolade, the mage and healer to her side.

Isolade felt the summons from Atlantis and she knew it would be coming and her potions were ready for immediate use. “Quickly Atlantis, we must slather his body in this cream before he wakes up.”

Using her magic, Atlantis elevated the body of her friend Twa, using her magic; she opened the potion and wove the cream all over the back of his body while Isolade did the same for his front.

Atlantis studied the chemical components to the potion and suddenly the bed turned into the potion and she lowered Twa down and onto the bed and wrapped up his body in a blanket that had the potion on one side and gazed sadly down at her friend.

Isolade said, “There is nothing that you can do for him at this time Atlantis, your daughter needs to be born and born now or she will die and the Elves cannot loose her.”

The pain of her contractions doubled her over and she fell to her knees. Following Isolade’s instructions she squatted and bore down. After several pushes, a small body emerged from hers and Isolade cut the cord and the Little One bellowed out her displeasure of being on Terra Firma.

Puzzled, Atlantis searched her body and was dismayed to discover her other daughter was gone. The small memory of the Seeing she had sent awed her. Her wee one had given her life up so her twin could live. She had sent her Mother and Father a burst of love before she disappeared.

Putting her hand on her forehead, and propping it up on her knee, still squatting, Atlantis wondered how good of a Mother she would be if he could give birth and her daughter die without her noticing it.

Oberon was dismayed at the Seeing that Atlantis had discovered in her mind and wrapped his metaphysical arms around her and whispered that it was meant to be and the One Who Had Gone to the Beyond went joyfully, and knowing she saved the life of her sibling.

Isolade washed the little body she held her in arms with her magic. The spell she used was one she had spent the last 10 millennia perfecting for this very moment. This female elf was integral to the future of all Elves on Terra Firma and she was determined that she would live to see and meet her destiny.

She handed the Little One back to Atlantis who was in shock from learning that her other daughter had died. Using her magic to sound a clap of thunder over Atlantis’s head, she watched as the female looked up and the grief in her eyes dissolve and anger spiked in them.

“Hear me Atlantis! The One Who Is Not lived her life’s purpose in a moment…she was born to meet her destiny and she knew this and obeyed her destiny. The Little One in your arms must be protected no matter what even above your v’ma’ter’i. You must live for one reason and one reason alone. For the protection of the Little One in your arms for the destiny of the Elves are bound with her and her survival.”

Atlantis was startled to hear the thunder clap above her head and anger at Isolade’s tactics pushed away the sorrow of viewing the Seeing from the One Who Went Beyond.

She listened to Isolade’s words and felt the magic that was her daughter twining thread around her mind and heart keeping her tied to the Little One in her arms. The commitment in the moment of bonding weighted down on Atlantis’s spirit. Closing her eyes, she embraced her destiny and the commitment to the protection of her Little One and the sacrifice of her other Little One was placed in honor in her mind and her heart.

Looking down at the Wee One in her arms, she was met with dark stormy blue eyes, Atlantis smiled and whispered her welcome and caressed her Little One with her magic. The Little One seemed to sigh and closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

Looking up at Isolade, Atlantis said, “About Twa, will he live?”

Isolade replied, “The will to live is strong with him, however, the decision will be his to make and his alone.”

“Oberon, Tajor? Help me stand up please,” requested Atlantis.

Slowly she walked over to the bed that held Twa, and she whispered in his mind, “The Little One has been born. You have much to teach her my friend, live for her.”

Suddenly Atlantis was tired and looked at her Mates and said, “I need to lie down.” The extended use of her magic and the birth of her daughter had depleted her energy to very low levels; she would need rest to find her balance.

© All Rights Reserved. Copyrighted October 2007, Version

Chapter 7: Hearth and Home

(This story begins approximately 5 millennia before the disappearance of the Island of Atlantis.)

Winter had come the northern part of earth again. Atlantis loved earth’s winter but could not enjoy it as she once had by walking out amongst the humans and feeling the cold nipping at her nose and toes.

Her v’ma’ter’i had forbidden her to leave the comfort of their secured home. The only one who could unweave the magical barrier was Oberon, or that’s what she let him believe, however, she obeyed him as he was terrified that the They Which Can Not Be Spoken Of would find her and destroy her.

He had taken her and Tajor, “in hand” as he termed it and taught them how to use his magical disks that could destroy They Which Can Not Be Spoken Of the moment it entered their bodies.

Atlantis glanced around her and decided that if she could not walk on the land during the earth’s winter she would bring it to her. Sitting on the cloud she felt Oberon’s magical orb he had placed as a barrier around them protecting them from intruders. Letting go a small stream of energy, Atlantis put grey clouds above her and dropped the temperature on the ground and made rain begin to fall from the sky. Before the rain hit the ground it morphed into snow.

Sighing in happiness, Atlantis left the cloud she was sitting on and appeared on the ground and danced in circles, her long blue hair streaming out behind her, arms outstretched, and tongue out trying to catch the snowflakes. Giggling she made a funnel of snow and wrapping the particles together, she made them in to balls and laid them behind a tree, hiding them from her Mates in case they came outside to investigate the drop in temperature.

With a wave of her hand, she installed fireplaces in all the rooms in her home, and lit them with fire. Grinning she raced over the land to the pond, it was not yet frozen over, using her magic, she froze the water to solid ice.

She felt Twa rather then saw him and using her magic, picked up a snow missile and launched it at him hitting him on the back. Snow outlined him as he was trying to be invisible.

Grinning at him Atlantis said, “Good afternoon to you Twa.”

“You can see me?”

Giggling Atlantis said, “Yep, I sure can see you and you look sooo cute with all that snow covering you from head to foot!”

“Well for someone in your condition you are having way too much fun!”

Lifting an eyebrow at Twa Atlantis inquired, “Someone in my condition?”

Twa let out an exaggerated sigh and said, “When are you going to admit that you are going to have a Little One?”

Placing her hands on her hips, Atlantis glared at Twa, “I’ve all ready admitted that to myself, Twa. I just haven’t told you yet.”

“Or your v’ma’ter’i, who pretend they don’t know your going to have their Little One.”

“Who asked you anyway?” grouched Atlantis and using her magic bundled up in a fur coat and thigh high, fur-lined boots and stopped away from her friend.

Dogging Atlantis’s steps, Twa continued, “It’s nothing to be ashamed of you know.”

“Who said anything about being ashamed?” snapped Atlantis.

Hurrying after the seven foot elf in front of him, Twa yelled, “You are too!”

Atlantis felt her cheeks warm up at his accusation. She sent all her snowballs flying at his head, enjoying the satisfying thumps as they hit their target.

“Your being childish Atlantis,” grumbled Twa.

Growling a warning at Twa, Atlantis stopped abruptly and whirled around and faced him, “What do you want Twa?”

“I want you to tell Oberon and Tajor you are expecting their Little One. Tonight!”

Glaring at Twa, Atlantis took a deep breath, gritting her teeth she muttered, “How dare you order me about!”

“I dare because you have cut yourself off emotionally from your v’ma’ter’i and they are afraid you will die or not carry the Little One to term, or both!”

The shock of Twa’s words settled into her bones and Atlantis was no longer angry, and whispered, “I haven’t cut them off.”

“Yes you have. Have you felt them in your mind for the last several moon cycles?”

Atlantis shook her head no and looked at Twa. Taking another deep breath, Atlantis rocked back on her heels and relaxed her body and allowed her magic to roam within her body.

She explored each fiber of her body to be sure she was well, and then she began exploring the connection that she was developing with her Mates. A huge block was on both of the links she had with them. She contemplated it with her metaphysical eyes; touching it to see who it belonged to shocked she felt her own magic radiate back at her.

She followed the block back to the origin and discovered that Twa was right she had blocked them entrance to her mind because she was mortified being with child, but not so much embarrassed that she was going to have a Little One, but how she got that way in the first place.

Feeling her cheeks warm up, Atlantis admitted that she was embarrassed over the loss of choice to be with her Mates and she felt the barriers dissolve. Immediately she felt her Mates relief and joy over being allowed back in her mind. She brushed them both with her magic and whispered that she was expecting their first Little One.

Duel sets of emotions rushed at her, joy and happiness from Tajor and euphoria and worry from Oberon. Smiling she gave them a metaphysical hug and came back to her own body and said to Twa, “Thank you my friend it took courage to come after me like you did.”

Blushing Twa said, “Aww, it’s nothing Atlantis. It’s what friends are for and all though those snowballs did pack a punch.”

Grinning at Twa, Atlantis said, “Ha, you didn’t feel them one bit, you allowed me to hit you with them. Twa I might be bit giddy from time to time, but I really am not dumb.”

Twa fell on the ground laughing until tears streamed out of his eyes, and looking up at Atlantis glaring down at him she said, “You should see yourself, all covered in snow.”

Reaching up to her fur hat, Atlantis felt cold under her fingers and then brushed her hand down her coat and piles of snow fell off, the more she brushed off the more she saw on the coat.

Her eyes began to narrow as she contemplated the Elemental on the ground incredibly happy with his mischief. Using her hand she dumped a pile of snow on top of Twa and then flashed herself to the porch and came to an abrupt halt as she met her Mates coming out the door in their summer clothing, both were standing their shivering and in union demanded, “What’s this?”

“Snow.”

“Yea we know its snow, doll, but where did it come from?”

“Mother Earth.”

“How?”

“I brought it here. It is my favorite time on the earth right now. The snow crunches as you walk over it, the quiet of the forests, and the cool nipping at your fingers and your noses. I put fireplaces in our home so we can enjoy mulled wine around the fireplace at night.”

Sighing Oberon looked at Tajor and he said, “Well, I guess we have snow.”

Tajor grinned and said, “Indeed.”

Taking a step towards her Mates she was suddenly engulfed by them, sandwiched between them, and she whispered, “I am so sorry that I cut you both off from me, I didn’t mean to do that, but I was so embarrassed over how I became to be the way I am.”

Chuckles rumbled out of their chests and vibrated down in her belly, “Aww, Sweetness, it was our fault that you lost control of your magic as you did when you joined with us for the first time. We should have claimed you right away.”

Atlantis looked up at Oberon who was standing in front of her and she whispered, “Do your really mean that?”

Gazing down at Oberon, he was rocked to the core of his being that his woman had to ask that of him. Cupping her chin with is finger, he leaned down and kissed the snowflake off her nose and said, “Atlantis, I mean that with all my heart. I will be forever to blame for your insecurities at our joining; it is I who do not deserve you. Your love for us, has kept Tajor and I from becoming That Which Cannot Be Spoken Of. We are forever in your debt.”

Oberon caressed her cheek and ran his fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head he continued, “Atty, you have returned laughter to our lives and are carrying our Little One. You have made us so happy.”

Glancing at Tajor, silently communicating with his Mate, he looked back down at Atlantis and said, “It is passed time that Tajor and I tell you that we adore you, we love you, you are our life. We also thank you.”

“For what do you thank me?” whispered Atlantis, amazed at Oberon calling her by her childhood nickname.

“We thank you for not unraveling the protection and being willing to be confined within. We both know you could unravel them in a moment as your magic is awesome to behold, however, you have pretended that you have not the ability to do so. The pretending for our sakes must stop. We are not so egotistical that we cannot love and admire you just the way you are—you are a powerful Elven female in your own right. Nothing can take that away from you.”

Tajor leaned over and whispered in Atlantis’s ear, “And you’re a very beautiful Elven female that we call ours.”

Tears brimmed Atlantis’s eyes and she blinked them back and buried her nose in Oberon’s chest and hugged him tightly. Joy bubbled up in Atlantis’ heart. She had come home at last to love, peace, and happiness.

With her mind link to her Mates, she whispered, “I hope you don’t mind, but we will be having two little girls joining our family.”

“Girls?” Tajor exclaimed, “Are you sure? Rarely are girls born into my family!”

“Of course I am sure, Tajor. Only girls are ever born into the de El’a family.”

Atlantis stilled as she felt the caress of Oberon’s magic deep in her womb caressing her babies and introducing himself as their Father.

Withdrawing his magic from the Little Ones tucked in Atlantis’s body, Oberon spoke aloud, “Atlantis is correct we have two very tiny, girls who think their Father’s are a wee bit silly.”

Atlantis laughed aloud, her laughter ringing in the stillness of the winter day. “They are smart Little Ones all ready.”

Tajor grunted in disbelief that he had fathered a Little Girl. He sent his magic into Atlantis’s body and caressed his Little Ones introducing himself to his Little Ones and told them he loved them.

He felt a little puff of a metaphysical grins and joy pulse out to him as they went to sleep. He withdrew his magic from his babes and gazes over Atlantis’s head at Oberon who had tears in the corners of his eyes.

Leaning over Tajor said, “Oh, Atlantis they are so beautiful and so tiny. You must take it easy and let us take care of you.”

Atlantis groaned as she envisioned her next year full of thou shalt and thou shalt not’s coming from both of her Mates and groaned again. Oberon chuckled and said, “Now Atty we are that bad.”

Atlantis groaned and muttered, “No your worse.”

Tajor chuckled. Using his magic he transported is family into their home and he settled them on the couch in front of the fire, snuggling Atlantis between them and removing her coat and putting a blanket over her, smiled happily, and whispered in his Mate's minds,
"There my loves, all warm and cozy."

© All Rights Reserved. Copyrighted October 2007, Version I, by Georgia Lee Jones.