See Part 1 for disclaimer
The next morning, Aerin woke to the sound of something buzzing annoyingly in his ear. Squeezing his eyes shut, as if that alone could block out the sound, Aerin clutched the warmth in his arms, feeling Nyla snuggle up against him as he pulled her closer. Despite the fact that the sun wasn't up and he was already awake, Aerin smiled; just having Nyla with him was enough to make his day.
"Morning already?" Nyla groaned, unwilling to open her eyes.
Aerin chuckled dryly, his eyes opening to see her facing him, her eyes screwed shut. He marveled at the sight of her, even in the near dark of early morning, and felt his heart constrict painfully with emotion. "The sun hasn't even reached the horizon yet but, yes, it's morning," he said.
Nyla gave a tired sigh. "I have to get up."
Aerin nodded before leaning in to brush a light kiss against her lips. "You do," he agreed, "We both do."
"Damn Santsuki festival," Nyla muttered before pulling Aerin back for another, deeper kiss. They moaned simultaneously at the feel of their lips pressed together, neither one wanting to pull away. His hand snaked around her waist, the heat of her skin burning through the thin night shirt she wore and he felt as if her heat were permanently imprinted on his palm, that he would never be able to forget the feel of her.
Nyla shivered as she felt his hand glide up her back and knew she had to pull away lest she stay there forever. Slowly, their kissing slowed to a stop and they opened their eyes to look at each other.
"I should go," Nyla said, giving herself a little room to think past the hazy passion threatening to overwhelm her.
Aerin, feeling the same things as Nyla, nodded in agreement. "You should. You have to be at the temple in less than an hour."
With a soft, regretful sigh, Nyla pushed herself away from Aerin and got out of bed. She slipped on the robe she had worn up to his room and made her way to the door as Aerin sat up in bed. "I'll see you at the Naming ceremony," Nyla said over her shoulder, her eyes meeting his for several seconds.
Aerin nodded, his throat and voice refusing to work with him. "I love you," he suddenly blurted.
Nyla's hand froze on the doorknob, not expecting to hear the words she had been dying to hear for two years. Slowly, she turned and, with tears glistening in her eyes, smiled at him. "I love you, too."
The embarrassed flush Aerin felt rise to his cheeks at the sudden proclamation suddenly disappeared as his brain registered her words and he found himself grinning like a fool. He hadn't meant to announce his feelings like that, but now he was glad he had. "You should get going," Aerin said, "You don't want to be late."
Nyla gave him a grin filled with an unidentifiable emotion. "No, wouldn't want that," she said cheekily, "See you later." With that, she slipped out the door, leaving Aerin alone, still grinning like a fool.
Cassie awoke to find herself in an unfamiliar room. The sun shining in through the large patio window, Cassie sat up the get away from the light glaring in her eyes and, as she looked about the room, knowledge of where she was came crashing back to her with startling reality. She was on another planet and, only a couple of rooms away, Janet was alive, her mother still lived. The thought brought tears to her eyes and as well as a sense of awe.
Talking with Janet the evening before, hearing about all she had been through and all she could do, Cassie was amazed at the woman Janet had become. Her mother had become powerful beyond all belief. Janet had demonstrated her power for Cassie, leaving Cassie awed and slightly afraid of what Janet could do with the power at her disposal. But, it still didn't change who Janet was on the inside and that was a great source of comfort.
Wondering what time it was, Cassie got off the large bed that had been conjured for her the evening before and went over to where Sam was still sleeping. She shook Sam's shoulder lightly, biting back a giggle as Sam started awake.
"What?" Sam murmured sleepily.
"It's morning," Cassie said.
Reaching out blindly, her eyes still closed, Sam searched for her watch, which she had set an alarm for. Knowing that they had to get up early that morning, Sam had ensured that she would get up. The fact that the alarm hadn't gone off meant Sam could still get some sleep. Looking at her watch, Sam sighed. "Cassie, we still have an hour until we have to get up," Sam nearly whined, loving the feel of the smooth, cool sheets around her.
Cassie sighed. "Well, I can't go back to bed. I'm going to go check out the bath tub."
"Have fun," Sam said as she rolled back over and fell into a light doze. Rolling her eyes in amusement, Cassie went and gathered her things, moving into the bathroom to enjoy the Jacuzzi-size tub while Sam was still sleeping.
Daniel came to consciousness slowly. Opening his eyes, he stretched out an arm, feeling the empty space beside him. Somehow, it felt wrong, like something was supposed to be there, but Daniel didn't know why or what. Shrugging off the feeling, Daniel pushed himself from the comfort of his bed and padded to the bathroom.
After bathing and dressing, Daniel went downstairs to find that he was the last one up, Jack, Teal'c, Sam, and Cassie already sitting around on the couches, eating a light breakfast.
"Morning, Daniel," Jack called out as Daniel joined them.
Looking around, Daniel noticed that Janet was missing. "Where's Janet?" he asked.
Sam shrugged. "We don't know. She wasn't here when we woke up this morning, but there was food put out here for us. She probably had something to do early this morning in preparation for today," Sam surmised.
"Yeah, probably," Daniel agreed as he poured himself a mug of falano.
"That stuff's great," Cassie said, holding her own mug, "More addicting than coffee, I swear."
Daniel chuckled. "It is." They ate in relative silence, enjoying the morning meal. They wouldn't have guessed, given the peace of the morning, that the whole of Zimmeria was bustling with activity, teeming with people from all over the world to celebrate the most esteemed, most important time of the year, that thousands of people were packed in the city for the festival.
After finishing their food, SG-1 and Cassie just sat around, talking with each other while waiting for Janet to show up. A few minutes later, the entrance doors to Janet's room opened and Janet, Nyla, and Christos walked in, all wearing identical grey robes. Nyla and Janet had their hair pulled back into buns and the only jewelry any of them wore was the 10 rings they had, one on each finger.
"Good morning," Janet smiled as she spotted them, "Sleep well?" She blushed slightly as she looked over at Daniel, alerting Nyla and Christos to her emotions. She remembered waking up in Daniel's arms, the warmth that had spread through her body was amazing. She had been loathe to remove herself, but knew she had to in order to avoid any embarrassment. As it was, she wasn't sure if she was going to tell him he had kidnapped her and confined her to his bed while he slept.
"Where were you?" Sam asked, jolting Janet out of her musings.
"At a religious ceremony," Nyla explained, "We were receiving the blessing of the High Priestess before the other ceremony later this morning."
"The three of us are the new 10th level Mages this year," Janet said, gesturing to Nyla and Christos beside her, "We officially receive our status as Master Mages in an hour."
"You're invited to the ceremony, by the way," Christos added, "The Grand Mage officially extended the invitation. You're lucky; most non-Mages don't get invited to the Naming ceremony."
"So that's why you're wearing the grey robes," Cassie noticed.
Janet nodded. "Grey is the only color not associated with a branch of magic. It's used for students to signify that they haven't officially announced their School of Magic," she explained.
"So, what School do you belong to?" Daniel asked.
Janet smiled grimly. "I'm a War Mage," Janet said, "That means I belong to the Schools of Elemental, Telekinetic, Manipulative, and Conjuring Magics. Nyla's a Full Healer, which means she's both a Healer and an Empath. Christos is a 10th Level Empath, though he has also mastered up to the 8th Level of War Magic, so he will receive something that indicates his status as both." Janet glanced at both of her friends, amazed that she had made friends with both of these people, knowing that she would be working closely with both of them for the rest of her life.
Nyla was going to become the next Head of both the Healers and the Empaths, Janet knew, and Lord Omar had confided in her that Christos was his pick for the next Grand Mage. Janet wasn't surprised at that; Christos was almost as strong as Aerin and it put him in a special position, gave him a special rank among the Mages. With Tranell a possible choice for next Head War Mage and Aerin as her Lord Protector, Janet and her friends were the next generation of leaders in Zimmeria, some of the most powerful Zimmeria would ever see.
"So, when does the ceremony start?" Sam asked.
"In about an hour," Janet said, looking over her friends and adoptive daughter, "Though you're going to want to wear something a little nicer." SG-1 and Cassie looked over their casual clothing before disappearing upstairs to change, leaving the three Mages downstairs.
"So, you excited?" Christos asked, nudging Janet with his elbow.
Janet smiled up at him, nervous excitement bubbling up in her stomach. "Yes, extremely," Janet answered, "I've worked hard for this moment; I finally receive my armor after 5 years of sleepless nights and hard work. It hasn't been easy balancing my duties with school. I deserve it. We all do."
"Yes, we do," Nyla said, "I just can't believe we all made it this far. It feels like we're being admitted to a special club, you know?"
Christos nodded. "Oh yeah, one with a very exclusive membership," he grinned, "This is what every Mage dreams of."
"We'll be one of less than 60 Master Mages in the world," Janet said, her voice full of anticipation, "Sometimes I just can't believe it."
"Well, there was no question whether or not you'd become a Master Mage," Christos affectionately teased, his eyes twinkling at Janet, "What, with you being the Akakami and all. In fact, there'd have been something wrong if you hadn't become one."
Janet playfully scoffed and nudged Christos with her shoulder only to have Christos pull her into a hug instead. He also pulled Nyla close, creating a group hug. "I love you guys," Janet said quietly, her eyes tearing up as the emotion swelled up in her chest.
"We love you, too, sweetie," Christos whispered, his eyes shining with unshed tears, overwhelmed by the moment.
"Forever," Nyla added, struggling to keep back her own tears.
"Having a little huddle?" Jack's voice called out. The three broke apart, Janet's eyes going to the stairs that Jack was walking down, the older man having changed into a more respectable pair of slacks with a crisp, white shirt.
Janet wiped away the tears that had pooled in her eyes, telling herself to pull it together. "Something like that," she said in response, noticing Teal'c and Daniel exit their respective rooms almost simultaneously, dressed similarly to Jack. Cassie and Sam emerged from the room they shared moments later, each wearing a skirt and a nice blouse.
"We're going to have to have clothes made for you for tonight," Janet mused.
"Tonight?" Jack questioned.
"The opening ball of the Santsuki festival," Janet clarified, "You guys are all invited. It's the ball that the Royal family holds at the beginning of the festival. It's a prestigious event. Only those who are invited can attend."
"Is there going to be enough time to have adequate clothing prepared?" Teal'c asked.
Nyla, Christos, and Janet shared equally amused looks. "When magic is involved, there's always enough time," Janet smirked, "We should probably head down to the University, though. We'll need time to get into place for the ceremony." With that said, the entire group of 8 moved down out of the Tower and to the University.
It was when they got down to the courtyard, with all the people moving about, did SG-1 and Cassie understand just how big of a festival this was. The overall mood was one of excitement, despite the early hour, and SG-1 and Cassie couldn't help but be infected by the excitement. It snuck up on them, residing in their chests, making their hearts pound with anticipation for the days ahead.
They approached the University, but before they could go inside, Janet stopped them, turning to face her friends and daughter.
"Before we go in," Janet said, "I just wanted to make sure you're all properly shielded. The last thing we need is the magic of the University stealing your minds away from you." Going around, Janet briefly touched each member of SG-1, making sure that the shield she had erected in their minds stayed in place. When she approached Cassie, Cassie froze.
"Mom?" she questioned.
Janet smiled. "I have to shield you, too. You also have power and I don't want you getting harmed or your mind getting destroyed." Janet reached out and grabbed Cassie's hands, reaching into her mind to provide the same shield she had to SG-1. When she was finished, Janet smiled. "Ok, we're good. Let's go."
"Are you sure it's ok for you to shield all of them at the same time?" Nyla asked.
Janet nodded, glancing over at Nyla. "I put a temporary shield that doesn't need a constant link to maintain. It'll be fine; it'll hold. It's not as strong as the one that Lord Omar uses, but it'll last a couple of days." Nyla nodded in understanding as they ascended the wide steps that led up to the University. People moved aside as they saw Nyla, Janet, and Christos pass by, knowing they were the next to be honored with the rare status of Masters, and stepped aside as a sign of respect.
In short order, they had made it to the Arena, the part of the University where War Mages practiced mock battles to test their skills. The Arena was a multi-functional room, also used for official ceremonies. With the skill of the Mages at the University, the Arena was easily transformed from the battle platform into a room where official functions could be held. Rows of seating lined the circular room and, as the group entered the room, they were approached by a tall, blonde woman.
"Lady Alinna!" Janet greeted with a smile.
"Lady Janet," Alinna said with a bow of her head, "I came to congratulate you on your Master status. You three all deserve it."
"Thank you," Janet smiled, "Are you sitting with Karise?"
Alinna nodded and pointed over to the front of the room, Janet following the direction she was pointing to see Karise and Tanith sitting next to each other; as Callista wasn't a Mage, nor did she merit a special invite, she wasn't there, spending the morning in the rooms she shared with Tanith. "We've been here for only a few minutes," Alinna said.
"Could you make room for my friends and my daughter?" Janet asked.
Alinna smiled. "Of course. You three head on to the back room where you should be waiting. I'll take them with us."
Janet sighed with relief. "Thank you, Lady Alinna," Janet said before she turned to SG-1 and Cassie, "I have to go wait for the ceremony to start in a different room, but I'll see you guys later, ok?"
"Wish us luck," Christos smiled brightly before turning to leave.
"See you three later," Jack called out with a wave, watching as they walked away.
"Well, come with me," Alinna said with a smile as she began walking back to where she was seated with Karise and Tanith.
Karise smiled as she saw Alinna return with SG-1 and Cassie, whom she hadn't met, in tow. "It's wonderful to see you all again," Karise said to SG-1 before looking at Cassie, "But I haven't met you before."
"This is Cassie," Sam said, "Janet's daughter."
Karise's eyes went wide with delight as she stood to greet Cassie. "It's wonderful to meet you. Janet's told me nothing but good things about you. She missed you a lot while she's been here."
Cassie stood in awe of the Queen of Zimmeria, blow away by the power she could feel radiating from her. But, she managed to smile. "It's nice to meet you, too. I would have liked to meet you last night, though," Cassie said, hoping she hadn't been too rude in her words.
To Cassie's relief, Karise smiled in return. "Yes, this is not exactly the most appropriated setting to meet, but Tanith and I were away last night and have only returned this morning," Karise said, thinking about their brief, but cold trip to the northern country of the Wastelanders to wish them a joyous festival; Karise was certainly glad to be back in warmer climates.
A chorus of gasps echoed throughout the room and SG-1 and Cassie turned to see what the commotion was all about. When they did, they were unable to contain their own gasps as well. A dozen of zimmerians had entered the room, their long bodies swaying gently as they all but glided into the room. Cassie felt a twinge of fear deep in her stomach at seeing the gigantic, lizard-like creatures, but she knew from meeting Rhianna and Rylus (whom she recognized at the back of the pack), that they were no enemies of humans.
"Looks like the entire Council of Elders has shown up," Karise mused, counting the number of bodies, spotting the red form of Vantel in front. She also noted the presence of Xyane and Zephyr, and, right behind them, Rhianna and Rylus. They were the youngest zimmerians among the bunch, allowed to be there because of their bond with Aerin and Janet. A special, open area had been left for the zimmerians and the large creatures settled there with ease, waiting for the proceedings to start.
The crowd of Mages was left to talk among themselves while they waited for the ceremony to start. Suddenly, the whole room hushed as Lord Omar walked into the room, Aerin, Tranell, and Idrianna following, each of them dressed in the traditional clothing of their respective schools of magic.
Lord Omar wore the silver robes that represented his office, the light reflecting off the shimmering fabric. Lady Idrianna was dressed in the deep, royal purple robes of the Healers; a broad, lilac colored stripe on the edge of her sleeves marked her as the head of the Healers.
The most shocking outfits of the small group were those worn by Aerin and Tranell. Both wore black leather armor, armor so black it seemed to swallow up the light around them. Completely covered from neck to foot, the thick armor was molded to their bodies, giving them the protection required while allowing them the flexibility of movement. The only difference between the two was the white sash that Aerin wore across his chest, a sign of his dual status as Master Healer/Empath.
As one unit, the group of four mages made their way to the center of the room with Lord Omar at the head of the group, the other three standing behind him in a straight line.
With his gaze fixated on the door in front of him, Lord Omar swung his arms open wide, throwing open the double doors with the grand gesture, revealing Nyla, Janet, and Christos to the crowd in front of them. "Those who feel they are worthy of receiving the title of Master, step forth now," Omar called out. With nervous glances at each other, the three stepped out of the room and waited to receive their honors.
Only minutes before, Janet stood with Nyla and Christos in the small room, her arms folded across her chest in nervousness. "I can't believe this is finally happening," Janet muttered.
"It does seem unbelievable," Nyla said, "Almost like a dream."
Christos groaned. "Or it could be that we've been awake way too long," he said, trying to interject some humor. It worked; both Janet and Nyla chuckled.
"It could be that," Janet agreed, "I wish I could have slept longer."
Nyla looked over at Janet, an eyebrow raised slyly. "You mean you wish you could have slept longer with Daniel," Nyla teased.
A fierce blush rose to Janet's cheeks. "I shouldn't have told you about that," she bemoaned, "You'll never let me live it down."
Christos smiled. "Janet, it's hard not to tease you about it when you're so hopelessly in love with the man," he said, his smile kind, "Really, you should do something about these feelings of yours."
"I can't," Janet mumbled with fear, knowing she was a coward.
"Why not?" Nyla asked, her face fixed with a look of concern, "You have nothing to fear from admitting your feelings."
"I just…can't tell him," Janet said, "There's so many things I haven't told him yet, things he should know."
"Well, you know he loves you back, right?" Christos asked, seeing the shocked look on Janet's face at his words.
"He does?" Janet breathed, her heart pounding in her chest.
Nyla nodded. "He does," she reassured, "I can tell every time Daniel looks over at you. The second he looks at you, I can sense a love so intense, it nearly blows me away."
Janet turned, as if trying to ignore what she just heard. "It's not the right time," Janet admitted, "The future is too uncertain."
"You're just scared of telling him how you feel," Nyla chided.
Janet shook her head and turned back around. "No, that's not it. I mean, yes, I am a little scared of telling him how I feel. But I have more concern for what could happen in the near future."
Christos gave Janet a suspicious look. "What aren't you telling us?" he asked.
Janet drew in a shaky sigh and shook her head. "It's just a general concern. There's someone out there who's able to negate our magic; that has me especially scared. And, to add to it, relations aren't looking too good with Xarnac."
"Well, that's nothing out of the ordinary," Nyla said.
"No, it's worse this time," Janet said, biting down on her lip in fear, "Relations have become downright hostile. I wouldn't be surprised if they declared war by the end of the summer." An eerie silence descended over the small group, each of them wondering just what direction the near future would take.
The silence was suddenly interrupted as the double doors in front of them swung open, revealing the converted arena, the seats filled with Mages and other invited guests.
"Those who feel they are worthy of receiving the title of Master, step forth now," Omar's voice rang out.
Together, Janet, Christos, and Nyla walked out into the large room, each of them trying to ignore the feeling of hundreds of eyes watching their every more, and approached the group that was assembled before them, Lord Omar and each of their sponsors.
"Christos Rasten, step forth," Tranell spoke, stepping forward to stand along side Omar. Christos moved to stand right in front of them. Janet watched as Christos swore an oath much like the one she had sworn when she became a doctor. Soon after, a bright light surrounded him and the grey robes he wore transformed into the deep blue that signified his status as a member of the School of Empaths.
When it was Nyla's turn, Idrianna came forward and had Nyla swear a similar oath, her grey robes transforming into those of pure white, the robes of a Healer/Empath. Finally, it was Janet's turn, Aerin calling Janet to stand before him.
"You wish to become a War Mage?" he asked , his tone serious and formal.
Janet nodded. "I do."
Aerin gave her a curt not. "Very well," Aerin said, "You have proven yourself worthy of the status as Master War Mage. But, there is one thing you must do." The entire room fell silent as Aerin paused dramatically. Janet waited with bated breath, almost unable to bear the anticipation. "You must make your armor," he continued.
Janet sighed with relief. "Is that all you ask of me?" Janet asked, thinking the task simple.
"It is not as easy as it sounds, however," Aerin said, "You must make it from one of the elements. A War Mage's armor is imbued with magical properties derived from the elements that make it up. You must choose an element and then force it to take the shape of your armor." From their position up in the rows of seating, SG-1 could see the floundering look of panic take hold of Janet's expression; she clearly had no idea how do accomplish what was asked of her.
"But, how? Why?" Janet asked, her voice a whisper so only Aerin could hear it.
"You must prove yourself worthy of the armor. You have already earned the status. The armor you must make in order to earn it. I can't help you in this," Aerin whispered back, a look of regret on his face, "You must pick the element that feels right. Only the one that feels right will enable you in being successful. Look within; the answer is there." Janet nodded and let her eyes slip shut, her focus moving inward. She concentrated on the problem, letting the solution come to her instead of chasing it.
"Pick the element that feels right." Aerin's voice echoed in her mind and she reached into her elemental magic. Immediately, fire and light came to mind, soon followed by the other three elements.
'Pick one element…' she mused, 'But they all feel right.' Each element reached out for her tantalizingly, each of them begging her to be picked.
'I can't pick one,' Janet said, "But I can't pick all of them."
"Pick all of them…" a voice echoed in her mind.
Janet nearly jumped in surprise. 'What?'
"You must pick all of them."
'But, I'm not allowed-"
"Do not listen to the words of others. Trust us in this." Janet insides twisted with nervousness. The voice was so inviting, the words so seductive; should she do as it said?
"Yes, listen to us." The voice drew her in and Janet knew she had made her choice. She opened her eyes, determination shining through her gaze.
Aerin smiled. "You have chosen."
"Yes, I have," Janet said curtly. Holding out her hand, Janet brought forth a ball of Light, gathering it in front of her in its purist form.
Aerin nodded. "You have chosen Light. Now you must-" He stopped mid-sentence as a ball of Fire appeared next to the light, his eyes wide with surprise. The crowd of Mages gasped at this unprecedented event; no War Mage had ever chosen more than one element.
"But, you're not allowed more than one," Aerin informed Janet. No sooner than he had spoken those words did identical representations of Earth and Water appear in front of Janet. Her eyes locked on with Aerin's, her gaze capturing his. Janet didn't know what the scared surprise reflected in Aerin's eyes meant, but it was too late to stop what she had put into motion.
Though he couldn't see the expression on Aerin's face, Daniel could feel the shock of the Mages around him. He looked over at Sam, who gave him a quizzical look.
"What's going on?" she whispered, not wanting to call attention over to them.
Daniel shrugged. "I don't know," he whispered back as quietly as he could, his expression one of curiosity. He almost risked asking Karise what was going on, but one glance at the Queen's anticipatory expression kept Daniel's mouth shut. Daniel shifted his gaze back to the scene happening before him. 4 spheres, each one a different element, floated before Janet, her determined expression filled with an intensity Daniel had never seen coming from her before.
"You have chosen the 5 elements," Aerin said, confusing Daniel until he realized that the one he couldn't see was Air, "You must now form them into your armor. Be warned, however, that failure to force these elements to bend to your will may result in death. This has never been done before, so we may not be able to help you if something goes awry." There was a tremor in Aerin's voice that betrayed just how worried he was for the woman he was sworn to protect; the fact that Aerin was scared made Daniel just that much more afraid for Janet, despite the fact that he didn't know what was going on.
From next to him, Daniel could feel Cassie hand latch onto his forearm, her fingers clenching in fear at hearing that Janet could possibly die within the next few minutes.
Down in the middle of the arena, Janet nodded. "I understand," she said, reassuring Aerin with her eyes that she didn't expect nor require him to help her.
"You may proceed," Aerin announced. Janet smiled reassuringly at Aerin before slipping her eyes shut. She wondered at the newfound sense of calm that had taken over her; it was like her actions weren't entirely her own, but they felt right, as if this was what she was supposed to do.
At her wishes, the five elements came together, forming a swirling mass of an unidentifiable element. From where he sat, Daniel stared in amazement as the elemental spheres in front of Janet came together in a sudden rush. The large glowing ball that had formed swirled with pure power. Heat radiated throughout the room in a large pulse before being sucked away, leaving everyone chilled.
Janet's arms, which had been at her sides, rose so they were parallel to the ground, her fingers outstretched. She threw her head back and, in the blink of an eye, was surrounded by the elemental ball she had created, the energy bending to her will. The combined elements swirled around her, covering all her limbs in concentric circles, flowing about her like ribbon.
The glow that now surrounded her grew brighter and brighter until the entire room had to shield their eyes. A sudden burst of pressure silently radiated from the center of the room, like all the air had been sucked from the arena, negating any sound that might happen.
In the center of the room, Janet could feel the transformation taking over her, the robes she wore changing into something more magical, more powerful. She didn't know how she was doing it, only that she was. It was like she already knew how, but she didn't remember learning it.
The feeling that she had done something like this before permeated every fiber of her being, causing her to think that it was something that one of the Twins had done in millennia past. It wouldn't have surprised her, really; she had been having some of the strangest dreams since becoming one of the Twins, dreams and images of things and events of thousands of years ago. It also wouldn't be shocking to her if the voices she had hear were the consciousnesses of the Twins that had come before her.
As suddenly as the process had begun, it ended, though it seemed to have taken forever. The light in the room faded until the only source of light was the sunlight streaming in through the circular hole in the domed ceiling. Everyone opened their eyes, eager to see the results of the extraordinary event and there was nothing less than a shocked gasp from every member of the crowd.
Standing in the same spot she had been standing when it had begun was a transformed Janet Fraiser. Instead of the grey robes she had worn into the arena, Janet now wore black armor similar to Aerin's. However, instead of being deep black, when the sun reflected off of the armor, the whole crowd could see gold in the leather; it was a gold so dark, it was black.
Everyone could see the sparkle in Janet's armor, the material molding closely to her form, and the crowd of nearly 5000 Mages (the ones who could attend the ceremony) rose from their seats and knelt on the ground. Even Aerin and Omar went to their knees, bowing before Janet.
Janet looked around, her eyes wide with shock, wondering just what was going on, what auspicious event had occurred this time. Her eyes caught sight of SG-1 and Cassie, the 5 also looking around in confusion. Janet locked eyes with Daniel, his gaze sending her a silent, yet obvious question; he wanted to know what was going on. Janet shrugged and removed her gaze from his to see Nyla and Christos in similar positions on the floor.
A sense of hysterical panic filled Janet at the sight of the gathering of Mages all kneeling before her; apparently, they all knew something she didn't. Straight in front of her, in the back of the room, Janet spotted the zimmerians and she immediately sought out their minds.
/What is going on/ she asked, broadcasting her thoughts so all of them could hear her.
/You have almost realized your full potential, your final place in the destiny of this world/ Vantel informed her, speaking for all the other as the Head of the Council of Elders.
/Excuse me/ Janet asked, her mental voice tinged with exasperation; it was starting to sound like yet another thing that separated her from everyone else.
/Ask the humans. They will tell you/ Vantel said before cutting off the mental link.
Janet sighed and went over to Lord Omar, crouching beside his kneeling form, the leather of her armor creaking lowly as she did so. "Lord Omar, what is going on?" she whispered, placing a heavy, gloved hand on his shoulder; absently, she noted the raised hand guards on the back of her gloves and realized that's what made them feel so heavy.
Lord Omar raised his head, looking at Janet with respect and awe. "It is the Armor of Life," Omar told her.
Janet raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"It means we are on the eve of our greatest darkness and our salvation," Omar said in a quiet whisper. The words sent a shiver up Janet's spine, fear setting up residence in the pit of her stomach.
"What can we do? How do you know this?" Janet asked.
"Speak to me after the opening ball tonight," Omar said, "I will explain everything then."
Janet nodded and, gripping Omar's upper arm, helped him to his feet. Looking around, Janet so desperately wanted to tell everyone to get to their feet, that she was no reason for them to get on their knees and bow before her, but the insecure woman inside of her, the part of her that still hadn't grown into her role as heir to the throne and the savior of the planet, kept her silent and unsure of what to say. Instead, Omar did it for her.
"Everyone, please, rise to your feet and rejoice," Omar announced, "There is still much to celebrate." Slowly, everyone rose from their kneeling positions, their eyes locked on Janet; she felt so much she was being looked at through a glass box, like she was a freak in a laboratory experiment. She was happy when Aerin came to her, grabbed her arm, and led her out of the room.
"Come, we have a reception to go to in the dining hall," Aerin said, motioning for Nyla and Christos to follow. They followed wordlessly, walking in silence until Janet changed their destination, forcing the small group into an empty classroom.
"Ok, what's going on?" Janet asked, "What was that all about back in the arena?" Her three friends looked at each other uncertainly, wondering what to say. Janet sighed impatiently. "What is it?" Janet asked.
"It's hard to explain," Aerin said slowly.
"Well, apparently everyone knows what's going on, so it can't be that hard to explain," Janet pointed out, her eyebrow raised sharply.
"You have to understand," Nyla butted in, "This is something we've all been taught was merely a bedtime story, something our mothers told us when we were falling asleep."
"A bedtime story?" Janet asked skeptically, her arms crossed over her chest in exasperation; she was near the end of her patience and all her friends seemed to be doing was dancing around the subject.
"My father used to tell it to me all the time," Christos said, smiling nostalgically, "It was my favorite story. Almost every night, I would ask him to tell me of the story of the warrior in the golden Armor of Life and how that warrior would be the one to lead us through our darkest time."
"Well, apparently it isn't a bedtime story," Janet sighed.
Aerin shook his head. "No, it's part of an obscure prophecy that's been passed down to the masses in the form of a fable."
Janet had to resist rolling her eyes. "Oh joy, prophecy," she muttered, "Prophecy will be the death of me."
At this, Aerin paled. "It very well may be," he said solemnly, "According to what Lord Omar taught me, though the prophecy is vague, it alludes to a journey to the underworld for the bearer of the Armor of Life."
Janet, who had over the years become skeptical when it came to prophecy, sighed. "Well, nothing is set in stone," she said, "And you know prophecy can be vague. It could have entirely different meaning besides its literal one."
"It's always a possibility," Aerin admitted, "But, you have to admit, the literal meaning could most likely be the true meaning."
Janet sighed more deeply. "I know," she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose; she was suddenly developing a headache.
"Everything alright?" Nyla asked.
"I'm just tired at being the center of everything," Janet said, "I didn't ask for any of this. Being the Akakami, heir to the throne, and now this whole Armor of Life thing…it's getting to be too much."
Aerin smiled grimly. "You are the fulcrum at which the future rests on," Aerin said, "You are like the root of a tree, from which everything else branches from. Your decisions, your choices, cause events to ripple out through the entire world. Without you, we are lost."
Janet pressed the heels of her hands over her closed eyes. "I hope you haven't misplaced your faith," Janet whispered.
"So far, you haven't led us wrong," Christos said, grabbing her elbow, "Now, come on, there's a reception waiting for us. We're the guests of honor; it wouldn't do to keep them waiting."
Janet looked up at Christos and smiled before looking over at Nyla and Aerin with the same expression. "That sounds like a perfect idea," Janet said, "Plus, I'm sure my friends are wondering what happened to me. We did disappear suddenly."
"Well, then, let's go," Nyla said, an excited smile on her face at the thought of the reception. Their thoughts in a brighter frame of mind, the small group of Mages left the classroom that Janet had dragged them into and made their way to the dining hall where the reception was being held.
Immediately, Janet spotted SG-1 and her daughter standing with Karise and Tanith. She started to go over, but was stopped by a gentle hand on her shoulder. Janet looked over to see Nyla standing right next to her, her slim hand perched delicately on Janet's shoulder.
"Look," Nyla whispered in Janet's ear, focusing Janet's attention on the rest of the room. A hush had fallen over the room at the sight of the newly appointed Master Mages. Janet couldn't help the soft blush that rose to her cheeks at all the attention and it only got worse when the entire crowd of Mages that had gathered for the reception began applauding in congratulations for their acquired status. From beside her, she noticed her friends, too, getting antsy at the attention, Aerin having snuck off to let the three of them have their moment in the spotlight.
'Like I need anymore of those,' Janet inwardly snorted. When the applause finally quieted, Nyla, Christos, and Janet were free to move about the room, talking with the other Mages who had shown up.
Janet immediately went to SG-1 and Cassie while Nyla and Christos went off in different directions. Her friends and daughter smiled at her as they saw her approaching and Janet couldn't keep the broad smile off her face as she stopped in front of them.
"I guess congratulations are in order," Sam said, her lips curved up in a grin.
"I guess so," Janet said, folding her arms over her chest.
"Nice outfit, by the way," Jack said, looking over the leather armor.
Janet flashed him a saucy grin. "You think?"
Jack had to chuckle. "Oh yeah, you have the whole Dominatrix thing down pat."
Janet laughed aloud. "You have no idea how often I've thought the same thing whenever I look at the other female War Mages," she said, still laughing.
"There are other women War Mages?" Daniel asked, trying his hardest not to let his eyes do a bit of roaming; it was just his luck the armor Janet wore was practically skin tight.
"Of course there are," Janet said, sounding slightly offended, "There's only a few, really. Besides me, there are only 3 women War Mages. There are many women who master the 8th and 9th levels of War Magic, but in order to be a true War Mage, one has to have achieved the 10th level. Not many men do that, never mind the number of women who do. Though there are more women in the Schools of Healing and Empathy, more than in the School of War Magic."
"I would have thought you would belong with the Healers," Teal'c said, almost regretting it for the scowl that came to Janet's face.
"Hmph, I can't even Heal myself. One of the greatest ironies, isn't it? I was trained to be a doctor, trained to help save lives, yet my power doesn't reflect that at all," Janet said, sighing as she spoke the words, "But, there's nothing to be done for it. I've had 5 years to get over it." SG-1 and Cassie were all suddenly reminded of just how long Janet had been in Zimmeria, on another planet unable to return home. The things she had gone through were almost unimaginable.
"Lady Janet?"
Janet turned around to see Byard approaching her, outfitted in the deep black armor of the War Mages. Byard, though he was a teacher of Magical Theory, was also the General of the War Mages, leader of the small group of 20 Mages in the world who had mastered the art of War Magic. They were the first to go in the battle, the first and last line of defense against the magic that could threaten the realm. And Janet was now one of them.
"Lord Byard," Janet spoke with a bow of her head.
Byard bowed in return, his upper body making an angle to the ground. "Congratulations on your achievements. You have rightfully earned them."
"Thank you," Janet said, "You honor me with your praise, Lord Byard." Janet knew that, though she was heir to the throne, as a War Mage, she answered to him.
"I have actually come to give you one more honor," Byard spoke. His hand going to the high-necked collar of the armor he wore, he removed the golden collar that was attached to the leather, the symbol of his status as leader of the War Mages. "I give you this," he continued, "It is only fitting that the Akakami and the bearer of the Armor of Life be the one to lead us into battle."
"Thank you, but I-" Janet was cut off from saying anything more as Byard reached around and fastened the collar to Janet's armor.
"We will now follow your orders," Byard informed her, "It is said that the collar was made in anticipation for the times that are upon us. The inscription engraved in the collar reads, 'In the darkest of times, only life will see us through.' I believe the maker of that collar was talking about you, Lady Janet."
Janet wanted to scream in frustration of yet another burden placed on her shoulders, but held in her emotions well. "Thank you, Lord Byard. I will try my best not to fail you."
"It is an honor to serve under you. If you are as good a General as you are a leader, I have no fear for the coming days. Congratulations, once again." With a bow to Janet, and a quick bow to SG-1 and Cassie, Byard turned and walked away, leaving a flabbergasted SG-1 and a frustrated Janet.
"Why me?" she muttered, "Why is it always me?"
"I take it this happens to you a lot?" Sam asked, watching Byard move away, impressed by how commanding he was.
"More than you know," Janet said, "It seems, according to Aerin and Lord Omar, that I am the person whose actions will decide the fate of this land. The whole of the planet and its safety rests on my shoulders. I am to protect and lead them through dark times, against an enemy I haven't seen, but whose influence I can feel. It's enough to make me want to go mad at times."
"How do you cope?" Cassie asked, worried for her mother.
Janet smiled at her daughter. "My friends, Aerin, Karise, Tanith, they all help me by supporting me. Still, though, sometimes I don't feel I was made for this, that they've picked the wrong person and that one day they'll realize they've made a horrible mistake."
"I don't think that'll happen," Daniel said, sympathetic to Janet's emotions, wishing there was something he could do to help her with some of the pressure, "I've seen how they worship you, Janet. Their trust in you is almost absolute."
Janet smiled up at Daniel, a blush rising to her cheeks as she remembered what Nyla had told her about Daniel's feelings for her. "I just hope their trust isn't misplaced," Janet sighed, trying to reign in her feelings and tame the fantasies of her and Daniel that were spiraling out of control in her mind.
"Well," Jack said, trying to diffuse the tension, "This is a party and I say we enjoy ourselves. There's good food, good people, and it's a beautiful day outside. Let's have fun." Happy for the change of topic, Janet smiled and joined everyone in following Jack's suggestion.