Chapter SIXTY-TWO: Passage of Time

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Aveyond...

..

The Sun Druid and his young son went south of the Sun Temple towards the Memory Caverns where they could find the Temple of Time. Young Dameon trailed behind his father, trying to keep up, but also played with whatever caught his interest along the way.

Upon passing Teacup Town, the young boy tried to veer towards it to play with Binis.

"Kitty!" the young boy cried as he tried to rush to the small furry white creatures with open arms.

"No, Dameon. Binis. Remember, they are not kitties," Aydan gently reminded the boy as he pulled him back on the cobblestone path.

"Yes, dad-da. Bini! I remember now..."

Dameon quickly followed him, which pleased his father, since it wasn't long ago the boy would defy him at every turn, and would have ran back to Teacup Town and thrown a tantrum.

..

Upon entering Memory Caverns, the Sun Druid picked up his son, not wanting him to run into any magic mushrooms, or possibly fall over the high pathways within the open cave system.

The light mist within the caverns flowed freely from the Mist Realm surrounding the nearby mountains, making it a pleasant and uneventful excursion, as it was calm and peaceful all over. Once deeper into the mauve stoned cave, they passed the small settlement of fairies from Faiara that now resided close to the Time Temple.

The Sun Druid took careful notice if there were any new additional fairies, if by any slim chance Talia's mother had possibly made it out of Faiara alive and found Aveyond. Sadly, there were no new fairies among the small swarm.

As father and son passed near the fairies, instead of chatting with them, most of the winged creatures simply giggled and threw healing dust on him and Dameon. The Sun Priest thought it odd, especially since the fairies looked at him with suspicious eyes once he approached the threshold to the Rainbow Bridge that led to Father Time's Shrine.

The fae people also looked at Dameon suspiciously too, but then seemed to brighten and emit more healing dust at the boy. The Sun Druid suspected the odd behavior was likely due to the fairies losing their magical home in the forest. Yet, he also was sure that they recognized his son either from having met him as an infant through his maternal grandmother, Nino, in Faiara, or because they sensed fairy blood in the boy.

Now ready to cross over to the Time Temple, Aydan placed a small orb-like Dreamer's Tear Talia had given him into the holy post at the very edge of the high cliff. A light sparkly rain soon fell and a rainbow bridge of light formed, allowing them to cross over to Vata's Temple.

Dameon squealed in awe as they ascended up the pyramid-like temple, trying to squirm out of his father's arms so he could wander on his own.

"Welcome, Druid of Light! Just in time," Druid Vata said warmly, while his gaze lowered to Dameon who was now hopping and wildly flapping his arms in the temple. "Oh goodness me, I was not expecting you to bring the boy...Now settle down, young man. What a delight—It has been ages!"

Vata went to Dameon who ran over to his father's side. The old man then held the boy's small jaw, squeezing him firmly by the cheekbones, as he inspected all of the boy's youthful features.

"What happened?! You've grown so quickly, young lad...Time sure does fly," Vata reflected as he turned the boy head from side to side, studying him carefully. The old man's eyes grew larger with interest. "It was not long ago that your father here was the same size as you...Almost 5 years old now, I can tell by those delicate miniature hands of yours..."

Father Time then went to Aydan and reached up to grab the Sun Druid's face in a similar fashion, seizing his jaw, and continued to mutter out loud, "And you!...It was not long ago, that you were your own boy's age, and you're own father—rest his soul—brought you here to discuss matters of the Sun and Time...Oh my, forgive me, I am getting carried away now. I am simply astounded by the measurement of time and aging...You and your son are perfect exemplars...You were a lot less hairier then, too, as a boy, I mean, Sun Priest...Amazing, what immortality can do...You have not aged out of your late teens, young man...You are starting to look too young to be the boy's father...A good aging potion will bring you up to speed...Just 6 or 7 drops and you'll be on your way to being an older wiser man."

"Err, yes, indeed...Dameon is growing quickly...However, neither I nor Talia feel the need to age just yet...We need all the energy we can muster for our duties...As for my son, I brought him because I did not want to bother the other druids to watch him, since you are so close to my temple. He won't be a bother, Vata," Aydan retorted through puckering lips as Vata finally let go of his face. The Sun Druid awkwardly stroking his facial hairs downward. He then pulled out another Dreamer's Tear Talia had entrusted him.

"Excellent. I have been out of Tears for only a short time. However, I have been stuck on this side of the caverns without easy passage to the outside. I stepped out of my temple not realizing the Rainbow Bridge had faded away. Luckily, the fairies saw my predicament as I stepped forward and they promptly all came together to catch me by my robes as I fell...This Tear will do for next time...I dare not visit the Dreamworld at this time...It is infested with nightmares."

Aydan looked away in disdain. He dare not ask why the druid, being Father Time, instead of complaining, would not offer to help the Dreamer with her plight. Busy with duties, age, lack of abilities or responsibility...The Sun Priest had heard every excuse from the others he had already sought out. They were just all weak in comparison to the Dreamer, Aydan thought stingily.

"...I am sorry I cannot help her. It is a timely process and I am not equip with the right kind of magic to help the young Dreamer," Vata added, seeing the Sun Priest's scornful expression.

"—A vat for Vata!" the high pitched boy suddenly interrupted loudly as he mischievously pulled hard on a large rounded brown vase, making it swirl violently and tip wildly in all directions.

Suddenly, both men heard the unnerving shatter of a breaking artifact.

Dameon stood still near the sharp pieces of the ancient vat, waiting for his father to discipline him. The boy closed his eyes and pinched himself, hoping it was just a dream, but opened them again to the sight of his flustered father shaking disapprovingly.

"My vat! Stand still, young man," Vata said carefully as he picked up his glorified magic staff. The Druid of Time then whispered a spell. Immediately, the vat was restored, undoing the damage.

Dameon childishly giggled from amusement and dropped the vat again, smashing it to the ground.

"DAMEON! Don't do that!" Aydan yelled.

However, just as before, Vata undid the occurrence.

"It is fine, young druid and young rascal," Vata said calmly as he picked up the vat and smashed it himself, then restored it to new again. "I have broken this thing many times. I have undone time—only by a moment—to bring it back many, many times...The one time I was available to watch your boy—some time ago now, so you could chase after his mother in the dream—it happened as well. Isn't that right, little child?"

Dameon shook his head happily at Vata, knowing he was no longer in trouble.

"Oh...Good to know you can do that with time..." Aydan said as he tried to pickup Dameon ready to leave, but the boy pulled away and grabbed old Vata by his silver and emerald robes. Aydan sighed, realizing it would take his son a moment to comply. "...Well, before we go, Father Time, there is one thing I would like from you...Have you any powerful magic books I can borrow? I would like to enhance my powers...to help the Dreamer."

"Goodness, of course. I have a couple you may borrow. I suspect Eithera, Druid of Strength, would be the one to ask if you are seeking to strength your abilities. Yet, she is far and difficult to get too. Perhaps, I can find a ruin stone to her temple on the Southern Isle... However, you are neither lacking or behind most of us, young man...Despite the Oracle trimming back your power," Vata shared, as he went down the steps to a lower level of his temple and returned with a few spell books. "...You have so many abilities that even some of the older druids, including myself, can only dream of ever possessing...In fact, I am a little envious, I must say."

"Yes, but it is not enough...I must help with the nightmares. Talia will be in the Dreamworld years if I do not help her," Aydan added anxiously, and began flipping through Vata's books. He saw a few useful spells, but not many, as Vata's and his own magical crafts and needs differed greatly. "Father Time, I would be even more grateful if you could undo the damage created by the Demon..."

Vata remained silent for a moment, unsure how to respond to the Sun Druid's request.

As both druids interacted, Dameon observed his father and Vata quietly.

"How noble of you to help the Druid of Dreams in these times...But I cannot undo time that far back. There would be consequences...It is not possible—"

"—It is just not something you are willing to do, is more like it, Father Time," Aydan rasped harshly without thought, but then quickly changed his tone. Talia would definitely be checking in with Father Time in his dreams to make sure he got the Tears he needed. He did not want to have another quarrel with her in their next dream together or in real life if she happened to make it out of the Dreamworld again soon. "...Er...Dameon and I must be going. Thank you, Vata, for the spell books."

"My pleasure," Vata said. "Now if only I had more time and energy to watch this young man...I would show him a thing or two about time keeping. " The old man finished as he ran his hand over Dameon's head.