Thanks for all your patience!

I do not own Magi.


Enigma

Chapter Thirty One:

The Past and the Present I


Long, long ago, thousands of different species walked the earth.

Great, towering beasts with long, gaping jaws. Fearsome, powerful beings with agile legs and sharpened eyes. Beautiful creatures with arching wings and shining eyes as they soared through the sky. Some were monstrous and kind, others were beautiful and cruel. The world shifted on its axis as these thousands of beings struggled and wared and fought and befriended and lived in a world of darkness and uncertainty until light would one day be shed.

Throughout these thousands of species living in this world for thousands and thousands of ages, there was but one that transcended the usual ideals of the thousands of others. A species that before their time, had yet to be lost to the ages. A species solitary from the others. A species that knew nothing but the world and they themselves and the air they breathed and the skies they traveled and the words they breathed—a species that lived for so long and so wide, time itself seemed to pass by as nothing more than fickle shifts in the breeze.

These long, shining creatures with dark, seeing eyes were ones who lived in a world of their own.

As time slowly began to drag on and the world began to change, shift, and twist, a small band of the creatures found the lifestyle they lived to be, perhaps, listless. "Why must we live such endless, searching lives like this?"

"Is it merely our destiny to slowly pass on without another breath?"

"To exist and then to cease?"

"To watch as we slowly fade into nothingness?"

The lifespan of these creatures was so great and fearsome that the small band of their kind gathered together with a thought—one that went against all that they'd known and the peaceful, happy days they lived endlessly as their loved ones slowly succumbed to the endless sleep that awaited them all.

"We must live different lives from this."

"Is there not more to this world than what we know?"

"Is it wrong of us to desire such ideals?"

"What if we—"

"Is it possible that perhaps we could—"

"Live a life different and yet remain beside our brethren—"

"No longer be—"

"Cease—"

"Never again feel—"

"Drive away—"

This lone—alone—liness?

So they small species pulled together all their strength and power and knowledge. The cultivation of everything they had learned wandering this earth for a millennia came together and the small band of them that had proposed it took on the job of testing their beliefs to see if perhaps they could exist as something far beyond themselves.

An occurrence rattled their kind and slowly, with love, with dedication and the desire to be together no matter the skin that sheathed their bodies or the limbs that reached for each other, they swore to remain as one and live long, happy lives no matter the outcome.

The species changed.

Their desire to express themselves in a way different from their brethren. A desire to walk the plains of their earth and search the skies, to feel the life beneath their fingertips and the whispers of promises in the air—

Their desire to no longer be alone and watch as one by one they faded into nothingness.

They continued, year after year, decade after decade, millennia passing through as though water dripping into an abyss until the change finally settled and the divided species now lived together in a unified harmony of two separate beings. So as to remember their roots and never forget the origin of the species in which they hailed, each of their kind was born with a mark to remind themselves of who they too, once were. The powers they were granted and the reasoning behind who they were and what they could do.

They were called the Mother Dragons.


"This is it, this is where we die."

A loud explosion shattered the air. Screeching, shrill cries flooded every inch of the massive tower now groaning and swaying beneath their feet. Two figures groaned in unison, bracing themselves against the crumbling tiles while the man spat and broke a rock angrily between his ebony talons, flames licking at the corners of his mouth as he whirled around to the woman beside him. "This is all your fault, you know."

"My fault?" The woman shrilled, dodging a blast of fire hot energy shooting toward them as she curved her dainty fingers and a wall of water appeared, hissing as steam rose to the air and the man jerked his head around, opening his jaws wide a blast of fire shot outwards and charred the magician baring down on them.

Burning flesh and ash crumpled lifelessly to the floor and he sniffed, turning around and kicking at the melted staff with his foot. The woman seethed, brushing aside pearly locks and the coral horns atop her head glinted against the sunlight streaming through the thousands of arching windows.

"If you had followed the plan as directed, none of this would have happened—you understand that, right? We can only do so much against these mindless magicians. Solomon's group is taking care of the other tower and he trusted us enough to handle this one!"

"Well, we are taking care of it, are we not?" The man snarled back. "It was not our fault this tower ended up being a decoy without a child hosting it! We should just tear the whole thing down!"

"We can't! Not until we get the signal, you heathen."

"Traitorous whore."

"Filthy, molten mutt! I'll tell Amir about what you suggested and see how you like it then!"

"She's not that weak! She could make it out!" He snapped back, digging his scaled hands deep into the bricked in walls and he tugged them apart.

The sky greeted their view amidst the rubble. The central control tower where the submission magic was being broadcasted was alight with flames—the work of the other half of their group—and the entire building began to crumble as it toppled over with a shattering groan. Thousands of one-eyed, tree like creatures below were breaking apart into a thousand directions, escaping the fire of their enslavers as energy crackled throughout the entire air. Ruby red eyes with a sharp slit down the center glared at the sky, trying to pinpoint a location in particular and the scaled woman beside him sighed as she blasted another magician from the air and they watched him topple to the ground with a blood curdling screech.

"You'd think they'd feel guiltier after everything they've done."

"I'll gut myself with my own talons if there's even proof they still feel anything at all."

"Now that is something I would pay to see."

The man turned around with a wicked smile, flames licking at his lips and the woman returned his stare with a sneer, water lapping at her shoulders and curving against sapphire scales.

"With your life?"

"If you think you can take it."

"My, my, I thought you two only got this worked up over Amir, she'll be heartbroken."

A soft, sing-song breeze tugged at both their locks and the man and woman scowled. The soft breeze began to curl into a small whirlwind, mini tempest kicking at winged heels as the third party coasted down from where he'd been drifting casually amidst the air. Stormy eyes regarded them with vague amusement, fingers absently strumming through the lyre he held in his hands as his eyes casually surveyed the battlefield and a platform of air appeared before their makeshift opening in the tower wall for them to step onto.

"You look as though you're having fun," the woman huffed, crossing her arms over her golden shell clad chest. "Serenading our enemies as they perish?"

"A ballad of our most fearsome battle, actually," the lyre in his hands disappeared and he twirled his fingers. The two scaled creatures were lowered onto the platform with a breezy gust and he shifted around to face them. "How did it go?"

"Perfect."

"Raum burned everything. Again."

"It gets far more done than you sending showers everywhere—what, do you think they're looking to drown as they bathe? Flames are the true answer! Ask Amir, she loves them herself! Especially mine." Raum pressed clawed fingers into his chest with a wide grin as Seere continued to arrange the wind beneath their feet and Ose seemed to be contemplating how far the ground was from where the three of them stood. "She'll see how well we handled this tower and realize she doesn't need anyone else!"

"Hmm, I wonder," Seere mused, twirling his finger and Ose glanced to the crumbling control tower. "Things went well on their end, if that's what you wanted to ask. Astaroth took care of the tower and Amir took care of the magicians. Focalor is handling the retreat on their side."

"So she isn't riding with us then," Ose sighed, plopping down and carelessly spreading her scaled legs out with a sigh. "Drop me off by the waterside, would you? All this walking around is making me awfully parched. I hope Ugo finishes that ocean replica soon."

"So needy," Raum muttered, dodging a blow from a curved trident as his scaled tail lashed out. "How are things with the main group?"

"Smooth as silk," a breezy voice teased. Raum and Ose perked up instantly while Seere continued to twirl his fingers, disinterested as he focused their pathway home.

Bare feet stepped onto the airy platform. Slender arms wrapped themselves around bare legs, layers of fabrics wrapped around her hips below a tight weaving of cloths around her chest. Several thin chains swayed from around the circlet connected from her arm to the other and metal bands encircled her wrists. Sooty black hair tumbled past her shoulders while bright, blazing blue eyes scanned the horizon and the destruction from the liberation they'd just performed below them. An ink black marking was brandished proudly against her back, the gaping maws of a dragon curled against her back as it glared darkly at the rest of the world and the woman grinned.

"I thought we were supposed to try and keep the other tower intact this time? What if there had been another divine staff waiting inside to be liberated?"

"Checked," Seere said loosely. "Nothing. Just a decoy, as Ugo predicted. Where are the others?"

Amir's grin widened. "Am I not good enough company?"

"You're plenty," Raum said happily, tail curling at his feet as he leaned forward. "Did you see my flames earlier? I made them as bright as possible!"

Amir made a thoughtful face. "I'm not sure. Astaroth sort of snapped his fingers and then everything was burning—you know how he is sometimes. I was more concerned over the magicians trying to impale those tasteless staffs through my back."

"Yes, and I must ask you be a bit more careful next time," a low voice added. The scent of earth and rain washed over all of them as the earth groaned and fissures appeared along the ground they raced against as they headed back toward their base. "You almost missed that one man aiming for your legs. That would have been a rather nasty hit."

"But he didn't get me, did he?" Amir's lips curled upwards and she stretched a hand outwards as vines wove themselves between her fingers. Deep, shining green met her gaze warmly and Amir's smile widened even further. "How did things go toward the east?"

"Vinea as efficient as bloodthirsty as usual, Paimon more or less the same. Though I'm not sure why I find myself continually paired with those two."

"Because you can handle their tendencies better than anyone else," Ose sighed, pouting beside Raum as they watched the familiar display unfold before them. "We didn't expect you to finish so early."

"They didn't prove to be very difficult opponents," Amir tugged the vines forward and the man rising from the cracking earth followed, flowers curving around the crown of his head and curling up and down the muscles of his arms. "Though the species we liberated proved to be a crucial role in that victory."

"You're humble as always, Cam," Amir mused, reaching up and patting the man's head as he merely smiled, lowering himself onto the gusty platform beside her.

"You are well?"

Their hands met, vines weaving together in a promise as their eyes locked. Warmth, affection—a bond of friendship and trust so deep and tried flashed between them and Amir's eyes shone while Camio's were soft.

"Now that you are with me."

"I'm surprised the two of them haven't joined together in some kind of union at this point," Raum muttered dejectedly, picking at a bit of debris that had clung to his scales and Ose sighed, turning her sideways as Seere idly conjured his lyre once more and began to strum a cheerful tune.

"You already know the answer, the two of them aren't like that," Ose smoothed a finger against her coral horns and sighed once more. "Camio may be the closest to her heart but..."

"Well, then," Seere plucked a stray chord and turned his eyes skywards.

"Shall we go home?"

Amir's smile stretched wide, eyes shining.

"Yes."


"...so whose kid is this? She isn't mine."

The clamor of the hundreds of hearts beating alive, well, and in unison filled the hall. Several of their allies were passed out along the carpeted floors, drunk beyond their wits as they giggled and laughed aimlessly. Others were chatting amiably, clashing cups and sharing their meals as they spoke of recent events and hypothesized possible plans for the future. The air was warm, teeming, and Amir felt all the vibrant colors in the air like a warm caress against her skin. The energy hummed around her, brushed against her cheeks and zipped past her eyes in unbidden freedom.

She absently rubbed at the bottom of her right hip where the edge of the dragon's tail peeked through out of habit and then crossed her arms beneath her chest.

Her group from the mission earlier had gone ahead to gather up the few wounded and tend to them. Focalor and Astaroth had returned to their groups to debrief and spread news of the further victories. Shining staffs greeted her vision along with familiar calls and shouts as hands reached out and brushed against her, shaking her hands, patting her shoulder, touching her cheek and stroking her hair and they all reminded her that she was alive, alive, alive.

"So we may end this lonely journey, let us be born anew."

The largest table at the center of all the clamor and commotion was cluttered with glistening plates of delectable dishes and overflowing mugs—a sign of the fruits of their labor. Wahid had already set to work on trying to convince a pouting Falan to allow him to hold her as he usually did and within a few minutes the two would be at it again no doubt. Ithnan, unsurprisingly enough, had gotten himself drunk off only a few mugs and Ugo seemed torn between helping him out or trying to answer her question with bright, shining eyes—she did her best to remain impassive at his bright smile and happy glance and failed somewhat when she reached to rub her tattoo once more and Camio smiled in amusement at her side.

Arba smiled well naturedly, arranging new plates for them to partake in while eyes far bluer than her own and far, far wiser finally met her gaze with an arch.

"Well, of course she's not. That'd make you older than you already are."

The power and vibrant air that curled so lovingly around the younger male tugged her close. The familiar, lulling call of a future full of promises and potential—hope, energy, love, warmth, loyalty—they all swirled and called and centered around those impossibly bright blue eyes and Amir merely grimaced, crossing her arms over her chest once more.

Solomon.

"If you have nothing else better to do, why not come with me?"

"Now, little one, why would I do such a thing?"

"Hmm... You really want to know?"

"...yes."

"Because you look like you don't want to be alone anymore. I can help with that."

The young girl was gazing about them with dulled, sightless eyes. Her hair was a faint shade of sunset curling against the horizon—a marbled sort of crimson that lightened into a pinkish hue. Two edges of her hair curled outwards in a war similar to horns and promised with a proper wash and some tender care, they would shine brighter than any shade Amir had ever seen before. Her loose, plain dress pooled around her lap and she was glaring hard at her hands despite the food wafting tantalizing in front of her.

"This is Sheba," Arba explained warmly, reaching to pat the girl on the head and she angrily hissed, making clawing motions in the air. "We rescued her today when we liberated the tower!"

Amir nodded in understanding. "Another mouth to feed."

"I am no such thing!" Sheba snapped, looking furious as she whirled around and Falan tugged at Amir's robes.

"Don't set her off again, aru. We just got her to calm down after calling us all impure. So rude, aru."

Amir raised a curious brow. "Really?" Guess not everyone reacts the same way after they've been freed from that prison.

Her eyes strayed to the sole source of reason and chaos amidst them all and Solomon looked completely at ease, idly leafing through a thick tome in his hands. Seeing this as reason enough not to be concerned or tense—then again, if Solomon deemed it well enough to bring her back to their base, she doubted the girl was that much of a threat. It was Amir's job anyway to see to such matters to make sure they were all safe and well.

Camio departed from her side to speak with Ugo over the matters from today and Amir stretched her arms over her head and plopped down with a thankful sigh. Cushions greeted her weight, Falan grinning cheekily as she began to shovel food onto her plate and Wahid spoke loudly by her ear. "We heard you guys got caught up with another decoy—you better be careful, yeah? Last time it blew up with everyone in it."

"Astaroth blew it up before anything like that could happen," Amir said proudly, reaching for the grilled dishes. Her mouth watered at the tantalizing scent, the weariness from today catching up to her from all the leaping she'd been doing between the shifts of energy and the overwhelming push of such a negative flow was starting to grate on her nerves. If they figure out a way to up that I won't be of much help getting everyone out next time.

"I heard things went smoothly on your end," Amir spoke around a mouthful of food, chewing happily as Falan whined about Wahid and the filthy men around them and how Amir and Arba and herself should just head off to become an all women harem.

"If you count the little one as smooth," Wahid grinned widely, all teeth and muscle as he nudged her shoulder and it nearly knocked Amir sideways. "You missed all the talk earlier—I thought my ears would bleed!"

"She could only talk about how much she wanted to go back," Ithnan mumbled sadly as he fingered his cup of wine and Camio gingerly took it from his grip. "So ungrateful... We risked our lives, you know?"

"Well, what can we do?" Amir mused. "It's all she's known—"

Amir halted, the crunchy skin marinated in something sweet resting in her mouth as she stopped mid bite. Piercing, dull eyes had her pinned in place as Sheba stared her down intently from across the table. Falan continued to rattle on at her side and Amir raised a curious brow, ripping the meat from the bone and chewing without much care as Camio halted his conversation with Ugo and Solomon continued to leaf through his book. Arba looked curious from where she'd been trying to convince Sheba to try one of the other dishes.

"You..." Sheba started slowly, voice dripping with suspicious and contempt and Amir watched curiously as Sheba suddenly floundered around, hand grabbing along the floor until she finally managed to produce what she'd been looking for.

A jagged, dull blade appeared—one they would use to cut the loaves of dough and other food was fisted tightly in her slender fingers. The table clattered from the force of her rising to stand and Arba looked surprised while the others around her blinked with wide eyes and Amir halted her chewing.

"You're one of them, aren't you!" Sheba snapped, jabbing at the air with the blade and Amir blinked. "You—you're not a magician! You're not human—I can't sense it from you like everyone else here—you're a beast in disguise! Impure!"

"She saw right through you," Setta murmured, tipping his cup back. "But she didn't say anything about Camio."

"Ah, well," Amir chewed and then swallowed, raising a scarred hand. "That's right."

"Impure!" Sheba declared, gesturing wildly with the knife. "Impure! Impure! Everyone here is impure! How could you allow something beside a magician in your midst—you'll be tainted! Stabbed in the back! She's nothing more than one of those beasts in disguise!"

"Beasts in disguise," Solomon echoed thoughtfully as he turned a page. "That fits for some people, doesn't it?"

"Sharp tongued as ever," Amir mused, glancing to Solomon before she returned her gaze to a glaring Sheba.

"I didn't really do anything to you though, did I? I don't think that's any reason for you to swing that around at me—"

"The fact that you're not human is plenty!" Sheba snapped furiously. "You're nothing more than the pus of this world—that is what we were taught! You may look human on the outside but on the inside I bet you don't even bleed the way we do!"

Sheba hurtled the knife and everyone around her jolted in surprise. The toss was weak, years spent drilling magic through her staff leaving her with little to no physical strength. Amir watched the knife clatter to the end of the table, spinning before it came to a halt before her and she blinked at it thoughtfully while Sheba huffed, glaring and flushed and ready for any movements while their corner of the room had fallen silent.

Ugo and Camio were watching her carefully, Ugo's brows knitted in worry while Camio was silent and Amir casually picked up the knife.

A sharp clatter filled the room from the force of the knife stabbing through her hand and into the wood of the table beneath. Sheba flinched, eyes growing wide in disbelief and horror and Solomon peered with quiet eyes from above his tome.

Slowly, gently, a thin, glowing liquid began to appear from the cut. It trickled outwards shiny, faint, and slowly traveled down Amir's hand as she examined it for a moment and then pulled the knife out, tossing it back to Sheba.

The younger girl staggered back as the knife clattered to floor before her, landing dully against the carpeted floors and she looked up in shock as Amir merely smiled, propping her face up on one hand while she flashed the other her way.

"You're right," Amir agreed, flexing her fingers and curling them as the thin liquid began to travel down her arm. "It's the stuff that's inside me that gets people like you anywhere though, you know. Without this stuff even our great leader over there might be in a pinch."

"I still have physical combat, you know," Solomon added simply and Sheba looked as though she'd been slapped.

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Sorry, I don't work for free," Amir curled her fingers into a fist and flashed Sheba a bright grin before her body flickered. "Think about it with that holy head of yours and then let's chat, yeah?"

And then she disappeared.


"That was oddly dramatic of you."

"I think she struck a nerve I didn't know I still had," Amir shrugged, peering over her shoulder as wind tousled her hair. The overhanging cliff beneath her dangling feet opened massive jaws threatened to swallow anyone daring to leap forth.

Solomon hummed, crossing his arms over his chest. Dark blue tumbled past his shoulders, curving against his arms and floating with the breeze as he set his staff down at his feet and made his way closer toward her.

"Seems tough though," Amir admitted. "That'll be good for her if she ever gets over the whole... brainwashing. Might even like her."

"Doubtful but we'll see," Solomon said flatly and Amir flashed him a look of amusement.

"You bring her back yet you have no hopes for her yourself?"

"I wouldn't have brought her back if that was the case."

"Maybe," Amir said. "But you're oddly kind, so... doubtful."

The younger man scowled and Amir grinned, wind lifting both their locks upwards with the breeze. She felt the familiar thrum of energy itching beneath her skin and a far off call for something far, far beyond herself as the wind whistled past her ears. Solomon watched her curiously.

"...perhaps we should visit her soon."

Amir smiled despite herself. "Perhaps. But we're a bit busy right now as it is. I'm sure a visit could wait."

Amir peered at him coyly from beneath her lashes. "Don't tell me you came all the way out here just to check on me? You've still got to tell me how you can find me so easily. Cam's the only one who's got you beat."

"Magician perks," Solomon shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and he fixed her with a look. "You don't necessarily need checking up on either."

"Mm," Amir glanced to the side and watched the thousands of bursting flames in the sky come to life, shining, twisting, performing a myriad of patterns she still had yet to learn.

"I don't regret it, if that's what you're wondering."

"I know," Solomon said easily. "I merely feel as though... it's nothing, never mind."

"I'm sure if the world is calling for you, you'll hear it loud and clear," Amir said reassuringly, rising to stand and she glanced back to the boy behind her, their leader, their pillar—the man who'd reached out to her amidst the turning and the twisting of the world around her and allowed her to meet those who stood so closely beside her now.

"Even I heard you, after all. And since I'm getting old I'm a little hard of hearing."

Solomon snorted. "I'll believe it when I see. Come, we're talking about the next tower raid. I want you with me."

Amir smiled, falling into step beside the boy without a second thought.

"I merely feel as though something is about to change."

"We'll be beside you when it does, always."


"Why don't you come with me?"

"With you? Why?"

"I think it'll just be worth it."


The way these chapters are written remind me of the whole Kou Arc flashback and it's making me a little nostalgic because omg that was so long ago and I remember thinking once about how I wanted to write this arc out and now here we are, manga over, arc happening—it's crazy.

This one's pretty short and probably the shortest we've had in a long time since it's a little bit more like a preview of what's to come and setting some stuff down.

Thank you all so much for your patience, your kind words, support and everything and more. I know this one's a little short but the next one will be double the length with lots of fun and world building because thankfully the Alma Torran arc really gives you some room to work with when it comes to this part in the plot.

I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT CAM AND AMIR AND WHAT NOT SO Y'ALL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE BUT I THINK HINTS WILL BE DROPPED THROUGHOUT FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR CONCLUSIONS ;)

Thanks for reading!

Marshmellow-

-OUT!