Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, opened a Prismatic Sphere portal and began to focus her sympathic senses, reaching out to nature to enhance her link with another. Help her communicate better with someone perhaps half a world away, or on another world, entirely. They would each open a portal, and as long as their link was strong enough, she was sure their magic and their love would guide their portals to find each other, forming a conduit between them.
Of course, that idea was merely a product of Catriona’s romantic nature. In reality, she had Dreya’s co-ordinates.
“Come forth, my love,” she declared. “The time is right; the stage is set. It is time for you to take your place among us at this crucial time. Come to us, O Shadow in the Night. Reveal your glory and your power in my time of need. My journey is almost complete, and you must fulfil your end. Keep your promise; pay your debt. Come, my Dark Angel, come!”
Daelen found his attention drawn to the shadows around the portal in the trees, and before his eyes, the darkness seemed to grow darker. It was as if something had materialised in the shade of those trees. Something darker even than darkness itself. Catriona smiled and opened her eyes, matching the direction of Daelen's gaze.
“My love,” she whispered once more, as out of the shadows stepped…another shadow. A shadow with a humanoid shape.
The shadow spoke with quiet humour, in a voice that filled the night, “A simple ‘come here’ would have sufficed.”
The shadow gained substance, somehow growing darker still in the process, until a figure was standing there, Black robes concealing every inch of skin. The figure radiated a power that gave even the mighty Daelen reason to initiate a few precautionary defences. But it wasn't just her power, it was the way the power surrounded her. Her robes looked like they were woven from the fabric of the night, as if the very essence of Dark magic itself were a lover, caressing the young woman in its velvet embrace. Everything about her spoke of control and mastery. She was not a person to be taken lightly.
When the figure spoke again, this time, the voice was sharper.
“But then, you always did have a flair for the dramatic, Cat. That is one of your many attractive features.”
As she finished speaking, she untucked her hands from the sleeves of her robes and threw off her hood. Daelen let out a sharp breath when he saw her face – he knew her. Or at least part of him did. That part of him that was once the dark clone, Aden, recognised this individual as the sorceress known as Dreya the Dark. She was the only mortal mage the dark clone had ever considered worthy of notice. The one he had tried to recruit to his side. The one who had bested him; almost killed him.
Long, shiny, midnight black hair framed Dreya's face and flowed down her back. Her sapphire eyes, deep as the ocean, sparkling with a cool light of their own, were the only splashes of colour to offset the black of her robes and the marble white skin of her face and slender hands. She was undeniably beautiful, but not as Catriona or Mandalee were beautiful. In Catriona Redfletching, he saw the beauty of nature; in Mandalee, he saw the fiery beauty of a heart that was ready to fight to preserve life and goodness in the world. Faery were said to glow with the light of the sun, and that light was there in this one, too – Daelen could see it in her eyes, especially when she looked at Catriona. But the way she shrouded her light, reminded him alarmingly of how he had described the shadow warriors to Catriona: light in a box. He didn’t know what that might mean for her future, but she was unquestionably one to be watched at all times.
Catriona didn't seem to mind, though, the way she embraced her girlfriend. Once separate again, Dreya invoked her arcane magic and a bunch of roses appeared in her hand – a mixture of white and black, interspersed with the traditional red. It was a romantic gift that symbolised the balance in which Catriona believed. Cat was delighted and kissed Dreya full on the lips.
Mandalee leaned close to the shadow warrior at that moment and whispered, “How come you never gave her flowers? She gave you an entire garden, and you never thought to give her a single flower? Seriously, Daelen, if you haven't learned that women like flowers in all the centuries you’ve been coming to this world, there truly is no hope for you.”
Folding her arms and turning her back on him, she continued to watch Catriona and Dreya. She was impressed by the chemistry between them and very happy for her friend.
“Doesn't it bother you?” Daelen asked, softly. “Her choice of partner, I mean.”
Mandalee turned and glared at him. “I hope that's not a reference to my friend's sexuality, Daelen.”
“No, I didn't mean it like that,” he assured her, shaking his head emphatically. “I mean, this Dreya specifically – she's devoted to evil and darkness.”
“The latter, certainly. The former, I’m not so sure. I’ll admit I was sceptical about their association myself, at first. Now I can see I was wrong. Although to be fair to myself, I was hurt and angry at the time. No doubt that coloured my perception.”
“Wait – you knew about this?”
The assassin shrugged. “I knew they’d started an association, maybe even a friendship, but that was over two years ago. Cat and I parted ways for a time – long story, doesn’t matter – and since I met her again, I guess she had her magically backed promise in effect. Come to think of it, the rumour about those two came up while we were at Calin’s Tower, but it never occurred to me to take it seriously.”
“So, you don’t see any problems with this?” Daelen pressed.
‘Love strikes where it will,’ Shyleen considered, philosophically.
Mandalee repeated that aloud for Daelen’s benefit, adding, “but Cat's a sensible girl. She knows what she's getting herself into, and if she trusts Dreya, that's good enough for me.”
Deciding it was time to back up her words with actions, she wandered over to the smooching couple.
“Hey,” she called out. “Mind if I break up the party?”
Cat smiled and welcomed her, reintroducing the two most important women in her life to each other.
“Dreya, you remember Mandalee, don’t you? You met, briefly, just once.”
“Of course,” Dreya replied, “under most unfortunate circumstances, as I recall.”
“Greetings, Mistress Dreya,” Mandalee offered, adopting a formal style of address, for though they were of different orders, it was proper to acknowledge Dreya's high rank and position in the Council of Wizards.
The sorceress, however, assured her there was no need to use titles, insisting, “Just Dreya will be fine, thank you, White Assassin.”
“Please,” she protested with a grin, “I’ll admit I am warming to that title, but it’s still pretty new and squeaks when you use it. Best to stick to Mandalee, I think.”
“Mandalee it is, then,” Dreya agreed, offering her hand.
“Screw the handshake,” Mandalee declared, then seeing the frowns on Dreya and Cat’s faces, she clarified, “I mean, I’ve just found out you’re my best friend’s girlfriend. I think we can do a bit better than shaking hands.” She held her arms wide. “May I?”
Dreya smiled. “Of course,” she replied, embracing her. “By the way,” she remarked, when they moved apart, “I saw what you did on StormClaw Island. More than fifty enemies with two small knives? That was impressive even by my standards.”
Mandalee smiled grimly. “What can I say? I was upset at the time.”
Dreya arched her perfectly plucked eyebrows. “Remind me never to upset you.”
“Keep making Cat happy, and you don’t need to worry about me. Hurt her, and I’ll kill you myself.”
“Completely fair,” Dreya agreed.
*****
This was indeed a momentous occasion, gentle reader. At the time, they knew only that this was the first time a Dark wizard had ever hugged a cleric of Light, but the true significance was far more profound than that, as they would soon discover.
*****
“So, are you First Wizard of the Order of Dark Magic yet, or perhaps Mistress of the entire Council of Wizards?” the assassin asked, by way of conversation.
Dreya smiled and shook her head. “There is no Mistress of the Council, as you well know – there’s a Triumvirate, and I have no desire to change that, although changes are afoot. As for my Order of Dark Magic, I am content with being Black Secondmage. Anything higher would take too much time away from my magic research. Although, just between us,” she dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, “I do have the head of my order firmly in my pocket.”
“Of course you do,” Mandalee nodded, not the least bit surprised.
“Oh, and Cat,” Dreya added, “you will be pleased to learn the name has now changed to Council of Mages. They agreed that ‘Wizards’ discriminated against druids and, arguably, women.”
“That's great!”
“There are even moves to invite clerics to join the new Council,” the sorceress continued. “Diversity is strength and anything that increases the power of magic gets my vote.”
Mandalee shook her head in disbelief. “Clerics of Light, Dark and Balance sitting in council in the same room without that room exploding? I don't think the world has changed that much yet, Dreya.”
It had happened once, she knew, but it led to the Demon Apocalypse, and the experiment had not been repeated.
“Perhaps not, but the door is open to any who wish to join.”
“If I joined, could I still use physical weapons as well as clerical magic? I value my clerical powers, but I don't want to give up my weapons. Oh, and Daelen gave me this cool new body armour. Don’t want to lose…that…”
Mandalee trailed off as, belatedly, her brain linked her body armour, Catriona’s initial allergic reaction, and the obvious fact that Dreya was full Faery.
“Dreya!” she gasped. “I’m so sorry, are you OK? I didn’t think.”
The sorceress frowned, puzzled.
“I mean the synthetic fabric,” she clarified.
Dreya nodded her understanding.
“Don’t worry, Mandalee,” Cat reassured her, “nothing gets through Dreya’s shields.”
“Except for you, Cat,” Dreya countered.
Catriona smiled, broadly, and kissed her again.
Mandalee was surprised to hear Dreya say such a beautiful thing while someone else was standing right there. It was unconventional, but she could see what it meant to her best friend, and with that, she began to understand their relationship better.
Shattering her introspection, Dreya answered her previous question. “Until the clerical Orders join as a whole, the terms are open. The restrictions will continue to apply only to wizard magic and druid magic; you can do as you please with your clerical powers. It may not be strictly fair, and that’s one of many things we’ll have to look at long term, but for now, that’s as far as we’ve got. It takes time, but I’ll knock this world’s magic into shape eventually.”
“In that case, on a personal level, I formally request full membership of the Council of Mages, in the Order of Light,” Mandalee declared.
“As a Druid Mage of the Order of Balance, I sponsor and support the membership of Mandalee the White Assassin and Cleric of Nature,” Catriona quickly added.
“Then, by the powers vested in me by the Council, as Secondmage of the Order of Darkness, I hereby recognise the full membership of Mandalee the White Assassin and Cleric of Nature.”
Catriona's eyes suddenly glazed over, and she almost fell, but Dreya caught her arm and supported her easily, with a strength that Mandalee was surprised the sorceress possessed.
“Mandalee, you're the healer!” she cried. “Do something!”
If her mind still entertained any doubts about how much Dreya cared for her friend, they were snuffed out in that instant, but Catriona seemed to recover almost immediately.
“It's OK,” she assured them. “I'm fine, honestly. Just staff business. Dreya, I'll need to talk to you before too long, but right now, you'd better go make yourself known to Daelen.”
Dreya hesitated. “Well, if you're sure you're alright.”
“Look, if it makes you happy, I'll go with Mandalee, and she can check me over thoroughly.”
Dreya accepted that, and Cat allowed her friend to lead her away.
Mandalee whispered, “Dreya knows about your staff and everything, doesn't she?”
Cat nodded, “Sorry I couldn't tell you about her.”
“That's OK. Being completely honest, I’m not sure I would have understood if you had. Seeing you together like this is much better, and I’m really happy for you.”
“I know I keep saying this,” Cat said as she hugged her, “but you really are the best.”
“So,” Mandalee smirked, breaking the hug and linking arms as she walked with her best friend, “my initiation was important, somehow, was it?”
“Very important, I'd say, judging by the jolt it gave me.”
Mandalee grinned, “That good, huh?”
Cat's eyes glazed over, “By the gods, you have no idea!”
“As Sara and Jessica would say, ‘Blimey’!”