Chapter 52

End, Begin

 

Zo Ro) 'Ugh . . what . . '

Kara) "MASTER! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?"

Z) 'Not . . loud . . quiet . . what . . '

Uncle) 'You collapsed. Right when you finished that new spell. You were bleeding from your seven orifices.¹2 ears + 2 eyes + 2 nostrils + 1 mouth = 7 We had to wait for you to wake up.'

Z) . . 'When . . '

Vixen Mama) 'It's been almost two full days.'

Z) . . 'Sorry . . for . . worry . . . Not . . remember . . what . . spell . . do . . '

K) "None of us can understand what you write or say whenever you do your magics."

V) 'All we know is that you needed four storage rings together in some kind of diagram.'

Z) . . 'I think . . I know what the . . spell should have done.'

V) 'Should have?'

Z) 'If the backlash was this severe . . I can't even guess whether . . it could have been successful. . . If I . . didn't have the Unique Skill . . Regeneration, I probably . . would have died.'

U) 'Let's hope it was worth it. . How do we find out if it worked?'

Z) 'Bring me the-'

K) "Here." *clink* she tossed the four rings at me.

At this point I finally feel well enough to try opening my eyes. Bleary, I see the sun at the horizon. I try to work my way up onto my paws. As I blink away the grogginess, I notice that some others are nearing.

. . I HAVE all my paws.

I guess I can retire my Kara-Cycle.

Puri) "Bruver! You're all good! And you regrew all of your legs too!"

Hu Go) "That's wonderful, Master!"

Z) 'Not so loud, please . . I'm still recovering.'

Now that I've just about got my normal level of vision back, I can see that some of those around me have bloodshot eyes and tearstreaked cheeks. Including Maw, Kara, Nani, Puri and Guys Two thru Four.

Z) 'Let's take things easy for now. First I need to do something about this divine wrath tier headache.'

I take my bottle of baby-aspirins out from my big storage ring.

Z) 'Kara, open it for me.'

*pop* I take two and dry swallow them.

U) 'Can we check whether it worked?'

G) "How?"

Z) 'Puri, find a little flat stone, about palm size.' (I swing my fifth tail toward her, willing the summoned pen out from that one's storage ring. Sending it rolling.) 'Write or draw something on it . . . Now put it in one of the storage rings . . Then try to pull it out from another.'

Everyone leaps to their feet, all their jaws agape.

Z) 'Looks like you understand the scope of what I tried. So, big sister Puri? Can you find it?'

P) "I can't . . get anything . . from it."

Z) 'That's likely because of not having a strong enough spirit. You'll be able to once you've cultivated a bit. Guys, Hu Go, grab your rings. Puri, let me have the other back. Now which one did you put your stone in?'

P) . . "Dey look . . the same."

I look through my returned ring with my spiritual sense. While I'm busily not finding it, Three pulls it out from his ring.

Z) 'Okay Three, put it back in. Now, moment of truth.'

. .

I can't find it.

Z) 'Failure. But that's probably for the best. If that was something I could do, the armies I feared would try to capture me would be . . Well, I already expected they'd be nearly endless. It's like offering a Tier 5 weapon for a dozen silver, then adding a Dragon's Egg to the deal. Everyone that thinks they could win, and more, would already be fighting with all their might. Would that really entice more? Or make them fight harder? Best to just keep it secret. Even a rumor that it was attempted could shatter the peace . . And not just on this continent. And that is one shit-storm none of us want to be in the middle of.'

G) "What would you have done if it had worked?"

Z) 'I would have changed the plan for the three of you. Two, you would have gathered all the manuals you possibly could from the sect's library. Tossing them into your ring and out mine. While Three, you'd do the same in the sect's Treasury. And Go, still handle the meeting alone as originally planned, but alone at the same time they do so. But that won't work now anyway, so just use the original plan. Right now. Good luck Hu Go, Guy Two and Guy Three.'

K) "Take care."

3) "You take care as well."

2) "So long, Master. Take care of him, friends."

G) "Yes. Take care of Master for us."

V+K) '"We will!'"

Z) 'Jynx.'

G) "Didn't you say that was a kid's game?"

Z) 'Well, I am under 2 years old.'

P) "Then you really are . . little Brover."

-tilting my head to the side-

Z) 'Look how much bigger you are than me.'

Miti) "Master, I hope you don't overexert yourself again."

Z) 'I agree. Right now I need a dinner and a nap. Not necessarily in that order.'

. . .

Seemingly the instant after I had settled down to sleep, I awoke mid-morning. Huh, that was . . 14 hours? I must've needed a bit of shut-eye after nearly killing myself trying a spell that still failed. Well we can't all be winners, Blessed by the very Heavens. I'm disappointed, I'm full of regrets, I'm probably still far from fully recovered. But I'm mostly surprised that I'm not really all that surprised.

U) 'I see you're awake. Any words of wisdom for us on this fine day?'

Z) . . 'These few days we spent right here mark the End of my Beginning. And for the autumn crescent sect, they mark the Beginning of the End. It's been said that "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.'

P) "Wow, what's that mean?"

Z) 'Exactly what it sounds like.'

Nani) "Where does this saying come from?"

Z) 'I think it's from the song "closing time." But I don't remember who wrote or sang it. And I can't ask Siri.'

P) "Who is Siri?"

Z) 'The right question is "WHAT is Siri?"'

U) 'That doesn't make any sense.'

Z) 'It would if you knew about Siri. Or Alexa. Or their grampa Google. Anyways, is breakfast ready?'

M) "Almost . . . Here you go, Master."

*scarf, scarf, nom, nom* I could star in a fancy feast commercial. I wonder if they would make "fox food". I heard that there was a Russian scientist that made tame foxes through selective breeding, so eventually there should be a market for it. But this is better than anything they might be able to come up with.

This level of quality is probably what they meant by Michelin Star.