Sanctum of the World

With the supercharged supper of energized magical fruit, they break camp after eating. No one is tired anymore. Everyone is primed to push on and continue to walk to the nexus of the Sanctum. The trip back is less work. They’re not making a new trail, merely cleaning up where they may have hastily done sections. Lyric and Angel help improve the mood as they sing. The Bards have two sizes of lutes and can add additional instruments with spells.

Amethyst tells Penny that the Lantafalma Gate has always been the nexus of the Realm. It was from there that they spread out. The town by the gate seemed to cement the college as the focal point. There are, of course, other notable locations. The Council Chambers were the hub of politics. At one point, there were representatives from various regions of the Cosmos aiding humanity in managing magical society.

“I remember it was a pretty large building, can we see it from here?” Penny remarks. Amethyst scans the endless flow of energy and then points to what looks like a white ball to their left. “How far away is that?” Penny gasps.

“Walking, it would likely take a day or two depending on the size of your legs,” the Fae muses. “While a finite pocket dimension, it is not small. Thousands of magical creatures once lived in this Realm. It is why there’s a teleport circle. When you find them again, other portal nodes around the realm will link to it. It’s also a focal point, so anyone can Teleport to it from anywhere in the Realm — if you know the spell.”

“My wife casts the majority of our travel spells,” Penny blushes. “I can bounce around small distances, but nothing like she can.”

“You make such a well suited couple,” Amethyst remarks.

“Thanks,” Penny smiles. “My life stopped being normal the day we met.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Amethyst queries.

Penny glances to Mélodie, the two blow each other a kiss and the Human woman smiles. “Far from it,” Penny continues to smile at her wife fondly.

“There should have been a farming community and Druid Grove that lay between. Have you not seen them?” Yàviersulë glances up from the tree he’s studying.

“No,” Adam returns worriedly.

“While my people did not return to Earth after their exile, we had sent some of our people to live among your arcane community,” The Arch Druid frowns. “Hundreds of souls found their way back to Arvandor to report war among the Council of Magi had killed them all.”

“Oh,” Adam slumps his shoulders. He glances at the Arch Druid, “You knew?”

“We knew what befell of our people, but not of your realm,” the Elf replies. “Those souls will gladly serve you again if you are willing. What bothers me…” he looks out over the void, “is that there is nothing left of it, only debris.”

“Let us hope that enough of your Glade survived this,” Amethyst remarks.

“What could have happened to cause that much destruction?” Feren gasps.

“We don’t know,” Adam returns sadly. “Only that the Realm nearly collapsed that day.”

“Would Elphaba know?” Mélodie queries.

“Whenever we ask any of the survivors what happened, their faces grow pale, their eyes grow distant, then they panic,” Adam remarks. “It can take hours to calm them back down again as they just curl up in a shell and whimper or cry. The event is clearly too horrific to revisit, so we’ve stopped asking them. I can only imagine the magical horrors unleashed that day as the High Mages fought Vampires, Demons, and each other.”

“It’s the fighting each other that worries me the most,” Amethyst frowns. “Like whatever is in the greenhouse. What horrors did it experience that it rather live in a chaotic twisted ruin than help us rebuild?”

“You still think it’s sentient?” Adam raises and eyebrow.

“Whatever is in that greenhouse is sentient,” Tundo remarks. “The plants bear at least a mind or two. They won’t talk to me though, and all I can get from them is two words.”

“What is that?” the Arch Druid asks.

“Pain and Die,” the Fae whimpers. Everyone is quiet for a moment. “Whatever happened to the greenhouse all it feels is the pain of it’s death and wanting revenge.”

“Can you tell me more of this greenhouse?” the Arch Druid worries.

“Do you think you can do something about it? We really need it. That section of greenhouse could feed those that currently live in this realm,” Adam remarks.

“What about those who will come now that you are rebuilding?” the Arch Druid raises an eyebrow.

“Greenhouse first, then we can work on a farming community,” Adam retorts.

“Just seeing how far ahead you were planning, my boy,” the Arch Druid walks off talking with Tundo and Feren from what they’ve noticed.

“Are all Elves so condescending?” Adam grumbles.

Amethyst returns a sympathetic smile, “Elves are always looking at events by three angles.”

“Which are?” he raises an eyebrow.

“Past, Present, and Future,” she smirks, leaving him to shake his head. “While contemplating the past, the Arch Druid is looking at the now, what will happen today and maybe up to the end of this week,” she explains.

“Continue,” Adam feels she’s not done.

“He’s also looking at what will happen next month, next year, and maybe as far as the next century,” she finishes.

“The next century?” Adam stops and blinks. The Fae is about to elaborate. “Elves are long lived and never just plan in the here in now. They prepare for what could come after, and not just in the next decade, but what would be generations to my kind?”

“Now we just need you to start thinking like the Elf you are,” she smirks. Adam raises a finger. “You are more Elf than the Humans you call family, Arch Mage. You keep forgetting that.”

“I rather not lord it over others that I’m longer lived and more powerful than they are,” Adam objects.

“No one says you have to be overbearing, Arch Mage. Just make sure you have more than one plan going and never underestimate where things may lead. Keep a contingency for everything and nothing will catch you by surprise,” she smirks and catches up with the others.

Adam stands there for a moment, chuckles, then jogs to catch up. “Will I ever know what she’s up to?” he asks Mélodie.

“No one ever really knows what Mother is up to, Arch Mage,” she chuckles. “Just know that she will never ask you to do something you are unable or unwilling to do yourself.”

“That doesn’t really help me,” he grumbles.

“Life is not always filled with known variables, Arch Mage,” Mélodie returns playfully. “You have to prepare for the unexpected. Stop questioning everything and have a little fun with it,” she encourages.

“Is she always like this?” Adam looks at Penny.

“Makes life interesting,” Penny giggles and leans into her wife.

When they return to the college, there is some sort of illusionary campus laid out. Morgyn, Elphaba, Luke and several of his adepts are on brooms. They guide pixies to move focus stones as they re-arrange what they want it to look like.

“You’ve been busy,” Adam remarks as they meet in the gardens.

“Well, when you give me a few days, a small cluster of Pixies, and a handful of Mages, things get done,” Morgyn smirks — causing Amethyst to giggle.

“A few days?” Penny gasps. “How long have we been gone?!”

“Four solar rotations, give or take?” Morgyn glances at Luke.

“If it weren’t for my cell-phone clock, I’d have no idea what time it is,” Luke remarks. “How do you live here where time seems nebulous?”

“You sort of get used to it,” Morgyn shrugs.

“So, what are we looking at?” Adam queries.

“Using the path as the centre for the design, Luke, Elphaba and I have pretty much divided the campus in half,” Morgyn explains. He motions and waves his hands as he points things out. “On the right we have living and lifestyle. We’ll start with one dorm, but we’re leaving space for two. Then there’s the Student Union Building that will house an amphitheatre, media room, commissary, lounge, and computer research hub. We’re hoping to connect to the Internet somehow. Otherwise it’ll be a leisure library where they can study, or just read non-academic material. Further on, there’s a public gym, workout studio, arena… we’re thinking we’ll place the art studios and visual arts classrooms here as well.”

“All the amenities of a small town,” Luke boasts. “This should encourage the students to stay on campus, but our town design is including some bistros, bars, and a dance club. We’re also doubling the size of the market so that students can come to town for fresh food if they don’t want whatever the cafeteria is serving.”

“Feren raises a finger. “Only Fabrication and Manipulation Mages can make food and drink. We need to feed those who can’t make it themselves,” Morgyn remarks.

“Will you build a recording studio and radio station as well?” Mélodie queries. They all look at her. “With most of the known magical community having a strong bardic tradition, you do want to encourage our young Bards to attend the college, do you not? You will need all of the Arts available if you do. Not only visual arts, but music, dance, theatre and other performing talents would encourage them to stay in the community.”

“Not a bad idea,” Morgyn smiles and nods. “We’ll work that into the design.”

“What’s the point of a radio station?” Luke frowns.

“Outside of offering the realm some entertainment? I am sure one of you lovely intelligent people will figure out how to broadcast it across the Internet on Earth,” she returns. “Come now, what good university does not have a campus radio station?”

“She has a point,” Steven remarks.

“The left side is where we’re trying to work things out,” Morgyn waves his hand to the other side. “I know we’ll need alchemy labs, a library, classrooms for magical and mundane topics, and maybe an engineering lab, what else will we need?”

“We need to cover all topics,” Adam returns. “Engineering, Science, Medicine, Magical Theory, Spell Casting, Alchemy, Herbalism, Language Arts, maybe even Law. Have you thought of an Enchanting and Fabrication building?”

“It’s on the list now,” Morgyn nods as he draws out a tablet.

“What about Summoning?” Kyle probes. “I know it’s sort of a taboo subject on Earth, but it should be safe to do that here, no?” Adam frowns somewhat. “Not all students will want some sort of animal as their familiar. There’s a book I read once where constructs and Elementals used to serve powerful masters.”

“It has merit,” Adam nods slowly. “I’d like to have Conjuring and Summoning as individual warded towers though, so that students don’t accidentally cause a bigger mess than they should.”

“Four towers with Fabrication and Enchanting in the middle, make it look like some sort of castle?” Todd suggests.

Adam smiles. “I’ve always loved your imagination Todd. Think Luke can spare you for a few months? We’ll need your eye for detail as we make the buildings.”

“Sure, steal my best artisan, why don’t you?” Luke returns half insulted. His playful tone leaves Adam to chuckle. Todd returns this pleading look. “Fine, next thing I know you’ll be asking to live here,” Luke teases.

“Outside of the town we’re rebuilding, one of the first things he wants to do is look for his family estate once we’re done here,” Kyle remarks. “If memory serves correctly, it was across the road from mine.”

“You too?” Luke glances at his friend.

“We were all from prominent families, who here have an estate they left behind?” Kyle retorts. Several hands go up.

“Fair enough,” Luke smiles.

“Arch Druid, do you think you could spare a few people to help make a road to these estates they speak of?” Amethyst probes.

“To what purpose?” Yàviersulë argues.

“There was farmland between the college and estates. You had mentioned that this realm needs food production and greenery to feed and give air to the realm,” she remarks.

“I did say that, didn’t I?” the Elf smiles. “You are very good at diplomacy,” he smirks.

“Remember that when you stubbornly want to oppose one of my ideas,” she returns smugly, causing some to chuckle.

“Speaking of wanting to accomplish something, show me this greenhouse you mentioned earlier,” his tone insistent. He sees Adam hesitate. “You know Elven?” the Elf probes and the Arch Mage nods. “Look for a flight of eagles coming down the road. The Pixies know your authority, and will vouch for what you want them to do.”

Adam frowns at the comment. “Are you worried you might not come back from the greenhouse?”

“That is a possibility,” the Elf nods and Amethyst looks worried. “If I don’t return, my people are to follow your guidance.”

“Is that all?” Adam swallows.

“While unlikely, if I should meet my end, you will sheer off the other half of the greenhouse. Send whatever angry spirits that reside within into the abyss where they can cause no other harm,” the Arch Druid remarks.

Adam nods worriedly. “Should I come with you?” his voice cracking.

“No, you are too important here,” the Elf argues.

“And you’re not?” Adam blinks.

“I’ve made my peace with the universe and have performed my duty to my people Arch Mage. You, on the other hand, still have much work to do until you meet your end.”

“Right,” Adam returns a grim smile.

“I’m coming with you,” Amethyst insists as he starts walking off. The Elf turns to object. “You can’t do this alone, that will certainly be the end of you. Unlike your speech to the Arch Mage, you still have a lot to do in this age.”

“I do, do I?” he remarks with a half smile. “What have you seen, Mistress of the Earthen Realm?”

“All in good time,” she returns.

“The Bardic Council said I would find you an enigmatic puzzle that would give me a headache to figure out,” he smirks as he continues walking.

“Were they wrong?” she returns smugly.

“No they were not,” he chuckles. He glances to the Spring Fae as the catch up to him. “You’re coming too, I take it?”

“Of course we are,” Feren returns.

“This is not your realm, you don’t need to help the Humans fix their problems,” Yàviersulë remarks.

“You are,” Tundo argues.

“I have a… promise that I need to fulfill,” the Elf remarks. “As much as they don’t remember, most of the Council of Sages are my kin. They may not call themselves Wood Elves, but they still hold the blood of my people.”

“Druids used to guide the Fae when we couldn’t hear Mother Earth,” Feren remarks. He raises and eyebrow. “Yes, I’m too young to remember that, but my foremother used to tell me stories of the wisdom of the Druid Council. We need you as much as they do!”

“My kind is not returning to Earth at this time,” he argues.

“But can you at least show us some guidance?” she pleads. “We need you!”

“Humanity would kill any of my kind who make any visible change in their lives, I will not risk my people for a dying world,” he grumbles.

“So, you’re going to rebuild Sanctum as a refuge for when the Earth dies?” Feren gasps.

“It’s a start,” he nods.

“That only saves the magical community!” Feren argues.

“Your point being?” Yàviersulë returns unmoved.

“What did they do to you?!” she returns, mortified.

The Elf spins, his face that of controlled rage. “When humanity spread like the disease they are, they didn’t want co-existence, they wanted control. They wanted what we could provide, and were willing to remove anything that stood in their way to possess it. First we sank Atlantis, then they came after the Tir. Time and again we fought them off, only for them to keep coming at us in larger numbers! What they didn’t assimilate, they destroyed. In the end they forced my people to flee, they killed my wife, my children, and all that I held dear. We now live in the realm of the afterlife where no mortal should reside. It’s changed us, offering us immortality. No other Elf has perished since the exodus unless it was through injury. We have prospered where the Humans have stumbled along, destroying as much as they have built. These are my people,” he points back to where the Magi are working on the campus. “I have no desire to save the lives of mundane filth who would rather see me dead than to help them!”

“Humans aren’t the only creatures left on Earth, do you not see that the Fae need Gaia’s Firstborn?” Feren pleads. “We need your people to come Home, Arch Druid!”

His expression changes at her plea and his face softens. “Let me think on that,” he mumbles. He turns and Tundo guides him to the greenhouse.

“It’s a start,” Amethyst places a comforting hand on Feren’s arm.

“Is it enough?” the Fae whimpers.

“He still has a lot of pain to work through. Trust in the Fates to give the Arch Druid a reason to return to the Earth. It’s just a matter of time now,” she stresses.

“What have you seen?” Feren tilts her head.

“I can’t tell you, as the vision isn’t quite clear, but Gaia will find a new Voice, that is all I know,” Amethyst replies. “She will call Gaia’s children home.”

“How?” Feren whimpers. “The Arch Druid said there were no Elves left on Earth.”

“None that we know of,” the Earthen Fae smirks.

“You are a puzzle,” Feren finally smiles. Amethyst giggles as they catch up to the others.