Gaia's Champion Ch. 16

Jason sat in the room, poring over the text he was reading. He had learned much of the Sons of Caesar over the course of the last month. Many of the books and tomes still sat there, collecting dust, but he had read others. The man leaned back, rolling his head around and popping a few joints as he stretched his arms. His mind traversed back through his memories, recalling everything that had happened in the past several weeks.

He found it amazing that everyone in his immediate circle of friends had come to terms with everything so well. He'd learned much about what it meant to be a Druid and about the power he commanded. Jason had also taken the time to teach Eva about what he'd learned. Though she was still hesitant about some things, she'd gotten the hang of them after a little practice.

They had both grown in their power and the array of magic they now commanded. Sheena had been instrumental in helping them reach said heights. Even though she was a Shaman, much of the teachings she had translated well into Druidic magic. They had both shared ideas and theories in expanding what they knew about Gaian magic and the other types that were out there.

They had also shared these ideas with the Fairies and Xaera, who was becoming a proper mage. Though her magic differed from the Gaian power the others had, it was still something that tied into what they knew. The theories and uses were similar, if more of a branching path in the same discipline. It was good to have allies like Xaera, along with everyone else who'd helped them.

Luke, Karla, Carlotta and even Elizabeth were now full believers in Gaia, as her power over all things living was clear. Luke was skeptical, but glad that he found something he could believe in, something that didn't require faith alone. Jason was sure that Karla had some say in what Luke believed, but knew that Luke was a man who made his own decisions.

Even though he couldn't wield Gaia's magic, he thought it was pretty fucking cool that his best friend had become a Druid. Sure, it wasn't like what they had displayed in some games he played, like World of Warcraft. But even so, some ideas and spells that had been shown in the video game and other forms of media were real. Jason fired a glance to some grimoires that lined the room, and he smiled.

The Druids and Shaman of ages past hadn't passed down their teachings as they should have. Though some of them had the foresight to write things down in journals, dairies and even spell books. He often wondered how the Sons of Caesar had acquired them, as many of them appeared to be ancient. Mulling on this thought brought him to reason they all of this in the first place, Darren.

Though the kid had been a self-righteous little shit, everyone had found out the truth. That he was this way because his father, Wayne, had forced his mind into that path of thinking, via the corrupted magic he had stolen from Eva. Darren would have died with his father and most of his chapter of the Sons, were it not for the magic he had.

Phalmina theorized that the magic had been gifted to the man because he came from Eva. Her power as a Druidess almost assured the fact that any children she bore would have a connection to Gaia. There was the off chance that they wouldn't have it, but her power levels made it a low possibility they wouldn't.

Darren had some connection to Gaia, but not enough to become a Druid or even a Shaman. The power he had enabled him to become a Guardian, much like the plant-like protectors of the glade. The big difference was that unlike them, Darren wasn't bound to any one place. He could defend any site sacred to Gaia, as long as it was in the defense of said site or a creature of Gaia.

Offensively, he was limited to whatever minor things that could allow him to knock around or distract any assailants. Going on the attack, as Jason and the fairies had, was out of the question for him. That didn't mean he was defenseless though, as his title suggested. The one thing he had on his side were defensive capabilities not too unlike the Obsidian skin spell Xaera had hit Jason with. Phalmina had even said that when he reached his full potential, he might even be a match for Jason.

It was a lot to take in, but after a while, everyone had come to the acceptance that Darren was now on their side. Even Elizabeth was OK with him, now that they'd come to an understanding about things. The amount of changes and surprises had been numerous, to say the least. The one which had caught everyone off guard was Amy.

Amy's power and access to magic was much higher than Darren's. So much so, that with the proper training, she could become a Shaman. Sheena had taken the young woman under wing, teaching her the basics of Shamanistic magic. Amy had been an apt pupil, devouring everything Sheena had taught her and hungered for more.

Sheena had to rein in her new apprentice as though magic was fun, it could also be dangerous. Used incorrectly, it could seriously injure the user if they weren't careful. There had been a couple of instances where a spell had gotten away from Amy and could have done some damage to the glade. Thankfully, Sheena or one of the fairies had been around to snuff the spell.

Since then, Amy had been obedient to Sheena's instruction, not wanting to risk another debacle. He was certain that Emalia also didn't want that to happen to her again. Sure, the experience might have been a novelty, but the fairy's inability to move cemented the spell's reversal. Sheena had since teased the poor girl about it now and then, but mostly as a reminder of things that could happen, when you were untrained in the way of magic.

Jason had a bit of a snafu when it came to dealing with the vow he and Amy had exchanged. The vow, while strong, was malleable in some ways. While he and Amy still shared a strong bond, they learned such bonds could be bent and even shifted. Though he and Amy had some fun, Jason's heart belonged to Sheena.

Amy was surprisingly relaxed about the whole matter. Though the bond and the sex they enjoyed was fun, she knew they were a temporary thing. She saw the way Jason looked at Sheena and how he looked at her and knew true love when she saw it. With Sheena's and Phalmina's help through the use of a complex ritual, they shifted the bond to Elizabeth, who was overjoyed at what they had given her.

When they were finished, they found that some remnant of it still lingered, due to the collective bond they all shared. It was then that Jason learned of the various depths of such unions and how strong they were. What Jason and Amy shared that night together was more of a surface link of two people in need. While the need was strong, there were stronger levels of such a bond.

Afterwards, Sheena and Jason performed their own bonding ceremony, which was something far deeper than Jason had ever experienced. Because of their love for each other, the bond Sheena and Jason now shared was far more than either had imagined. While they weren't fated, as Darren and Daelina had been, the strength of their love for one another was just as powerful.

Jason smiled when he thought of the beautiful Shaman, the woman who had been dear to him once and was again. She had become his girlfriend again and more, both wanting and needing him. He smirked when he thought of just how much catching up they had gone through over the last month. She had been very... vocal in her needs and desires, which he appreciated.

It was almost as though she had never left, which Jason found oddly refreshing. He sighed and thought about the last week, where he'd been busy making her squirm in delight. Jason grinned at that memory and hoped that he'd make more like that one soon. As his mind drifted to kinky things, he wondered how Amy and Elizabeth were getting on.

Those two women had been nearly inseparable since that night at the mansion. They'd entered into a relationship with each other, which was a bit of a surprise. Mostly for Eva, who didn't know that Amy had even liked girls like that. That they were almost always grinning like goofs said a lot about how often they were... physical with each other.

Jason took another breath before he thought it would be a good time to call it a day. He'd been poring over this book for hours, and though he'd learned a lot, he had to pace himself. He'd learned a lot from the writings and journals from the ancient Druids and Shaman, but now, he had time. There was much that needed to be absorbed, but Jason remembered Rome wasn't built in a day.

"Should probably get something to eat," Jason said to himself as he stood and stretched. He heard a familiar tinkling on the air and smiled, as he knew what that sound heralded.

"Been here long Mina?" Jason wondered as he closed the book he was reading, after marking the page he was on.

"Long enough to know that you need a break. Learn anything interesting?" Phalmina asked as she perched on Jason's shoulder.

"A lot, actually. Most of which was how the Sons of Caesar got started in the first place," Jason remarked, as he picked up several books and stuffed them into a satchel.

"Oh? Please tell me! I'd like to know!" the fairy woman asked, as she watched Jason place the satchel strap on his shoulder, walking out of the room with it.

Despite the enmity for any of its members, Phalmina was infinitely curious about the Sons of Caesar. Mostly about how secret cabals like this had formed and carried on through the centuries. She was also interested in how they took power that didn't belong to them. Mainly so she could counteract their magic, which was a form that she was unfamiliar with.

"Apparently, it started all the way back with Vercingetorix. The history books say that he surrendered to Julius Caesar. The fact of the matter is that he was betrayed by those he trusted most," Jason growled.

"Who betrayed him?" Phalmina asked, wondering who could have betrayed such a great man.

"It doesn't say who, at least not in that book. But it states how his betrayers delivered him to Caesar, and they were allowed to leave. After that, it goes on about how Caesar constantly demanded that Vercingetorix give his power to the emperor. The Arch-Druid refused, as it wasn't something that a mortal man could bestow on another. It was a gift and blessing that came from Gaia alone," Jason started.

"It went on about Caesar had his best torturers work Vercingetorix, doing everything they could to make the man crack. No matter how hard they worked the man, the Arch-Druid resisted every temptation offered to him. They would have killed him, because he frustrated them so. But the orders from Caesar were to ensure that he lived and any man who disobeyed would be put to death in the worst ways imaginable," Jason went on.

"Sounds like Caesar was obsessed with taking his power! He must have succeeded, if the Sons were to have any presence or knowledge of magic thereafter," Phalmina replied.

"He did, after a fashion," Jason continued as he closed and locked the storage room. "There were other humans who used magic that were in Caesar's employ. They showed him how to take the magic that the Arch-Druid held, but there was a serious drawback to taking it. The amount of power that Vercingetorix held was immense, far too much for any one man to contain," Jason said as they walked out of the storage facility.

"What happened to the men who tried to take Vercingetorix's power?" Phalmina wondered as she threaded her arm around Jason's waist.

"The men were... melted. The amount of power that they tried to take was too much for them to handle and they became... puddles of sludge. At least, that's what it says in the texts. They eventually learned that a small amount could be extracted safely, and that what happened with Caesar gaining his power. Once Vercingetorix saw this, he did the only thing he could do to stop it from happening again."

"How?" Phalmina wondered, a sense of apprehension etched into her face.

"Because they chained him in prison, there was little the Arch-Druid could do to defend himself. Once Caesar gained his power, he would also empower his followers, and greatest generals. The idea was to turn the newly minted Roman Empire into an unstoppable force, to conquer the world. That was Caesar's plan anyway, so Vercingetorix did the one thing he could still do; he ended his own life," Jason informed her.

"It makes sense. I was still young during those days, but I remember how nearly every Gaian creature could feel the moment the Arch-Druid died. How the immense power he commanded flowed back to Gaia, becoming one with the Earth Mother once again. Did it say what happened afterwards?" the fairy woman asked as they walked out into the sunshine.

"Yeah. Caesar went down to Vercingetorix's cell the following day and discovered him dead. The emperor was angry that his grand dreams he had were foiled, but he didn't let the Arch-Druid's death stop him. Though he had lost a potent source of power, Caesar knew that there had to be others out there. So, he started sending out his most loyal followers to seek and round up any of Gaia's followers they could find," Jason said.

"He thought about teaching those who were closest to him about this, but decided against it. The only people he would teach would be those who of his bloodline and no one else. His sons were the ones he taught about this power, and he also taught his grandsons until he was assassinated. From what I gathered from the texts I read, it was because of him trying to gain greater power that led to his death," Jason stated.

"His own sons killed him?" Phalmina guessed.

"Yes. His son, who was a senator, was involved in a conspiracy to kill him. Caesar was a brutal dictator who wanted to control everything. Having more power than what he had attained from Vercingetorix, would have given him enough to dominate anyone. His sons couldn't have that, seeing firsthand just how brutal a man he was. So, they learned all they could from him, before they killed him," Jason finished.

"So, that's why they're called the Sons of Caesar," Phalmina mused.

"It is. Their bloodline has always been present in the order, ever since its inception, and they have passed their teachings down through the ages. I still have yet to get past Caesar's assassination, as there is a lot to read!" Jason admitted, as they walked to the street.

"Well, we have nothing but time right now. Especially now that you're not working," the fairy woman stated.

"It has been... interesting, not having to wake up for work these days. Though I do so enjoy my mornings with you and Sheena in my bed," he replied with a chuckle. Phalmina blushed as she remembered this morning's romp. Jason was very... enthusiastic in making her feel welcome in his home.

"So, where are we going for lunch?" Jason asked, breaking the fairy from her lurid thoughts.

"We're going to meet Sheena at... Kelsey's?" she replied.

"Mmm! One of my faves! So, we going to catch the bus then?" he wondered.

"I was thinking of a less traditional way of traveling," Phalmina told him.

She then grabbed him by the shirt and ducked into an alley. She glanced about, making sure they weren't being watched, before waving her hands, summoning the runes to cast the shrinking spell. The runes came into being almost instantly and shrunk them both down. Though Jason was half of Phalmina's size, at half an inch in this state. He looked up at the giggling woman and quirked an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just an interesting idea popped into my head is all," she snickered.

"Does it involve you being bigger than me?" Jason wondered as his fairy lover scooped him up and took flight.

"Yes, it does. Why? What were you thinking?" she wondered.

"Well, I have a few ideas," he started before he craned his neck and whispered into her ear. Though Phalmina kept flying straight to their destination, he saw her go red from head to toe.

"Damn! I didn't know that fairies could blush all over!" Jason snickered.

"We will have to try out some of your suggestions! Soon!" the fairy panted lustfully.

"Some of those ideas involve Sheena too, you know," Jason told her.

"Oh, my!" she breathed as she gulped audibly.

"So glad you approve!" Jason chuckled.

The pair of them landed a few minutes later in a nearby set of bushes. After using their Gaian senses to see if anyone was looking int their direction, Phalmina made them big again. Dressed like a young couple, the pair of them made their way across the street and to the restaurant. Jason didn't see Sheena's car yet, so he figured she had yet to arrive.

Not even five minutes later, Jason saw Sheena's Impala pull up, and he smiled. He watched the mocha skinned woman get out of her car and saunter over to him. Her eyes smoldered with barely constrained lust as she kissed him, using her mouth to show him how much she missed him. They broke apart to some hooting and jeering nearby and saw a couple of guys staring at the three of them.

"What? You guys wish you were him?" Sheena teased.

"Damn straight! Would mind you doing that to me!" one guy replied suggestively.

"Sorry boys, but this lady is spoken for," Jason told them while putting a protective arm around Sheena.

"What about your friend here? She's just as hot and doesn't look like she's got a guy here!" one of the other guys stated.

"I'm also spoken for by him," Phalmina laughed, before prancing up to Jason and kissing him just as passionately.

"You lucky fucker! How the fuck did you nab two hotties man??" one of the guys asked, eagerness plastered all over his face.

"Sorry, boys. That's a trade secret," Jason laughed as he walked over to the door, letting the ladies walk into the restaurant first.

The guys' faces were full of jealousy and disbelief, and they just shook their heads before walking away. The hostess had the trio seated almost immediately, as the restaurant wasn't overly busy. Their waitress walked up not even a minute later, and they ordered their drinks. They waited for the woman to leave before they started talking.

"Learn a fair bit from the archives?" Sheena wondered.

"A few things. Found a few tomes that look like they're from a Shaman. I haven't had a proper look at them yet, but they might have a few things you've been looking for," Jason said, tapping the satchel that hung on his chair.

"Awesome!" Sheena grinned.

"You make any progress on finding your parents?" Phalmina asked.

"Nothing yet. Right after graduation, they just vanished without a trace. I know the Sons were after them, but the trail went cold years ago. The books and records they had on my parents were helpful, but the leads turned out to be dead ends," Sheena griped.

"I feel you there, hon. I'm still at a loss about who put that block on me to begin with," Jason huffed.

"You've discovered nothing about who could have done it?" Phalmina queried.

"Nope. Nothing at all. It's almost as though whoever did it, wanted to make sure that their name and mine stayed out of the Sons' reports. It's frustrating beyond belief," Jason growled.

"You'll find out who did it to you, Jason. We will have our answers, just not yet. These kinds of things take time before anything comes to light. You just need to learn to be patient," Phalmina told him consolingly.

"I know. Didn't say I was giving up. Just that it's a pain in the ass is all," he griped.

"Mina's right. It took us a while before we even found out what we have so far. It took us time to find each other again. That's all it takes, babe, is time," Sheena soothed.

"You're right. Besides, we still have a lot to do with a lot of things. Oh, and that reminds me!" he said as he remembered something.

"What?" both women asked him as he pulled out an old a heavy tome. They were about to admonish him for pulling it out in public, when their eyes went to the symbol on the cover. Their eyes widened for a moment, before Jason stuck the book back into his satchel.