Alan was dreaming a strange dream. He and Hopix were walking down the isle of the palace up to Queen Glimmer. Hopix was beautiful. Over and over, he heard her telling him that she loved him. They had just reached Glimmer when the lizard guy jumped out of the crowd cutting Hopix’s throat. Alan was screaming as the lizard laughed and ran out the door with no one touching him. NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alan started to go after him but he had to heal Hopix before it was too … “I love you” Hopix choked out, “I will always love you.” Then she stopped moving and breathing. Alan poured all the magic into her he had, but she was gone. NO! NO! NO!

Hopix’s mother was having an extremely hard time with Alan. Not only was he resisting but she felt him start to slip away on his own. Then she saw the dream oh dear! Hopix was dead in his arms while the Queen and all her subjects were celebrating; no wonder he was slipping away.

Calling out to him, he turned, “Who the hell are you? Another come to torture me? To make me watch again and again how I failed her? To make me watch her die OVER AND OVER!?? Come, you want my life. Here it is cause without her there is no life, you understand? Kill me slow, fast, I don’t care.”

“No, Alan. None of this is real. You were hurt and are healing. Hopix is here with me. She is extremely worried about you.”

“I know you, but I can’t place you. Who are you? How do you know these things?” Alan asked.

“I am Hopix’s mother. I am here to help you, but you have to let me. You have to stop fighting me. Hopix is alive. Come with me and see.” She said, taking his hand.

Snatching his hand away, he said, “Look lady, I don’t really know you. You could be anyone.”

“You are right; then, how about this? You reach out, outside of this place and see if I am right. If Hopix isn’t worried about you, I will sit here and do nothing.” She said as she sat and waited. At least now he was no longer slipping away, but he was still weak.

Reaching out, Alan had a hard time piercing outside of the Queen’s palace. Another push and he was out above a blanket that was on the ground, a little higher he saw a Fairixie woman bending over him. Strange, but she had no face. Huh? Next to her, Hopix was sitting her small hand trying to hold his huge one.

Her face was covered with tears she seemed weak pale, “I have to tell you the secret of my people, what you see is an illusion. We are really…” At that moment, he was ripped away back into his body.

Alan appeared next to the woman claiming to be Hopix’s mother. “Did you learn anything?” the woman asked.

“Hopix … Hopix started to tell me something. She said her people had a secret, that what I was seeing was an illusion.” Sighing, Alan looked at the woman. “Then I was ripped away. I’m not sure what this illusion is or what you really look like, but it seemed very important to her. I will try to come back. I have so little strength left.”

“I will help you, when you see me again grab hold of anything I give you as tightly as you can. It is the only way I can see that you can survive.” Alan nodded as she left.

Outside of his mind, Hopix’s mother looked at her. She was looking better, but she wasn’t saved yet. Neither was Alan. She prayed that she had the power to help him. Starting slowly, she began to infuse energy into Alan. Inside, Alan was grabbing all the energy that she sent. Almost an hour later, she had to stop. Alan wasn’t as weak but was still very weak. Hopix’s mother shook her head as she’d tried for an hour. Alan needed so much energy. She could feel he was almost out of danger, but there was a risk.

She needed to rest, but all of Hopix’s people on both planets owed Alan so much. If only … She hadn’t heard of it being done since before she was born, well over 10,000 years ago. She had to try. She felt it was the only thing that could save him.

Standing she called to all the Fairixies on the planet … <The Mezey Alan was hurt very badly defeating the evil ones. I am the strongest healer from the home planet. I ask you to lend me a small piece of your selves to help heal him. My thanks to those that do, but no one will look down on those too afraid. I understand.>

Waiting a few minutes, she felt energy begin to trickle in. She placed her hand on Alan. She’d been at it for 10 minutes when there was an almost overwhelming flood of energy that suddenly hit and passed through her into Alan. Alan’s body jerked as the energy hit him. Smiling, the woman could feel him suddenly grow stronger. Most of the internal injuries were healed now. An hour later, a little light headed the woman smiled at Hopix. “He will be alright now. Everything inside is good though I am afraid he will have to do the outside. He only heard part of the secret. He needs to hear the rest. You have maybe an hour after he wakes. No more. Do not delay, daughter. Bring your brother home.” With that, the woman pulled a cube a lot like Alan’s out and was gone.

Mother has been to the Trembly world? When, Hopix wondered. Had she been a helper like Hopix? Smiling, that could explain a lot of things. Was her Father human like Alan? White mages lived a long time almost as long as the Fairixies did. Strange, she thought. She never remembered seeing a human when she was little. Mulling it over, she decided she’d look into it later. First, she needed to save Alan and then herself. As she watched, Hopix could finally see Alan start to breathe a lot easier. She just hoped her mother had been able to save him. After what he’d told her, she felt that she couldn’t go on without him. Then as an afterthought, she knew she wouldn’t be able to survive. It was part of the secret, and also the main reason Hopix hadn’t found love in such a long time.

Alan’s dreams had drastically changed. Over and over, he kept reliving the lizard guy getting away. Everything he tried got him hurt or almost killed. Each time, Alan could himself as he was getting more and more angry.

Hopix could feel the bad dreams that Alan was having. Strange, she thought. After what mother had done, he shouldn’t have bad dreams. Reaching in but not too far because her power was a lot weaker, she saw that once again Alan was dreaming about the lizard guy. Then she felt the tether that the lizard guy was attached to, that was it! Pulling out, she grabbed Alan’s head concentrating as hard as she could. She knew that this could kill her because she was far too weak to do this full power. Shaking her head, she knew this could exhaust all her power, but for Alan she’d gladly give her life.

The lizard guy was getting away again when Alan turned and saw Hopix was there. Shocked for a moment and then he thought it was another trick. That is ’til he saw how weak and pale she was. “Alan,” she gasped out, “it’s all a fake it’s the lizard guy cut his tether look at him you’ll…” Hopix groaned. “It will end all his interference. Hurry, my love. I wait for you,” she said as she fell then faded.

Now even madder than before, Alan walked up to the lizard guy. “It’s over, you ass!”
Cutting the tether he heard the lizard guy scream. “Next time we meet the first thing I will take will be your ability to move. Then your council can have you!”

Lizard guy smirked, “As if. You not only don’t have enough power, but you won’t kill.”

As soon as the creep was gone, Alan tried to follow it out. The closer to the top he got, the harder it was. Finally opening his eyes, he tried to sit up. No dice too damn weak. Looking around, he saw Hopix lying in a crumpled heap. NO! With every bit of his strength, he crawled the 2 feet to her. Touching her, he could feel that she was extremely weak. Though he didn’t have much energy, he had to save her. Though there was really no future for them, he had to try. With tears falling from his eyes, he held his hand over her chest. At first, there was nothing. Alan started to swear and then pushed harder. Finally, he could feel the energy start to slowly flow from him. She was so weak. He had to save her. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do for her including dying as he was prepared to save her.

A few moments later, Alan had already tapped his life force, when her eyes fluttered open. “NO ALAN,” she tried to shout. “Let me go. I did everything for you.” Now, she was gasping as she could feel her failing body start to strengthen.

“I have to, Hopix. I love you, and I’d gladly give my life for you,” Alan said. Hopix felt a huge jump in her life force.

“I love you Alan, but you have to understand. Once we are committed to each other there will be no other. Our lives will literally be entwined, dependent upon each other, to live.” Hopix said starting to feel better already.

“This was all the secret of your people?” Alan asked, he’d actually stopped feeling Hopix’s energy growing.

“Well its part of it.” Here, she giggled. Sitting up, Hopix’s body was suddenly outlined with light. Alan’s mouth hung open as Hopix’s body started to grow. ALL of her body started to grow. Finally after possibly 5 minutes, Hopix stood. Alan’s mouth hung open. My god, she was gorgeous! He’d thought before that for a light green skinned being with wings, she was kind of sexy! Holy shit, Alan thought. Here I am on death’s doorway and I’m getting horny over a, looking back at Hopix, he thought sexy as hell woman with wings!

Hopix’s mouth hung open, “you really think I am sexy?” Alan could swear that Hopix was blushing, blushing like a virgin… It was then that he remembered that Hopix had said that she hadn’t been home in thousands of years. Alan guessed he had a shocked look on his face since Hopix was giggling like a little girl.

Alan just shook his head, a virgin at her age? Hopix looked at him shyly, “yes, Alan. I am a v… one of those. I started working for the council a long time ago.”

“You’ve never met anyone you wanted to be with?” Alan asked. At the vigorous shaking of her head, Alan was a little shocked. As sexy as she was and no one had wanted her?

What the hell? Were all the idiots she’d met blind as hell? Again, this started Hopix giggling. Then she realized that Alan wasn’t kidding. Looking at herself, she didn’t see anything special. She had 34C breasts, weighed 180 pounds, had light green eyes and skin, plus she was a little shorter than Alan’s 6’2” standing 6 feet. The fact that her stomach was flat and her hips were slender didn’t register with her, as Alan was staring at those parts intensely.

“Alan, why are you staring at me? I am the same Hopix you met that first day,” she said, a little embarrassed that Alan couldn’t take his eyes off her, truly a first for her. Well, it was a first ’til Alan started to feel weak again and had to lie back down as his head started to swim.

She rushed to his side. Alan had been trying to bring his energy up the whole time he and Hopix had been talking. Closing his eyes and laying his head in Hopix’s lap, he felt his power was so low. Trying to reach out, he started to bring in what little power he felt slowly at first and then bit by bit a little faster. Finally, an hour later, he sat up. Looking around, he saw all the destruction that he and the last bad mage had caused.

I have to fix this, he thought. Only problem was when he sat up, he noticed that one arm and both legs were practically useless right now. That, plus the amount of pain he was in didn’t help either. Finally situated, he started slowly on both legs. Almost an hour later he had finished. Whew, Alan thought. That helped quite a bit. At least now I can concentrate more. He was about to start on his arms when he saw Hopix’s brother Torax.

Walking to him, Torax was amazed that Alan’s legs were working. “I made a promise to Hopix that I’d bring you back safe. Right now, I am failing at that. I can see the pain you are in.” With that, Alan started first on Torax’s back. 10 minutes later, Torax was amazed that the pain was gone. “I need to finish the rest of your insides. I got you out of danger, but I can feel 1 of your lungs starting to fail. I’m not sure if the other 3 can keep you going as bruised as they are.”

Torax could only nod, his mouth hanging open. Another 20 minutes and Alan pronounced him as good as Alan could get him. Alan knew he had to hurry. True, he’d regained a lot of strength, but there was still pain masking a lot of his power. Leaning over Torax one more time, Alan started in extremely slow, trying to give his body a chance to recharge some. Again, Torax’s mouth hung open when he felt the pain in both legs fade then he was able to move them!

Finally done as much as he could do, Alan had to sit. Hopix held him as he lay down. Torax was amazed. His big sister was beautiful! He wasted no time at all walking to her on shaky legs (he hadn’t been able to walk for over a year now) and letting her know how proud he was of her. It was then that his concern for Alan surfaced.

“Why is he so weak Hopix? Didn’t mother heal him?” He asked.

“Yes she did, but …” Hopix lightly brushed a now sleeping Alan’s hair from his face. “Alan is very strong, even as strong as mother is. It took all she had plus some from the others here for her to heal his insides. After that he had surpassed even her. Then, when he awoke he’d just finished his legs when he said he saw you. He said he could see the pain you were in.”

“Yes, he told me that he had made a promise to you to bring me back safe, that he was failing in that task” Torax said.

Hopix was in shock he let his own healing go to fulfill a promise he made to her? Looking at the man on her lap she could swear that at that moment she fell in love with him more. “I am going to try and do what I can,” Hopix said as she reached over and concentrated on her brother’s arms.

Hopix had been working on her brother for almost 2 hours when she felt his left arm start to straighten.
Another hour and she felt it slip where it should be, the right was far worse and would require a lot more than she had but at least almost all the pain was gone.

Almost falling, her brother caught her with his good arm. This in itself amazed him, and laid her next to Alan. Covering them both, he tried to fly but found the pain in his right shoulder wouldn’t let him off the ground far. Concentrating, he sought the nearest Fairixies, asking them if they could bring food to them. Agreeing soon at least 20 Fairixies showed up bowing to Alan and Torax. Torax moved closer to them explaining a few things that had them all nodding. They were staring at him, the fact that both legs were working and one arm. Torax explained that the Mezey had healed him at risk to its own life. All 20 of the Fairixies mouths were hanging open. Torax went on to tell them that NO one was to say anything when they appeared the next day. They all agreed and promised to spread the word.

Back on the Fairixie’s home world Hopix’s mother was staring at the cube. It was good to see her son
taking an active role in his rescue. Finally, she thought. Hopix had finally found love. Now she would have her full power. Smiling, she remembered her love. One day, she thought, one day. They would find a way to free you. Darling, she thought, how I have missed you. The nights are so lonely without you. She was glad he had left his seed so she could have more children in case he disappeared, though she hated that none of her children knew their father. A fine man, the last good human ’til Alan. Finally, the balance was shifting back again. It would be soon. Alan had the cube, if any could, it was him.

The next morning, Alan jerked awake unsure of where he was, plus the fact that a soft pair of breasts were pressed into his back. Alan knew it wasn’t his wife. Hell, that bitch screamed if he looked at them let alone touched them. Turning over, his eyes opened wide as they were met by a pair of beautiful light green eyes. Being a man, he looked lower seeing as near to perfect a set of breasts as he’d seen in a very long time. Hopix’s eyes opened wide. Looking down, she stared at her breasts. Huh? She thought, perfect? What did he mean by that they were just breasts though they had felt so good pressed into Alan’s back. Looking further under the cover, he started to choke. She was stark naked! OMG! Again he could only stare. She was, for lack of a better word, perfect to him. In that moment, he realized that he loved her more if that was possible. Hopix sat up in shock he really did love her that much. She thought that she’d dreamed that part. Alan watched as her clothes crawled up her body and she was dressed in seconds.

“I am sorry Alan. I forgot to tell you that I sleep in the raw. I have for a thousand years. I apologize, but from what I heard, you seemed to enjoy it.” She giggled again.

“I hope to show you one day just how much I love you, Hopix.” Alan had to adjust his pants that were tented out in front of him.

“Alan, if you are in pain, I can help you,” Hopix smiled sweetly leaning low in front of Alan looking at his pants and Alan down her shirt.

“NO, I don’t think so Hopix. We don’t have that much time. Believe me; I would need quite a bit of time.” Alan said. Taking a shivering breath, he tried to calm his overactive hormones. Hopix looked at Alan wondering what he was talking about. Though the more she thought about the tent in Alan’s pants the more excited she got. That’s odd, she thought. I’ve been around Alan for weeks and this is the first time I’ve gotten these feelings. Alan and her brother looked at each other and smiled. They could see that she was going to be thinking about this the rest of the day. Alan looked at Torax’s arms surprised when he found the left almost completely healed.

Looking back at Hopix, Alan looked at Torax. “Last night, while you were asleep on her lap, she tried to do both of them, but she said the right was very bad.” Torax said.

“Alright this will hurt for a few seconds. I am feeling an old break that didn’t heal right, so it will re-break then heal.” Alan explained to Torax. Torax gritted his teeth before Alan started. There were 2 sickening snaps of bone and then Alan was pouring energy into the arm. 15 minutes later the arm was like new as was the other.

Sitting down Alan had to concentrate on his half good arm first. It took almost half an hour. As soon as it was 100% Alan felt his concentration jump as well as his power. Starting in on his other arm, he was half done when his stomach roared. Oh crap, Alan thought. I haven’t eaten in over 24 hours. Stopping, he made a table and chairs appear. On the table was food for him with a few things he knew that Hopix and her brother had been yearning for. Finishing, Alan felt his power jump more. He then started on his arm again. Another 30 minutes and he was done. Looking around, Alan had to fix this, the sheer destruction he and the last mage had caused. Concentrating, Alan could see how the planet was supposed to be. True, the council had fixed most of the big things but there were a few little things that were just as important. Reaching out Alan first repaired all the damage where they were, then further out he came to the first city, all over the planet he went. The council had done an extremely good job. Finally finished, Alan opened his mind to speak to the whole planet.

<Good people, the days of slavery and death are over. I will be leaving for the home world shortly. Any that wish to go back, I will be here for one more of your time units. If any wish to go back, be here before then. I will let you decide. Be well all.>

With that Alan sat and ate a little more. He needed to keep his strength up for this trip in case a lot wish to return. Not long after he’d spoken he estimated that about 100 showed up.

“Alright, I want everyone to hold hands and do not let go, although this won’t take long.” They had lined up when Hopix pulled her cube out, smiling at Alan. He could only shake his head and smile back at her.

They were about to go when they heard a voice. “Thank you, it is a long journey from the other side of the planet,” said a young looking mother holding a baby.

Alan smiled. He was glad she made it; to be able to start over on the home planet was a blessing in deed. They had flashed out when the lizard creature appeared. He’d been trying to control every Fairixie he saw but like before they were sealed against mind controlling powers now, that’s alright he knew where they were going. Laughing he knew that Alan and the Fairixie were going to get married. He would kill her in the palace and then get Alan later while he was depressed for being a failure. Laughing evilly, the lizard guy flashed out.

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