Alan pulled the leader of the squad inside his shield, the squad though confused continued its onslaught. Not wanting to play with them all day Alan let loose a blast knocking all of the squad out. Clearing their minds and blocking all outside thoughts.

Alan had reached the last one when the Fairixie stared straight at Alan, “You think you’re so fucking righteous don’t you mother fucker? You’re gonna learn what real fucking pain is, there are 10 of us on this planet. You best remember that you might get 1 maybe 2 but you won’t get all of us! I’ll so enjoy your fucking death you sack of shit!” Then the voice was gone the woman stared at Alan after he clear her mind and blocked everything.

“What have you done?” She screamed, “I can’t hear my master!”

Shit he’d been afraid of this, snapping his fingers he brought all but the one within the shield.

“I don’t know how you can call THAT a master, a cruel, torturing, non-caring ass. He cares nothing for you, he has you fooled.” Alan threw at the Fairixie.

“No you’re wrong master loves me, cares for me as he does all of us.” The woman shouted back.

Several of the Fairixies with Alan shouted at her that she was a fool; all he’d done was torture them and take their powers. The lone woman’s eyes got huge but she still refused to relent her position then flew off.

Looking at the group of scared and shaking women Alan asked if they had a safe place to go. When they answered yes but it was small and only a few could go there Alan said that he’d make it bigger and stronger. Arriving they were met with several shrill screams, many there were trying to hide.

The leader stepped away from Alan telling all there what Alan had done for them, and how they were free of the voices and that Alan said that the voices would never be there again. Finally things calmed down Alan again was enraged that the peace loving Fairixies were being tortured, subjected to horrors of the mind and body that Alan was sure would have drove him crazy long before now. Reaching out Alan first enlarged the area they were living in, this of course brought out concern that now they would be an easier target. Alan just shook his head no and started to strengthen the weak shield around the area. Next he went to each of the wounded trying to heal all the physical wounds first. Huh the last time this had worn him out so quickly, was this the advantage to actually being here?

Shaking his head he still couldn’t believe that they had harmed the children. Hours later Alan was completely done when they all heard an angry buzzing sound, at one of the openings two squads began to pour in ready to? All of them stopped as soon as they were inside, the confusion on their faces apparent. Alan quickly seized them all clearing their minds then blocking all outside influence.

A few of those that had just come in began to scream like the one from before, damn it thought Alan just how stupid are these people? Snapping his fingers the five that had complained were gone outside the safe area. “I don’t think he’ll send anymore to attack here,” Alan said, sighing. Alan could see he need to expand again, as he did he felt another safe area not all that far away. Opening a through way Alan soon had both areas connected though he’d actually have to go to the other to strengthen it. The same squad leader said that she would take him after she returned. The woman left down the new tunnel Alan had dug, reappearing in less than five minutes with an elder.

“She has told me you are a Mazey, that you were on the great home planet of all Fairixies, is this true?” Alan nodded and stared into the eyes of the elder. Tears began to flow from his eyes, “ah Queen Glimmer is as beautiful as she was when we left. Please come help I can already feel the spirit of our people so strong here if we have enough of this I know we can defeat the ten deadly masters.”

Alan nodded he was going to do all he could though there were ten he knew that there was a way to defeat them, sighing he just had to find it smirking he also thought yeah and survive also.

Emerging outside the area, Alan surrounded himself and the elder with a shield, slowly they made their way almost another mile across the twisted dying landscape. Finally pissed off Alan stopped the elder, “I have to repair this,” waving his hand he saw how it was, then how it should be within a few moments the air cleared, color returned to the land. The elder smiled, ah! He hadn’t seen this since they had arrived. Going further they had almost reached the next sanctuary when more squads attacked, how many he wasn’t sure. Hmmm so they thought they could over power him huh? Reaching out Alan was through playing with these guys, a huge wave flowed from him shocking all the Fairixies.

Alan had to hurry knowing that they would recover quickly. Damn there had to be over two hundred here; the last two were clearing when a different voice came from them. “So, you are really here, we were warned that you might try to re-take this world. Come we await and welcome you to try, once you are dead and your power ours, nothing will stand in our way!” Alan smiled it was this type of bragging that the one on Hopix’s world had spouted, pathetic.

“Well you can try that’s all I have to say, but even with ten of you I doubt you could win. Especially with all that I have freed. The less you have command of, the less power you have; you really don’t have any power of your own!” Alan sneered.

Enraged, (not again) fireballs started to fly at Alan. Alan had learned since last time, opening a portal in front of his shield, he heard screams on the other side. Smiling Alan thought that was one less to worry about even if it didn’t kill him it would render him unable to do much. Moments later all the squads awoke, looking around they all seemed lost. Well all but ten of them, those he isolated together, sighing when they started to scream at him. The rest of them Alan pulled within his shield, most were staring at the elder and Alan. As they all started to bow to Alan, he shook his head. “Do not bow, I am not a god!”

One of the women staring at the ground started to whisper, “You are Mazey, and you are to be bowed to and served.”

“No, I am not like the others, I am here to free your people,” Alan stated.

Several of the women looked up at Alan, then at the elder who was shaking his head yes.

they all appeared within the confines of the sanctuary. Again there was a lot of screaming and Fairixies scurrying to hide from him. Even with the Elder there, there were still too afraid to come out. Shaking his head and for the moment isolated, Alan stretched out his arms feeling the shield defenses. Pushing, he soon had them enlarged, next he began to expand the interior of the hide away, walking around again he found a young being the others had abandoned when they fled. More angry than he could believe he looked at the twisted, burnt, suffering little girl. Trying to calm his self again there was more screaming as his hands began to glow. Not caring Alan stooped over the little girl, Alan could see the fear in her eyes but more than anything else he saw the horrible pain she was going through. Holding her hand, Alan’s tears began to flow from his eyes, this in turn caused the little girl to no longer fear him, trying to lift her hand she whispered “It’s ok great Mazey, it doesn’t hurt that much, I will be fine please don’t cry.”

Suddenly the little girl’s skin began to glow then started to clear the little girl looked up at Alan in surprise. Then her broken arm straightened and was whole again the little girl was shocked, Alan looked deep into her eyes seeing a sparkle appear that hadn’t been there before. Alan saw the elder approach keeping the rest back, staring in disbelief at the wonders Alan was accomplishing. Finally a mere twenty minutes later the little girl sat up her eyes opened wide, throwing her arms around Alan, she whispered a heartfelt thank you then kissed him on the cheek.

“Please cheer up now great Mazey, also if you can, my friends were hurt also though not as bad as I was. I tried to stop the bad Mazey from hurting them, so I didn’t mind when he hurt me as long as he stopped hurting them.”

Again tears fell freely from his eyes, god, he thought, I wish I had half the courage she does.

Following her they went further back in the sanctuary, in another room there were dozens of children who were hurt along with quite a few adults.

Again Alan’s ire grew ’til his hands were glowing, kneeling he started to heal them two at a time, often staying in one place almost a half an hour.

Many sat up startled, many thought they’d never walk nor fly again forever in pain from twisted and broken limbs. Finally all of them were healed, Alan felt tired, a good tired he finally felt he was truly helping. Sitting he leaned against the wall fighting the urge to sleep, he’d helped them sure but that was no guarantee they wouldn’t attack him if he fell asleep. The elder floated over to him, “Sleep Mazey you are safe, and no one will attack you.”

Nodding Alan drifted off, soon he was back in his room, Hopix turned staring at him her tear streaked face more than standing out to him.”I have freed many but nowhere near enough yet; this world is so much bigger compared to your world. I will return when I can Hopix.” Alan told her.

“Please be careful Alan, the ten sounds extremely dangerous,” Hopix stated.

“Well nine of them, I’ve already taken one out of the picture, he won’t bother me after I burned him.” Alan told her.

From behind him he heard the council, “that’s good though you still have the other nine,” the council leader said.

“Yes that may be true, but if you remember they’re very rarely together or for another. That I believe is the way to defeat them.” Alan responded.

The council leader nodded, “Remember though a common enemy, can sometimes forge alliances that otherwise would have never been.”

Alan also nodded this was one thing he hadn’t thought of, was he enough of a threat to all of them, then yes he could see them uniting to stop him. Alan jerked awake a few hours later laying there he listened to the now happy sounding children. Many of the adults were still in shock hardly believing that a Mazey would help and heal; they always killed each other and hurt everyone else to instill fear. Alan just shook his head sadly, to be judged before he even arrived, did all the Mages, Wizards act like this? Christ they were giving the few good ones a really bad name. Still almost afraid to move he needed to find out everything he could about the other nine before he tried to go against them. Thinking hopefully they would make this more interesting, Alan just hoped that not all of these idiots only used fire balls. It was more than easy to defend against them now. Looking at his heads at least now he knew why so many were afraid of him.

So that was what a physical manifestation of the power looked like, he had to remember that, thing is though why had it appeared then? He’d brought his power up and concentrated it but he’d done that before and hadn’t noticed anything. Talking to the elder Alan decided he needed to go after the other nine deadly masters as the elder called them, before they united and decided to come after him. Alan reached out feeling the ten distinct areas of power on the world, cold, dark, evil power, well nine; one wasn’t even half as strong as the others.

Rising out of the sanctuary Alan started toward the nearest dark power. Obviously the masters had been warned, and were keeping all the squads away from him. Problem was Alan thought he might have chosen the strongest of those left, hell it was just they were the closest. After a few miles the power started to grow stronger or so it hoped to fool Alan into thinking. Stopping before an ominous, dark building, seemingly to grow from the ground, Alan felt the power start to shift. ‘Oh great Alan’ thought, ‘they’re using the Fairixies again.

Opening his senses all the way Alan was aware long before that the supposed master was trying to ambush him. Standing still Alan felt them moving slowly, whirling 180 degrees, Alan blocked several bolts of electricity, and (finally!) shaking his hand Alan smiled. Well at least this one is more interesting, a moment later Alan wasn’t sure what it was that crawled from the dead bushes behind him. All Alan knew for sure was it had no legs, was grey, with several eyes on the surface, almost like a moving jello?

<So you survived the bolt attack, hmm try this!> the moving mass said, shooting an acid like substance at him. Alan nodded his head better, then his face screwed into a look of rage, <For all you have done to these people you will die!> Alan thought at the mass.

Laughing, an almost tentacle like appendage pointed at Alan, <I don’t think so mazey Alan!> Pissed off Alan reached out then entered the mind of the mass he grabbed the magic center of it. Squeezing, pulling, tearing, and then finally yanking as hard as he could, Alan could feel the power of the mass fade. <Noooooo!!!!!!!! What have you done? My powers you can’t!> It screamed in Alan’s mind.

Finally the magic center now an empty hole Alan formed the plug stuffing it in effectively shutting all the creature’s power off.

<You’re no more> Alan told the mass watching it wither trying to crawl away and hide. Sighing Alan thought that’s two Alan thought he’d just started to turn when a (not again) fireball flew by his arm. Holy shit! That actually hurt! Increasing his shields wasn’t that easy, the pain in his right arm was radiating into his shoulder and back. Son of a bitch! Forgot about the other eight!

“You get him?” the dark, twisted, human shape said.

“Not sure, I hit something,” the tall what appeared to be a long legged bird said.

“We have to be sure,” A black cloud like entity said, “I’m uncertain what he did to Groc, hell wasn’t even close, and with Thront out of commission that’s a lot of territory open now. As long as this asshole is loose, there’s a chance he could kill us. Just remember what the council said he…”

“I don’t give a shit what the council said! This son of a bitch is mine his soul is mine,” turning she looked at the other two with a menacing look. “Don’t get in my way!”

“Damn it Thara! If they come after you it’s your ass then! Just remember right now when he kills your ass that you DID have help.

“Laughing the black cloud said, “You don’t anymore.” With that the cloud and twisted looking human flashed out.

Cautiously the female bird entity crept closer, finally where he was she saw that he was long gone.”Damn it!” Concentrating she sent out a message, <Asshole, yeah you Mazey you may have gotten two of us but we’re ready now. I will enjoy eating your soul. I wait for you to gather the courage to come after me,” here she paused and laughed, “If you even dare!”

Alan appeared not far from where he’d been, his abilities weren’t working that well neither was his damn arm. Thinking of the sanctuary he again tried to flash out, by his estimate he made it half way there. Sweat was starting to form on his brow as the amount of pain was increasing; I have to make it he thought. Again Alan thought of the closest sanctuary, pushing with everything he had he again flashed out this time appearing next to the opening to the sanctuary. Alan smiled he’d made it! Then the strain on him from the amount of energy he’d had to use hit him. Stumbling forward he started to feel light headed, looking at the opening again Alan thought I am going to die here.

Again he tried to move forward, the effort was draining what energy he had left, damn his arm was killing him. Finally at the hole he grasped the edge trying to pull himself into it. Alan was fighting harder than he’d ever fought to keep his eyes open, darkness started to descend.

Well I tried, Alan thought, at least two of those murderers were gone now. Sighing he suddenly felt hands it felt like dozens of hands pushing, pulling, whatever they could to get him inside, why, Alan thought, they were so afraid of him. His last thought was of being carried to a bed, well at least I’m going to die in comfort he thought, then nothing.

Hopix returned back to Alan’s room, more worried than she’d been to date what Alan was doing was dangerous, courageous, and absolutely crazy. All she could think of, was that he could die alone, never knowing, thinking no one else cared. Holding the cube close to her breast, Hopix thought of all the elder had said, looking at the cube the elder had said that when she needed to use it she could, it was much more than a travel aid, so much more.

Hopix had look at the elder, when she needed it? Sighing she thought can’t the older generation ever NOT be cryptic? As old as she was and they still treated her like a young one, at times it infuriated her but only at times.

She sat to wait on Alan’s return working up the report she would have to file for Alan after all this was over. She’d gotten through the first of it, the visit to the Trembly’s, the strange visions. She’d just started on the rest when the cube started to glow, huh? She’d never seen a cube glow before what was going on. Picking it up she suddenly started to see visions like Alan had; she saw him save the first few, the sanctuary, and the second sanctuary.

Then she saw the fight with the horrible creature, she felt Alan start to relax his shields, that’s when she saw the other three screaming at Alan that there were three more behind him. Even as she watched in horror, Alan started to turn, she was glad he had or the fireball would have hurt him seriously. As it was the damn thing got half way through seriously singeing his right arm.

“NO ALAN!” Hopix screamed, watching Alan flash out three times the last short of the sanctuary, I have to help him, Hopix said to herself. The cube began to glow and next thing she knew she was beside Alan. To her amazement several Fairixies appeared staring at her with open mouths, ignoring them Hopix tried to get Alan in the sanctuary, she was starting to get frustrated when finally the rest got Alan into the safe area.

The elder could only stare at Hopix, by the great queen she looked familiar, but he couldn’t place where he’d seen her before. She appeared to be young only about four to five-thousand years old she’d have been young when they left so long ago. They’d gotten the Mazey in safely, the elder had heard that two of the bad Mazeys were no longer controlling their areas, this was a good thing for the moment but they had to act on it soon, for that they needed Mazey Alan.

He watched the Fairixie that had appeared near the Mazey as she kneeled next to him. What was she doing, the elder thought? His mouth dropped agape, she was a healer! This could only mean … no! He wasn’t about to get his hopes up. Hopix extended her hands trying to relieve the pain this didn’t help, reaching in his head Hopix entered his dream.

“Alan,” she called his dream self, “you have to start healing yourself. You were hurt in a sneak attack.”

“Huh?” he said looking up. “I was wondering where you were.”

“Just start healing yourself ok? I can’t heal you enough, only you can.” she told him.

Sighing Alan said, “Alright, but you have to be there when I wake up ok?”

“I will be,” she replied, “I will be.

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