‘Oh. Well that does sound like a challenge. I’ll see what Ican do about it.’ he replied with a smile.
‘There’s something else I’ve discovered.’ she said and changedto a Llanllean spider.
‘I really am a Llanllean! When you get a body we can make lovelike spiders do. That should be a mind blowing experience even fora mind mage.’
‘Whoa. I’m not so sure about that.’ he said. ‘Even though Iwas a Llanllean, that sounds a bit creepy.’
‘He he. I knew that would spook you.’ she laughed.
‘Tain, I’ve just had a good idea. I want to borrow some ofyour power. Then, can you please wake up our guests and remove thedome and move everyone back a good hundred paces.’ she said with adevious smile and ‘Don’t forget your mind clay.’
‘Yes dear!’ he said with a grin. ’How much would youlike?’
‘Enough to show the gods we are armed and dangerous.’ shereplied.
He recreatedthe Newman size image then woke up Navarro and Gizel.
‘Did you put me to sleep again? What’s happened? What’s shedoing?’ asked Navarro.
‘I did put you to sleep while I discussed some domestic issueswith my chosen, the Princess. Neither you nor Gizel needed to knowwhat we discussed.’
‘The Princess is going to do something special to celebratethis our reunion so I am going to remove the dome and as it will bestill dark outside could you light up your staff again pleaseNavarro. I will also place a light on my body so that you both cansee a little better. Can I ask a favour of you Gizel. Could youpick up Tigerlilly and my little crystal body and carryus.
‘It would be an honour to carry you Lord Warden,’ she repliedwith a giggle.
‘We need to move up the hillside here a little for our safetyand so that we can see a little better.’
Miranda spoketo Aquitain and Tigerlilly through their mindlink.
She asked himto light up the area for about fifty paces around her and hedid.
‘Witness the power of a Tempest in a Druid’s clothing my love.This is for you and Tigerlilly.’ and she began singing and a songthrobbing with power flooded the area. Her body turned into acreature like a tree that grew several paces tall. It could walkand gave off a greenish light.
Two stoneelementals appeared near her and started churning up the ground andcrushing the rock to fine powder. They created a small bowl shapedcrater about four paces deep in the centre and ten paces indiameter. They levelled and flattened a circular area for a hundredpaces around the rocky crater. A water elemental appeared in thecrater and it filled with water forming a pool.
A series of airelementals came carrying leaf litter, small insects, grubs andseeds which were dispersed over the levelled area and left. A thickfog moved over the area from the pool and turned to water dampeningthe soil. Miranda’s song changed and grass and small bushes beganto rise out of the ground and thick thorn hedge grew around theperiphery of the area.
They watchedand listened to Miranda’s song for another 10 minutes until itstopped and a whirlwind formed that rose up into the sky. A darkcloud formed and chain lightning lit up the darkness from horizonto horizon. They vaguely heard a voice on the wind say ‘I proclaim….’ And the rest was lost in the sound of thunder.
The whirlwindreturned to the ground. The hedge parted leaving a gap for them toenter and in her Newman form Miranda beckoned them to enter.
‘Welcome to the Warden’s Rest! This is now a sanctuary of theWarden of Moonmist. It is a living testimony of my love for him forall to see. All who come in peace will be welcome to rest here.Look around and you will find berries, nuts, mushrooms and tubersto eat if you are hungry and clear fresh water to quench yourthirst.’
The bushesglowed giving off enough purple light to see and Navarro wanderedaround in amazement tasting berries and nuts. Gizel hid behind abush to watch what Miranda was doing.
Miranda calledTigerlilly over to the pool and said.
‘Say hello to the pool, Tigerlilly.’
‘Hello pool’ she said and the pool replied ‘Hello Tigerlilly.’using mindspeak.
‘It talked to me.’ she giggled.
‘Yes it now knows you and it will always protect you fromharm.’
‘Walk in the water Tigerlilly.’ said Miranda and as she didthe water flowed up around her and she disappeared from sight underit.
‘What happened?’ asked Aquitain suddenly worried.
‘Tigerlilly will come to no harm with me Lord Warden.’ said amindspeak voice in Draconic as she was gently lifted out of thewater and placed at the edge of the pool by a large waterelemental.
‘Thank you water brother.’ he replied.
‘It is my honour to serve you Warden.’ it replied.
‘Now Tigerlilly this is a very special place.’ saidMiranda.
‘Run around and look all over it. If you are ever in dangerthink of this place and call to it. Say I wish to go to Warden’sRest and you will come here. Then you must wait for mummy or daddyto come and get you. The water will protect you and you can getfood from the bushes. Now run around and try some of the berriesand off she ran excited to look around.
‘By all the Powers Mandy! This is a fantastic idea. You’re anamazing woman.’
‘Well it may be at a cost Tain. I have just used all thedivine power given to me by the Lady and she may decide not give meany more. I no longer wish to be a priestess of the Lady. I am andwill be myself. I am a Tempest and I will remain with you and loveyou as long as I can control my passions. If I become too dangerousto you and Tigerlilly then we will have to part.’
‘What in the name of the creator are you doing?’ asked Glammersuddenly hovering in front of Miranda.
Gizel stoppedbreathing for a few seconds. She was looking at something thatdidn’t exist. Couldn’t exist but there is it was. A truth fairy,just like that picture from story by the mad man what was hisname.
‘That massive display of power has probably just alerted halfthe gods and powers in the
