Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 07:43:08 EST
From: AmanteGuy@aol.com
Subject: Time Stood Still- Chapter 1 continued

****Warning**** If you are under the age of 18 or do not agree with man to
man sex please do not read further.  This is the Chapter 1 continued of a
Fantasy story. This is a fictional story not meant to duplicate any person
living or deceased, these are strictly Characterizations any resemblance to
another is total coincidence.. It has some elements Male erotica that may not
fit what some communities deem appropriate. If you are not interested in Gay
Male Erotic Stories or you are Under age, I urge you please then do not
proceed reading the story,  This will be submitted in a series, I hope those
of you reading. Comments Let me know and hey........ Enjoy!
**********************************************************************
Chapter one:  Gifts are given

The walk home was in silence. My mother was exhausted and still quite shaken
by what she had seen, but some home things became more clear. My mother was
deep in though, She had known of my difference in my sensitivity to animals,
she was thinking of another time she witnessed my gift a few years ago. When
I was 4 years old we are at the creek near the thicket of our house washing
out our barrels, We had watched as a rabbit swam across a creek trying to
escape a weasel, she was trying to get the weasel away from her nest. I felt
the panic in her, my own agony increased as she crossed the creek only to see
the weasel had figured out her plan and was on his way back to the scent of
her nest. I raced back to the nest seeing through the rabbits eyes the way,
both she and I were too late the weasel was there he was eating the last of
the new born babies.  My mother raced after me, it was very hard for me I was
crying the pain the mother rabbit was feeling was too much, the weasel and I
seemed to be in a stand off, it hissed and spit at me and I tried to hit it
with a stick all the while a voice in my head said to me it is not my place
to fight the force of nature as life is a circle of life and death, the
rabbit mother was foolish and made a mistake. I ignored this voice that was
from deep within my mind not understanding it.  Meanwhile at the same time
the weasel was cursing me as a foolish human spawn I could still feel the
panic and heart break of the Rabbit. My mother had no idea I was
communicating with the animal she thought it may bite me.  That night in bed
I heard my mother telling my father of yet another experience she had
witnessed with me. And expressing her growing concern of my obvious gift.  My
father not wanting to suppress me but not wanting to endanger me to Chal as
well was at a loss as how to comfort my mother. As I lay in bed the voice I
had heard earlier during the fight with the weasel (which I finally gave up
on) came back into my mind telling me from time to time it would return
guiding me teaching me we the ways of the forests. I did not know then, but
later I learned it was the voice of a Magik that was inside of me. Magik is a
sort of living yet not living presence in the world. In some places it is
stronger and in some people it is stronger. Over the years that voice would
come to me often teaching me guiding me. I learned to take the sensitivities
I had with animals and I learned to communicate I learned to use it to my
advantage, and to tune out that which does not concern me. The forest was
like a living conversation to me before all of this, then I learned the
different meanings and different languages of many animals. I learned how to
melt my spirit with that of the earth. I could command nature itself. Nature
spoke to me as if I were a prince, I learned to respect nature and in turn I
learned many of the secrets nature had to offer, secrets that humans with
little Magik or less open minds would never know. Another time my mother
watched from the kitchen window as I planted seeds of corn in the garden, I
placed my fingers with in the soil and closed my eyes, she listened as I
spoke to someone unknown unseen, little did she know I was commanding the
earth to give the seeds life, I commanded the seeds to take root. She watched
amazed as little shoots sprouted in matter of moments, only to wither. Well I
was still learning my command of natural forces, but that voice in my head
encouraged me pushed me on to keep trying different things.

My mom was shaking from her thoughts as we approached our house. "Mom what
were you thinking about I have been trying to get through to you for some
time now" I asked looking at my mother concerned that our visit to with Mr.
Brightwing was too much for her.  "Oh Thialon, my dear sweet son, I was just
thinking of how I have watched you grow, how I have worried of your gifts,
how I feared that one day would be taken from me because of it. Today I have
learned that it is our duty, somehow I know it is your birthright, and yet I
fear for you. Your Majik is a mark on your life, and I fear even more for you
with Chal's son so insistent on taking me for his own, they are in your life
dear boy, and you don't have anyway for getting away, unless......" Her voice
trailed off as he broke down in tears and ran into the house. I turned and
looked back to the forest I listened as the thicket sang to me. I smiled to
myself has always brought me comfort, now I felt I would need it more than
ever. I took a deep breath and entered the house.  My dad's look of surprise
spoke volumes. His face when he saw me was one of fear and confusion.  I was
unable to see the change in me in the forest, but my mother watched as the
spirits bestowed their gifts on me. My hair now had just above each of my
ears silvery blue patches, the gift from the third maidens touch (that would
later become two braids of silvery Blue). My mother also seemed to have
slightly aged that night, the price she had to pay for seeing spirits of the
forest, My mothers jet black hair now had lots of silver streaks and the look
in her eyes was a constant look of sadness. The following months were spent
trying to cope with the changes that had taken place. With the confirmation
of my special powers, and the addition of the gifts given to me placed a
strain on my otherwise normal and loving Parents. My mother and father were
less tolerant of me. M once patient mother now had no time for me. It is not
that they are less loving of me, they just had to adjust to the new life we
were leading.  As a result I spent more time to myself. This is when the
voice of Magik began to grow inside me. The voice lead me, taught me to gain
control and acceptance of my gifts. I became increasingly more distant from
the world I would immerse myself for hours on end studying everything around
me. Each Flower, each rock or pebble. Most importantly I spent many many
hours in the forests, from time to time Mr. Brightwing would appear and teach
me an incantations. I was becoming stronger, and the force of magik was
growing deep inside me. My parents felt it. This was the start of the fear in
them, the real fear, not of me but of Chal and his discovery of me. It would
be only matter of time before my village and the surrounding township would
be over run with Chal's troops. They did this periodically. One to weed out
any savings or hold outs from the peoples monies or crops.  As I said before,
Chal ruled with an evil hand, he had not kindness for anyone. Whenever we had
to travel into the township my mother dressed me as if I were a desert
hobbit. Mostly to conceal my hair and the bright blue streaks. This was just
not a normal look for a person born in these parts.

I was laying in bed one night when I over heard the conversation my parents
had. They were having a sort of argument, my father was fearful of the danger
the family was in, and he was pushing to send me away. My mother knew he was
right, but in her heart she could not let me go, I still needed her I was
just a boy. My mother has spoken of a close and trusted childhood friend that
now lives 3 days away in the mountains the visit monthly and the have for
years, this friend might be able to take me. It is easier to hide a child in
the forest in the mountains. It turns out the friend had fallen ill in child
birth and had not fully recovered, she was in not condition to care for a
young boy. However she had a brother that lived in the coastal hills of
Sedra. He had been widowed. He lost his wife and child, he occasional
employed orphans and troubled teens in his docking business on the shore. It
was only two years later that I found myself at a cross roads I bounced
around from relative to relative. My mother or my father would visit me. It
was their way of trying to maintain a relationship with me, and to keep some
parental guidance in my life. My relatives were fine for the money they would
get for caring for me but very little else. I spent several years this way. I
worked in the quartz mines with my uncle, I lived in the caves of the shadow
nymphs. These were basically a people that worked for my uncle in the mines,
in return for a place to live they did lots of mining. They were the only
beings that craved shadows and darkness they had no desire for the quartz
which made the trade off a cheap labor force for my uncle. This was my life
until one day I summoned back to my parents. My mother and my little sister
whom was 12 years old was attacked by a young Dragonman while they was
gathering fire wood in the forest. My mother survived the attack and was even
able to fight it off, but my sister was not so lucky, she was killed. This
devastated my mother and father, it totally changed them as well. I was again
called home but it was soon clear to my father my mother would not be able to
care for me, and he had his hands full taking care of her, the injuries she
sustained left her unable to work as she once had. This meant my father was
the only source of income. My older brother was still off serving his forced
duty in Chal's league. In my mind he was now just another servant of evil
forced or willing.  For a time my dad had me working in the store and the
inn, but I could not do the cooking on the same level my mother did. My
father had come to the conclusion keeping the inn operating was much to
taxing and too had on all of us. He would keep the store, he could run that
himself. He pulled me aside one day and told me I was going to be living with
a friend of my mother on the coast of Sedra. Working for a man by the name of
Prol. Prol was the brother of my mothers childhood friend. Prol had come to
visit us over the months to help get the inn closed and the store
reorganized. During this time I had learned much about Prol, mostly by
observing him. He was a very silent man, very unhappy I sensed it. I was to
later learn that he held a deep blame for not being able to save his wife and
son. At this point in life, My father and he shared the same bond. My father
now blamed himself for my sister death and my mothers mental
state.....somewhere in him he also had a bit of resent me for me. As I grew
my power grew, and he life was weakening him. I now saw my father, the man I
once loved, through very different eyes. He was a weak man he let this trauma
over take him. The more I thought it over the more I could see my mother was
the real strength and glue that held my family together. Yes, my dad was a
broken man, my idol had died in my eyes. Then there was Prol, how different
he was a tall dark handsome man. He had a power chest and arms full of
muscles from all the years of working in the docks. He had an air of
authority in him, I suppose from all the years of working with troubled youth
and orphans. In some ways I was an orphan from the age of 7 to 16 I had no
real home, not till I met Prol.  I was in awe of him and for some reason I
had deep trust and affection for him immediately. He on the other hand
regarded me with a little coldness he had a huge mistrust of magik and he
felt something different in me. I was becoming more aware of my natural gifts
as well, my father had let it slip one night in a drunken state that I had
these odd abilities, that seemed un natural. If nothing else my life was now
in Prol's hands he could turn me over to Chal's men, and be rewarded. Prol
knew he lived far enough away and that Chal's had little interest in the dead
sea of Sedra. Chals had long since depleted most of the resources of the
coast long before he moved far north of the Shadow Mountains. Chal's castle
was in highlands, protected on all sides by mountains, mountains that housed
the lairs of Dragons. No one would dare venture into that realm. Chal held a
charm over the dragons most of the dragons. He had driven the defeated
neutral dragons far to the south and beyond the coast of Sedra. Yes Prol and
my father became fast friends. Through out these years of no real home, Mr.
Brightwing visit me. Sometimes in my dreams, other times in my thoughts and
occasionally in person. He had sensed my growing loneliness and my distrust
for adults over the years. I learned to count on myself, to regard others
with guarded curiosities. I knew


That was 1 year ago that my sister died. I am now 16, I live on the coast of
Sedra with Prol. My parents had no choice but to send me away, far enough
away where Chal's men would not find me and on the insistence of Mr.
Brightwing somewhere I could continue to perfect my craft.  Prol frowned on
much of my activities, although I was sure to keep my studies secret, he
sensed something different about me a sort of power I had I commanded
attention from people without really trying. When I spoke I tend to hold a
persons attention, as if I can see into their soul (which of course I could
not, but I guess that was another gift it gave me an advantage in some cases
but it unnerved him) He did not like me much, more out of fear of the unknown
the things he did not understand than anything else. He tolerated me though
because he needed my help to run his business and in time he had come to
become used to me or even perhaps fond of me in some strange way. I had an
uncanny ability to talk vendors and salesman into fair or cheaper than normal
prices, without fail. There was a downside to all of these gifts both natural
and bestowed.   A downside I was sort of an outcast among my peers, although
I did not feel much different nor did I treat anyone differently they treated
me as if I were beneath them. Mostly because I was always moving around,
never had time for making any real friends, so really I knew mostly adults.
My imagination though was larger than Chaos himself, Mr. Brightwing told me
this would serve me well when it comes to incantations.  A lot of my
formative years were spent in forced insulation, yearning for friendships, my
connection to nature only deepened, I later learned the price I had to pay
for being gifted.  To top all of this off, I was feeling very strange
feelings for Prol. I was very unsure of what they were I could not talk to my
peers about it.  I knew from time to time I would get excited watching him,
anytime I saw him working in the dock with his big strong arms bulging with
muscles as he lifted and pulled and placed cargo, I would get a rush I would
feel so strange. I would just sit and watch him and if he were shirtless I
would feel even more excited. I did not understand these feelings, I had
nothing to equate them too, and whats worse of all if I were watching Prol
and he felt my eyes on him it would bother him, because perhaps he thought I
was thinking something evil to do him harm, he misunderstood my adoration and
took it for malice.  Our dinners were usually in silence or occasionally
about work and duties. As I said before Prol was a very unhappy man, early in
his life his wife and child died on these very docks he works on, in a freak
accident His wife had been pinned under cargo and drowned and the son was
dropped knocked in the water and washed out to sea the body was never found
and assumed it was left to the spirits of the oceans, but Prol blamed himself
and never got over it. He forced himself to be alone for many years until I
came along. He was a man of little words and most of the interaction with
people in regard to the business was done by me.  I was very lonely I missed
my mother and father. I missed my sister although I never really got to know
here or my older brother and from time to time I would hear news of my older
brother, but very rarely.  I even once got the chance to visit with my
brother, although very briefly it was dangerous for us to be seen together.
My older brother turned in to a very handsome young man. The sight of him
caught my breath. Of course he was 6 years older than me so he is now 22, he
has been out of warrior training for 2 years now. He was wounded in a mock
battle and now has a steady limp. He stood nearly 6 ft tall long auburn hair
and emerald green eyes. Since our mother is of the forest people he has deep
golden tanned skin and the eyes, that was a striking contrast to his hair. Me
on the other hand I had inherited my father's fairer skin he and I were often
teased for having skin the color of sand, he was originally from Mountains
his mother was a Mountain Frill (a type of elf I guess) that was at one point
one of the elders Chal had slain because of her connection to the natural
magik of the mountains she was one of the guardians of the temple of the
Dragon. My mountain grandmother this is where my love of the forest and
mountains comes from. Being of Elven blood my dad had strangely pointed ears
and funny shaped oval eyes, which I also had with my own deep brown hair I
always thought I was funny looking but to the humans and sub humans or
enchanted folk I was beautiful.  Yes to humans beauty is the word to describe
Nymphs and Elves. After all I did have Elven blood in me well a quarter or so
for those that keep track of that sort of thing. Having enchanted blood is
one of the reasons I was born with the powers I have.

I noticed the older I get the lighter my hair was becoming and the blue
streaks become even more obvious I am growing stronger each day working on
the docks is paying off I was becoming quite proud of my body for some reason
I felt like a warrior in training. Little kids would stare at me because when
outside the sun would dance off the blue hair streaks, they way is danced on
the surface of water. As much as I was admired by others I still felt so self
conscious. The funny thing is people thought Prol and I were related. Being
in the sun so much had darkened my skin. I know where my hair on in a griffon
tail (braided in there separate brains made into one pony tail). I got the
idea from seeing all the Griffons that fly over the coasts on their way out
to sea fishing for small whales and dolphins.  Griffons are not the
friendlies of creatures, even with my ability to speak with animals, they are
different. Griffons are enchanted creatures. Like Dragons, Unicorns, Gramlins
(a type of bearman) and of course the Dragonmen (they are not really dragons,
but some type of lizard creature) and these are only the enchanted creatures
I have had a chance to see there are so many things I have yet to discover.
Just the other day I was on my break sitting on the docks with my feet
dangling over the sides, and I heard giggling.  Each time I would look under
the docks, just in time to see a fish tail dip beneath the water. Finally I
concluded it was just some fish being silly. Occasionally animals can be very
weird. I went back to eating my lunch. This time I lay on my back. Suddenly I
heard a huge splash and water splashed up and all over me. I was so angry I
called to the fish, but it never appeared. Most of that week anytime I was on
the Docks I would hear that silly giggle. Then one day I saw her, From the
shore I had seen the flash of green and gold. I though perhaps it might be a
jeweled fish, sea marlin anything large like that, but they never come that
close to shore. The closer I got to the end of the dock, I could see out to
the rocky out cropping that made up the side of the bay. I called to a sea
gall flying high above. I wanted to use its sight I was casting a spell to
allow me to see through its eyes, the bad thing about seagulls they are very
stupid birds, of all sea birds they are probably my least favorite to
associate with, but they are plentiful in this area of the Dead sea.  After
some effort and a little bribery I cast the spell. To my amazement as the
seagull flew closer to the rocks it was what could only be a Mermaid. I
almost lost focus on the spell I was so excited, it was the complaining of
the seagull that brought me back to my senses. I ran from the docks to find
Prol.  When I ran up to him very excited, he was really afraid I was hurt, I
had to calm do and try and explain it to him, I was dragging him by the arm
to the docks. Prol was impatient but he could see I was excited so he went
along with me.  However when I got to the end of the dock, the Seagull had
flown away. I cursed the bird for breaking his word to wait for me. I had to
think fast, I demanded to Prol "give me your hands," he looked at me shocked
at my tone. "Please Prol, I'll explain later" he hesitated but then placed
his hands in mine. I knew the spell I was about to cast, just might cause him
to mistrust me, but I blocked it all out, summoning my concentration and
focus on the rocks, In my minds eye I recalled the sight of the rocks I had
seen earlier noting all the nooks crevices, I looked for a smooth place on t
he rocks. Once I found it I immediately spoke the words of a particle
placement spell, a simple spell for me but I have never done it for two
people before, it required more focus  "North wind, South wind, Sea winds
Blow, take me to this place I am wishing to Go" as soon as I had spoken the
last word Both Prol and I were whisked away from the spot on the docks to the
very middle of the cliff rocks.

Prol was too afraid to say anything, I think he may have even been in shock,
the grip he had on to my hand I was losing circulation. I pushed the in my
hand pain aside and tried to get him to focus on me "Prol, please do not be
afraid, listen to me I want to show you something" shaking him as I spoke. He
seemed to snap out of it and immediately stepped back to cling against the
back of the rock wall. "Thailon, what have you done" Prol cried through a
wide eyes expression.  "Prol, listen its OK, I promise I will not let
anything happen, I just....I just I want to show you something" Carefully I
led him to the edge of the rock, and pointed down.  We both quietly looked
over the edge there among the rocks we saw her, the Mermaid, it seemed she
was stringing little shells and beads together. The had long golden blond
hair that sparkled in the sunlight she was resting half in and half out of
the water, the scales on the lower half of her body were a sea green color
and the glittered in the sun as well, as if she had tiny jewels all over her
body.  Prol stared in awed silence. I was grinning from ear to ear and we
both listened as she sang the most beautiful song I had ever heard, it seemed
to put Prol and I in a trance. I had to fight it to keep us from a falling
off the rocks. It was taking all of our strength to keep us from slipping off
the rocks in the breeze. I had to shake the Mermaids song out of my head.
Thats when she stopped singing and turned in the direction of the docks
"young man from the shore, you have come quite a ways, to spy on me" then she
turned and look up directly at me, I was shocked I lost my footing and
slipped forward, just as was falling off the rocks Prol snapped out of his
trance and grabbed my hand pulling me back. I guess I had frightened her,
because she slipped into the ocean just as Prol was pulling me back. I lost
connection to the spell and Prol and I were once again on the shore. We both
did not know what to say. As we walked back to the house we walked in
silence, Prol in deep thought me wondering how the mermaid knew I was there.
 Over dinner that night it was again mostly silence. I realized my spell had
put both Prol and I in danger, but in my excitement I through caution to the
wind. I was learning I needed to have better control over my judgement. I had
thought the spell out, I had found a good place to land, but allowed my
concentration to be broken, that was the weakness of the spell, I figured it
out as I ran it over in my head again and again. Prol was the first to break
the silence "Thialon, in the morning, I want to make sure the Boxes being
sent to Ostonia are secure to the leveling dock, the captain will be here
first thing." Prol snapped again "Are you listening to me?", I could tell he
was annoyed and not just because of my distraction, but the fact that I used
magik on him, knowing how he frowns on that.  "Prol, I heard you, and I
secured the boxes earlier this afternoon, that was why I asked for the breech
wine cord. Look Prol I am sorry I made you go to the rocks with me, I really
was excited to see the Mermaid, I always thought they were just children's
tales, you know like White Unicorns. I mean everyone knows there are only
Black unicorns, I don't know I guess I was being silly" as I looked at the
floor. I guess disappointment shown in my face because Prol did something
he's never done. As he got up to place our dishes in the kitchen he ruffled
my hair and had a silly smile on his face "Hey Kiddo, I know it was exciting
for you I was in shock too I thought they were childrens tales too" then he
got a very serious look on his face "But I want you to listen, since they are
indeed real I want to you to be careful around the docks, the Mermaids songs
are thought to be the reasons ships wrecked upon the rocks, the crew would
get entranced and lose focus and it is said the Mermaids take them down to
the depths of the oceans as punishment for abusing the oceans" Prol had a
slight shiver when he said "I also know standing on those rocks I had to
fight the urge, I was losing myself in the song, I had to fight the urge to
jump. I have never felt such a loss of control of my own body more less my
mind." Then he left and went to the kitchen, he was gone for sometime I
gather he needed to compose himself again.     When he finally returned I was
heating rolling down the sacks for the money we'd get for the cargo in the
morning.  "Thialon, I am gonna go down to the pub, I need a drink. Don't wait
up we up" Prol said as he gathered his belt and dagger. "Yes Sir Prol, when I
finish up here, I'll study and then head off to bed." Prol left me to my
thoughts. As I worked out the problems of concentration in my head, I thought
I could hear off in the distance toward the ocean, my Name being sung in the
ocean breeze.  What an eerie thought.

************************Chapter 2 will Follow**********************************

Thank you to all that have e-mailed their enjoyment of my story it is a
pleasure to read along with you, so keep the e-mails coming let me know what
you think good, bad or ugly. Rude flames will be ignored, All others thanks
for the support, if ya wanna drop me a line at:  Amanteguy@aol.com, feel free.
Thanks again,

AG