Multiverse of Magic & Mistakes (Completed)

2.2.14 Chapter 14

Whitebeam, Verdyn City, Verdyn, November 2019.

Rho's family's house was not built to accommodate so many guests, thought Vi as she weaved through the crowded garden packed with tired and concerned Verdyn College students. Mallory had transported all of their younger supporters out of the Colleges dining room after Reynold's insightful meeting, and into Rho's parent's house, of all places.

That had been quite the meal, she thought with a grim smile. At one moment she had been telling Rho's family about the chaos she had encountered on Earth, and answering Ember's string of questions, the next a flustered Cassidy and Freddy were stumbling from a portal, followed by many, many others from the school that Vi did not know.

"I couldn't think where else to send them!" a truly exhausted Mallory had said later when they had had time to laugh and get over the surprise "I remembered Rho was visiting his family..."

"You did the right thing, bro," Rho had replied, "Although even my mum doesn't cook enough for fifty extra dinner guests!"

The news had spread. Soon many, many other Mages from the city, and the family and friends of those already present had begun to descend upon Rho's parents' house. The garden was filled with the soft pops of opening portals, of mages stumbling forward to be hugged and greeted by their loved ones. By the swishing sounds of dryfter boards swooping down from overhead. People saying how glad they were to find others here who felt the same way, to not be alone in all of this. Some had brought small bags of belongings, unsure if they could return to their houses after. Others had nothing. But they were together, and steadily growing in number.

Reynold's opposers gathered in small grounds, sitting among Rho's father's fruit trees, talking among themselves and waiting for their next move to be decided.

It was a wonderfully clear and sunny autumn evening. The sky a calm and bright blue, peppered with fluffy classic cotton-wool clouds. You wouldn't think anything was wrong, thought Vi. Things in Verdyn were shifting rapidly out of control, the worlds were all springing into chaos, but the sun still shone, the clouds still chased each other across the skies and the birds still chirped in the trees.

It shouldn't be this way, a small part of her thought. Everything was different now, everything felt different now, so why did it all look the same? Nature did not pay attention to the plight of humans. The world continued to turn irrespectively.

She spotted Eliza standing with a gathering of ten or so other Healer's and headed over. Apart from Toni and Allen, who suffered some burns, a kid who slipped from his dryfter board, and Mallory, everyone who had gathered so far had arrived in Whitebeam unharmed. The healers had little to do but rest, and wait like everyone else. For now. Vi had a growing feeling that they would be essential in the conflict to come.

"How is Mallory?" she asked the usually stern-faced Master Healer.

"You know I cannot give details regarding my patients, Violet," answered Eliza, but then her face softened and she added, "It was a very impressive feat of magic, keeping that portal open for as long as he did. Given time, I expect he will make a full recovery."

"Thank -you," said Vi, and they both knew that she meant for more than just the recent healing of Mallory, who had dropped sharply unconscious upon arrival through his portal. She gestured to all of the gathered Healers, "Thank you all so much for joining us over Reynold."

Eliza chuckled softly "We may be accustomed to a certain lifestyle in Verdyn, but that does not mean we wish for a war to maintain it... I was not able to make my stance clear to you sooner, but rest assured, we will do all we can to assist you."