A Rational Magic || ONC2022

Twenty-One || Fairies Are Fairies, But Magic Isn't Just Magic

Several of the families who live on Melitague Avenue agree to let those who landed on the street — and survived — to sit and recover a bit mentally before making their way home. We're lucky enough to commandeer someone's living room, the four of us and the fairy-child I saved.

Felaern doesn't look too thrilled to hear about what the three of us are doing, but he does smile weakly when he learns that Anya is 'actually alive'.

I'm not sure what I missed, and I don't know if I want to.

"What's your name, kid?" Vaeri asks after Felaern groans and drags both his hands through his excessively tangled hair.

We'd already asked, twice, but they weren't answering the twins.

They were also clinging to my sleeve, so I leaned closer and whispered, "You can just tell me, if you like? I won't tell anyone."

Sometimes humans and fairies have similar misgivings with each other about names. Since it's not caused me any issues yet, I'm fairly sure it's fine, but this child might not know that.

"Elizen Heleran," they whisper back.

"Nice name."

"Do you need us to explain the significance of you healing those people?" Vaeri asks, deciding not to bother questioning whether I got a name out of Elizen or not.

"I understand that it means humans can have magic circuits, but go on."

"It's basically a poison they've found or created or who knows what," Vaeri shrugged. "Targets magic, in case you didn't notice that bit, and steals it."

"What we assumed would happen is that said magic is destroyed, as it has nowhere to go, but apparently it could be transferred to a human," Felaern nods to himself, apparently having worked it out faster than me. "So your little friends in Project: MALIS—"

"Felaern."

"—are taking the magic so they can what, destroy Azaevelum? Or is it Faerie in its entirety?"

"Azaevelum," I reply. "But how come you aren't affected? You all have magic, don't you?"

"Yeah, but elves are elves and fairies are fairies," Cira says slowly.

"But magic isn't just magic?"

"Exactly."

"That doesn't answer the question!"

"Think about it," Vaeri said quickly. "Fae magic is literal as anything. Even their inability to touch iron is a very cut-and-dry thing, but remember Anya's explanation of why she thought the steel drainpipe didn't hurt Kat as badly as you might think? It may contain iron, but it's not pure, so it doesn't cause 'pure agony'."

"You've been waiting to say that."

"I absolutely have."

"What did I miss?" Felaern asks, giving us all blank looks. The twins ignore him.

"So what about elf magic?"

"Oh, believe me, Cira can do some awful metaphorical stuff to you if he wants."

"Which I don't."

"Like... what, making you feel like you're on fire when you're not?"

"Kinda? But there's other aspects of a fire elf's powers that can get a lot darker," Cira said. "There's also the part where an elf's magic is very set-in-stone, even if it's versatile. There's plenty of ways to cast a fire spell as an elf who specialises in fire. Fairies may have a wider range of spell types, but there's only so many ways to make the target fall asleep."

"What he's trying to say is he can make you feel like you're on fire in several ways," Vaeri explained. "If Holly tried the same trick, there's only one way she could do it."

"That's why whatever this substance is hasn't hurt you."

"Yeah!"

"Right. So it targets those with fairy-like magic circuits... how would that translate to humans?"

"Presumably because these humans in the MALIS group would have been granted their circuits by fairy magic," Felaern guessed. "But how are we meant to know? You got yours from a potion." 

I suppose he has a point.

This is wild.

So humans could technically have been capable of magic at one time, since it's clear that they must be able to handle having these circuits.

"Can circuits be removed?"

"No," Elizen says quietly. "Even viris have magic circuits, but they usually can't use them."

Viris?

"Kid, we don't use that word," Cira snaps, and then winces. "Sorry. But one of our friends is a fairy who cannot fly, and he gets enough of that rubbish from people that know him."

"Hold on. Does this mean Kat..."

Vaeri's face drops at the same moment Elizen's twists into a frown.

"Oh no."

"What are you two talking about?" Felaern asks, sharing a look with Cira. "And more to the point, where's the rest of this pathetic 'Lantana Aletris'?"

"Western districts," Cira sighs. "Stop being a prat."

I really don't like the fact that Anya and I are caught in this. It feels like we're intruding... we're not meant to be here.

But according to Adalia, we are, so what's all this about?

God, I don't know what to think.

It's a mess.

And I can't see how we're meant to fix it.

Then pain shoots through me again, and it's all I can do to hold back a scream. I don't think the elves noticed, busy enough bickering amongst themselves, but Elizen did.

"Do you need to leave?"

"Maybe..."

With a strength a child shouldn't possess, they pulled me from the room without another word, and then back onto the bloody street.

The cold air felt so much better than the warm living room, and when the pain stopped, I found myself relaxing.

Until a somewhat familiar voice cut through the silence.

"Sorry I have to do this."