SOVEREIGNTY

Chapter 18

Alan could hear Hopix calling him, damn, she was so far away! Fighting with every fiber of his being, Alan started to claw his way to the surface. Finally he opened his eyes seeing a look of love and worry on Hopix's face.

"Alan my love you need to drink this, you are far too weak, please my love." Hopix held a cup with a foul smelling brew in it. 'I've smelled that before, ' Alan thought, 'when was it? Ah yes back when he'd been on the Fairixie's sister world.' Alan tried to drink it as fast as he could; again not realizing that one couldn't swallow the concoction as fast as he was trying. Coughing and sputtering Alan was gasping for breath as the foul odor of it surrounded him.

Barely in a whisper Alan told Hopix, "My god woman it's still as bad as it was before!" Hopix smiled, Alan complaining meant that the brew was already coursing through his body helping to strengthen it.

"Alan, please don't go off alone like that again. I was assigned to help you for a reason, you might have quite a lot of knowledge, but you don't know it all." Hopix admonished him her slender hand on her hip as she gently wiped the excess from his mouth.

Again starting in a whisper but growing stronger Alan told her, "Hopix my love I realize this but you have to realize that if I was to lose you I might go insane, or worse kill everything in my way 'til I calmed. I do not want to put you in harm's way like that."

"Alan Glanto! If you weren't as weak as you were right now, I might have to, as you humans say on your planet, kick your ass!" Alan could swear there was steam coming from Hopix's ears.

Holding his arms and hands up in protection, Alan didn't doubt she could kick his ass! There was no way that he could ever hurt her. "My love I was only thinking of protecting you, I..." Alan started.

Hopix stood up with now both her hands on her hips a look of anger that actually had Alan shaking. "I was YOUR guardian BEFORE you became as powerful as you have. I am a lot older than you, I have been dealing with dark mages far longer than you think. Shut me out of doing MY JOB again and YOU will found out just how weak I am NOT!" Alan was staring at Hopix a new respect for her in his eyes.

"I promise you I will not exclude you ever again my dear." Alan told her a slight smile on his face. "You can stop right now old man I am sure Glimmer will have quite an earful for you when we return."

Merlin had tried not to, truly he had, but he'd finally started to laugh. It was hard to tell who was the more fierce Hopix or Alan, though at the moment it appeared to be Hopix.

Hopix turned and coldly stared at Merlin who started into an even harder laughing fit. "I will deal with the both of you later!" Hopix growled as she marched out of the room.

"To answer your question, yes, Glimmer was that fierce, always in her love, her compassion and yes, also her temper. I am surprised this is the first time you have seen it, at least you know what to expect. I was caught off guard the first time after I was married to Glimmer." Merlin told Alan who was watching as Hopix's form retreated into the other room.

"I have to ask you Merlin you have survived a long time with little or no power. I used the porta sphere to get nine of the last seventeen. I also got one that was trying to draw me to another reality; that leaves seven. I am afraid that these last seven won't band together nor attack when another is fighting me. With all the tricks you have I need help getting them. I want this over, so I can take you and Hopix back home to the Fairixie world." Alan told Merlin feeling he was almost at the end of his rope with these idiots on this world.

"I do have a few tricks but I think there are a few things that I need for you to learn. But the way you are right now, almost the entire planet can feel you coming. I think that is where we need to start then I can possibly help you with a few things that might help." Merlin smiled it had been a long time since he'd had anything like a student it felt good, damn good!