Sneezy Mage - (11 Parts)

[Aprilcot]

I totally agree! This is getting soo good!!!!

Please continue!!! I think I may die otherwise!!!!

[ooo]

Thanks so much for the comments everyone! It means so much to me that you're all reading and enjoying

***

'You must leave, Daine,' he managed to say. 'For me. Please.'

She shook her head and he bit his tongue to keep from shouting at her. 'Daine, you must! You aren't safe here - you don't understand, every time I - I sneeze, for Mithros' sake, I can't control it, there's nothing I can do, Gods know I try, but - but you're not safe here anymore. Daine, please.'

She looked at him defiantly. 'That might be true, but, Numair, if I'm not safe here then I'm not safe anywhere. Your magic is famous for having the largest range of most known mages - I won't get anywhere safe in time. It's just lucky we're both out here in the middle of nowhere.'

His face was stunned as he realised she was right, and she winced as his face fell into further despair. 'Then there's really nothing I can do,' he whispered to himself. Another tear leaked down his face, his skin white with fear.

She hugged him tightly, trying to banish his fear. 'I've got to stay, anyway. I want to look after you and I want to warn the animals in the forest -' she broke off as Numair sat bolt upright and swayed, falling back down as she caught him and lowered him onto the blankets.

'The animals,' he rasped. 'Did I-'

She smiled at his concern. 'No, we were lucky. I'd warned them, the second time, and the first, we - well, I guess we were just lucky.'

He shuddered at the near misses, and at the possibility of what was to come. 'Lucky isn't enough,' he said, with more vehemence than he'd intended. Fortunately, Daine understood that his anger was directed inwards and not at her, and she rubbed his shoulders comfortingly.

'I'm sorry,' he whispered. 'I'm so sorry.'

'Shhh,' she murmured, brushing his hair away from his eyes. 'It isn't your fault.'

His unspoken denial hung in the air between them, Numair unable to voice what they both knew he felt. 'It isn't,' said Daine again, and he closed his eyes slowly.

He kept seeing those fireballs, over and over, eyes open or closed they danced in his head, and he knew so well what his magic could do. He could crack open the earth without exhausting his resources. To think of the damage he could inflict...

He had never so hated his Gift as he did in this moment. But he did; despised it, this power that was somehow part of him and yet utterly outside his control. He hated himself for being stupid enough and weak enough to get into this situation.

Somehow, he would be strong enough to get through this, Numair vowed defiantly. It couldn't be that difficult - it was just a sneeze, really. Such an inconsequential thing!

Just as he finished thinking that, as though the thought itself had brought on the impulse, Numair's nose began to itch...

***

[Aprilcot]

Uh-oh....

What's gonna happen?! I need to know!!!

Please continue this!!!

It's soo great!!!!

Please?

[snuffles]

omg! i need more! aaaah cliffhanger!

[a red nine]

I love your style of writing and I love this story. It's so well-written. Your characters are likeable; a little generic, but I'm not complaining: you keep the reader in mind with every step. The plotline is interesting, as good as the sneezing portions, which I find a lot of sneeze authors fail to incorporate. You're good with detail, the dialogue seems right and everything just fits together so nicely... And I gotta say, it's pretty sexy. And I'm in love with your characters, too. Keep up the amazing work, because I'll definitely be back! <3

[ooo]

Ahh! Sorry! I fail at updating . Real life has just got in the way in the most ridiculous of fashions. But thank you all so, so much for all your comments and encouragement - I've said it before and I'll say it again, it absolutely and totally makes my day and makes every story I write so worth it . Special thank you to Dead End for that detailed evaluation, it really does mean the world.

I've been somewhat blocked with this story so I've pretty much just tied together all the bits and pieces I had written with the ending, so if it seems abrupt that's why - sorry. I figured it was better to finish it imperfectly than to not finish it at all! That said, hope you enjoy!

***

'Wait!' she cried, noticing something. Numair froze, his face stuck in a desperate pre-sneeze expression, his eyelids fluttering shut...

'I think I can see where your Gift's...pointed...' she explained, and it was true - the black fire seemed to branch off where it had previously run rampant around his hands and body, pointing towards a section of forest.

'W-what?' he breathed, through shuddering breath.

'Yes, I'm fair sure - wait, Numair, just wait, don't sneeze!' She reached into her wild magic and sent out hurried warnings to all the animals in that direction, and they quickly passed on the warning to those outside her range, scattering.

Numair sat there, eyes fluttering, feeling desperate. Don't sneeze? he thought, feeling ridiculous. He could fight entire armies of Immortals without blinking, but hold off this itch in his sinuses, no, it was beyond him...but still he fought it, pressing a finger underneath his nose.

'Okay, the area's clear. Go,' she said.

Numair hesitated, but his nose decided for him. 'HEH-SHOOOO!' he exploded. He sniffed and looked up at Daine, who was examining the area of forest he'd just managed to cave into the ground with his magical explosion.

'Did I hurt anything?' he asked apprehensively, but Daine shook her head, smiling.

'I told you - I could see where your magic was pointed.' He almost laughed at the oddness of this situation, but the overwhelming sense of relief kept him quiet.

Somehow, he managed to keep from sneezing for the rest of the day and throughout the following night. In fact, it wasn't until the next morning, as he was watching Daine prepare a breakfast for them, that disaster struck again.

'Daide,' he said thickly. 'I cad feel adother sdneeze...' She looked up quickly at the direction of his magic and set about using all her own to clear a space for him.

He felt the itch intensify and muttered, 'Daide, hurry...' He could feel it building. This sneeze was going to be huge, he could tell, all that pressure and, oh, this was so hard, he just wanted to sneeze, needed to sneeze, he had to and he couldn't resist it any longer, he had to sneeze, please, please, just let him release this pressure...

'HAAAAAHHH-SHOOOOOOO!' he sneezed violently, and then immediately his breath began hitching for another. 'No...huhhh...dd...Daide...'

'It's changed directions, Numair, you've got to stop it!' she cried. But he was already half way through this sneeze, how on earth could he stop it? Suddenly, he felt Daine's finger pressing on his nose and the surprise scared his sneeze away, though he could still feel it itching at the back of his sinuses.

He calmed his breathing, in through his mouth, trying not to do anything to irritate that itch. But, suddenly, a wind blew through their campsite and it was enough to tickle Numair's sensitive, itchy nose, set it alight with the need to sneeze, and there was absolutely nothing he could do - 'HAAHSHOOOO!' he sneezed, releasing the wetness of his sneeze all over Daine's hand beneath his nose.

He looked up at her apprehensively. 'Did I...?' he asked, unable to finish the sentence, but she was smiling in tired relief. 'No,' she said. 'I got them all out of the way.'

He sighed in relief. 'I'b sorry about your hand,' he said, cheeks flushing a deep pink.

She grinned. 'I'll live,' she said, wiping her hand on a clean handkerchief and passing it on to Numair, who blew his nose gratefully.

They sat around until midday, when suddenly Numair felt something odd in his mind, like a little crack, a shift in power. Sitting up hurriedly, he turned his attention to his hand, where his Gift sparkled, running aimlessly around his skin. Concentrating hard, he watched, elated, as the black flames concentrated into a single point on his outstretched finger.

'Daine!' he exclaimed, and then nearly fell over in shock as he looked up to find her standing right next to him, having come over when she'd seen him sit up so suddenly.

'What is it?' she asked, looking concerned. He smiled at her expression.

'No, it's good - not bad! I can control my magic again!'

Her eyebrows flew up on her forehead. 'Really?'

'Watch!' He concentrated, and then smiled as a nearby boulder lifted itself into the sky and replaced itself gently on the ground again, sparkling with the black fire of his Gift.

'Oh, thank the Gods,' breathed Daine.

He smiled, falling back onto his blankets in relief. 'Let's pack everything up,' he said, 'and I'll transport us back to the King as soon as we're ready.'

'Wait - are you sure you're strong enough?' she asked in surprise.

He laughed, giddy with the return of his strength. 'My magic's been building for days, magelet. I just haven't been able to access it.'

Encouraged, they set about packing up their makeshift camp, stopping only when Numair held up his finger, a look of trepidation on his face.

'What is it?' asked Daine worriedly.

He opened his mouth to answer and instead, managed: 'Heh...HASHOO!' He looked back at her, eyes wide. 'Did I...'

She shook her head. 'Nothing,' she replied, and then, to herself, 'It's over...it's really over.'

It hit Numair in a rush of guilt, suddenly, how much this must have affected her. 'Daine,' he began gently, guilt creasing his forehead. 'I don't know how to - I just...really, this past week...I'm sorry.' He hung his head. 'I'm so sorry.'

Daine rolled her eyes, smiling at him. 'Numair, if you apologise to me one more time for something that wasn't in any way your fault, I will have to hurt you.'

He smiled at the meaningless threat from his young friend. 'Thanks, magelet.'

She gave him a quick, spontaneous hug. 'You're welcome. Now please, please, let's get back to Tortall?'

He laughed and took her hand, closed his eyes and summoned his magic, shifting them back to warmth, safety and the comfort of home.

<THE END>

[Aprilcot]

Awww! Great end chapter! Thank you for finally updating!!!

[VoOs]

Mmmm, truly wonderful story And the ending was so cute *happy sigh* Great job!

[Marceline]

Ooo, that was ah-MAY-zing!! Loved it! Oh you should do more Twilight btw, your Twilight story is so amazing it just might make me die. All your stories really get me; you should really get something published! Like, really you probably could.

I also love your In the Outback one. It is to die for, and lemme tell ya!