Chapter Thirteen

What Am I? (Part Two)

“We went to the first subjugated planet and freed the slaves sending the Titans running, and word got back to the militaries high command. They didn’t’ like the fact we took the small beings side and not theirs. We then proclaimed. We would not stand by idly and watch the senseless killing or even hear about them. We were going to stop the killings and forced subjugation anyway possible. We were then part of a great war, The Mage War.”

William sighed and took a sip of tea before continuing. “Our royal status was taken away because we went against our race. To them, we disowned the greatest part of what made us Titans. We announced the ones who were against that stayed were going to be forced out or killed. Your mother and are two of the strongest Titans to have ever lived. We ended up fighting in the war for four years. I don’t want to go into any details. But we had to kill many of our kin few even direct family. Some of the Titans wanted to be like gods worshipped and prostate themselves.”

Rocssanna rubbed Williams back knowing it was hard for him to retell about the war and the months that followed. “After the war was over people who see us ran cowering in fear, or outright attack us on sight. We couldn’t go back past the line of unexplored space, and we were not welcomed to stay by many of the other races.”

Sky sipped some of her tea and crunched on a cookie. Her eyes are wide with interest her eyes not leaving sight of her mommy and daddy. When she finished, one another floated to her fingers. Conny was just there waiting for whatever happened. Sky couldn’t keep silent much longer. “Couldn’t you tell you were one of the good guys? It’s not like you or mommy attacked them. Why would they do that after you help them”? You could hear from Sky’s voice; she was upset; her mouth went dry, and she raised the cup to her lips to wet her parched lips and mouth. “Daddy what did you do when they attacked you? Why didn’t you tell them you were one of the good Titans”? Sky wanted the answers, and she could hardly wait.

“Well, we didn’t do anything but walked away. The mob of haters couldn’t hurt anything but our pride. We ended up wondering space contemplating where to go when a powerful source of magic surrounded us. It felt warm, and a disembodied voice told us to go to the largest planet to the closest star. The voice said it was to be our reward for our selfless act of kindness.”

Sky interrupted her daddy. “It could have been a trap they could have been trying to attack you again.” Sky was worried about her mommy and daddy.

“We’re here aren’t we, and yes it could’ve been a trap. But this felt different. It took a while to find the planet. It wasn’t that big, and it seemed to have no life on it.” Willy saw Sky about to speak, and he put a finger to her lips. I know you have questions and want answers. I will answer all your questions through the course of my story. Do you like stories don’t you maybe I’ll tell you as if it was a story of someone else with the same name? Remember though, it’s all true, and this happened to you and us.”

Sky was beaming with for joy; she loved her daddy’s stories. He made them almost visible with the descriptions. “Yes, daddy make it a story. You know I love your stories. After meeting Fred and Joe, it seemed like you wanted to tell me something. Tell me the story, and I’ll try not to interrupt you, too much.” Sky said with a smile that meant not too often at least.

Willy was about to start the tale once more. He had Sky’s attention, and she didn’t seem upset at all about finding out she was a different race and not human. Kids can act very different from what you expect. Willy started again. “We scanned the surface for anything out of the ordinary and found a tiny structure. So, we landed our spacecraft nearby. It was a large archway by human standards. We left the ship and walked around it a few times. Tiny footprints were coming out from the middle a few metres and going back. Looking through the archway, there was nothing strange about it. We could see each other from either side as we walked back to our ship to get some portable hand scanners. A figure stepped out of the archway as if from nothing. It called out to us we approached it. The voice was the same one that told us to come here. We found It was a tiny cloaked humanoid talking to us. We couldn’t see his face the cowl was so deep. He beckoned us closer so he could talk without amplifying his voice.

“I am here as the voice of the high council members of the Magic Guild. We recognize you for your valour and selflessness in your great part in the war against your people. We are ashamed by the treatment you received by the people you’ve encountered thus far. We also realize why they distrust any Titans. Out of all the Titans, you two were the only ones to help us all in the time of need. We would like to have you come to the hub of magic in known space. The high council members of the magic guild and I have an offer for you. Will you come and hear our offer, you’ll have to leave your ship here”? The robed man waited for the answer in the stillness of a statue.

“William that’s me, your daddy, Rocssanna that’s your mommy,” Willy said to humour Sky and to let her know this is when the story becomes the third person. He also paused for a sip of tea and to dunk one of the few cookies his little beastie left; but not for long.

Rocssanna and William contemplated their answer to the mage. William spoke their reply. “We will go if you give your word to bring us back if we don’t like the deal. If this is a trap, you will not like the outcome. We understand why the hostility towards us; there was no one educated about us and our role freeing the known space. Why were we left shortly after our last mission with no escort so the populace would know we weren’t a threat”?

The robed mage tilted his head up to consider each of our eyes in turn. He put his head down and turned it side to side. “It was not the Magic Guilds idea that was the non-magical political powers idea. We only found out three days ago, about their decision. They didn’t want you to hang around and thought you would move on to some unknown planet somewhere. The short-sighted fools never look at the big picture or at what your contribution was in the war was. If it were not for you almost all human and smaller races would have been wiped out. It was you who turned the war into our favour. We have a few options for you so will you come and get the rewards that are late in coming”?

William looked at the tiny mage and the large archway for the human. “If we accept will we have to pass through that tiny archway”? William pointed behind the robed mage.

The mage turned and looked at the archway and slapped his forehead. With a wave of his hands, the archway grew bigger. It was now big enough to squirm through on our bellies. The mage shrugged his shoulders. Sorry, it’s the best I can do from here. If you care to wait I might be able to get another couple of mages and make it a little bigger there are limits to a size it can be increased?

William answered. “That’s okay. I think we can squeeze through with little problem.” William turned to Rocssanna and presented the archway to his wife to go first. After you Dear, women first. Rocssanna smiled and said. “Why thank you dear for sending me through first to possible unknown dangers.”

“Not at all if there is something unpleasant on the other side I can pull you back easy enough. “ If I went first my greater strength would be of little use lying on my belly caught in a hole.”

Rocssanna smile at the logic. She waited for the tiny mage to move so she could shimmy through. Once he was at a safe distance from the archway. She got down onto her hands and knees. With a thought, she asked the tiny man. “Is there a lot of room on the other side of the archway? Won’t I end up tearing down a castle or crushing any bystanders will I”?

The mage looked up to her and gave it a thought. He held up a hand. “Just a second,” and he ran through the portal and came back a few minutes later. “It should be good to go now. Thank you for thinking about that some of us never meet Titans quite as big as yourselves. You may have crushed a few people on your way through; you have lots of room on the other side now.”

Rocssanna slides down on to her belly making it quarter of the way through in one go. William helped by pushing her feet and giving her something to push off without gouging the newly formed pathway. She was through in a few seconds. Through mind speech, William heard, “Lots of room my Titan beautiful ass. Willy doesn’t come through too fast you might knock me over, and I’ll crush thousands. We’re going to get a lot better treatment here than with the regular military. It’s going to be like when we worked with the mages on the planet Knico.” Rocssanna fell silent. We had received amazing treatment, but it was the first time we had to kill another Titan. It wasn’t a pretty sight the Titan was systematically wiping out entire cities before they could evacuate. The ruthless tyrant didn’t even let them surrender. He just stomped everyone he could and as many as possible. It was William who put a stop to his rampage by snapping his neck in a fit of rage. William laid the dead Titan down gently not out of respect for the dead Titan but to control his fall, so he didn’t crush anyone in his death. Millions died that day, just because no one could stop him. William and Rocssanna had the Titan’s death recorded along with the devastation the rampaging Titan wrought. He had it broadcasted to all known Titan frequencies along with a short speech. “This will not be tolerated, Titans or followers of theirs, killing like this will be killed even if you pass back into your own restricted space. My wife and I will not abide by this senseless killing of innocent beings. If you have done such despicable actions, prepare to die at either of our hands. Since that day fifteen were marked for death, and thirteen Titan lives were ended. Two escaped execution by running deep into protected space. Only when the Titans patrolling the borders promised to place the cowards into solitary confinement for a thousand years did William and Rocssanna relent their pursuit of vengeance. They would receive updates on the Titan’s incarceration yearly. The two after their release were never to show their face in the known galaxy ever with the punishment of death.

The mages and magic users didn’t know why two Titans stop in silence for a minute unmoving. The Titans quietly gave their respect for the needless death some of their people had caused.

William shimmy through next, having Rocssanna to hold onto to help him along. Rocssy was right the magic users here were all well-wishers and crowded around with little regards to their safety. The tiny robed mage was next; he took longer than before because of the gouged earth from the Titan’s crawling through. William looked to his wife and smiled at her,

The tiny people parted way for the robed mage and met up with some others similarly garbed people. They moved off as if floating in the air away from the crowd. The pair of Titans watch them float off. They also noticed they were not the only ones floating; tinier people were starting to float up all around them. With amplified voices, they were greeting them, thanking them, and wishing them an enjoyable stay. Rocssanna and William tried not to move too quickly being afraid to swat any unfortunate flier down.

Away off in a meadow the robed figures formed a circle, and two chairs started to form and grow. They grew to the size of a Titan child would use, stopped and grew a tiny bit more. With a super-amplified voice to be overheard over the others a call for silence and everyone else hushed down. But a buzzing in Williams' ear. He was about to stick his finger in to see what he could do about the buzzing sound then realized it was a small child perched in his ear chatting away. He motioned to his ear and a few mages investigated. After a brief inspection, two tiny children were removed from his ear and one from Rocssanna’s. They chuckled to themselves and remembered they too were planning on having children before the war and were looking forward to trying again. They smiled at each other with the same thought.

The robed figures used some magic to part the sea of well-wishers and asked the couple to take a seat. Regarding at the two tiny seats, the couple would have preferred to stand but did not want to let their effort go in vain. William motioned his wife to seat first, and she sat in the small chair and William followed suit.

The robed figures spoke in unison. “We the people of this fine magical planet would like to extend our thanks in the great sacrifice you made in the war. You gave so much on behalf of us all and received so little for your effort. We want to offer a place here among us if you want. We can give you a portion of the land and build you a house or something greater. We have devised an incantation that would allow us to make you as small as us thus giving you access to anywhere you please.”

William looks to his wife and almost laughed. Who in their right mind would want to be small, weak, and squishy like a human? It was one thing protecting them is was another thing to become one. William and Rocssanna conversed together to find a response to said “are you crazy and insane” politely.

Rocssanna answered. “As Titans, we can keep protecting the people of all races; but as humans, we could only protect ourselves. We have no wish to change our race.”

William had to add his little bit. He was not going to hide his rejection under a sweet coating. “I and I are sure my wife does not want to be tiny, weak and squishy to blend in. I’m sure being raised as tiny beings you have no idea what it is to be a Titan.” William looked to his wife; she was blushing slightly. She wasn’t going to be as blunt, but she wanted to say the same thing and admired his straightforwardness.

What happened next was not what they would have imagined occurring. The robed figures started to laugh, and the rest of the populace joined in after an almost uncomfortable time the mirth died down. We never intended on turning you and your wife into humans, Mr. Knight. We only meant to make your bodies smaller more our size. You would keep most of your strength and body density. We’ll make your body weight and size to that of your average human.”

The whole time the mage spoke the ambient magic was building up incredibly fast there was no form to it. The magic was like seeing something out of the corner of your eye, but when you looked directly it wasn’t there. The magic seemed to float around through the air and pass through them. In mind speech, William asked Rocssanna if she could feel the floating magic around them. When she replied yes, he asked out loud. “We haven’t yet given you an answer, why are you building up so much magic and don’t deny it. We might not be able to use it, but we can sense it easily enough.”

Again, there was laughter, this time the robed mages quieted everyone down quickly. “That magic you sense is why this planet is the magical hub of known space. There are semi-sentient plants all around you right now. They can produce massive amounts of magic but can’t use it. The reason you can’t see them is that they’re multi-dimensional and can phase in and out of several dimensions at will. We can draw off the magic indirectly or in some cases link with them. They are not pretty creatures so linking with them is seldom done. Right now, you are new to this planet, and they want to investigate you. Don’t worry they are harmless to you; they will pass right through you since you can’t use magic. As for an answer, we don’t need to know right away you have time. Unfortunately, we are unwilling to commit to helping build your new home here if you’re not going to stay or agree to get micronized. We will lead you back to your ship where you can rest, or you could rest here. The temperature is always comfortable not that you would notice; you seemed comfortable on the desolate planet.”

William converse with Rocssanna in their minds. “Willy, I’m not sure if I want to stay with tiny plants floating through my body. I think their interested in the last meal I had. I can feel them going through my abdomen having a party. They’re right about the magic it’s incredible the amount the tiny guys are giving off. It’s kind of creepy the fact they can just pass through you with no way of stopping them. Let’s go back to the ship and think about it.”

“I think your right about the creepy feeling. Let’s go back, and we’ll have dinner and sleep on it. The mages said there’s no rush let’s just see if they mean it.” William said and turned to the tiny men in robes. He could just make out they were talking amongst themselves. Curious he asked them. “What’s up, guys? I can’t hear you, but you seem wrapped up in a serious discussion. Anything my wife and I should know about”?

The one mage that greeted us told us his concerns. “Well, you see there are too many of the plants within your bodies to send you back right now. Going through the archway now would put too much magic into it, and you would be sent into unknown space. What we’ll do for you is try and bring your ship here. It may take some time to bring your ship through because it’s so big.” The tiny man was silent for a second. He levitated to Williams’s ear and stuck his head inside to talk to him so the crowd could not overhear. “I don’t want everyone to know, but the changes are reversible by you. If you want to become Titan size again, you have to concentrate on the spell around you and nullify it, and you will be your original size once more. I would not want to put you in danger, so you need no magic to undo the spell. If you’re in great need of your Titan size, it should only take a few seconds to grow that big. Once the process starts there is no stopping it, you would be indestructible for those seconds. I would like you to think about it. It’s a peaceful place here, and you would live as heroes until you want to do something else. Being a hero is fine for a year or two, but I know you would want something more in your life than pampered living. From here there is no limit to our resources to do or build anything.” The mage left his ear and floated in front of the Knights and addressed them together. “I would like to invite you for dinner by the lake where you can wash up. We have fish, bread, and wine for dinner, no candles though. We can use mage light to eat by if you accept our offer. Or you could go to the ocean and get your food. There’s plenty of fish in the sea.”

“Fishing sounds good, I wonder what kind of fish are in the ocean we can eat”? William said looking to his wife.

Rocssanna was contemplating fishing and possibly going for a swim. “Okay fishing sounds good, and a little swim doesn’t sound bad either.” Rocssanna suddenly turned to William. “Willy, I didn’t bring a swimsuit, and I’m wearing my best set of lace undergarments. Skinny dipping with other Titans doesn’t seem bad, but with tiny people, it just seems wrong on so many levels. Just imagine what it would look like to look up and see one of us naked. It would be like a close up even from fifty meters away. I’m no prude, but I’m also not an exhibitionist either.”

William saw Sky chuckle at the thought of her mommy, and daddy swimming nude with tiny people all around, not understand what her mother meant by prude or exhibitionist. William shushed her with a smile and continued with the story.

William and Rocssanna ended up by the lake with some small smoked fishes and a sip of wine each and a small loaf of bread each. For the size of the tiny people the portions were incredibly huge, but for a Titan, it was meagre bites sizes. The Knights let on it was a hearty meal and thanked their hosts and hostesses. The mage lights were quite pretty by Rocssanna’s comments; well they were kind of beautiful the way the lights reflected off her eyes. After dinner and some light conversations with some of the local mages and a few one-way stories from a few children in their ears. A Titan could listen to and understand over a hundred different people talking but could only reply to one or two possible a few more if they could point at the person they were responding to or saying their name is preceding the reply. With as many tiny people closely packed it was hard actually to see who was talking to you.

In the end, the Knights took off their light boots and socks rolled up pants legs and went to wade it the lake leaving much of the crowd at the shore. No one wanted to go in the water with because of the huge waves they made could knock them down. It slowly dawned on them what their life was going to be like as colossal giants among tiny people. They were going to be just themselves with no one around their size. Even with the shore packed with people, they still felt they were alone. It didn’t seem so bad when the people wanted their help and thought they had to be nice. Oppose to people who seemed to generally want their company regardless of size or that fact some of their race tried to enslave every being in known space.

William turned to Rocssanna. “If we decide to have children who will they play with there are no other Titans on this side of known space”? William hugged Rocssanna and kissed her on the lips. He could hear a sigh coming from the beach. Smiling William took one of his wife’s hands and brought to his lips you still want to have children. Let’s get micronized and have a baby, we can raise the baby here, and we could make a new life on this planet.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea. I’ll restart my menstrual cycle tomorrow, and we can resume our baby-making endeavours.” Rocssanna reversed Williams' hand and kissed it. Not far off on the beach, someone amplified a child “saying get a room.” The two Titans called almost as one. “Why do you have one to rent? We could use one tonight if it’s not too much trouble”? Rocssanna called out loud to the people on the beach.

There was a chuckle from the shore. Everyone was laughing at the jest. William and Rocssanna walked back to the beach slowly being careful not to make waves too big. Once on shore, he called out to the mage. Not knowing his name, he called out. “Hail great archmage my wife and I would like an audience with you, if that could be arranged, please.”?

Almost at once a robed figure rose from the crowd and a few more followed. As the robed figures approached, William could make out the arch mage followed by almost a dozen others. The archmage stopped in front of him and his wife. The archmage was in front of the couple and asked them. Did you already make up a decision on what you want to do? I wasn’t expecting you to come up to one so quickly. You did come up with an answer, right”?

Rocssanna smiled, “Yes we came up with the decision to get micronized, and only if you can guaranty that it’s reversible? We wouldn’t want to be stuck as being so tiny. If it's reversible without any magic users involved, we’ll do it in a heartbeat.”

The archmage didn’t reply right always, just pondered her question. “Well, I can’t guaranty its reversible because it was never used for anyone without magic. The thing is I don’t think you need magic to undo the spell. It’s my best guess that you will be able to break the spell with any great need. I can’t give you one hundred percent promise it will be reversible. I will tell you now if at any time while I’m casting it and I don’t think you will be able to reverse it, I will stop the casting. I will not make a pledge I cannot keep, but I can tell you I’m about a ninety-five percent sure it will work.” His tiny face would have had a smile on from what William could make out. “Being able to break the spell is not to be common knowledge, so don’t tell just anyone that fact if it can be helped.”

William and Rocssanna looked at each other and smiled. William squinted down at the mage. “I’m not sure if we want to go through with it if you can’t make the promise. My wife and I do not want to do anything unless it’s one hundred percent. I’m sorry, but we can’t go through with it, I hope you understand but we won’t be staying and once the plants sated their curiosity and leave our bodies. I’m sure you understand that we have some standards that are not open for negotiation.” The robed figurehead lulled forwards in defeat and dejection.

The archmage along with the others started to turn. “We must now discuss what to say to the people why you won’t be staying with us. We hope you will enjoy your stay here and the meals we can provide. The magic users were the most thankful for your help because anyone who could use more than a simple spell was killed without mercy and this planet would have been discovered and destroyed with no possible defence at all against the Titans and their huge ships.

Rocssanna knew that ships the Titans were using that came across into known space were all smaller pleasure starcruisers or small scouting ships a bit smaller than their pleasure starcruisers. The larger starcruisers let alone a battleship would dwarf either one but were never seem in the known space. The one that was involved in the war were unarmed as far as they knew. She didn’t know what them to know that fact if it could be avoided.

The archmage glanced back over his sagging shoulder. Rocssanna went to William and punched his chest with a light tap. “I’m sorry Archmage my husband and I are known among the Titans as somewhat pranksters. William and I are willing to go through with the micronization regardless of the fact it’s not a hundred percent. William is a little more ruthless in the teasing to anyone who doesn’t know him. If you still want us around, we’ll hang out here along as you’ll have us.” Rocssanna said with a smile, William had chuckled to himself and gave a big smile. He only wished he could see the look on the men’s faces

That night they slept on the beach, and a few of the townsfolks joined them but stayed away far enough they wouldn’t get squished if either rolled over. In the morning, they had fried eggs and toast for breakfast. The Titans thought to themselves. ‘This is lean cuisine at its smallest.’ William nudged Rocssanna to get her attention, “Maybe they’re going to try and shrink us through weight loss.” He told her through the mental link.

Rocssanna kissed her husband and replied. “I think it’s just the fact they’re going to shrink us, why waste the food on huge Titans when they can have a huge feast when we’re tiny like them. Just think how much food they’re going to save. It’s not like we ‘re going to s if we go skimpy on a few meals.”

William pulled Rocssanna close, and he heard the same amplified boy. “Oh, no not this again give it a rest. It’s bad enough my parents do it with you two; it’s like watching it on a huge vid screen.” William still kissed Rocssanna on the lips.

“By this time tomorrow we’ll be as tiny as them only a little different I guess. I’ll start and build a house and get some job to keep busy. In our spare time get ready for the children you’re going to have.” William said to Rocssanna through a link no one else could hear.

Rocssanna patted William on the shoulder and motioned to the chairs the mages enlarged for them to sit down on. Around the chair were twelve robed figures were waiting for them. They were all facing them the crowd from before was smaller due to the early morning. The couple slowly made their way with a lot of people to avoid stepping on their way over.

The archmage with a red sash over his shoulder was the only thing separating him from the rest of the robed figures. The two were finally able to take a seat and say they're good mornings. The archmage rose before them and addressed the two Titans. “Before we start I would like to ask you not to reveal to anyone about the process and about who is performing the spell should you find out. This planet is not widely known so don’t go telling everyone about it, please. Most people here like you were invited to come and live. It is kept for selected magic users and talented practitioners of magic. More spells and incantations are created here than any other place. We ask you to promise to keep this as a secret, Mr. and Mrs. Knight”?

William was about to give them a hard time for just the fun of it. As he opened his mouth, Rocssanna pinched his arm and answered the mages. “My husband and I will keep this and anything about to happen a secret if you wish. We are grateful for the opportunity you’re giving us to live as a human would and remain Titans. I’m sure my husband and I will keep to our code of ethics and teach them to our sons and daughters as we continue to live among you.” Rocssanna said with a voice practiced in the high court of nobility.

William just smiled as he pinched his wife back. All the possible teasing and jesting was gone; it was time to get serious. “I would like someplace to build a small Titan house if the possibility we have to get big again and fight some rogue Titans. There are two still on our list that requires our justice. If they were to come here and see no Titan dwelling, they might attack from a distance and not even land. We will need our ship to, in case we have to fly off to defend a planet under attack. Our requests don’t need to be filled right away. These requests are not for us, but you and your continued safety. We greatly regret the deaths of our fellow Titans caused out of the self-proclaimed godly hood. The Titans that killed indiscriminately have been dealt with and are now dead or incarcerated indefinitely. If they escape into known space, the Titans who were against the war would inform my wife and us, and I will deal with them. They are considered cowards by Titan standards; we are considered outcasts for standing up to the council against Titan rule. We forbid the enslavement of all other races; now we get to see if our decision was correct first hand. So far we will stand by our first choice not to enslave any race.” William spoke with power behind the passion in his words.

The archmage spoke to everyone and the Knights. “We all thank you two for your selflessness and willingness to keep all races free from enslavement. It is our great honour that you will live among us even if it’s a short time as beings our size. I know things weren’t easy for you and losing your home and your status was not an easy decision to make, but we are all thankful you did come to our aid. Many of us lost family or know people who did. Most of us lost hope until you showed up and fought at our side. With your help, we defeated the tyrannical Titans. For your help, we give you a place to live and a way to fit into any of our lives. Hence, we are going to perform a special spell to reduce your size and mass. The spell will leave you with your strength and density. We will not take those and leave you defenceless in case your Titan’s rogues come calling. Are you ready for the spell that will change you forever”?

William took Rocssanna hand and entwined their fingers. They gazed into each other’s eyes and answered him together. “We are ready for the spell, we fell in love together, we get shrunk together, and together we’ll live as tiny people.” Then their lips meet for the last time as huge Titans.

William felt the plants still inside them. “What about the plants inside our bodies, won’t the spell be affected by too much magic from the plants”?

“The spell will be easier with the magic they put out. We won’t need to use as much of our own and the talismans we have. It’s going to take as much magical power as we can handle to perform this spell.” The archmage answered William.

Rocssanna looked down at her abdomen. “What will happen to them as we shrink, won’t they get shrunk along with us too”?

The archmage shrugged his shoulders. “I think they’ll phase into another dimension with no effect on them whatsoever. Their just curious still and will leave once it starts. We’ll take advantage of all the magic while they’re in you. Don’t worry no harm will come to them during the process.” With the last words said a glow surrounded him and soon all the mages. One by one the mage’s, linked through the next one, all to the archmage. Once they were all linked, he started to perform the spell using the arcane language. The power was visible around the Knights have they started to shrink. About the time down to around forty meters some of the plants were visible in the dimension as they left the couple. They looked like green jellyfish with a fuzzy primate’s head stuck on top. The tentacles looked like long silky hair with a blue tint. The primate’s faces had a comical appearance. After that more were leaving their bodies some phase out halfway outside of the Titans as they approached twelve meters’. The rest were just assumed went directly in the other dimensions they could occupy. When they reach their new heights, one hundred and seventy-five centimetres (5’-9”), for William, and one hundred and sixty-eight centimetres (5’-6”) for Rocssanna their bodies still hummed with magic, with a slight fading glow.

Rocssanna turned to William who was now close to forty metres’ away with their feet dangling twenty metres’ off the ground still sitting in the chairs. Without thinking, they hopped off and fell like stones. There was a collected gasp at their actions and a sigh in relief when their feet sunk into the ground up to almost their shins.

William was watching Sky eyes get big, and she held up a hand as if in class asking a question. He smiled and thought to himself. I could pour myself another cup of tea while she asks her questions. “Yes, Sky. I’ll listen to your question while I pour some more tea.” He said reaching for the teapot on the footlocker separating them. All the cookies were gone; Sky had eaten the rest in excited anticipation of the story.

“Daddy did you have a hard time adjusting to your new size and strength. I remember walking on the grass for the first time and sunk up to my shins. It felt like I was walking in murky water at first.” Sky was waiting and reached to an empty plate and was surprised there weren’t any cookies left.

Rocssanna answered “Yes we had a hard time at first, but don’t forget we had many years of practice in different gravities throughout our lives. It was just a matter of time before we got used to it. You have a problem of having your magic making you stronger constantly. We made you wear the strength suppression suit when you were two, but it had to get more advanced as you got older soon one wasn’t enough.” Rocssanna smiled reached and ruffled Sky’s hair. “You dear Sky was almost as strong as us by the time you were five years old. We didn’t know how to handle your strength and had to try and suppress it somehow. Nothing ever seemed to work for long; we found one that might have worked, but it was way too bulky.”

William made another pot of tea while two of the ladies talked. Without out turning from Sky, Rocssanna held up her empty teacup for Willy to top off. William topped off Rocssanna’s and Sky’s cups before refilling his own and wondered if he should get some more snacks, they did keep Sky quiet, mostly. After each of the lady’s even Conny took a sip, William took a drink of his own. “Sky do you have any other questions or can I restart our tale of your birth and your magic? You know why you are tiny now, but I’ve yet to tell you about why we hid the magic from you and why we ended up on that planet”? William waited for Sky’s answer.

Sky sipped her tea enjoying the flavour wash over her tongue as she pondered her daddy’s question. “Daddy is the story going to be much longer. Not that I want you to shorten it or anything, I’m afraid we need more snacks to feed my excitement and anticipation. If you don’t mind, I could get some of the biscuits, give Mr. Fred and Mr. Joe some before I dry them out for us. It should only take one or two minutes at most. I need something to keep my hands busy while I listen to the story.” Sky gave her daddy a pleading look. Rocssanna smiled at William who in turn nodded to Sky.

“Maybe while you are with Fred and Joe you could ask them to give you something to work on while you’re listening”? William said before his daughter could flash from sight.

“Okay, daddy. Mommy, did you need anything from the house while I’m there? It won’t be a bother to grab anything else.” She asked looking at her mommy. Rocssanna mentioned William forgot the saucers for the teacups. Sky flashed a smile and said “Okay” and was gone from sight.

Sky appeared in the loading bay in a blink of an eye she was so fast the air was forced around her without making a sound much louder than a clap. She walked through the front door and into the pantry and found the soft biscuits that were over one hundred years old. Sky grabbed two of the fifteen bags that were left and found the box containing the saucers that belonged to the tea set. She put them into her pocket space in her jacket and ran to find Mr. Fred and Mr. Joe.

Seconds later Fred and Joe were brought out of their conversation with the new crew, by a loud clap. Sky gave them a quick salute and pulled out one of the boxes of biscuits. Fred and Joe were speechless at the sudden appearance of Sky. Fred asked the new crew to hold on a second and turned off the vid link. “Sky anything new or interesting happen today? Are you looking forward to meeting the new crew”?

Sky smiled and waved the hand she had the biscuits in. “There they can’t listen anymore. Oh, Mr. Fred did you know with all the healing magic thrown around, my delicious biscuits were made like brand new each time the spells were cast. Now they’re all soft and just like they were just packaged this morning. We had tea and cookies, but we ran out of cookies while daddy was telling me a story. Oh, and I’m a tiny Titan, would you like some biscuits? I want to get back so daddy can finish the story. I still won't find out why they kept magic a secret from me and about why mommy and daddy left the planet where they were shrunken on. OH, daddy told me to ask if you have something I can do while I’m listening, I guess to keep my hands from eating all the biscuits myself.” Sky smiled at Fred and Joe still holding up the box of biscuits she had offered them.

Fred was confused at how Sky could ramble on about stuff that would have most people baffled. “What do you mean they can’t hear us now? You know you’re a Titan now, but smaller. They still didn’t tell you why they hide the magical arts from you”? Fred and Joe were waiting for her answers. Joe felt a little left out but didn’t add anything yet.

“To answer your first question someone with a lot of magic was boosting the signal to reach here in a magical conduit. When you cut the signal, the conduit remained, and they could hear like a person through a pipe or hollow tube, which they enhanced with a spell so they could hear more clearly on their end. The second question yes, I’m a cute tiny Titan, angel, and magical girl, who’s yet to find out about why I wasn’t told about magic before now. Oh, that answered the third question too. Okay, anything you would like to add Mr. Joe”?

“How did you stop them from listening”? Joe didn’t need to know; he didn’t want to feel left out. He had an idea Sky seen it and asked him a question of his own. Sky wasn’t at all like most girls her age.

“Well, Mr. Joe I cut off the conduit and put a bubble around the ship to keep it from reaching inside again till we’re done. I only did it because Mr. Fred seemed not to want them to listen to us.” Sky sent a smirk to Fred, who realized she knew why he did it. They were probably going to warn the new crew about her age and not be mean to her.

“Well, the new crew will be here in three and a half hours. We’re going to meet each other somewhere half way to our previous meeting point. They didn’t say why they left their position or anything about the current mission, so we’re maintaining an encrypted conversation till we meet in person. There must be a reason so until then we are going to stay in touch at regular intervals.” Fred said and then thought maybe Sky could help somehow but didn’t want to lean on a little nine-year-old girl too much. She could already take him on physically, magically and didn’t want to add another. He knew he was somewhat petty but he was the captain, and it was his call.

Sky smiled at him and took it he would like to have an open conversation with the new crew. While she was offering them some of her favourite biscuits with Conny’s help, they found a way of establishing a new way of communicating with the other ship that total secure connection. The new way could not be tapped by anyone outside of either ship. Sky established a connection with the other ship’s limited A.I. computer gave it the necessary bubble adjustments and re-established a new conduit with the other ship using Conny’s new magic abilities. “You’re welcome to stop by for tea if you have time before the new crew gets here. I’m sure you’ll approve the new changes to the men’s and women’s quarters in the barracks.” Sky left the box with the men and turned to leave, taking a step. She turned around, “if you want a private conversation to ask Conny to connect you privately and you’ll have a secure connection I can guarantee. See you later Mr. Fred, Mr. Joe.”

“Thank you, Sky I will ask her to do that once we’re finished the snacks you graciously provided for our enjoyment. I will ask you to call in two hours or when your story is finished, or whichever comes first.” Fred remembers her another of a request for something to do. “You said you wanted to do something with your hands while you listened to the story? I have an unfilled tome you could copy and fill with magic. Try and make them with each element, so there is a variety of them. They don’t have to be all red tomes, but they can be the most useful. Conny can print up as many blank tomes as you could fill. Have fun and don’t drain yourself too much.” As Fred spoke, he was wondered how Sky knew about the lack of secure connections. Fred found Sky perception very astute and made a mental note to watch everything he said around her. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her; it was that she acted without being asked. With all his problems Sky was the least of his worries, taking away all the challenges he faced. Fred just sighed and turned to Joe who had a big grin.

Sky took the blank tome from Fred and asked Conny to print up a thousand. She knew she could fill them when she had any spare time and had an idea it wouldn’t take too long to fill them. “Thank you, Fred Sir,”

Joe watched Sky’s image fade and not walk away. “It must be a really good story to have her running like that. Did you ask her to solve our communication problem in a roundabout way or was it just unintentional? Either way, let’s find out what has them spooked or have them coming to join us early. Conny could you re-establish the new link with the scout ship. Conny opened the new communication spell Sky devised moments before. The connection was made, and both ships recognized it as completely secure with no possible tapping from outside either ship.

Fred called out to the scout ship. “Sorry for the interruption the crew member we were about to discuss was present, and I didn’t want her to hear that we were discussing her. She’s somewhat shy and would not want to hear it directly. Sky is our youngest crew and is very special. I hope you will treat her with respect you would like any junior crew member. I’m not sure what the fleet admiral told you but don’t get on her bad side if you can avoid it. You will see why once you meet her. I can only hope your interactions are, well let’s say well received as ours. Just don’t talk down to her; she is very sensitive about her age and how she is treated. I think once you meet it will be obvious for the warning.” Fred, let it sit in their minds a few seconds before getting on with the next subject.

“So why are they changing the plans and now racing towards us? I could barely understand the encrypted messages you were sending. Now that you can speak freely tell me what’s up with the heavy encryptions”? Fred asked puzzled by his new crew’s actions.

Todd Johnstone answered. “We were discovered by one of the abducted mages special gifts from what we gather. Somehow the rogue mages accessed the abducted mages special abilities. I think Mr. Tillson could intercept any transmission of communications. I’m not sure if this one is even a safe line.” Todd looked back to the other three on the small deck. They shrugged their shoulder, and Jane answered the questioning look. “There is no course change in the ship following us.”

Fred had a shocked look on his face. “You never said you were being followed change your course now to ninety degrees on the Y axis and forty-five on the Z axis to see if they make a course adjustment too. If the ship follows you let me know and I’ll get our troubleshooter on it. Right now, she’s getting some information she might need.” Fred looked at Joe and smiled. Joe just grinned and shook his head saying “you’re crazy” under his breath with an almost silent chuckle, almost silent.” Fred gave his chuckle looking back at the vid screen and four confused faces. “Don’t worry it was an inside joke that you’ll get once you meet her.”

Jane called out “There was a delay in the rogue ships course adjustments. It seems like their following us visually. We have no sophisticated cloak on this scouting ship just a visual screen cloak nothing high-tech or magical.” Jane looked at the screen closer. “It’s not matching our course change, so that’s going to buy us some time.”

Fred “I think our troubleshooter could send you a spell or two to throw them off your track. Just give me a second to ask her to come up with a spell.” Fred cut the communications to the scout ship.

Sky came back to her quarters and pulled out a box of biscuits, teacup saucers from her pocket and place them on the footlocker. After, she reached deep into her jacket pocket and pulled out a bundle of blank paper tomes. She noticed her daddy and mommy a questioning look. “Oh, these are to keep my hands busy while I listen to the story like you suggested daddy. That way the biscuits will last longer, and it’ll take some of the pressure off my magic well. I seem to fill up my magic well a whole lot faster now since casting all the powerful spells and getting so much magic taken by those stupid aliens. Plus, this way I can earn some money or have some really good gifts to give.” Sky opened the bundle and placed five on the table. She left the bundle beside her for easy access. Rocssanna saw the Arch-Mage fill these with Sky’s magic before she was even born. He filled one at a time, and it took around three minutes each. She was interested in seeing what Sky was going to do. “Daddy I can do this while you tell me the story, go ahead. I’m listening.” She stated as she gave him full eye contact while placing a digit on each of the blank tomes. Magic poured out of her from each finger, and they flashed colours quickly red being the final colour. She picked up one of the tomes and seen a symbol for what she took for water turning it over in her fingers as she inspected one of her first tomes. With a flash of inspiration and a smile she tapped it with a finger, then tapped the four other tomes and patted the blank bundle beside her. She placed the red one back on the table under her fingers and thumb as before. This time it was almost thirty seconds before the tome turned a gold colour with embossed sigils. Sky frown at her daddy. “Am I distracting you from your story I could just eat all the biscuits and drink most of the tea if this takes away too much of your concentration”? She said putting the golden tomes in separate places, the first ones of five piles. Sky took five more tomes and placed them apart they quickly flashed through the colours to red and then slowly to golden also. She started to repeat the process waiting for her daddy to continue.