26 The only other Key

SOFOSYS' POV

I looked up the thick volume to see the Petrywinkler perched right on the top of my stack of books. It let out a soft chirp and clicking it's teeth, approached me and started shoving it's tail against my forearm. It's demanding treats. 

I let out a sigh. "Didn't Cassadrei just feed you?" I said, not sure if it could understand me, "Why are you always so hungry?"

I felt a little ashamed after I asked this, honestly speaking I know the answer. Petrywinklers are supposed to be hungry all the time because of their extremely high metabolic rates. The tiniest ones are with the greatest metabolic rates and Cookie is as tiny as it can get. 

I closely remember the Exotic Creatures classes I took in University while I was preparing to be a Magi. We had been taught everything, from the life cycle and powers of every magical creature to the destructive power that some can yield and how to prevent such attacks. However, we had never been taught to care for a Petrywinkler or to rear one. Such creatures are mostly wild and untameable and there are only few records in history where a very powerful Magician or Goblin could enslave a Petrywinkler. They are the rarest ones to find. So, I wonder. 

Of course, Cassadrei is the exception here. She is born with such magical powers which are unique in themselves, she can tame the wildest beast. Now, that I sit and gaze at a friendly Petrywinkler perched atop my books, I can realize for the first time, the depth of Cassadrei's unique magic. 

The question as to who set it upon us still lingers. I can't imagine a Goblin powerful enough to enslave not just one, but an entire family of Petrywinklers and order them to attack someone on a different realm. This question has been haunting me since the onset. According to Cassadrei, it's Magnus….and what if she's right? I shudder to think that Arphoelus has so much power in their hands, what chances are there of Mafhaelore winning their destiny back? For the first time, the flicker of hope that I had held regarding Mafhaelor's eventual rise to power is dimming. 

After the War, the surviving Mafhaelorians as well as the royal family went into hiding. Cassadrei was expelled and I came along. Since then, not a word has been heard of the royal family. The empire has collapsed, being overtaken by raucous Arphoelians and the holy city is no longer the same. And what chance do we have, in the absence of a powerful resistance? Cassadrei isn't trained well enough yet, but her powers are coming back. Now that's a start I suppose. 

I have done a fair bit of research regarding Keys too. When I came to Earth, I had to bring my entire library along with me, magically dwindled to a single suitcase, because I knew that the ancient scriptures will come of use someday. It did. 

The Key is mentioned in several ancient scriptures, mostly as a folklore sung by ancient Goblins. In the scriptures, the Key is an immensely powerful Goblin himself, who amplifies the powers of other Goblins that come in vicinity of them. However, Michael is a mortal being, so how he can act as a Key is a thing of intrigue and mystery. I suppose, there are inconsistencies in ancient texts as well, and since the phenomenon of using keys to amplify one's power has never been well documented or put forward to research. 

The only discernible evidence is 4000 Goblin years ago, when Thaestus,The Torturer conducted a manhunt in his empire to search for a key and amplify his powers. He was one of the cruelest Goblin Emperors and in his search he had killed many and maimed even more. Finally, it is said that he found his Key, an exceedingly beautiful nymph called Llyana. He was bewitched by her beauty and married her, thus his powers were increased too and he gained the nymph support. However, Llyana turned out to be a traitor, she plotted with Thaestus' brother Theodore and killed the King in his sleep. Theodore and Llyana got married after that and ruled the country for several hundreds of years. 

I was buried in my thoughts when I heard the commotion outside. There was a hysterical shriek and a lot of shouting while I heard Cassadrei's voice, calming and soothing….like the calm after the storm. 

"Calm down! Linda, calm down. Sit here. Breathe."

I heard another voice, and inwardly smiled. It was Michael. I didn't know that he was here. Nowadays, I hardly know when Cassadrei goes out or comes in and when she is with Michael. 

I came out of my study, to find a dishevelled Linda sitting atop the tea table, crying hysterically and uttering a lot of words indecipherably at once. Cassadrei seemed to understand it all while Michael strained his ears to decipher them. 

"He left. Didn't even look back and just gone, he was just gone! I couldn't understand why...why why why why why would he do this to me? What have I done?? Cassie tell me, did I do anything wrong?" Linda wailed. 

"But, but I don't understand. Jake would never do such a thing! Jake would never hurt anyone, lest of all Linda. This is all wrong." Michael interrupted. 

"So, do you mean she is lying? Just look at her! Look at how painful she looks! Your friend has hurt her and he's going to pay!" Cassadrei fumed. 

At this point, I interjected, " Who did what to Linda?"

They looked at me all at once. The Petrywinkler which had followed me, jumped right on Linda's arms, who buried her face in his luscious furs. 

Cassadrei crossed her arms around her chest and started telling the entire story. Linda is miserable because Jake broke up with her abruptly. He was behaving really weird, he gave no explanations for his sudden behaviour and just broke up and left. 

I am surprised at Jake's inexplicable behaviour. Despite the boy's quirks, he had never been someone who would hurt another person consciously, this I was sure about him. And according to Michael's statement, Jake's behaviour is really strange after he came back from the holidays. He's a recluse now, withdrawn, less talkative and less lively than before. 

I can't comprehend what overtook him.