The drums started near dusk. It was Micheal. His drums seemed oddly formal, as though Michael was carefully drumming with a precise rhythm. Or perhaps he`d practiced what he would say. He told Fred thank you. He said that he was proud of everyone. He talked about a bright future, in very general terms.

　　Fred hadn`t thought about the future. At all. That wasn`t surprising; Fred knew he`d been living in the moment since his rebirth. But he knew he`d have to change that now.

　　Virginia did her drum next. She said basically the same things as Michael, except that she said she was sad, because her dragon was leaving her. This was another fresh, new, unwelcome, and disturbing thought for Fred. Many of his creatures had come to his domain seeking refuge. Now that the threat of the demons was gone, would they leave?

　　Part of Fred wanted to reach out right then, and ask Martin and Kumbanaka what they were gonna do. Another (bigger) part of him didn`t want to face the idea right now, and that kept him quiet.

　　Fred drummed back. He said he was proud of everyone. He said the battle was horrible, and he was glad it was over. He wanted to talk about Mal, but didn`t exactly know what he`d say just yet. He did feel good talking about his Emergency Bunker, and its five doors, and how the demons didn`t even try to get inside it, so all the refugees stayed safe. But that was all he could think of.

　　"Yoo hoo, Spirit of the Mountain. Can you hear me?" called out Tabitha, the old Earth Mage.

　　"Tabitha? Are you okay?"

　　"Oh, I`m just fine, Mountain Spirit. In fact, I`ve never felt better! Your healing magic is everything I was told and more. My tumors are gone, and my joints are working again. Thank you very much, Fred."

　　Tabitha`s voice was much louder and clearer than before. She certainly sounded more healthy.

　　"Well, good, I`m glad," Fred said.

　　"Was that you drumming just now?" Tabitha asked.

　　"Yes. I learned it from& from other Earth Spirits."

　　"Well it`s very soothing. It`s like the whole mountain is speaking. I suppose it is, too. Hee hee hee."

　　"Glad you like it," Fred replied. "Tabitha, now that you are healed, and the demons are gone, where are you going next?"

　　"Oh, I`m not going anywhere, Mountain Spirit. Without your magic, my time would be up, yes. Old Tabitha is on borrowed time, and I plan to borrow more and stiff the bank! Hee hee hee! Besides, here I have nothing but friends around me, and that`s very special. I should know."

　　"Did you come with friends?"

　　"No, but I`m making them by the cartloads. Like you."

　　"I`m your friend?" asked Fred.

　　"Of course, dear. You couldn`t be anything else."

　　Later in the night, Mal introduced himself (his voice just seemed male to Fred, but Fred hadn`t asked, and it wasn`t important) to Martin and Kumbanaka. Both were as surprised as Fred that the little black wurm had been left behind, and that he could talk to them magically. Martin tried to cover his surprise, and make like he knew something about Celestial Wurms, but Fred could see through his crap.

　　Still, Mal seemed to be a good conversationalist, and expressed ignorance of the details of the demon battle, and Kumbanaka and Martin boastfully detailed the events of the day at length to him. They conversed deep into the night, and Fred was content to just listen and cuddle with Shelley.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

　　In the twilight of early morning, Kumbanaka said, "Fred, it`s time for me to leave."

　　This simple statement hit Fred hard, but a part of him had been preparing all night for the possibility.

　　"Can you go? I mean, my magic&"

　　"The chains of your magic have been slipping away all night. This morning they are all but gone. I`m surprised you haven`t felt it," Kumbanaka said.

　　"I`ve certainly felt it," Martin butted in. "My chains are lifted, and I`m leaving too."

　　"Oh. Okay. Um, where will you guys go?"

　　Martin replied, "Right now my destination is away. No offense, Oh Spirit, but a dragon`s freedom is precious to him, and I absolutely must test mine. I suspect I will reconnect with my family, and then perhaps a whirlwind tour of the continent. Yes, that sounds fine to me."

　　"As for me," Kumbanaka said, "I have a book to finish. And then I have to sell it, and make my fortune. So I`ll be heading back to the biggest city I know. You can`t find a publishing house in a backwater."

　　"Um, I`ve got all the gold you need, right here. Do you need some? To take with you, I guess?" Fred said, rather plaintively. He knew these people weren`t the kind to be bribed, and he felt a bit ashamed to even bring it up. So he pretended that he only wanted to give a gift. But they both refused. Martin didn`t want to be weighed down. Kumbanaka wanted to make his own fortune. Well, add to it. He broadly hinted that, back in civilization, he was already wealthy.

　　As they were talking, Fred noticed a few creatures moving in the darkness. First it was the Jinpa, slipping out of Fred`s Inner Wall through the breach, and swiftly (probably with magical enhancement) disappearing to the north. Fred wasn`t actually sorry to see it go, but it did its job, training humans that wanted to battle it.

　　Next came the JorMgumo and Regnoweit the naga. They moved together, as they escaped the city and traveled south. Fred wished them luck. Such completely different species, deciding to create something special between them. Fred could only hope for them. "At least they don`t have to worry about demons," Fred sighed.

　　Martin said nothing more, he just lept off his tower, and flew away to the east. He flew slowly, carefully, like he might crash into the wall of Fred`s magic, but that didn`t happen. Finally he flew beyond Fred`s sight, and didn`t look back.

　　"There he goes," Kumbanaka said. "Don`t worry, Fred. I won`t be so rude. There`s several large groups of humans leaving here today and tomorrow. I`ll join one, as a guard or pilgrim or something, and leave with them. But I won`t forget to say goodbye."

　　"Thank you," said Fred. He`d just watched a large number of his creatures leave without a backward glance. He wasn`t possessive, really, he was just& surprised. Creatures had only come to him over the past& always. Now they were leaving. He decided to check all of his remaining creatures.

　　He looked into the Front Zone, with the old wolf, his first creature ever. All the creatures here were sleeping. None looked like they were getting up to leave. The Lined Hallway Zone and the Ogre Zone also seemed unchanged. None of the creatures acted as though anything had changed.

　　The Ramp Zone was missing the Jinpa. The Tree Zone was completely unoccupied. The Cave Zone still had a dragon turtle, and Mal (in his parents` lair), but the big demon had apparently disappeared with all the other demons. The Maze still had those minotaurs. And Shelley`s den was still fully occupied.

　　So much is going to change, Fred.

　　"Hi, Jim. Like how?"

　　Five thousand years ago, the remaining Earth Spirits were slowly dying in a world that was empty, blasted desert. Aeru clawed her way back from that, always dreaming of a brighter future.

　　Now, you and your peers have brought that brighter future to her. No wonder she loves each and every one of you. I know Aeru. The victory you brought her is a golden opportunity she won`t squander. She`ll want to continue growing and developing the best parts of this world. And that includes you.

　　"So, what does that mean? Bigger cities?"

　　Perhaps. The victory belongs to the humans, too. Who knows what they will come up with in the next five thousand years. Probably bigger cities, yes. But you aren`t going anywhere, and you`d done a lot of growing since you woke up on Aeru. I hardly think you`ll stop growing. You just have to decide how you want to grow.

　　"Martin left, and Kumbanaka is leaving today. Some other creatures left, too. They say my magic changed."

　　It did. I told you that you were no slaver. Now that the demon threat is gone, the more& persuasive parts of your magic have automatically shut down. Creatures that are staying with you have their own reasons to continue the relationship. I hope you agree to let them stay.

　　"What, now I can kick them out?"

　　You always could. But it`s much easier, now. You could expel every creature in your domain. I don`t recommend it; you need some of the energy they provide to survive. But you`re less of a zookeeper, now, and more of a hotel, if that makes sense.

　　"Okay. I`m still gonna miss Kumbanaka and Martin. Not so much the Jinpa, or the big demon, I guess."

　　For now, you`ll feel better once you clean up this&

　　"Oh, hey, I did want to tell you. I made a new friend. His name is Mal. The Celestial Wurms left their black egg behind, and it hatched."

　　You have a new creature in your domain already?

　　"He`s not part of my domain. He`s just& here."

　　"Hello, Jim," interjected Mal. "I`m very pleased to meet you. I`ve heard so much about you."

　　Well, hello.

　　Jim and Fred were both shocked that Mal had joined the conversation. It had been their personal connection for so long.

　　"How are you doing this, Mal? Nobody`s been able to talk to Jim, not even Martin."

　　"My kind is very magical, Fred. Did I forget to tell you that?"

　　Welcome, Mal. You are so young! Will your parents come back for you?

　　"In time, when I have grown some. I`m part of those changes you`ve been warning Fred about. It was known."

　　Mal and Jim fell into an animated discussion, using several technical terms Fred knew nothing about. He didn`t want to spoil this meeting, so he politely kept his mouth shut. And he looked out on the long shadows of a clear, bright morning. The humans were up and bustling about. Large groups were gathering, either leaving or reorganizing their living arrangements.

　　And over by the Healing Complex, the acolytes started the morning with song.

　　The end