WARNING!! -- this is old, and while recently updated with minor edits and the last of the chapters i never put up back in the day, it shall never be updated...enjoy it anyways!
...since a lot of you seem to keep doing so o-o ...
- Created By itsumademo
Chapter Fourteen
The Catalyst
Chapter Fourteen
I knelt down to get a better view of the child, her small hand tightly clutching the thick fabric of my cloak.
“Did you lose your mommy, sweetie?”
My hand gently stroked her long light blonde hair, her large eyes continuing to stare at me.
“You look diffwent…why?” She tilted her head to the side, her free hand then reached out and took a portion of my own hair with it.
“Um, I-I’m not really different, just a...uh...a wig, yes I’m just wearing a wig.” I smiled as kindly as I could, hoping she wouldn’t be afraid of me.
“Yes huh! Your eyes are gween, your hair is bwack. Mommy says nobody has those but the Immortals and tat I have to stay away if I sees one.”
“Oh, no no sweetie,” I rubbed her head reassuringly, “I’m not an Immortal, you don’t have to worry.”
“Okay!” Grinning from ear to ear, she took another grip of my hair and started trying to braid it.
A small giggle coiled in my chest. I had always loved children but found it somewhat uncomfortable when they were around, likely due to their parents or possibly the large amounts the travelled in made me feel on guard. People always gave me slight anxiety, I really don’t know why.
“While you give me a lovely hairdo, how about we go looking for this missing mommy.”
“Yea!”
We shared a small laugh as I gripped her tightly and hefted the girl up to my side, where she happily rested on my hip with my arm around her, my other hand coming to interlock with its twin beneath the child’s bottom.
“I completely forgot to ask, what’s your name?”
“Sara.”
“That’s very pretty, it suits you well little Sara.” I smiled at her as she giggled in response.
We entered into the bustling areas where the stalls were crowded with customers, and venders shouted out their vocal commercials. Further toward the core of the buying turmoil was a man doing odd things with fish and bells, and a little boy playing a large instrument I didn’t recognize at all.
I tried not to linger anywhere too long so as not to be noticed, although it seemed that having Sara with me was keeping suspicious eyes away.
“So little Sara, where do you think your mother has gotten to?”
She paused in her braiding to think, her plump pink lips puffed out as she went.
“Mommy makes fings with clothes.”
Her answer was cryptic and unexpected, although still childlike as the girl went back to braiding my hair, thinking her response was perfectly understandable. I exhaled with calm exasperation.
“Does she sell her work?”
“Mommy says she hastah work so I can eats and goes to school.”
“Ahh, does mommy make clothes or does she make other things?”
“Mommy makes lots. Sometimes she makes me clothes!” She smiled cheerfully and released my twisted locks to grasp her dress.
“Did your mommy make you that dress?”
“Uhhuh!”
“It’s very pretty.” I grinned.
“Yup! It’s my favwite one. Mommy said she made it only for Sara.”
Lightly I chuckled at her words, bouncing her on my hip to readjust her position. “There are a few vendors here that sell fabric. Do you see you mommy anywhere, Sara?”
Her brown eyes searched the several stalls, little lips sticking out again as she decided what to answer. “Mommy’s not here.”
“Okay then, let’s keep searching.” Stopping for a moment to think, “I wonder if she’s at one of those nicer places I saw being set up earlier today.” My foot shifted on the dusty stone ground and I headed for where I had left the Immortal.
“TADA!” Suddenly a tuft of my hair was pushed up into my face with Sara beaming proudly on the other end.
“Wow, you did such a great job Sara! Let me get a gift for you and your mommy.”
Releasing one of my hands I worked it into the pocket in my cloak, with some finger maneuvering the bag shifted open enough that I could reach the shiny gold pieces I knew lay in its belly.
“Hey Sara, what’s your very favorite number?”
“I like fwree.” Her mouth stayed open after answering, like she were going to say something else but she never did.
With some trouble I collected three coins, then removed my fist and awkwardly pulled the drawstring as tight as possible in this situation and put my palm out to the little girl.
“This is your gift for doing such a great job for me Sara.”
Chocolate brown reflected burnished yellow, her mouth agape in awe.
“Now make sure when you see your mommy you give her this, alright?”
“I will, I pwomise.” She collected the bits in her small grip. Her excitement was adorable; I couldn’t keep from smiling warmly at her.
“Sara!” A shout came from a few feet ahead of me, altering my attention from the joyful child to a terrified looking woman with the same large brown eyes staring at me.
“Oh hello ma’am.”
She stopped abruptly before me, her eyes seeming to grow larger as she continued her penetrating gaze.
“Mommy!” Sara threw her arms out towards the woman, who upon hearing her shout quickly went to pry her away.
“Here you are sweetie.” I held her out, where her mother swiftly leaned toward me just enough to snatch up Sara into a fierce embrace. I exhaled an awkward cough, “I, uh, I hope her wandering is just a phase.”
I gave them both a gentle, placating smile while backing away slowly and began to head for the meeting place where the
Immortal was likely waiting with growing impatience.
“Mommy, the pretty lady gave me these.”
A gasp followed the exaggerated words of the little girl, but I managed to get myself out of sight before anything else could occur. I didn’t need a grateful, or possibly angry stranger following me around.
The area was rather difficult to remember now that ornaments and stalls filled the viewable buildings and masses of people moved this way and that among them. I sighed with frustration, “I don’t recognize anything!”
As I was just about to turn another corner, I spotted a thankfully very familiar person standing and pacing in a small area near a wall. It was the mysterious hobo-like man with the oddly complacent bird resting upon his hair.
I ran up to him, slightly thoughtless of me really, although it also gave me a chance to observe him more closely as I had wanted to do the first time I saw the man. His absurdly long, somewhat straggly beard dragged along the dirtier grounds as he moved. Now that I got closer, I believed he looked a bit…agitated.
“Excuse me, sir?”
“AHH! There you are, there you are my dear. Shouldn’t take so long, not so long. I’ve been waiting, you know. Waiting and waiting and waiting.”
The peculiar nature of his words almost made me laugh, although I retained my demeanor.
He had one light blue eye and one somewhat amber colored eye; I had never seen someone with two eye colors before. It reminded me of something grandmother had said about her first two uncles that went missing, they had shared eye colors, one grey-blue and one violet.
For a moment I pondered on if that had any sort of connection or was merely a coincidence, when my thoughts hit the brakes and rewound. “Hold on, you said you were waiting for me? Why? What for?” The realization of what he’d said had only just reached me, seeing as I was too busy studying him and falling down the rabbit’s hole of my thoughts.
“You must come, follow me, follow me.”
“Wait! Where are you going?” For such an old looking man, he was certainly quite spry and quick in his movements. I had to jog just to keep him in view.
The man ducked into a small building that sat along the edge of the forest. It looked as though the edifice walls wormed their way into a huge and elderly looking tree, a quite massive one. Once I reached the already opened door, I made a cautious step through it.
“Hello? Creepy hobo guy?”
“Jade, finally!” The Immortal suddenly appeared from my side and took a firm grip on my wrist, pulling me all the way into the building and shutting the door.
My heartbeat was rather rapid after nearly being lunged at, but I fortunately hadn’t made any noises, which was calming to know. “I would have hated to squeal in front of him.”
“What?”
“OH!” My free hand thrust up to cover my mouth. Darn, I thought I was getting better at controlling that habit. “Nothing, it was nothing.”
“You should have been here earlier.” A sigh escaped him.
I rolled my eyes, “Well sorry, I was busy.”
“What could have possibly kept you nearly a half hour later than originally planned?” We stopped in a large, alcove-like room.
“A small child found me as I was leaving the shop I got some supplies in and she was saying she was lost. I simply helped her find her mother.”
“Jade! You can’t be exposing yourself like that!” The Immortal ran a hand over his face; he seemed far more stressed out than usual.
“I didn’t even think you could BE stressed out. What’s the big deal? Calm down.”
“The poison in your body is what’s stressing me out, Jade! According to the mage, that particular poison kills rather swiftly.”
“Poison? Oh yeah, my arm.” I pushed up my sleeve to reveal the soiled bandages covering the discolored skin.
The Immortal took a sudden hold on my limb and moved the sleeve up farther, finding that the wound’s bruising had now spread to my upper arm and from the looks of it my shoulder and part of my chest as well.
“Oh my gosh…” I could feel my eyes widen at the view. “This was only on my forearm a short while ago!”
A foreign voice chimed in. “And we must hurry before that poison reaches your heart. For a human, you’re lucky it didn’t get you immediately; should be thankful an Immortal helped you.” An aged looking person stepped into the spacious room. He certainly looked ancient, even more along in years than the gentlemen from this afternoon. A dark brown robe with some golden patterns weaving around it covered his slightly hunched, short form. “Hello Jade.” He gave me a small smile, closing his eyes in the process.
“Um, hi.”
“Why don’t you come lie down on this table and we can get the procedure underway.”
The old wood of the counter did not look at all sound, and the whole ‘lie down on this table and we can get the procedure underway’ sounded odd and satirically eerie. I gave a hesitant glance towards the Immortal, however he simply nodded for me to comply.
“If this thing collapses beneath me or I wake up without my kidneys, I will be sure to hurt you both.”
My threat didn’t seem to faze either of them, so I crawled up, keeping my dress down and my cloak I had set off to the side so as not to be a hindrance for the mage. Staring up at the dirty and oddly low hanging ceiling, despite it being a dome, I found things becoming comfortably peaceful.
“You should be falling into a sedated state.”
“Hmm?” My voice rumbled softly in my own head.
“She’s ready.”
Though the world had certainly taken on a more nebulous form, I could feel the mage take hold of my bandaged arm and the sudden, raw tingling of cold air rubbing against the wound as he removed the fabric.
“Do you think you could remove all the magic you have placed on her?” The old mage was surprisingly loud beside me. “It would make my job easier.”
“I can, but my work is all that’s been keeping her from feeling the poison’s effects. There is no telling what may happen if I do.”
“That’s one reason for her sedated state, but I simply cannot put her out completely, she must have some consciousness.”
“No, I understand.” Another hand took hold of my injured limb, and from the fuzzy but loud voices, I assumed it was the Immortal’s touch.
“Jade,” my head twitched back at the whisper near my ear. “Please prepare yourself. This is going to be painful.”
My eyes blinked sleepily in a form of response to his words. His hand gripped firmly while an abrupt and odd feeling washed across my body, like plastic wrap being pulled off my skin. It wasn’t until the sensation reached the bruised parts of my body that I felt the pain I had been warned of.
A sharp inhale rushed into my lungs, my eyes ripped wide open while tears began forming and streaming down my cheeks, pooling warmly at my ears. I held in any screams, trying very hard to bite back the piecing agony. Once his hand lifted from my arm, my body set itself into matters of its own and shot a series of spasms through my left side. A few whines managed to slip between my lips until the Immortal’s large hands took hold of my limb and shoulder to stop the movements.
It seemed as though I could feel every single pore on my body, each one’s hair standing up straight in shock of the pain that ran its way through all the nerves which were settled beneath the peculiar markings along my side. Even being sealed by the Immortal’s hands didn’t keep me from the impossible urge and need to writhe, jolt, and wriggle about with the futile attempt to dull the aches.
The elderly mage once again placed his hands firmly upon my arm, far tighter than he had previously. A part of me really wanted to tell him to let go, both of them actually, but I didn’t seem to have maintained a connection from my brain to my mouth…all that slipped away were moans and whines and airy exhales.
“My my my,” the old man mumbled “this girl has an incredible amount of layers on her.”
“What? How many?”
“I can’t say, but it’s a great deal. Quiet strong and very tough. I may need some assistance.”
I followed the man with my watery eyes as he left my side and went to place his bony hand upon the wall, which looked to be the large tree’s center. I wished for a better view, but my body would not cooperate. While my ears were picking up sound like the world was shouting, as his thin lips moved I couldn’t make out any of it.
Slowly I made another forceful convulsion. However, no matter how strongly I tried, the Immortal kept me firmly in place, allowing only my pitiful exclamations and hot tears free.
Just as my eyes finally cleared themselves of my latest bought of sobs, I saw the old man step forward, though this time he had a companion at his side. Lovely, tall, slender, a woman I had never seen before though oddly familiar. Dark, dirt brown locks waved haphazardly around her face and drifted far past her shoulders, a few leaves and twigs nestled in the mess, and the ends of delicately pointed ears peeking through the loose curls. Her features were soft but strong, all done in creamy skin. A smooth though powerful brow touched slightly by widow’s peak bangs with thin, short eyebrows that seemed to be in two parts, the main, though tapered, piece and a little bit cut off…almost like the beginning of a dotted line. A petite, gently tipped nose sloped down to plump lips with a mild cherubic v, and the small chin of a near heart shaped face. But, of all this, my gaze finally settled upon her golden eyes. I knew those eyes. Big, warm, full of wonder and childish intent, lined with dark lashes to further accentuate the emotions always dancing in her bright orbs. And like an accent to them, two dark speckle marks just a bit beneath the lower lids added to her otherworldly appearance.
My lips parted to greet Autumn, but obviously couldn’t seem to form the right words. Nevertheless, she smiled gaily as usual and pressed a long finger lightly against my trembling mouth to stop my trying.
“What could you have possibly gotten into to make me appear in my full form?”
She tucked some of her wild hair behind an ear, and though, now a bit relieved of some hair, I noticed they were not quite like the small ones she apparently wore the times I saw her. No, they were much longer, finely shaped, and it seemed cut in three places similar to the appearance of small leaves hanging from a branch. Each end faded lightly with a calm green; everything added to the earthy glow she possessed.
A graceful hand touched my forehead, which I tried and failed to follow.
“Wow, you were right, my friend.” She sighed heavily, “You do realize that you’ll owe me greatly, Tahlk.”
“Yes, yes, I’m quite aware.” He waved her comment off and returned to his place, with Autumn at my opposite side.
With the way all three of them held onto me, I felt they may be trying to tear me apart at the seams. Thankfully Autumn’s grip was far more delicate than the two men, not that she wasn’t digging into my limbs as well. Pulling strongly at each of them, I still continued to spasm and writhe at the pain, which was happily a bit duller now that I had three magically inclined people forcing my body against an old table in the center of an even older tree.
“You ready?” Autumn loudly questioned, to which each man nodded quickly. Just as I was about to shut my eyes tightly for whatever the hell they were going to do next, my once child friend turned her calming face to mine. “We’re going to wipe all the magic out of your system rather than try to remove the poison itself. I don’t know what may be uncovered, so, good luck Jade.”
I tried to give a small smile of understanding, though I felt like I may have only grimaced with slightly, not exactly calm eyes.
Chapter Eight
The Catalyst
Chapter Eight
“OH! Come on and move your lazy ass already!!”
I pulled with all my strength on the reins but Orion stood as though I were barely a bother to him. For the past two days Orion had appeared to be more than a pain, he was an arrogant, rude, callous ass of a horse that seemed to be doing nothing more than making my life worse. And he was bringing out the most awful tendencies in me.
“Ugh!” I threw down the reins and crossed my arms tightly across my chest. Jade colored eyes glaring coldly at scoffing blue ones. “What is your problem? Why can’t you simply come along?”
He snorted and stamped a hoof against the dirt and moss covered ground.
“Oh sorry! Please, go! Do whatever the hell it is you do while I just complacently wait here!” I tossed my arms in the air to further prove my point, albeit somewhat sarcastically.
He puffed again, with a pleased grin-like expression on his face. His hooves beat in a light trot as he headed into the woods.
“You know, I don’t actually plan to wait patiently!” I screamed into the unlucky trees and bushes that he had just walked into.
A nickering laugh echoed back at me.
I scoffed and sat down on a broken, old stump. A sudden thump hit the back of my head and a pebble fell beside my foot.
“Very mature, you damn horse!”
I kicked into the dirt and waited with ever growing irritation. I looked up into the trees and saw the familiar silhouette of the Immortal walking into the small clearing I had settled into.
“Where have you been?”
A thin black brow rose at my question.
“You and Orion not getting along again?” He casually said as he slipped down to the earth with a lithely cross of his legs.
“My, how could you tell?” I mumbled under my breath, though I wasn’t entirely sure he couldn’t hear me when I did that. His abilities were still a mystery to me.
I sighed heavily. “I’m sorry; he has me a bit on edge.”
“I’ve noticed.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, whatever, were you able to find anything to eat?”
“There are a few deer grazing near this area.”
“And? You couldn’t bring one here?”
I straightened my posture as I waited for an answer.
“Deer are very rare in this world, I was not about to diminish their population simply to comply with your stomach.”
“Rare? That’s odd…in my world there are so many deer that once a year they are allowed to be hunted in order to keep the populace in check. Well, back home at least.” I leaned onto my hands, my elbows pushing into my thighs.
“Back home?”
“We moved to Ireland three years ago…but we had been living in Maine before that.”
“Ireland?”
“Yes, Ireland is a lovely place and I did like it there, but I missed home. Grandmother had suddenly insisted that we move and since my mother had agreed to take her in after my uncle suddenly went missing…she had to comply. Not that she wanted to pack up and move to a different country, but something in grandmother’s insistence was enough to convince her, I guess.”
“You’ve mentioned your grandmother before…Guinevere. How is she?”
I sat up again at his question. I had been declining to bring up grandmother’s death with him, for some reason I felt I shouldn’t tell him quite yet. However, even though I had resigned to lie, I still hesitated to answer.
“Jade? Are you alright?”
“Yes. Oh, uh, grandmother is fine. Doing well back home. She went on a trip not that long before I left, exploring somewhere in Asia…she didn’t specify where though.” I waved my hand around in an attempt to further prove the truth of my statement.
“Hmm.” He nodded with a knowing look. “She enjoyed exploring here as well.”
“Yes, she always has.”
A comforting feeling came over me whenever I thought back on memories with her.
A sudden hot rush of air hit the back of my head, knocking me from my happy thoughts and bringing me back to reality. Where a pain in the ass horse thought I followed it’s every whim.
“It seems Orion is back. And by the way he’s gritting his teeth in my ear, I would bet that he’s hungry too.” I pressed my lips together to control my annoyance.
“Then why don’t the two of you go out and get something to eat?”
“Us?!” Orion snorted in protest beside me.
“Yes, you two. Just look for some fruit for now, that should sustain you until I can find some meat tomorrow.”
I growled at the thought of food hunting with the damn picky horse.
“Fine. Come on, Orion.” I took hold of his bridle and pulled him forward until I had time to pick up the reins, which dragged along the ground.
After a relatively quiet walk Orion began making his bored clicking sound as I wrung the leather straps in my hands.
“Stop that.”
He scoffed with a small neigh.
“Why can’t you cooperate? At least help me search!”
He made a short snorting sound and then suddenly pulled at my cloak.
“What?”
He bobbed his head in the direction he had tugged where a huge tree stood several yards away with large fruit looking objects growing from its branches.
“Good job.”
I made an attempt to rub his nose, though he pulled away and moved his head to look down at me with a large blue eye as I tried.
I sighed. “Arrogant.”
I began walking to the tree, dropping Orion’s reins in the process.
“And where do you think you’re going?” Autumn called to me from back where I once stood.
“Autumn? Why are you here?”
“Watching out for you, of course. That silly Immortal never really pays enough attention.”
“What do you mean?” I stepped away from the tree and towards her; Orion chose to wait a few feet from her position.
“That tree’s fruit is poisonous…pretty but deadly.”
“Well, it wasn’t my find exactly.” I looked over at Orion and he spun around to have his butt staring back at me.
I narrowed my eyes. “Thank you, Autumn.” Then moved to look at her again. “I’m glad you came to help. Would you point us to some non lethal fruit?”
“Sure I will.” She smiled pleasantly, turned her feet in the opposite direction, and began walking off.
I followed, grabbing Orion’s bridle as I checked to make sure that he came along.
“Here, these berries are small but the flavor is good and they fill you up rather quickly.” I saw her reach out to a strange hairy looking bush of green and brownish red, bringing back with her some bright pink and yellow colored berries.
“I think the pink ones are sweeter, the yellow have more flavor though.” She picked several and set them in my hands.
“Um, can you flip open the satchel on Orion’s side?”
Autumn tossed back the leather cover so that I could drop all the fruit in safely.
I sighed happily. “Thanks for your help.”
“My pleasure.” She bowed, her brown hair tumbling over her shoulders.
I took hold of the reins again and turned to find Autumn gone.
A sharp tug on my cloak redirected my attention to Orion, who nudged as best as he could against the bag filled with berries.
“Alright…” I removed a few and held them out to him, he gently took the fruit one by one from my hand, eating away from me before bringing his head back to retrieve more.
Despite his definite faults, he was really very clean for a horse. Although the longer I spent my time with him the more I was beginning to wonder what sort of horse he was.
When we arrived back at the clearing, the Immortal was still sitting exactly where he was, though his black eyes were closed.
I walked past him quietly so that I didn’t wake him up, but as Orion headed by he snorted at the back of my head. My eyes opened wide and I spun around quickly to clamp my arms around his muzzle. He shook his head around to be released, but I held fast.
“I’m not asleep; you don’t need to restrain him.”
I sighed in relief and let Orion go. He scoffed angrily at me and bit at my arm.
“Stop that Orion!” I swatted at him. “Immortal, did you happen to find any water near here? I’d love a bath after all this walking.”
“There’s one in that direction,” his arm stretched in the opposite bearing of where Orion and I had just come from, “not far, but enough so that you’ll feel comfortable.”
I smiled cheerfully. “Finally! Thank you Immortal!” I started heading for the water, eager to clean myself of all the dirt and grime of the last two days.
“You smiled.”
I stopped my feet and looked back to the Immortal. “What?”
“You smiled. You haven’t smiled since we left. It’s nice.”
My face warmed a little as we looked at each other. I wasn’t sure how long we had been there, neither of us moving. Orion suddenly pushed against my shoulder. I blinked several times and narrowed my eyes.
“Ugh, Orion stop that!” I pushed against his head and began walking back towards the water. His nickering laugh followed me as I went.
“Stupid horse.”
The more I walked on the better I was able to maneuver through the trees, and they seemed to be getting thinner once I spotted the clear water.
The small shore was nothing more than warm sand but the deeper edges were lined with large rocks and boulders and perhaps 20 or 30 feet across the surface a tall, beautiful waterfall dropped into the small lake.
The air surrounding the place was clean and fresh, not lined with dust and heavy with the scent of nature. I glanced around me just to be sure there was no one in the area and then I started loosening the ties and cords of my clothing, laying it all upon one of the larger rocks near the water’s closest edge.
I shivered briefly as the wind ran its breath across my naked body, where small bumps came up onto my skin. I rubbed my arms quickly to warm up. Slowly I stepped up onto the stones and took a long deep breath before jumping into the spotless pool beneath.
The water pushed against me as I broke past the surface and started to swim gracefully in the silent peace that surrounded me.
For a long while I let the waves guide me along in the deep, getting bluer the further down I went. Inside I was quite glad I had been forced to swim so often in the ocean with my mother, even though she knew I hated it greatly. Swimming and I never really mixed well.
I returned to the surface and took another breath after my extensive time beneath. I leaned my head back and brought my feet up with balance and floated on the exterior of the water.
“I wonder what town will be like. This place seems far more primitive than home…it may be like going back in time.” A giggle escaped me.
I moved my arms around my body, propelling closer towards the waterfall. As I went it was gradually becoming more difficult to move, the water felt as though it were hardening and stopping me in place. I lifted my head but my legs and torso stayed, like I was lying on a bed. I struggled against whatever held me until, slowly, two blue tinted arms appeared by my waist on either side and wrapped themselves tightly.
“How dare you...” A wisp like female voice whispered in my ear.
“Who’s there? Who are you?” I tried to turn my head but as I did so the arms suddenly vanished, leaving water pooled on my stomach. My body was free and I dropped into the water, looking around for the woman.
“Tsk tsk.” The voice clicked its tongue. “You…you things…”
“Hey! I’m not a thing! Who the hell are you?”
Cerulean colored hair bobbed to the surface in front of me and soon the lightly blue tinted skin of a forehead appeared and sure enough a lovely face followed. Yellow, spotted eyes glared at me.
“Why are YOU here!? How the hell ARE you here!?” Her voice was uncomfortably soothing as she yelled with fire in her tone.
“I’m just bathing. It’s been a long journey and there are more days ahead, I am simply trying to relax.”
“Bathing? Relaxing?” She growled.
“Yes. But I do apologize; I didn’t realize someone lived here. If I had I wouldn’t have come.” I spoke slowly, holding back the anger this bizarre woman instilled in me.
“HA!” She scoffed. “Liar.”
“I’m not lying! I’ve never been here before; I was merely taking a bath!”
The water began to heat up as her feral eyes glared down on me and her body started rising up from the waters. She stood upon the surface, her skin entirely highlighted blue and naked with long bluish green hair draping down to her feet. In some places there were fin-looking appendages protruding from her limbs, yellow and black colored lines and spots painted parts of her skin.
I couldn’t find anything to say to her and soon the water was set in motion, spinning and bubbling, the heat getting like boiling water.
“You females….things…creatures unworthy of them. You die and you die, you damn extinct woman…when you’re gone you should stay DEAD!” Her voice reached a scream and abruptly my legs were seized and yanked down.
I had no time to breathe and the longer I tried not to let go the more I felt the tightening of my chest wrench at my body. I struggled as hard as I could against the arms holding me but the pressure of the depth beat against me even harder.
My eyes blurred, I could feel unconsciousness weighing down. The last bits of air from my lungs escaped and I felt boiling waters rush in, burning my nose and lungs. In the seconds before I drifted away I thought I sensed hands wrap onto my torso and in my final living thought I imagined it to be the Immortal saving me from death.
Chapter Seven
The Catalyst
Chapter Seven
I clasped the handle of my grandmother’s bedroom door and quickly twisted the knob, anxious and excited flutters dancing in my stomach. The chance to explore the cities outside this tower and forest was driving me on, perhaps causing me to be a bit jumpy. Seeing as once I entered the room and saw Caleb lying on the bed, my body seemed to leap in itself.
“What are you doing here!?”
Even from the threshold I could make out his wry smirk, as he calmly flexed his foot with an impatient rhythm. Despite my irritated question, he continued his same movements as though I hadn’t even appeared.
I narrowed my eyes at him and with firmly placed steps I walked over to the bedside.
“Caleb, why are you here?”
“Jade…” his closed eyes opened suddenly, flooding violet into my view “…did you know, that piece of clothing is rather thin in the sun’s light?” His gaze slid over to look at me.
I felt strong flares of heat all over my face, and then all through my body, at the idea of Caleb being able to see my underwear. I crossed my arms tightly across my chest. “It’s not supposed to be worn this way…I-I was in a hurry this morning.” I kept my face turned from his, while I tried to control the blush tinting my cheeks.
As I felt the heat subsiding, I dropped my arms and quickly turned back to face Caleb. I opened my mouth to speak but instead of words I found my lips molded against Caleb’s and the warmth I had once pushed away came rushing back with more force. His hands moved to my hips and tried to gently pull me down with him, but, a little against some part of my wishes, I broke myself off from the kiss and stepped back to turn away.
“So touchy.” He chuckled behind me.
I scoffed. “I wouldn’t be so…touchy...if you would stop being such a…a…”I groped about for a word, my mind still kind of jumbled. Then, with an irritated groan, “...a depraved, egotistical creep!”
He laughed again, a little louder than before, and with a light tap I heard his shoes fall against the floorboards. I tightly bit the inside of my lip and spun around to face him with my hands resting on my hips.
“Yes, yes. I apologize.” His smile glistened; he was clearly trying to turn on the charm. A strong, seemingly innocent hand was then held out to me. “Peace?”
I raised a brow at the gesture and stepped forward. Slowly, I lifted my hand to his, but just as we went to grasp one another, I moved my hand in orbit around his and as quickly as I could I flicked his forehead playfully.
I grinned in mocking triumph at his shocked expression. “There doesn’t seem to be any peace with you.” A small giggle escaped at my own comment. I then sighed with exhaustion as the events prior returned to the forefront of my mind. “Anyway, you should get going now. I have to finish getting ready.”
“Ready? For what?” He questioned as I shooed him to the open balcony.
“The Immortal is bringing me to one of the cities so that I can finally get some food…and other quite needed supplies as well.” I tacked on that last part, remembering where I was and that I only showed up with the clothes on my back.
“HA, that will certainly be a show.”
“Why?” I paused at the rails as Caleb stood nimbly atop them.
A bright violet eye looked at me from the side. “You’ll find out soon enough.” He jumped from the rails with that stupid smirk playing on his features.
I watched him land gently on the brown land surrounding the tower’s walls. “A show? Why would it be that interesting to see us in town?”
It’s not that the idea didn’t seem a bit peculiar; the Immortal is a legend. A great person, shrouded in mystery. “But…” I stopped my movements as the doors of the balcony shut with a light thump. “What on earth does Caleb mean?”
After a few seconds I shook my head and ran my hands swiftly against my face. “Stop worrying. I better just get ready… I’m sure the Immortal will already be waiting.”
I moved over to the side of the bed and grabbed the rest of my clothing. I slipped into the outer half and laced the second set of ribbons in the back of my dress, as well as the cords for my sleeves. I did like the dress, especially since grandmother had made it for me for my 17th birthday last year. “I should try and get some more cloth in order to create some of my own, I miss making clothes. Not to mention I simply can’t continue to wear the same thing every day.” I smoothed out the fabrics and pulled my shoes on as I headed toward the door.
“Shoot…” I looked at the blackness and tried to remember the way to the crossroads at the Immortal’s hallway.
“Lost?”
The Immortal’s voice came from beside me and I swatted at his chest for startling me. “Why do you do that?”
As he walked from the doorway, leading me through the dark, I saw his shoulders shrug briefly. “Because I can.”
“UGH!” I growled at him but followed his figure through the corridors until we again passed by the long hallway leading to his large, antique bedroom. For a moment I caught myself wandering towards it again with brimming inquisitive tenacity, but stopped after a hard smack in the face from running into the Immortal’s back. “OW!”
I heard his voice echo a laugh at my ignorance. “You did that one purpose.” I grumbled.
“Perhaps it is you doing this on purpose.”
I scoffed at his response. Luckily once we reached the last staircase I knew we were close to getting outside and into the light. A smile slid onto my face at the memory of warm sunlight gracing my skin again.
“Step back a bit, the doors send in a strong rush of air when opened.”
I looked at the two large double doors I had opened when I first arrived. “I don’t remember that?”
“You weren’t on this side of the doors.”
I shrugged with a careless sigh and stepped away from the exit. There were times I could make out subtle shadows of the Immortal as he stood by the doorway. A sudden bright red colored light illuminated the hall for a second at most and quietly settled in the area between the Immortal’s hand and the doors.
“What’s that?” I stepped closer, but he didn’t reply.
The doors pulled open, bringing with them a huge gust of winds that sucked into the lobby like a vacuum. I shielded my face, but through the slit of my held up arms I saw the Immortal standing perfectly still while the air rushed past him, blowing his long black hair and clothes.
When the current died down I moved over to where the Immortal was standing. “Immortal?”
He blinked a few times, as though he were regaining his senses. His black eyes turned to me. “Yes?”
“Uh, are you alright?” I resisted the urge to place my hand on his arm as a form of comfort.
“Of course. Come on, we have a stop to make before we begin heading out.”
I pulled back in confusion. “A stop?”
“Yes, there is something we must retrieve before making the journey.”
“Journey? How long will it take to get there, exactly?”
“With your pace, it will be around five days.”
“Five days!? Wait, my pace? What is that supposed to mean?” I ran to continue walking beside him as we began crossing the barren grounds surrounding the tower.
“Normally I could reach the city within two days time, but with you it will take longer. Although, since you are more athletic than a normal human, I cut down the general eight day hike to five.”
“Eight! Just how large is this forest anyway?”
“Quite enormous, but I have never invested time in discerning the approximate size.”
“No, can’t imagine you’d ever take the trouble to.” I derisively mumbled as my arms crossed.
We kept silent for the nearly 40 minute walk into the woods, until a large brick-like building started to appear in the trees. “What’s that?”
“A stable. Autumn takes care of it for me.”
“A stable…? You have horses here?”
“Sure, horses are needed at times, and you’ll definitely need one.”
“And why’s that?”
“Would you rather carry everything you get in town?”
“Well…no.”
“Then you’ll be needing a horse. There are several in the stalls, however I have a specific one in mind for you.”
“Oh…what kind of horse?”
“I have no idea; I have no expertise on horses. Autumn may know.”
“Right, Autumn.” I slowed my pace in thought as we reached a side door for the stable. “How do you know her again?”
We stepped into the large and very clean stable where a few small grunts and whinnies escaped from the alerted horses. He declined to answer and walked down the hay laid path between the stalls. His feet stopped in front of one of the larger containers.
I jogged over to the wooden door, though I wasn’t quite tall enough to see over it, the thing was very large. “Geez, just how big is this horse?”
A large bang against the door startled me and I stepped back.
“The blockade isn’t necessarily for height or girth…rather, temper.”
“You’re going to give me, a fairly inexperienced rider, a temperamental and somewhat large horse…let me guess, a male?”
“Yes.” He removed the three sets of chain restraints from the door.
“Wait just a second young man, what exactly do you think you’re doing?” Autumn’s youthful and angry voice erupted from the opened side door of the stable.
The Immortal dropped his hands.
“Autumn, why are you here?” I moved from behind the Immortal and walked towards her.
“Ah, Jade. I see you found your way just fine.” She smiled happily and then turned back her heated glare on the Immortal.
“You know that he is not a tame creature, and this last year has not lowered that in the least.”
“He’s not for me, Autumn.”
“You can’t possibly be suggesting that Jade ride him, he’s far too wild and furious.”
“She doesn’t have to ride him; he shall be for transporting goods only.”
“And what makes you think he’ll comply with that so willingly?”
“Uh, well…” The Immortal looked away from Autumn. I had never seen him at a loss for words like that, especially in front of one so young.
“You think that he’ll miraculously take to her and calm down?”
“Actually, yes.”
“How reckless… can’t you ever do something that doesn’t endanger lives?”
“Don’t worry Autumn; I’m sure things will be fine. And if not, it’s only a few days.”
“Right…more like ten…” I mumbled under my breath.
Autumn placed a small hand in my own; it shocked me that she was so suddenly next to us, and not shouting by the threshold. “It’ll be fine Jade, the trip should be a nice change from the tower.” Her innocent smile glowed up at me.
“Uh, thanks.”
The Immortal pulled open the stall door, I stepped back mostly due to the tugs from Autumn. She left my side and went into the pen with the Immortal, the loud bangs and neighs increased.
I moved around the edge of the wooden door and abruptly came face to face with a perfectly pure white horse with the bluest eyes I have ever seen. Warm air rushed from his nostrils at my sudden appearance, as though he scoffed at me.
I stepped into the stall and stood next to Autumn. “Those are blue eyes, horses don’t have blue eyes…they have black eyes, maybe brown…not blue…”
Autumn nodded at my confusion. “Yes, he does. Beautiful, aren’t they?”
I moved closer to him, his coat was whiter than anything I’d seen but his mane and tail were a warm brown or almost deep auburn. I reached out to touch him, but the Immortal stopped my progress.
“Don’t trust him simply because he’s quiet for a moment.”
“But he seems fine, just nervous…a little agitated.”
“Jade, don’t trust him. He’s killed before.”
“He’s a horse, Immortal.”
“And being purposely kicked by a horse can kill you.”
I sighed with frustration. “If you are so against him, then why bring him with us?”
“Because, he needs some air. We have had him in this stable for a year now and he needs to move around.”
“A year!? Gosh, why can’t you just let him out once in a while?”
“He was found wandering in Talen over a year ago and Autumn brought him here. He was confused, ill, and severely injured. He has been recuperating in this stable since.”
“I wonder what happened to him.”
“We don’t know really, nor have we tried much to discover it.”
“How come?”
“He simply won’t let us.” Autumn mentioned as she started leaving the stall, heading back into the forest.
“Immortal, when shall we get going?” He handed me a deep green cloak, I took it gently and found that it was rather heavy but also thin in its own way. “What’s this for?”
“Warmth and also to keep yourself hidden, once we enter town you’re to make sure that you never remove the cloak.”
I wrapped it around my shoulders and fastened the few buckles at the front. “Why not?”
“People here aren’t accustomed to new comers. Especially ones that look like you.”
“Look like me? Why should my appearance matter?”
“The inhabitants of this world are generally fairly…plain, in appearance. You would stand out greatly and draw unwanted attention. Just make sure to keep your head covered.”
“Uh, alright.” I tugged at the buckle as I mumbled, “don’t really know whether that’s a compliment or an insult.”
The Immortal seemed to ignore me and simply finished getting the horse ready to leave, and just before we left the stall he placed the reins in my hands. “You’ll lead him. If he stops for whatever reason let him go and wait until he returns.”
“Sure, but why?”
“Food, bathing, bathroom…essentially anything that he needs, he does on his own.”
“He’s a horse, though.”
“I know.”
We walked out of the stable slowly and began our journey through Talen.
“Oh, what’s his name?” I had nearly forgotten to ask with all the insanity going on.
“Orion.”
Chapter Six
The Catalyst
Chapter Six
“What are you doing, Jade?”
“Just…wandering. Why do you ask, Grandmother?”
“Don’t you know where you are, dear?”
“Uh, not really, I guess.” I stopped my feet. I had never really thought about it, but in fact I had no idea where I was or how I got there. “I’m just…here.” I exhaled. “Grandmother, where am I?”
I waited to hear the soft sound of my grandmother’s voice, however the silence continued. I glanced around only to notice that there was nothing and no one anywhere near me. The ground beneath my feet was rough and barren, going off into the distance endlessly. As I watched the clear sky move slowly up above I felt a tremor run up through my body and abruptly my legs gave out, dropping me to the earth I stood upon.
My hands pushed in opposition to the ground with my nails digging into the hard soil. I harshly bit my lip; breathing had suddenly become so difficult.
A cold wind rushed against my side, forcing me to the ground completely. I looked in the direction the gust had come from and saw a huge, black, mist-like mass gradually soaking up all the light that was filtering down to the wasteland I seemed trapped in. The being before me groaned with deafening strength, compelling me to shield my ears.
Finally able, I stood up awkwardly, facing the center of the darkness. It was almost mesmerizing, staring as I was, and the longer I watched, I began to notice a small figure appearing in the depth. I stepped forward without thinking, merely so that I could see more clearly. Just as I started to reach my hand toward the small creature forming in the black, two bright lavender eyes opened, knocking me backwards with invisible force.
Quickly, I jumped up and looked around, but instead saw the light of early morning shining on the floor of my grandmother’s bedroom. My chest rose and fell with rapid breaths; apparently it was only a dream.
“I’ve never dreamt something that felt so real before.” I sighed, exhaling a long withheld breath of anxiety. “…So real.”
I held my head in my hands as my body calmed down from the insanity of what I felt just happened. It was very strange, my thoughts wandered against my will back to the dream, a small black mass with lavender eyes…
I looked up again, staring briefly at the desk against the wall where my two fruits sat quietly, frozen like crystal. I had managed to perform the frozen spell once more on the peach from The Immortal’s garden.
“The Immortal!” I threw the covers off my legs and jumped to the floor to quickly put my clothes on.
I hadn’t seen the Immortal for almost three days now. “It’s a good thing I had found a bathroom on our way back to the room last time or I probably would have gotten lost and died in this damn tower looking for one.” I slipped into the bare minimum of my clothes, as I wanted to go and try and find him as soon as possible. I put on the under part of my dress and laced up the back.
As I opened the door and began heading into the hall, I attempted to comb through my hair with my fingers. “I wish I had a hair brush…I probably look horrible. But seeing as there is no time for me to head into the bathroom and take a quick shower...err, more like a bath really, I’ll simply have to bear with it.” I sighed.
I managed to find a staircase, however due to the darkness and the fact I had spent nearly all my time in my grandmother’s sun lit room, I was still not accustomed to walking around in the black of the tower.
Once I reached the floor again I turned both ways, I couldn’t remember which direction we had originally come from, or if there was even a way, or if it was a huge room or a small passage, or if I stepped forward I’d fall into a hole. It was simply too hard to see; to some degree I could make things out but otherwise I was barely able to notice my own hand in front of my face. “Crap.” My voice sounded quiet and minute.
I chewed on my lip as I thought, eventually I decided on right and once I found the wall I moved across it slowly as far as I could. There were a few instances where I came across a door…but not knowing what I would find kept me from looking, even though each time my side smacked into a doorknob my curiosity grew. I didn’t want to come across something I would wish I hadn’t, or perhaps irritate the Immortal, I didn’t think I wanted to piss off the man kind enough to let me, a stranger, stay here. “I suppose I’m not exactly a stranger. I mean he knew my grandmother, and from her stories I almost feel like I know him myself. Well, maybe a little anyways.”
I giggled slightly, which echoed in the hall.
Once I calmed down I heard a small wind blowing from somewhere near me, or at least it sounded as though it was near me. It was difficult sometimes to tell where a noise was coming from in these passages. I continued moving forward until I came across dim light drifting from a somewhat ajar door at the end of another corridor to my left. I could see an opened balcony similar to the one in my grandmother’s bedroom although it appeared to be larger. Perhaps it was one of the other real windows I had noticed outside the tower.
I walked toward it, heading through easily without holding against the wall to know where I was going. I placed my hands on the door’s side and edged it open so that I didn’t make a sound.
The room was enormous; books on large wooden shelves lined three of the five walls in the place. There were also two large old desks placed side-by-side, each having antique objects such as lamps and stationary sets. Lining yet another wall was a huge bed with four posts reaching up to the high lifting ceiling, on either side sat a nightstand lined with books and papers as well as a few old fashioned pens and identical twin lamps, both of which appeared to be oil fueled. Up along the last wall hung several types of weapons, most were sword-like in appearance, there were also a few bunches of daggers, some axes of different types, many spears and staff shaped poles, and at the top of this impressive collection were a couple odd looking guns, none of which were overly familiar to me. On the floor just beneath the arsenal rack was a bench with a few disheveled towels and blood looking stains spread upon it.
I reached my hand out and ran it along one of the larger claymore-like swords that had a strange greenish stone engraved into the blade. “You’re very beautiful.” Grandmother had once taken some sword handling lessons and because of that she had a few antique ones she kept in her home. She always told me that a sword is precious to its handler, just like a child to a parent; you always refer to them by gender and name. In fact, I would even on occasion talk to them when my cousin, Daela or grandmother, or my uncle weren’t around.
“I may not know your name, but you seem female to me.”
I stroked the stone gently when a sudden chill slipped in through the window. I turned around; I was tempted to close the balcony doors, however I didn’t want anyone to know I had been here.
Glancing about the room again, my curious urge couldn’t be stopped. I walked as lightly as I could as I moved over to look at the many things spread out on the nightstands. The papers were old looking, not unlike the ones in grandmother’s grimoire, with lovely articulate letters spread on it. I sifted through a few of the books but paused when I came across one that reminded me of a notebook or journal.
I felt a bit bad for snooping, everything about this room felt untouched and aged, however something continued to push me forward and so I opened the cover finding not only words but also sketching. Some was really incredible, practically photo-like sketching.
They looked like plans or something, although nearly every page was in different languages; there were a few that appeared familiar and some I didn’t think were even from my world, and probably weren’t. To be honest, I was a bit disheartened that I couldn’t read it. While still flipping through the pages I saw a drawing of a young woman, and she continued to appear numerous times, the majority of the notebook was filled with her. I stopped my scanning when a full-page portrait came up, and as I traced the lines with my eyes I found her familiar. I remembered back in my grandmother’s home, all the photographs she had and realized that this…was her. There was something different about her here though, her eyes seemed unsure but happy. Far happier than much of the time I was with her back at home. Her hair was cut a bit differently also.
“Grandmother was so lovely.” A sudden tear fell onto the page. “Oh damn!” I dabbed at the mark and blew on it as carefully as I could, and thankfully the mark lifted, for the most part. I quickly shut the journal and set it back under the books and loose papers. Hopefully it would dry completely and no one would be the wiser if they came to open it.
I moved away from the stand and noticed that there were a few empty and filled sheaths hanging on the banister opposite me. Unfortunately my notice of those belted holders drew my eyes to a green chaise which had the Immortal’s shirt draped upon it. The very one I had seen him wearing the last day I was with him.
“Oh hell…this is his bedroom.”
Now I felt even more like a trespasser than before.
Well, I suppose that it’s not the end of the world; I had been trying to find him. “If I wait here, he’d have to show up eventually. Although, if I wait here, there is no way he wouldn’t know that I probably rummaged about his room.” Then, as per usual, my thoughts wandered off a bit, “I wonder when he actually sleeps anyway?”
There had to be some way I could contact him, especially in a place this large. I walked over to the still opened door and slipped out, making sure to close it just enough to match were it had been before I came. I edged back through the hall until I made it to the crossroads were I turned from earlier. I headed left in order to go along my original path. I hoped.
After a heart-racing trip down a few stairs I managed to take hold of the banister, catching myself before I fell the entire way. Once I made it past the rather long set of stairs I ended up in the room I had first fallen into, meeting the shocked Immortal and a strange pink eyed woman. The ceiling was still broken with my blood spattered on the remnants of it, which sat despondently in piles on the flooring. I lifted a few pieces and looked nostalgically at the splintered edges where my blood soaked into the fibers. I winced at the vague memory, dropping the wood back to its place.
“Exploring?”
I leapt back, running into the broken wall beside the mess on the ground. An average sized woman, running closer to petite, stepped out from behind the floating wall in the center of the room. As she faced me her eyes opened fully, revealing two vividly pink marbles grinning at me on a breathtakingly beautiful face.
“You’re that woman the Immortal had imprisoned.”
“Oh no, we were merely playing a little game.”
“Game? Torture is hardly a game.” I stood firmly in place, mostly because I knew nothing about this woman to be uncomfortable in her presence.
“Hmm, perhaps it isn’t.” Her exposed shoulders shrugged, however, her gaze flickered to me with a dark mischievous glimmer. “To some.”
That was a bit unnerving; my own gaze began to watch her closely as a strange uncertainty started to slip through my veins. Suddenly her body seemed to vibrate and one blink later she stood directly in front of me, her eyes looking at my own with an expression that was rather unnerving.
“You know, I think you really are Guinn’s granddaughter. Your faces are a similar, and yet, not.” She giggled lightly, running a finger along my jawline.
I turned away from her touch, trying to maintain the blankest expression I could manage.
She scoffed with an amused look and, swift as lightning, I was tossed onto the floor where two loud brakes were made near my ears. I looked up and the woman was hovering over me, her hands dug into the wood beside my head. As I watched above me, her golden hair slid off her shoulders and fell onto my arms; the tresses were smooth but oddly slick and cold, chilling my skin.
“I think you’re much prettier though. Like a lovely porcelain doll.” I felt her fingers playing with my hair and running along my neck and collarbone. “Must be sure not to break you.”
I tried not to focus on her as she lowered her head to mine, the skin of her cheek touching my own. She was soft but cool, rather than warm like a person would normally be. I heard as she inhaled.
“You smell warm and sweet, just like strawberries wrapped in rich chocolate cake.” She licked her fingers, her face appearing to be in delicious thought, “I love strawberries”. I tried to slip from beneath her, but while her eyes were still shut she quickly placed a finger on my forehead, holding me completely still. “Precious dolls shouldn’t try to escape.”
“I am not a doll!”
Her face looked saddened by my words, but only for a moment. She quickly grinned again, “hmm, fiery are you? You should be careful though, you might burn up.” She laughed.
Abruptly, her amusement stopped.
In that moment, I become aware of a blood red satin ribbon with the bow on the side tied around her neck and attached to the center knot was a lone silver chain link. The fetter was strangely compelling, if I weren’t held down I would have been drawn to try and touch it.
“Oh damn, I wanted to play more.” She stood up lithely, pulling me with her and distracting my thoughts from the reflecting object around her neck. Her pink eyes caught mine once more, her hand moving to gently stroke my hair. “Until next time, precious doll.”
Right as I went to slap away her hand she was already at the far wall, grinning with a light giggle. In a flick of the eye, she appeared to vibrate again and then she was gone.
I felt as though her eyes were burnt into my brain. They were strange, almost like they were seeing through me and into my soul, and yet, strangely glassy and slick, like her hair. Although, what hung in my memory the most was the silver link that was joined with the ribbon neatly tied around her slender neck. Considering how strongly it called to me, I wondered if it were enchanted or something…though I suppose I could have also just discovered the unknown urges of onset kleptomania. “As if that’s even a thing.” I mumbled.
“Jade, why are you here?”
The Immortal stood in the doorway of the room, his eyebrows down in confusion.
“Uh, it-it was an accident. I just kind of wandered in here…I was looking for you, actually.”
“Me?”
“Well, yes. I mean, I haven’t seen you for three days. Haven’t you wondered where I’ve been? If I needed something? I mean, I haven’t gotten to eat either! Have you even eaten? Do you even eat at all?” My thoughts were sort of on the spam setting, hands held on my hips, the pent up irritation from that bizarre and unsettling experience with that woman seemed to be flowing free as I babbled. Plus, I really don’t know why I hadn’t realized it earlier, but I was very hungry. “Where have you been anyway?” I seemed to finish my rant and quirked a brow at him, with still kind of clouded but strong interest.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ve been busy.”
“Don’t you think the person who is also now apparently living here would like to be aware of that? And you still have no food I bet.”
“Not as of yet, no.”
I groaned. “Immortal, there needs to be food here. I don’t know what or when you ever eat, if at all, but it obviously isn’t here seeing as everything is decades, if not centuries old.”
“I generally eat when I’m out. There is little need to have food here.”
“Well now there is. I’m here and I need to eat.”
He sighed and left the room.
Hastily I ran after him. “You said there was a town nearby…”
He blinked several times, seemingly in thought. “I never said anything like that.”
Crap, that was Caleb. “Uh, I suppose I thought it was you. Must have been something I considered asking about while speaking to you at one point.”
He said nothing and I exhaled thankfully. “So?”
“So what?”
I scoffed, “So is there a town or not?”
“Yes there is. Two, in fact.”
“Good, then would you please come with me to get some food? I would really love to have a decent meal. Plus…” I rubbed my arm, already feeling the weirdness of the moment that hadn’t, if ever, happened yet. “It would be kind of awkward to just stroll into a big place I have never been to as a complete stranger, who knows nothing all about them or this world, by myself.”
He was silent for a few minutes.
Does he really need to think about taking someone who hasn’t eaten for days to get food? I nearly mumbled that passing thought right as he began to reply to my question.
“I suppose. I do need to get a few things.”
“I thought you said you were just out? What were you doing then?” I quickened my pace to stand beside him and glanced up at his face.
He smirked ever so slightly, knowing I was probing him for slipped out secrets. “I wasn’t out doing errands.”
“Ah, well what were you doing?” I smiled sarcastically at him.
“Nothing of consequence.”
“Hmm,” I huffed. “That’s just a fancy way of not telling me.”
“Perhaps.”
“Fine then. Buuut, you’ll be taking me to town, yes?”
We were paused in the intersection where the Immortal’s bedroom was hidden down the right corridor.
“I’ll go and finish getting dressed. You meet me there once you have whatever it is you may need.” I babbled off the arrangement like I were reading a list of what to do.
In his usual tone, “Of course, milady.”
“Oh, don’t be facetious.”
He quietly exhaled a tiny laugh at me. I smiled to myself; luckily he didn’t seem upset with me anymore. I had almost forgotten in all that had gone on the past three days how angry he was that evening when he found me with the grimoire.
While I moved along the passages to get to my room, I felt my heart beat faster. I didn’t realize how excited I would be to go into the town of another world, especially one as interesting as this. I wondered though if I was more excited as to what people would think of me, an unknown person appearing with the legendary Immortal at my side.
For a quick moment I felt my face burn.
Chapter Five
The Catalyst
Chapter Five
CRACK! POOF! BOOM!
I waved my hands fiercely, trying to move and disperse the smoke now swirling in angry clouds all around me. As the opaque fog began to clear I noticed the charred, broken bits of my ingredients spread in every direction.
“Crap…wrong again…”
I wiped all the debris from my clothes and started sweeping the excess pieces scattered on the floor into an increasingly large pile to my left. My hand reached back and grabbed yet another of the several random objects I had managed to find in the room. I set what appeared to be a half burnt shoe on the floor in front of me and then placed a few dead leaves I had found curled up in a corner on the balcony around it. I then gently placed a small heart shaped locket I had happened across in the drawer of my grandmother’s desk amongst the other pieces.
Quickly I went to make sure the doors of the balcony were still held open and with a brief glance to the sky, I ran back and kneeled before my pile of what appeared to be a conglomeration of useless junk.
“Ok…”I exhaled with determination.
I attempted reading another incantation I had found in the grimoire in hopes of finding the correct archaic translation for my grandmother’s English written spell. The locket flamed as it had done every time before, the leaves seeming to melt into the deformed footwear. However instead of freezing, as I had guessed the poem was for, the half flame-eaten shoe expanded. I leaned back from the chaos when it suddenly sucked itself into a thin mass and then fizzled up with the leaves as the locket flames enveloped it.
I thrust my fist against the floorboards. “Damn it!” Sighing, I sat down and then fell backward to the floor, covering my face with a tired arm.
“What are you doing?”
My eyes popped open and I turned back on my head to see who was behind me, as though I were standing and looking to the sky. Upside down, while leaning casually against my open balcony doors, stood my midnight intruder, Caleb. Though I was on the floor I could still make out his face, wearing the same smirk I remembered seeing the night before. “What are you doing?” I replied, somewhat sarcastically.
He chuckled lightly and sashayed over to where I was still lying in irritation with myself and leaned over me. “I asked first.”
“Just… shut up.” I rolled my eyes and sat up with my back to Caleb. I heard him step forward and mess with the pile of burnt ashes I had been making. “Stop that…”
“Stop what? I haven’t done anything.” Caleb appeared beside me and gracefully lowered himself to the floor. “But you have obviously got some issues.”
“No I don’t! I just…I just can’t figure out what these spells mean…” I looked to the open book but made my way back to staring sadly at my brand new pile of black residue. “I wish grandmother had made some sort of key to her spell book.” I leaned on my hand, several seconds ticking by in silence.
“They’re not that difficult.”
I had almost forgotten about Caleb, he seemed one to constantly make sure every person around was aware of him, and not hearing his voice made it seem as though I were alone again.
“It is difficult, Caleb. I can’t read this language. Plus I was never very good with finding meaning in poems anyway.”
“You don’t need to find meaning exactly…the words are simply over complicated. Guinn preferred being rather traditional in her homemade works.”
I looked at Caleb while he spoke; I never knew grandmother cared so much for customs…? “Can you understand them?”
“Of course.” He grinned proudly.
I reached for the grimoire and placed it in front of us, keeping the page with the English wording opened. I pointed a finger against the rough, ancient paper directly beneath the words of the small spell I had found and been attempting to decipher.
Frozen.
Drops of red wishes,
Bits of existence yet none that flow,
No breath to have,
Glow of life,
Dance of strength pulsed with text.
Simple answers,
Glean complex regrets.
“I don’t recognize this one; it must have been one of her last.”
I followed his quick moving eyes as he read through the words over and over. “So, do you know what it means?”
“Yes, it’s fairly simple. Permanent though.” He looked about the room several times and then abruptly jumped to his feet.
I watched him as he grabbed the apple I had placed on the desk. He seemed to look it over with great intensity. His violet eyes turned to me as he walked lithely back to where I was sitting.
“Use this.” The apple Caleb held suddenly dropped from above me; looking up I saw his face, a little more serious than I was used to. “Live matter is best for beginners.”
“This isn’t alive…” I turned the apple over in my palm.
“It may no longer be…but technically plants are living matter.”
Caleb’s even toned words were strange to my ears; he was acting very different. It was nice to know he had more than just perverted sly as a setting in his brain.
While he returned to his position next to me, I set the apple on the floor. “Ok, so…now what?”
“I suppose it will be easiest to go line by line.”
“Alright then. Frozen…I assumed that was a title or the purpose of the spell.”
“Pretty much, yes.”
“Ok then, drops of red wishes. What is that?”
Caleb took firm hold of my right hand, “Hey…” he slid his finger across my palm and a bleeding cut suddenly appeared out of my skin. “Why did you do that!?”
He shrugged nonchalantly at my question “It’s not my spell.” He moved my hand over the apple and squeezed with great strength, my bones felt like they would break from the force. Despite the pain, I continued to watch curiously as blood seeped from my hand and fell onto the apple, coating it in dark red splotches. “One down.” His grip was released and reasserted itself on a few strands of my hair, which he pulled out with no care for me.
“OW! Stop abusing my body!”
He chuckled with a grin as he dropped the few long hairs onto the blood-covered apple. “Bits of existence, yet none that flow.” He spoke.
I rubbed my head gently as he yet again stood up. “Where are you going? I thought you were helping me?” I turned and followed him with my eyes.
“I am helping you.” He quietly shut the double doors of the balcony. “No breath to have. It means the air around the spell must be stagnant, no wind at all.”
“Does that mean we can’t breathe either?”
“Yes, but only when we begin the incantation.”
I had all this time been watching Caleb move all over the room doing this and that and it was slowly dawning on me that perhaps Caleb wasn’t as bad as I had first thought. After all, if grandmother was close with him he must have something redeeming about him; idiots always put her off.
“Now for the Glow of Life.” Caleb opened his hand up at the ceiling and closed his eyes. I watched with interest, first at his hand then his face. He opened his mouth and began quickly forming words; however I didn’t hear anything, which deepened my attention in what he was doing.
Suddenly an intensely bright orb of light ripped itself into existence a few inches from the bedroom ceiling. I had to shield my eyes from the blaze; the small sphere looked exactly like a miniature sun.
“Hmm, not my best.” Caleb lowered his hand and turned back to me.
I quirked my brow at him “Do you make a habit of creating small suns or something? Because…that’s just weird.”
He laughed loudly at me.
I narrowed my eyes and then stuck out my tongue, which seemed to be my favorite expression of annoyance lately. “Well whatever. Now what do we do?”
“Not me, you.”
“But I can’t read this?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you how to pronounce everything.”
I sighed lightly and bit my lip. “Ok, but what does this line even mean? ‘Dance of Strength Pulsed with Text.’”
“It appears that Guinn tried to add hand motions to the incantation. HA, I swear she only did that to piss off whoever read this.” He chuckled a little.
“What? Why?”
“Sometimes she added things like that simply to irritate some of the other lower class witches in town. They always snuck peaks in her grimoire when she brought it into town and wasn’t looking.”
“There is a town here!?”
“Well, duh. Did you just think this world was an out of place, fucking castle in the middle of an abandoned forest?”
“Sort of…grandmother never really told me many things about other places. She rarely mentioned other people besides The Immortal.”
Caleb’s face ruffled in anger for a brief moment before he took my hand and quickly sliced it once again as he ran his finger’s edge against my palm. The same palm he had cut earlier, though strangely the prior cut was gone.
“AH, What the HELL!?” I tried to pull my hand from him but he held it exact and in place.
“I’m doing what I’m supposed to do. She doesn’t actually want you to do motions to the text, she wants two more drops of blood added, one before and one after you read the spell.”
My face softened in mild shock and confusion. “How do you know that?”
“Guinn and I were very close; I know a lot of things about her.”
His face seemed blank as he moved my hand over the apple and squeezed it, however this time his grip felt weaker than his earlier bone crushing one. I winced slightly from the pain and chewed on the inside of my lip while watching drops of blood fall back to coat the already clotting blood from before.
“Caleb…are…are you alright?” He gave my hand back and I rubbed it gently, until I noticed the still bleeding abrasion begin to suture itself up.
“Yes, I’m fine. Here read these words, I wrote each to suit the way they would be pronounced.” He sat a piece of paper in front of me with characters written on them almost as though they had been typed.
“How did you..?” I pointed to the parchment in front of me.
“Magic, Jade.”
“Duh, sorry.” I shook my head briefly and then nodded. “So I simply read this over the apple, and what, it will freeze?”
“Should, just make sure you don’t mess up. One screwed up word alters the entire thing.”
“Thanks for the confidence.” I scoffed.
“Sure, anything to help.” He smirked sarcastically.
“Ugh, well hush up. Oh, and don’t breath, remember, I’m about to start.”
I took a deep breath and started to read the few lines of the ritual.
“Glayceealis,
Occoombow of rootilus vota,
Secooi of veeta eteeamnoonc noolloos oot permoveeo,
Hawd spearitus habayo,
Tripoodeeo of veares comotus per lacoona.
Simplex refero,
Mico ooniversa desiderium.”
Before I let myself take a breath, I moved my hand over the apple and allowed the last remaining drop of blood from my nearly healed wound to slip onto the fruit. Suddenly the clotted blood surrounding the red skinned apple began to fizz slightly, followed by small quick exploding bubbles which turned over on themselves, freezing instantly once popped. The splatters combined to make a solid layer of ice, however after a few moments in the makeshift sun the ice slid off the once blood covered skin, revealing a perfectly crystallized apple.
“Oh my gosh.” I lifted the fruit carefully and watched it gleam in the mini sun’s rays. “This is amazing…I can’t believe I did this!”
“Technically, we did this, since you couldn’t figure out the text.” Caleb poked a finger against my forehead.
I groaned at him as I stood to go place the apple beside the peach I also had sitting on the old desk.
“Well, as I read from the paper I realized that I actually did know what that is. The writing is Latin. I wasn’t able to notice it because I never actually took the class at school, my friend did, and she always joked around by reciting it exactly as it was spelled. Because, of course, as no one really knows how it is pronounced, they can’t know whether the idea they have for its pronunciation is correct or not.” I laughed mildly as I came back to stand beside Caleb.
“Yeah, that’s not funny.”
“Well, we thought it was.”
“Ok..well, now I’m going to go and not be here with your ‘Latin’.” He stood up and started backing towards the door, giving me sarcastic air quotes as he said Latin.
I frowned at his annoying behavior. “Sometimes I wonder whatever possessed me not to knock you out when you first snuck into my room.”
“Because I’m sexy.”
“Get out!”
He laughed at my command and continued to do so as he leapt from the balcony and away from the tower.
All I could do was sigh as I rolled my eyes.
