2024 Wrap Up
So the year is about over. What a year it's been, eh? Lots of stuff went down, some good, some bad. Overall, I wouldn't say it was a terrible year. There have been much worse in recent memory, but honestly, the bar is incredibly low. I'll try to be brief.
2024 started in a rough place for me. I was in a pretty ugly depression, dealing with a lot of personal issues and disputes. I was stuck in my head most days, and the holidays being spent without the people I had lost was tough. Most days were a struggle, even if outwardly I projected a somewhat okay human. I'm not sure exactly when, it was likely around the new year though, that I found a good outlet to focus my mind and get my thoughts off of the terrible things that were floating in it; writing. I found that diving headlong into my story was one of the only ways I could stop spiraling into myself, and it allowed me to really crank out the final half of my book. It took me nearly six months to write the back half of my book, which is wild considering the top half took roughly four years. I needed something to latch onto, something to carry me through those dark days that presented a hope for a future worth sticking around for. One that wasn't bleak and angry. I found that future, and even though there's a long road ahead that I have to navigate first, I found it and made my first few steps down it. It was progress, and sometimes just a little bit can go a long way.
Once I had finished the rough draft of The Red Mother, things kind of started flying by. Editing, formatting, learning the self-publishing process, working with my friends for various aspects of the full project, it all seems like a blur of work looking back on it. It all culminated around May, and honestly, I couldn't really tell you when each part came togther exactly. I won't lie and say it fell perfectly into place. No, I had to reach out and jump around to nab the pieces as they fell, sloppily throwing them together to apporach something resembling a book. I think I did an alright job, considering. The top half of the year was all about finishing and publishing my book, and it all wrapped up when the first stack of books hit my door in early June. It was surreal. I had always loved writing, loved telling stories, but I never really thought I would be able to finish something like this. I mean, a fun little zombie story in high school, some short comics on notebook paper, a few D&D campaigns under my belt and all, it wasn't like I was unfamiliar with long projects. But this...this was different. This was real. People wanted to see what I had written, they wanted to know more, they enjoyed it. It still doesn't even really feel like its real, but maybe that's just because it took so long to get here. I don't know really.
The summer was spent learning how to, and failing to, market my book. I won't lie, I'm awful at it. I've given up at this point, as I just don't know how and don't think I can do it on my own. Any market experts reading this, I will pay you in fast food and hugs for any help. Anyway, I had my first event to look forward to, held at my local cafe. It was daunting, but I did my best to just not think about it any more than absolutely necessary. Super helpful. I gathered everything I could think of, got more art comissioned, got a stockpile of copies, and went to a book signing event...for me. What a weird thing to say. I hate being in the spotlight, which is a crazy thing to hear if you knew me back in high school. I'd much rather just have my name be a faceless thing that people associate with something good. To be physically present and smile and shake hands and talk and pitch and explain and just....UGH. I know its all part of the game. Doesn't mean I have to like it. Still, it was a really good time. So many people came out and supported me, showing that they had faith in what I was doing. They believed that my work was worth putting time and effort into, and I'll never forget that. I may never make it big, and I may never be able to make a career on my writing, but I at least had a few folks who really wanted me to succeed. At the end of the day, that's enough.
After the book signing, things slowed down. I started work on the sequel, and my normal everyday life began to calm down and settle. I had done the thing, after all. I wrote and published a book! Now I just had to...do it again. And do it better. And bigger. Oh no. Now I have to outdo myself. And that hasn't been easy. Not that I figured it would be, but still. I've got people asking for the sequel now, and I know they're joking, but it's still weird. I have to meet their expectations...no, I have to exceed them. I have to do more, do better. I have to make the next one the very best it can be, and I have to do it faster than before. I can't take all the time I need. I have to do it as soon as possible. I have to.
Right. So, no. That's what my mindest was a few months ago, leading into the autumn. It wasn't great, but I came to realize that it wasn't quite like that. I caught myself before things got out of control. I don't have to do that. I'm not a contracted writer with deadlines to meet. Despite all evidence to the contrary, I'm still very much an amateur author. This is still mostly a hobby. And I know that if I set too lofty or too constricting of a goal for myself, the pressure will crush me. I can't look at this in that way, or I'll grow to hate it. So I took a different approach-I took a break.
November came and I started NaNoWriMo. It was a brand new story, a brand new theme, a brand new tone. And it was so refreshing. I still love Sigmund and co., but I really needed to step away and let them rest for a little while so I could let something else out. The story was a breath of fresh air, and I think I really needed it. Of course, now that November is done, I lost a lot of my drive to actually finish the story, but that's an issue for another day. I'm certainly not finishing it before the new year, since the new year is...tomorrow. Whatever. I'm not going to write out of obligation, I'm going to write because I love it. I refuse to write about something I'm not passionate about, and I refuse to write something that I don't think is worth reading in the first place. It'll be finished when its finished, and that's that!
So now its the holidays. The year was a bit of blur, but I think that's okay. I had a lot happen, but honestly, a lot of it was centered around my book and my writing. There are worse things to focus on. Some of you who know me know that I have very strong convictions when it comes to ideologies and politics, and I've done my very best to keep those out of these posts, but I have to say, it's been a bad year if you actually have empathy. The ongoing genocide in Gaza and Isreal's zionist warmongering, the second year of the Ukraine war, civil wars in other areas of the middle east and Africa, and that's not even mentioning the failings of our own people here in the States and the dark forecast for the next four years under a thinly-veiled fascistic Christo-nationalist government. Things are looking bleak, I know. Its been hard to rationalize and put it all into perspective without succumbing to very valid despair. But that's the very reason we can't give in. As soon as we do, that's when its all over. What's the saying? Evil wins when good men do nothing? Don't let the apathy take hold. Stay strong, stay together, and keep up the fight. There is always, always a path forward to a better tomorrow.
That's going to do it for me today, and for this year. I've got to get back to Final Fantasy XIV. My cat-girl wife needs my support. Don't ask. Just know that I'm...happy. Yeah. I think I'm happy right now. Things aren't easy, but few things worth doing are. Until next year,
Make your own fate
J. M. Prigmore
Ch.11
Spring was in full bloom now, and the forest was full of green ferns and countless patches of vibrant flowers. Yelena had never seen such incredible displays of life before, having always been warned to never go into the Deep Forest. Much to her surprise, after nearly half a year here, it still seemed like most of the danger she'd been in was somewhat of her own making rather than that of the forest. Mostly.
Helvetia had left to research how best to remove the 'curse' that the sprites had afflicted her with, and while she had been patiently waiting for any headway to be made in that area, she had begun working on her potion brewing with her recently delivered cauldron, crafted specifically how she had instructed. It wasn't necessarily a piece of art, but she could tell from her first glance at the massive iron structure that it would probably outlast her and the next three generations after with its sturdy build. The weight of the cauldron forced the delivery to be made through horse and carriage, which Yelena was sure was no easy feat, so she sweetened the deal by also including some of her recently made small batches of healing tonics along with the promised 'evercoal', as she had dubbed it. Lathander seemed to be more than pleased, and after he and his apprentice had left, Sonya had stuck around to help her get things set up, as well as to spend some time together. She'd been unable to visit as frequently as she'd like, but this presented a good opportunity for them.
The firepit had long since been prepared, and space had been cleared for them to maneuver the large iron pot through the cabin. The once sparsely decorated room was slowly beginning to fill with little bits and bobs that Yelena found to be interesting or useful. She hadn't really realized how cluttered things were getting until today, honestly. Using a good bit of magical help from Hemlock as well as her own, Sonya helped guide the cauldron down to rest on a circle of granite blocks to elevate the cauldron just a tad above the pit. It settled onto the stones with a satisfying clunk, and Sonya let out a sigh of relief.
"When you said you weren't going to need any help, I really thought you were just planning to make me do it," she said, standing upright and looking around the room.
"As if. You're strong, but I don't think even you could lift that by yourself," Yelena replied, moving beside her to admire the view as well.
Without thinking she wrapped herself around Sonya, grinning to herself. She was finally ready to start brewing big batches of potions, which meant she could start truly helping people with her magic without having to actually be everywhere at once. She was one huge step closer to being a true witch.
"Thanks."
"Hm? What for?" Sonya replied, her cheeks a little red. It must've been from all the work they'd done this morning.
"Everything," she said, looking up at her now. She was a solid eight-or-so inches taller than Yelena, but that hardly bothered her. In fact, she liked having to look up at her.
Sonya looked back at her for a moment, then let out a "Pfft," before pushing her off playfully.
They spent a good two hours making sure everything was ready for the first lighting and filling of the cauldron. Sonya went and gathered the kindling and coal that Yelena had prepared, while Yelena double checked all of her ingredients and measurements one last time. It would take a few trips to fill the cauldron's belly with water, but she'd prepared for that as well. She began to pour in the magically purified water one bucket at a time, then sprinkled in a splash of pine oil, ten hairs from an adult reindeer, a wolf's fang, three leaves of clover and four leaves of daisy, a single clove of garlic, and finally the entire skull of a beaver, ground down into a fine powder. Now, all that was left was to let the concoction come to a boil. She estimated that would take upwards of an hour, meaning they had nothing to do now but wait.
"Perhaps a celebratory drink is in order?" Sonya suggested, gesturing to the bottle of wine resting on the table. It was a higher quality than the usual, she had assured Yelena.
"Sounds like fun!"
Yelena pulled the two cups that they now habitually drank from from a small rack she'd built and secured to the cabin's wall, setting them down on the table. They were still the same two simple, clay cups that Sonya had brought just after she had found Yelena. She could have easily crafted, either with her hands or with magic, newer, nicer cups. These just felt…special.
Sonya popped the cork on the top of the bottle and circled the rim with her nose, wafting in the scent with her eyes closed.
"Any good?" Yelena asked.
"No clue! Smells like wine," she replied, shrugging as she ended her little charade. She poured for them both and filled both cups to the brim before sitting down, kicking her feet up on the table.
Yelena took a sip, and much to her surprise…it just tasted like wine. She didn't really have a taste for stuff like this. Still, it went down smooth, and it didn't have much of a sour bite, so she enjoyed it all the same.
"You've come a long way since I found you in the forest last year," Sonya commented, swirling her cup aimlessly.
"I guess so, yeah."
When she really thought about it, she was right. This time a year ago she was going through the motions of the good daughter, helping with chores, wrangling the younger children around, cooking, helping her father in the yard with things that her older brothers, if they had still been around, would've done. She lived a life of complete mundanity. It wasn't a bad life, she knew. She never went hungry, she never had to worry about freezing in the winter, nothing like that. But she knew it just wasn't for her. She needed something more, and if she hadn't had that book tucked away under her bed, and if it'd never been discovered by her mother, none of this might've come to pass. It was hard, but looking at how things were now, it was well worth it. She didn't regret it for an instant. She did wonder about how her siblings were faring from time to time, but she knew that they had each other. They'd all be fine without her.
"How's the whole 'curse' thing going?"
She sighed.
"Same as it has been. I don't really feel anything wrong physically, but I have this kind of gnawing feeling in my gut that something is wrong. Like," she set her cup down to better articulate, "there's always something waiting for me to make one wrong move, and if I do, its jaws will snap shut."
"That's pretty bad, Yel."
"Yeah, I know. But it's not like there's anything I can do about it. I'm just stuck waiting on Helvetia to figure something out."
She'd really expected the older witch to have found something by now, but everyday was greeted with that same ominous feeling that something was wrong. It was honestly more annoying than worrying, like an anxiety constantly pressing in on her about something like upcoming crop yields or a good rainy season. Nothing imminently dangerous, but something that was always in the back of her mind, gnawing at her.
"Well when she finally gives you something to help, let me know. I don't want you stuck having to do something dangerous alone."
"I have Hemlock."
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I know."
Hemlock had been napping by the fireplace after helping move the cauldron, and even now was seemingly ignoring them both. He seemed to not like to speak, or really interact at all, with anyone who wasn't magically inclined. He hadn't been very helpful when it came to narrowing down how to be rid of the curse, but Yelena just assumed that it was because he really knew nothing about this particular affliction. Being a spirit, he was like a cousin to the invisible, intangible creatures known as sprites. He had more in common with them than he did with her, so the idea of being cursed by their indignation was probably a foreign concept to him.
The fires from the pit and fireplace were beginning to warm up the cabin quickly, and just as Yelena was about to make a comment on the growing heat, a nearly imperceptible knock came from the door. Both she and Sonya turned, not sure as to who might be at her door. Only a very select few actually knew how to get here, and if it wasn't Lathander, and it wasn't Sonya, then…
She stood and readied her staff, calling it from the intangible and preparing herself for anything. She didn't feel any ill intent, but her senses had deceived her before. Sonya sat and watched with caution, planting her feet back on the floor.
She reached for the latch, sending out her senses one last time to try and get an idea of who was on the other side of the door. Strangely, the only thing she got back felt like she was sensing a small animal, like a squirrel or mouse. Could that really be all this was? She sighed and lowered her shoulders, prepared to open the door to a particularly curious rodent and shoo it off. It hadn't been the first time a beaver or a squirrel had thought her log cabin home would make for fine materials to craft their own home with. She quickly pulled the door open, taking a step outside, and promptly ran directly into the chest of a tall man in a colorful tunic.
Yelena jumped back after a sharp gasp, both shocked and embarrassed by her mistake. She quickly looked over the man, noting that he stood perfectly straight at attention with an almost expressionless face. His clothes were perfectly clean, which was odd considering how much of a trek it was to get here from any civilized place. He wasn't even looking at her, instead staring straight ahead.
"My apologies, sir! You surprised me, being out so far!" she said, taking a step back.
"What an odd greeting. My mistress was indeed correct about your eccentricity."
"Your…mistress?"
The man stepped forward, then bowed deeply.
"Mistress Helvetia, yes. She sends her regards, as well as a message."
Mistress Helvetia? Was this man some sort of errand boy for her?
The man raised his head and produced a sealed letter from the inner pocket of his bright blue jacket. She took it with some hesitancy, but popped open the small seal and unfolded it regardless.
'To my dearest Silver Witch,
I pray this letter finds you well. I have been hard at work looking into your affliction, and I believe at last that I have found a solution. I must warn you ahead of time however that it is a risky and rather dangerous endeavor, but should it prove effective, it will render unto you strength unlike anything you have experienced as of yet.'
Helvetia's prose was much different from the way she normally spoke. It sounded almost as if she was reading a letter from a proper educator, rather than a weird, slightly mad witch. She continued reading.
'As you have angered the very sprites that allow us to wield the elements freely, you must appeal to that which governs their logic; an elemental of lightning. While these sprites are incredibly rare and dangerous, they also will provide the fastest and simplest route to appeasing the sprites. I will detail below how to find, commune, and ultimately tame one of these powerful beings.'
Tame a lightning elemental? None of this made any sense to her. She looked to Hemlock, whose presence she felt in her mind already. He was likely reading both the letter and her thoughts at the same time.
"Her logic is sound, but such a method is something I myself would never have suggested. Its far too dangerous, in my opinion. But, if it is what we must do, then it must at least be considered."
If a lightning elemental was as dangerous as both of them were suggesting, then why on earth was this looking like the only path available to her? So far this curse had only limited what magic she could use, so as long as she avoided lightning spells, there should be no real reason to pursue this, right?
'No doubt you are curious as to why I would suggest such a reckless action. Despite what you may be feeling, a curse is no simple thing that can be ignored. In fact, whether you realize it or not, you are likely experiencing the early symptoms of the affliction currently. As time passes, you will notice your stamina decrease, as well as your energy and emotions begin to wane sooner every day. The sprites that govern lightning, or the more primal force known as energy, are particularly vicious, and are, as you read this, siphoning away your soul's energy. It is a painfully slow process, one that may not be truly noticeable for some time, but it is happening all the same. Most likely, within a year's time, you will enter a comatose state from which you will never wake. The sprites will steal away your very life force until nothing remains of you save for an empty shell. That is something that I assume you would like to avoid.'
That sounded…awful. She put her hand to her mouth, thinking hard if she'd felt any changes to her stamina as of late. She couldn't really think of any specific instance of her falling short of where she'd expect her energy to be, but it had only been a few weeks since she had acquired the curse. If it really did start slow then ramp up, she might not really notice until it would be too late to do anything. If Helvetia was right, and she had no reason to doubt her, then this wasn't something she could put off for later.
'I am truly sorry, but I will be unable to assist you with this. As my departure from the coven was not specifically a sanctioned action, I have found myself in a similar position to yourself in regards to gaining the ire of my superiors. This task will be yours to take on, but with your amethyst kitty at your side, I know you will be able to conquer this trial and tame the lightning. If the worst should come to pass, then it was a pleasure to know and spend time with you. Witches such as yourself are as rare as diamonds in this age. Please know that I long for your success. Until we speak again,
Helvetia Everbright.'
The rest of the letter was a list of intricately detailed instructions as to how she should go about finding, summoning, then subsequently capturing and taming a lightning elemental. It seemed as though she would need to make some serious preparations for this, and that she needed to get about doing it soon. She had a lot to do, and not a lot of time to do so.
"With the message successfully read and my purpose fulfilled, I will take my leave. Good day to you, Silver Witch," the man said, who hadn't moved or spoken since she had opened the letter. Before she could even thank him, he melted down into a small shape, his clothing and flesh changing color and turning a deep brown before assuming the shape of a squirrel, no taller than her shin. She watched in disbelief as it looked at her one last time, then leapt into the air, spread its arms to reveal tiny wings, then jetted off into the air.
"You witches are strange ones," Sonya commented, laughing at the ridiculous sight she had also witnessed. "What does that letter say? I assume its important?"
Yelena turned and went back to her seat, sliding the letter over to Sonya.
"Yeah. Seems like she figured out what I need to do, but it sounds like it'll be really dangerous."
Sonya was skimming the letter's contents until she had finished her sentence. Now she was looking up at her with raised eyebrows.
"How dangerous?"
"I have to 'tame' a lightning elemental."
Sonya just looked at her for a few seconds. She wore an expression of incredulity, as if Yelena was trying to pull a fast one on her.
"You can't be serious."
"I am. Well, Helvetia is, anyway. And if I don't do anything about this soon, I'll be dead in a year."
"What!?"
"Which is why I can't afford to waste any time."
She turned in her chair to face Hemlock.
"The instructions say we need to seek the elemental by way of a thunderstorm. When do you think the next heavy storm will be?"
"Next week, by my estimations."
Hemlock had proven to be a good weather forecaster. Something to do with his connection to the forest, she hadn't really looked too much into it to be honest.
"Hang on," Sonya said, getting up from her chair so fast that she nearly knocked it over. "How are you supposed to tame a literal being of lightning?"
It was a valid question. She had Helvetia's notes, so that's all she had to go on however. They would have to do.
"According to Helvetia, I'm going to need to challenge the elemental and prove my might. Either it will accept me and remove the curse, or I'll have to capture it and threaten to kill it."
"This is all just too much. And she can't even help you?"
"I guess not. From the sounds of it, her coven wasn't too fond of her coming out here to find me."
"So you and Hemlock are just going to go fight a literal force of nature on your own!?"
Sonya was getting a little heated, and while Yelena could understand why, she didn't really feel the need to get so upset. This was just something she was going to have to do, whether she wanted to or not.
"Yep. We'll be okay, right Hemlock?"
"I certainly hope so," he said unconvincingly.
Even Yelena had to admit that this was just…a lot. She was trying to portray an air of confidence, but she knew that this was a long shot at best. She had no reason to doubt that this was the last course of action Helvetia would recommend if it wasn't also likely the only realistic one. Though, its realism was currently based on her own ability to take on a primal source of energy. The more she thought about it, the more she lost faith. She grabbed her cup and raised it to her lips, only then noticing that her hands were shaking.
Was she scared?
"Yel."
She looked at Sonya, who had folded the letter back up and was starting to crush it in her grasp. She'd never seen her angry before.
"What?"
"I'm not letting you do this alone. I'm coming with you."
"No, you can't. This thing is going to be made of pure elemental magic, and you can't-"
"We're a team, you and me. And, let's be fair, you're kind of a clutz. I trust Hemlock to take care of you, but if he gets hurt, then what? No, I'm coming with, and you can't stop me," she said leaning forward. Her eyes burned with passion, her mind set.
The last thing she wanted to do was put her in any kind of harm's way, but she had to admit, she was feeling pretty overwhelmed. The preparation she'd need to do, the tools she'd need to gather, and the actual proposition of fighting the elemental would be difficult for anyone, much less a novice like her. As much as she might be loath to admit it, she needed help. Help only Sonya could currently provide. She sighed.
"Okay, fine. But when the fight starts, please keep your distance. That's all I ask," she said, reaching and lightly placing her hand over Sonya's clenched fist. "I don't want you to get hurt because of my mistake."
Sonya nodded, then said, "Good. Now then, let's get to work. We've got a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it."
***
The next few days flew by in a blur. Yelena, Hemlock and Sonya each went about collecting all the various materials they'd need, culminating in a mostly finished basket of summoning components, a box made of iron, and three very tired souls who only had a few hours before they'd need to head out and face the wrath of a lightning elemental. It had been raining for most of the morning already, but Hemlock was confident that the band of storms that were heading their way later this afternoon would be much more prone to generating lightning strikes. That was what they'd need, so for now, they opted to rest for a few hours before setting out into the rain to fight. Hemlock had already assumed his rightful spot by the fireplace, curled up snugly with a small rug under his amethyst fur.
"I guess that's all we can do, huh?" Sonya said, taking a look around the cabin.
It was in a state of disarray, vials upturned to empty their contents, the table covered in spirit ash, the floor stained with slightly bioluminescent fluid glowing dull blue, the remnants of the tonics she'd brewed for them all. They had done all they could, and there was no time like the present.
"I guess so. Come on, let's sit for a minute," she said, moving to clear some of the clutter from the table.
"We've got a few hours, right? Let's take a nap."
Yelena turned just in time to see Sonya collapse onto her bed face first, her wavy red hair spilling across her pillows like an ocean waves at sunset. Her heart skipped a beat, and she stood frozen for a moment. The last time she'd laid in a bed with Sonya…
No. Nothing like that was going to happen again. That ship had long since sailed, and she'd been left waving it goodbye from the shoreline. She was only making a wise call, that was it. There was no reason to look into it any more than preparation for the upcoming fight.
"Sure, but we have to make sure not to sleep for too long."
Yelena kicked her boots off and sat down on the bed gingerly as Sonya rolled to the side to allow her room. It was barely big enough for the both of them, and Sonya's height left her feet dangling over the edge. They were laying side by side now, and while it was physically comfortable, Yelena couldn't help but feel incredibly awkward. She hoped that Sonya couldn't pick up on it. It was exactly what she'd wanted for so long, but also something she thought she'd been able to give up on until just now.
"You know, this used to be Esberth's place," Sonya said suddenly, much to Yelena's relief.
"Your mentor?"
"Yeah. That's why it was empty when you showed up."
"No one ever moved in?"
"Nah. He left it to me when he died, and I didn't really have much use for a home so far from town, so," she said, shrugging. She had her arms up, her hands beneath her head. Yelena could have, if she had any courage, easily nestled into the crook of her arm from here. The thought burrowed into her head now that she had foolishly imagined it.
"He meant a lot to you, didn't he?"
Sonya chuckled, then said, "He was like the father I never had. Mom raised me on her own, and after she died when I was still a kid, Esberth took me under his wing and taught me how to survive. I wouldn't have made it this long without him."
She was looking up at the ceiling, but Yelena could tell she was actually looking at her mentor's face as she remembered it. She had a warm smile on her lips.
"What was he like?"
Sonya looked at Yelena, then rolled over to face her directly. Another heart flutter, but she didn't back away. If she did, she might fall off the bed.
"He was the best. A real hard-headed man who didn't take crap from anyone, but a sweetheart in reality. He'd get me candy every year for my birthday, and he made sure we'd visit Mom's grave on her birthday. All the folk in town looked up to him, and he made sure that I'd be able to be someone who could carry on that legacy. He never had any kids, so I just kind of became his daughter after a while. But he's been gone for a while, and I haven't really had anyone else close like that since. Been a little lonely."
As she spoke, her words began to come out slower and quieter, and Yelena could see her eyes struggle to stay open. She really was tired, but unlike her, Yelena was far too stressed out by what was currently happening to possibly sleep. Still, just lying here beside her, watching her jaw loosen and her amber eyes close as she fell into sleep, she was so incredibly happy. She could lay here and watch her for days, as far as she cared. She was glad that she had such fond memories of Esberth, and that she could share them with her.
Yelena pulled her knees up, only barely making contact with Sonya's.
"If we somehow make it back," she whispered, just loud enough for only herself to hear, "I'm not ever going to leave you alone again. I promise."
Her own eyelids grew heavy, and despite the situation, she could feel the oncoming draw of sleep begin to pull her under. Her eyelids fluttered as she struggled to keep Sonya's visage in her sight, but even after darkness filled her vision, her sleeping image kept her company into her subconscious.
Ch. 12
A loud bang, followed by a teeth chattering rumble, shocked both witch and hunter awake. The sound of hammering rain pounding into the side of the cabin filled Yelena's ears after the scare of the dangerously close lightning strike cleared out, and what little sunlight had been able to pierce the dark clouds was stifled away by the downpour that had overtaken the forest.
"Well, guess the storm's here," Yelena said, trying to wake up from a too-long nap.
It was only then that Yelena noticed how they had ended up, their faces naught but mere inches from each other. She was staring into Sonya's eyes, both mesmerized by her beauty and terrified that if she looked away, she might not ever get the chance to see them like this again.
"Not scared of a little thunder, are ya?" Sonya said teasingly, grinning. She poked her side with a finger, and Yelena flinched. It broke her gaze at last.
"I can't afford to be at this point," she replied, pulling herself back together. She had a difficult task ahead of her. She didn't have time to get distracted by anything else right now. What she had to do was going to take everything she had, and maybe more.
"The timing is nearly perfect, Yelena. I suggest we make haste for the clearing and begin the summoning," Hemlock chimed in, rising from his favorite spot by the fireplace. "We may only get one chance at this. If we fail, it is likely that the sprites will not allow us a second."
She nodded, knowing full well the stakes. They gathered their supplies, secured it all onto their packs, and after donning heavy cloaks meant to keep as much of the rain away as possible, the three set out into the storm to take on a lightning elemental, a primal force of nature that controlled one of the most dangerous forms of energy known to man.
On paper, their task was somewhat simple. Use the ingredients to summon the elemental, attempt to parley with it, and, if that fails, subdue it. Once subdued, negotiations would be much more in Yelena's favor, and relinquishing the curse given by the weaker lightning sprites would be much more likely. She would attempt to do things diplomatically, but Helvetia had warned in her letter that lightning elementals were extremely temperamental creatures. They rarely acquiesced to mortals, and when they did, it was only under heavy pressure. Combat was almost guaranteed, seeing as the reason for her seeking it out was due to incurring the ire of its lesser siblings. While not a monolith, sprites and their superiors, be they spirits, elementals, or even guardian deities, generally behaved along the same guidelines and shared in the opinions given by their lower forms. She had no real way to bargain her way out, other than to threaten the elemental with destruction. Hardly the peaceful solution she'd have preferred, but she had no real intention to actually kill the thing. She just had to be convincing enough to scare it into freeing her.
The rain was coming down in sheets as they made the short trek to the clearing. The location had been a site of religious importance in days long past, and the standing stones that lined the perimeter of the circular clearing, with their intricate designs and ancient words lost to time having eroded away and smoothed down from time and the elements still stood as testaments to the peoples who had first lived in the Dark Forest, forging a hard life for themselves amongst the ancient wood. Yelena hadn't spent much time here, only having found it just a little while ago, but Helvetia had seemed particularly interested in the sites history. Maybe once this was all done, Yelena could help do a little investigating and try to learn something from the ancient stones. For now though, the residual magical energies that converged here would act as the perfect draw for a creature as powerful as the elemental, if goaded correctly. The tall pines did little to block the downpour as they exited out into the open, but every bit of help was appreciated as the three made their way to the center of the stone circle.
"Okay, you start laying out the ingredients, and I'll begin carving the shape," she said, nearly yelling to be heard over the rain.
Sonya gave her a thumbs up before slinging her pack off her shoulder, using her own body as cover to keep as much of the rain off the inside as possible.
"Hemlock," she said.
"I will keep watch for now. When the elemental deems us a large enough threat to approach, I will alert you."
"Good."
Yelena summoned Éan beag with a snap of her fingers and began the process of carving the symbol of the thunder deity Tuireann, a six spoked wheel. It would be a simple carving, just lines in the mud, but it would suffice. At each of the six points, Sonya would need to place a summoning component. While they may have looked to be disparate at first, they each corresponded with an aspect of Tuireann. Invoking his power, during such a powerful storm, was likely to attract one of his creations to come and defend his honor. What Yelena was doing was more akin to a challenge than a slight, and it was sure to attract some attention. Yelena dragged her staff through the soft earth, leaving deep ruts, but drawing out the simple shape with relative ease. She then drew the inner circle of the wheel, then began to connect the two circles with the lines to represent the spokes. As she finished each connection, Sonya laid down an ingredient.
At the top point, a shard of glass, the bottom point, the shaft of a spear. The top right and bottom right, a recently sheared oak branch and long dried pine cone, respectively. The top left, a hen's egg, then beneath that, the bones of a consumed fowl. Once the image was complete, and the items placed, the air in the circle changed, so much so that even Sonya could feel it.
"My arm hair is standing on end," she commented, taking slow steps away from the circle.
Yelena, on the other hand, stepped into the center of the wheel, pulling her hood down to accept the full wrath of the storm. Thunder rumbled from somewhere distant, but close enough to make her stomach tremble. She raised her face to the sky, allowing the heavy drops to pelt her cheeks and sting her eyes. She couldn't let it bother her. This was a show of force, a direct challenge to the powers that governed the ungovernable strength of the sky, one of the very hands that directed the destructive forces of mother earth. She couldn't show any weakness, any sign of hesitation. She reached to her pocket and retrieved the small vial, one of three that she had prepared. She flicked the seal off with a thumb and downed the contents, ignoring the salty, bitter taste as it flowed down her throat. She could hear Sonya react to the taste from her spot outside the standing stone circle, coughing with displeasure. Despite the flavor, the brew had a very important use. Almost immediately, she could feel her pores open up, and rather than sweat, her body began to secrete an oily substance like that of a frog. While incredibly uncomfortable, the strange oil would act as a safeguard, a way to shrug off all but the most violent of electrical attacks. It would be her only way to survive the upcoming encounter. She raised her staff before her in the air, then began.
"Glaoim ort, a Tuireann. Déanaim do dhúshlán, go n-éileoidh mé cuid díot. Tar anuas agus glac le mo chaoin!"
A bright, powerful bolt of pure energy struck the standing stone the top-most spoke was facing, exploding with a tremendous crack! Yelena stood still, defiant and unmoved by the storm's intimidation tactics. The wind became a gust, swirling around the clearing, sweeping up loose leaves and broken branches, tossing them about with no regard for what they may impact. Still, Yelena stood resolute, her staff high above her, demanding an audience with the lightning deity's court. She wouldn't take no for an answer.
A second bolt fell, then a third, then a fourth, striking ever closer to the center of the wheel, slamming into each point of the wheel. The ingredients were utterly destroyed, shattered into tiny pieces of shrapnel that pelted Yelena's bare face and cut her pale skin. The static electricity in the air was tingling her fingers and toes, making her hair shoot straight out despite the torrential downpour, but she felt no pain thanks to the oil that coated her skin. More bolts from the heavens descended, turning each of the six points of the wheel into blackened craters. The plugs Yelena had set in her ears, as well as the spell that she had cast to cover her eyes in a thin veil of magical darkness both prevented the incredible displays of power from hindering her challenge, and she stood even now, unfazed by the deity's strength. There was no way she would be ignored now.
"It comes, Yelena!" Hemlock hissed in her mind. Even when they were facing down the shadow beast, she had never heard his thoughts so panicked. He was afraid for her, she was sure. She couldn't be. She had to be brave, and she had to win this. No matter what.
Suddenly, the rain stopped. It hadn't ended, no…it had literally stopped falling. Yelena could see individual rain drops, mid fall, hovering in the air as if time itself had come to a stop. Then, she too felt it, just before she could see it.
Crackling energy, pure and perfected, danced around her like a river's current over a stone. It shifted between the droplets, too fast for her eyes to track, bouncing between a hundred individual drops every second, weaving through the air in a dizzying display of speed and power. It moved as seamlessly around her as a hot knife through butter, brushing past her with no effort at all, until it finally coalesced into a small, bright blue orb just before her. It was only the size of a raindrop itself at first, but as more and more bolts began to gather to it, the shape started to grow and take form. Yelena watched, her eyes wide, her mouth agape as what formed before her demolished any sense of hope she'd once harbored for success. The shape became vaguely humanoid, forming rough outlines of arms, a torso, legs, a head, all hovering before her, more than double her size. The drops of water it touched sizzled and immediately evaporated, and the air around it became supercharged with potent electricity.
Helvetia had described what she should expect to face. A roughly two foot tall, amorphous shape of electricity that would present a real challenge, but one that she could likely overcome. This…was not that.
Thunder and lighting were made manifest, the very concept of the oncoming storm given shape, the raw power of nature focused down into a lone figure with eyes of pure white that glowered down onto her pitiful, fragile frame with utter disregard.
This was no elemental. This was the very element.
Tuireann, the god of storms, spoke, his voice shaking her very soul, his words blinding her mind with their radiance.
"Cloisim thú, a mhairbh. Tá mé tagtha."
She had faced death before. She had stared into its very face and managed to push through. She could take on nearly any foe with confidence and resolve.
But before this, she was on the verge of melting into a puddle. There was a pressure like a tree trunk pressing down on her, keeping her from even daring to step forward, but unable to step away for fear of losing what little ground she still held. This was not what was supposed to happen.
She quickly glanced behind her, hoping that Hemlock would be close by to help her. Instead of seeing him ready to fight just beside her however, she saw him frozen in place, just a few feet away. His eyes were wide, his mouth open, teeth bared, but he didn't move. She could also see Sonya back at the tree line, her hands raised defensively. Was the whole world frozen in time, or was she just moving too fast? She had no clue, and frankly, didn't have time to really consider either possibility.
The deity didn't have eyes and a face, but she could feel its gaze fall upon her. Her knees trembled involuntarily, and she held her staff with both hands with it planted in the ground with all her might. She felt as though if she let it go, she'd go flying away like a bug in a hurricane. It reached out a single appendage, pointing it towards her.
"Ní labhraíonn tú mar is féidir liom?"
She was far from fluent in the old tongue, but she recognized a few of the words. Its voice was less violent, less forceful now. It almost seemed as if it was reaching out to her, not pushing her away. Why? She mustered up her courage, closed her eyes, and spoke with all she had.
"Tagann mé…a mhargadh," she said, not certain if the words were correct, but placing her faith in what she'd learned thus far. It felt as though every syllable was a challenge, that the very idea of speaking to this thing, much less asking to bargain with it, was an affront, a testimony to her incredible arrogance.
The deity lowered his appendage, speaking once more.
"This tongue may suit you better, little one. You wish to appease my house, do you not?"
She blinked a few times. He was speaking in her language? Why would he do such a debased thing?
"I do," she said, not sure where this was going.
"My children are such rash things. They are sometimes too fervent in their defense of my domain, I must admit. I saw no reason to punish you so, but my voice was outweighed by their desire to see you prostrate yourself before my power. And yet," he said, his arms stretching out before him, gesturing to the storm around them, frozen in time, "You choose to face me, to invoke my name and my house in the heart of that which I claim as my own. You are a bold one, mortal."
She hadn't thought of it that way. Had she done even more harm now!? Had she angered not only the sprites, but the very gods themselves!?
"I adore that dauntless soul that lies in your heart, mortal. It is something I long to have myself, but I am old. So very old, and so very bored. So, I will bargain with you. But rather than a give and take, I will ask that you entertain me."
This was sounding more and more terrifying by the minute, but she really had no choice but to go along with the whims of the god of storms, whatever they might entail.
"What do you have in mind?" she asked, doing her best to steady herself.
"I have not entered combat for ages. I long for a bout, one in which I am able to be harmed. Do this, and I will not only release you, but I will instead give you my boon. Does this sound fair to you?"
"You want me to hurt you?"
"Indeed. You need only land a single blow upon me."
This was insane. How was she supposed to hurt a literal god!? She didn't know any complicated magic that would be capable of injuring a creature made of pure energy, much less one that controlled it! Was this some kind of test, or was it simply setting her up to fail, giving her an impossible task for an impossible reward? Was Tuireann mocking her?
Yelena grimaced, but stood her ground. This was her only chance. She had to hurt a god, or die a slow, painful death in less than a year. She had to try. She had to.
"I accept," she said, swallowing hard. She had just challenged a god, not just in words, but to its face.
The shifting shapes of the lightning deity's face moved, and it moved back from her, flashing brightly with energy.
"Attack me, young witch. Prove yourself worthy of my gifts."
Yelena let out a single chuckle. What a preposterous scenario she found herself in now. When she woke up this morning, if someone had told her she'd be bargaining with Tuireann, she'd have called them crazy. Yet, here she was, staring down the very image of raw power. She'd have to give this everything she had, and no one would be there to back her up. She still had no idea how, but she was separated from her friends by some sort of time distortion. She had only herself now.
She placed her feet firmly, balancing herself as best she could. The ground was still muddy and slick, sucking the souls of her boots into the soft soil. The drops of rain were still frozen in place, only moving if she or Tuireann touched them. The god waited patiently, knowing full well that at any moment it could strike her down with the power of a hurricane, rip her to pieces with gales strong enough to topple ancient oaks. She was just his plaything, but she had a suspicion that he had no desire to kill her. At least, not yet. If he had, he likely would have done so already. She couldn't imagine that the god of lightning was a naturally patient being, but he seemed to be right now.
She inhaled, then pointed Éan beag towards the deity. She focused on his center, a roiling mass of blue-white energy that flashed and shot out tendrils of supercharged particles. She would test her initial hypothesis, but she doubted it would work. Still, she had to try.
"Slata talún, teacht amach!" she called, summoning four pillars from the mud beneath her, shaping them into spears that spiraled into sharp points. She pushed her arm forward, sending the group of projectiles forward, their speed aided by a gust of powerful wind she directed. In her practice, she could pierce through dry wood with ease. These spears might be enough to do…something. She could only hope.
As the four spears soared ahead, a bright flash hit her eyes. She momentarily lost sight of her target and her attack, but when her eyes readjusted, all she saw of her four spears were charred chunks of mud splattered about the space between her and Tuireann.
"Not enough. A lesson, for you."
A lesson? What did he-
Yelena's mind went blank as she was slammed into the mud, but only after having flipped over backwards from the force of the strike. Every muscle in her body was numb for a moment, then slowly returned to searing pain. She let out a pained groan, coughing after having the oxygen forcefully evacuated from her lungs. Her chest was burning, and as she looked down, she could see her bare skin, charred and blackened. Her eyes went wide as the realization hit her.
"You hit me with lightning!" she screamed out, confused as to how she survived, but also that the god would try to kill her after all their bargaining.
"I did not claim I would not fight back, young witch. Though, even I must confess, your survival was unexpected."
With shaky hands, she lightly touched the wound on her chest. The strike had blasted through her coat and dress, burning them away like nothing. Had it not been for the viscous coating of slime that covered her body, she likely would have a hole through her, laying dead in the mud. Instead, the fabric around the edge of the wound had fused to her skin. It was lucky that her nerves were shot, since the pain she knew she should have been experiencing might be too much for her to handle.
With effort, she stood again. Her body still moved just fine, but everything was tingly, and she felt sluggish. She blinked away white spots in her vision, then readied herself once more. Her trick had given her an extra shot at this. She doubted she would get another. The slime that had coated her skin was gone now, evaporated by the incredible heat of the lightning. She had to hurt him in her next attack, or there wouldn't be another. She had to figure out how to do this. She had to think.
Think. Think.
What would raw energy be susceptible to? Not earth, clearly. It could overpower and destroy something as flimsy as dead material. She doubted that extreme cold would pass either. Fire would likely have no effect, being a weaker form of lightning anyway. Organic magic wouldn't be able to penetrate their time bubble, nor would it be able to withstand a strike from him either. Nothing she could think of would be strong enough to hurt a literal god of lightning. What options did that leave her? It wasn't as though she could bludgeon him with a club. She wasn't strong, and she had no way to know if he could even be touched without fatal consequences. She didn't have a club anyway. All she had was her staff-
Wait.
Her staff wasn't physical. Not in the same sense as a normal weapon, anyway. It was made from pure, condensed magic. It was even more focused than his lightning, wasn't it? If that was the case, then perhaps she could use it to touch him, but even if she did, it was just a normal staff. It would be no different from hitting him with a magic stick. A magic stick…that she could chose the shape of.
Her eyes narrowed. She had a plan. She'd only get one shot, so she had to be perfect. The god Tuireann waited for her again. If she failed, her only defense was already gone. She had to bypass his defenses, and land a single blow. She could see it, however small the possibility may be, but there was a path to victory.
She changed her stance, took a deep breath, then charged forward.
Her feet struggled to find solid footing in the mud, but she pushed ahead anyway. Tuireann raised an appendage towards her, and in response, Yelena cast her own spell. She only needed it to hold off one strike. If it could do that, she'd be close enough.
"Imigh liom san oighear!" she cried, sweeping her arm in front of her. A wall of glimmering ice appeared in a solid ring around her as she ran, formed from the ambient moisture and the countless drops of rain. The ground before her hardened as the water was drawn up from it, allowing her to push even harder forward.
A crack of power slammed into the ice wall, shattering it instantly, but allowing the energy of the lightning to travel amongst the thousands of sheets and pieces of ice to dissipate before reaching her. Entire foot-wide chunks flash-fried, evaporating under the intense heat, providing a thick cloud of hot steam as cover. She allowed the searing pain on her face and skin no purchase, pushing it to the back of her mind. Yelena burst forward from within the cage, now shifting her focus towards Éan beag, shaping its form in her mind once more. The same way she had before, only instead of envisioning a staff made for wielding magic and helping those in need, she imagined a sharp blade, capable of slicing the gods themselves and any who would stand in her way. The shape of the staff changed in her hand as she pulled her arm back, shifting into a firm, warm handle. the weight changed as well, and she felt as though she was carrying nothing at all. Before her, now that the ice had cleared, Tuireann hovered in all his glory, expectant. She couldn't read any emotion from the formless entity, but she had the feeling that she had surprised it.
Good.
She swept her arm forward, bringing with it a newly formed blade of pure white crystal, its edge fine enough to slice the air before it. The sword glimmered in the haze, reflecting the blue-white lightning that pulsed from Tuireann as it made contact with his form. She felt the edge slide in, cutting through…something. She didn't know what, but she could feel it. She had done it. There was a bit of resistance, like moving her hand through water, but she had landed a strike.
Just as soon as the blade had entered the body of the god, he vanished, reappearing a few feet away from her. The tear in his form was still present as Yelena struggled to bring herself to a halt, her breath ragged and pained. The ice wall had used a lot of her magic, and with her chest wound beginning to seep blood from her cracked flesh and ache across her entire body, she was barely able to stand. She panted as she stood across from the lightning god, her arms weak but still able to hold her sword of magic at her side. There was an eerie silence, like the dead quiet of a winter's night. It was Tuireann's move now. Whether that counted as a wound to him, she had no idea. She was completely at his mercy now. She hadn't the strength to do that again.
The translucent surface of the deity's body began to roil and repair itself, removing the gash that she had created. It sealed itself back up with a static pop, and the god's attention was focused on her. She couldn't see his eyes, but she could feel his gaze, like the weight of a parent's decree waiting to be issued.
"You did not disappoint, young witch. You wounded me, and did so cleverly. Well fought."
Yelena breathed out for what felt like the first time since Tuireann had appeared before her, and she felt some of the tension in her shoulders pull away. In fact, it felt as if her entire body felt lighter, like a terrible weight that she hadn't even noticed before was lifted from her.
"You shall be free from my curse, and I bestow upon you my blessing. Take this piece of my strength, and make it your own. I will be watching you progress with great interest, young witch."
A spark of electricity shot out from his form and hit her hand. She felt the spark flow through her body, navigating her veins and muscles faster than she could possibly comprehend. It found its way to her heart, and then stopped. It wasn't painful, but she could feel it lingering there, finding a home within her soul, melding with her very essence. What exactly Tuireann's blessing was, she was unsure of. She was grateful all the same.
"Thank you," she said, her voice hoarse and dry. She coughed once, then fell to her knees, using her sword to keep herself upright. The pain from her chest was growing more intense, and she tasted blood in her mouth. Had it just been the adrenaline keeping her going this whole time?
"Farewell, witch. I leave your care to my friend. He will see to your wounds."
She looked up at the lightning god once more, confused. His friend?
Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Tuireann was gone, his electrical essence blasting into the night sky and back into nature around her. The rain drops that had been held aloft all this time began to slowly slide down again, gaining in speed until the sound of the downpour returned, cascading down onto her once more. All at once, time caught up, and the world moved at its regular pace.
"Yelena, we have to run!" Hemlock's voice rang out in her head.
"Little late for that," she replied.
She could feel the strength leaving her fully now, and as her heartbeat raced and began pulsing in her ears, her hold on her sword gave way. It evaporated into white sparkling light before fading into nothing, and she collapsed into the mud.
"Yel!"
"Yelena! What happened!?"
She couldn't answer. She didn't have the strength to speak over the awful, terrible pain that was wracking her body once more. It was so much worse than when she had first called lightning before, and the burned flesh on her chest was making it all ten times as painful. Her eyes shut, and she welcomed the cold comfort of unconsciousness as her mind blanked.
