Time is...
Halfway through January already, and it feels like I'm still anxious about the holidays. Time is an interesting concept, both in how we try to wrangle it and tame it for our own purposes, but also in how it feels so illusive in its inability to be altered. It is something we observe, something we are subjected to, something beyond and outside of us, yet also something entirely fictional. Time exists in a limbo state of true and false, both existing and not, both freeing and imprisoning. Is time an extant part of our concsciousness, simply a useful trick of the mind to understand the unexplainable, or is it a force of the universe that always has and always will be? I'm certain we'll never know for sure, now is it particularly condusive to everyday life to waste brain power pondering it. Yet here I am, and you are, doing that very thing right now. What's the point? There may not be one. It may just...be.
So I've tried to pick up my pace this past week, and I've made good progress. I even settled on a name for the village! Only took three months. Harske. I'll likely leave all the past posts alone and unedited, but it'll be fixed in the final draft, don't worry. Anyway, I've got another two chapters ready for you, so I hope you enjoy it. We're getting really close now. I'm working on the final two chapters now, and I'm hoping to have them done by next week if all goes well. Once that's done, I'll do some minor editing, then once I'm happy with it, the work will begin in earnest. For this one, I'm going to pursue traditional publishing. Self-pub was useful, but its not going to get me the audience I need to turn this whole little side hobby into a real career, so that's the plan. I'll be letting you all know how that process goes when we get there, but I expect little to no real progress for a while after.
So as I've said before, this entire project has been a real exercise for my own abilties. I've dabbled in styles that I normally haven't tried writing in, and I've taken an approach that is somewhat new to me, and I've really enjoyed it. A much more focused, smaller story, with just a small handful of characters. I've normally only written big plots with vast stories and all that, and for this one, it was a bit of a struggle to keep things local. It was fun though! I still need to work on some things, and I already have a lot of things I'm going to change in the editing process to tidy up certain plot points that I didn't feel needed to be there at all and condense things into a tighter narrative, but I think having done this it'll help me going forward. Not only that, but also figuring out how to set and achieve real goals, how to put my mind into a consistent writing headspace, all that. These last few months have allowed me to see what I'm capable of if I actually really put my mind to something, really apply myself and throw everything I've got into it. Not just with writing, but with a lot of other smaller things throughout my life. Its been nice. Here's to keeping that up, and to one day achieving the dreams I have in earnest.
These next two chapters are interesting. At least, I think so. Throughout this story, I've tried to up my ability to describe scenes and really paint pictures with my words. I know that sometimes I struggle to be properly evocative in my writing, and hopefully now I'm better equipped to do so. That's the whole struggle though, isn't it? Getting what's in my head into yours, the way I saw it. That's what spearates the great writers from the mediocre. Maybe one day I can say that I've made that leap, but for now all I can do is keep working on honing my craft.
That's all for this week. I was kind of bouncy in this one, I know. I think it'll create a better, more authentic look into my head if I just let whatever wild thing that pops into my head hit the keyboard from time to time. Give you an insight into my day-to-day. Oh, and I think I came up with a title? Let me know what you think! Subject to change of course, but I'm looking for input. It's hardly some ingenius literary device, don't worry. I wanted to keep it very simple. So, enjoy the next two chapters of Yelena and the Amethyst Cat. Until next time,
Make your own fate
J. M. Prigmore
Ch. 15
A few days had passed since the wizard's attack on her house had been dealt with. Since then, there had been little chatter about the place. Yelena hadn't spoken to Hemlock since that day, unsure as to what she even could at this point. Everything had changed so suddenly, and she had no clue how to navigate this new reality. She'd spent most of her time laying in bed, reading her book. The book that Ysha had given her. She'd repaid the man's kindness all those years ago with a swift, impassionate death, like he was an animal. She didn't have any appetite, and she only drank water because she knew that she'd die if she didn't. Every time Helvetia made food, it was all she could do to even hold that down.
Sonya had stopped by the day after the incident, and after being filled in by Hemlock, did her best to cheer Yelena up. It hadn't worked. She didn't want her to see her this way, but she didn't have the energy to even push her away. Yelena knew she was a wreck, and despite Sonya's best attempts to bring her around, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had committed an unforgivable sin. It wasn't as if she didn't realize that Ysha would have killed her without a second thought. Sure, there had been a brief spark of the kind old man she had first seen as a child, but whatever had happened to him since then had transformed that old man into a monster. She truly didn't have a choice. It was him or her.
It didn't make it feel any less disgusting.
She had wanted to use magic only for helping people. Never to hurt, never to kill. Yet here she was, a killer, a vile witch who had resorted to murder to achieve her goals. No matter how many times Sonya or Helvetia told her, she had ended a human life, and that was a bridge too far.
Then…there was Hemlock.
She understood why he had kept his power a secret from her. It made sense. If she had been in his shoes, she may well have done the same. Even so, it was wrong. Wrong to carry such a burden, wrong to not let her know how much he was sacrificing for her. They were supposed to be a team, and she had promised him that she wouldn't hide anything from him anymore. Yet, here he was, slowly killing himself without so much as a hint as to why. It wasn't as though she hadn't noticed his declining health. His gait was a bit stiffer than before, his back a tad bit bent when she had ran her hand down his back. His one inky black eye, infected with the shadow curse, his strange scar pattern that mimicked her own after being struck by a god's lightning. She found it odd, but never gave it much thought. Now she understood. Every time she had been on death's door, he had taken on her suffering. She didn't know why. She hadn't asked for such a thing, and she certainly hadn't known that it would ever be possible in the first place. Even if she had, she would have refuted his offering. How many years had he taken from his own life just to keep her alive now? How many lives had he given up due to her own stupidity?
In truth…she was angry at herself more than him. He should have been honest with her, sure, but had he necessarily done anything wrong? No. If anything, it was her own ignorance, her own recklessness that had lead to him needing to expend his own life energy to keep her kicking. She realized that now, despite her outburst before. At this point, it was just too awkward. She didn't know how to bring up the subject right now, and with all the other awful thoughts swirling around in her head, she knew she wasn't prepared to have that conversation just yet.
Yelena was feeling a bit better today, physically anyway. She still had no desire to speak what she was actually feeling, but she wanted to do something. Anything.
Around mid morning she finally rose from bed for the first time in days for more than a bathroom trip, getting dressed and making for the forest. The destruction wrought from Helvetia and Ysha's battle was still fresh, and a number of ancient pines had been scorched or blasted apart by their violent displays of power. Hemlock had taken care of the wizard's body already, burying it further out into the forest, far away from their humble homestead. The cool air of early spring was nice, and a soft breeze rustled pine needles and let out a gentle sigh as the fast moving air brushed through the tall trees. Yelena closed her eyes and took it in, immersing herself in the natural beauty for a moment, hoping to clear her mind. She was a good bit into the forest now, out of view of the cabin. Far in the distance she could hear a single bird call, its cry echoing through the forest long past her own spot. Out here, surrounded by the vastness of the wood, its age and size far beyond her capacity to fully grasp, she felt as though anything was possible. For the first time in days, she felt a tinge of joy.
"Yelena, I bid you return. We have company."
It was the first time Hemlock had spoken to her in four days. She assumed it was truly important to break his silence after this long.
She sighed, lamenting her fleeting moment of bliss, then made her way back home. It would have been nice to at least know who it was that was there. She was quite exhausted with surprise guests.
***
Sonya greeted her as she came in, but with a much more somber expression than she was used to.
"What's wrong?" she asked, deducing that she was serious.
"Sean's boy has been sick for days now, and not even your healing tonic is helping."
That was a surprise, but not one she hadn't foreseen happening so soon. Her tonics could only heal certain ailments, but they should be generally effective against most common illnesses.
"How bad is he?"
"Bad. He can't keep anything down, boils all over, fever, the works. Worst part," she paused, holding up her own bare arm. "He's not the only one."
A small boil had formed on Sonya's arm, and upon closer inspection, her cheeks were flushed. She was sick with whatever this was too.
"Oh. How many?"
"At least half of us."
"Half?"
"Yeah. I guess it spread to most of us already. Problem is, no one has been able to fight it off yet. I was hoping you could take a look at me, figure out what's going on. Sean's boy, Riley, he's too sick to come this far out."
Yelena put her hand to her chin. Her tonic should have been able to keep away any common sickness, which immediately led her to believe that whatever this illness was was something more dangerous than a passing flu. If that was true, she wouldn't have a lot of time to figure things out. Diseases like this, in small villages with close-knit communities, could wipe out most of the population in a matter of weeks if handled poorly. She was no doctor, but being the village witch left her as the authority on things such as diseases and pests that might plague her territory. She knew something like this might one day occur and fall onto her lap. She just wished that she'd been able to get a little more experience under her belt when it came to medicine before having to face such a potentially devastating issue.
"Okay. Come on in, try to avoid Helvetia. She's still not fully recovered yet."
Yelena reached for the door, but felt Sonya's hand on her shoulder, stopping her before she could open it.
"And neither have you. I know this is a lot to ask of you right now, so don't push yourself too hard."
Yelena looked back to Sonya, giving her the best fake smile she could muster.
"I'm fine," she lied.
Sonya saw right through her, giving her a look of understanding and nodding anyway. Having something important to work on would help her anyway, so Yelena was hardly upset by having a difficult task placed before her. She just had to stay focused.
The next hour or so was spent asking a myriad of questions to Sonya about her condition, how she felt, what hurt and what didn't, and a hundred other seemingly pointless things that might help Yelena paint a picture of all the symptoms. If she could do that, perhaps she could find a cause. That was step one. In totality, Sonya's symptoms seemed to be somewhat mild compared to what she described for Riley and some of the more unfortunate villagers. According to what she'd said, it started with a headache and dizziness, then progressed to fever and boils across the arms and torso. On Riley, who had experienced the earliest signs of illness, his boils had stretched up to his neck and face, and he'd been extremely nauseated for over a day now, unable to keep any food down. It didn't sound good. Yelena didn't want to say it out loud, but between a high fever and the nausea making it impossible for him to eat, his chances for recovery were already slimming.
"Okay, so this all sounds pretty bad," she said, finishing writing her notes on a sheet of paper covered in scribbles.
"I didn't want to bother you with this, but we all feel a little out of our depth now," Sonya said, resting her head in her hands. Even though she was miles better than some of the others, it was still clear that she was worn out just from the trek here today. Yelena scribbled 'fatigue' next to all the other symptoms as well.
"This is part of my duties. I'm supposed to keep everyone healthy and safe. Honestly, I wish you'd come to me sooner with this."
"I know. I just didn't want to pressure you."
Yelena looked up and met Sonya's eyes.
"These are people's lives, Sonya. Nothing else matters when that's on the line."
Sonya smiled.
"You're right, Yel. Sorry."
She wasn't trying to scold, but she didn't want Sonya to think that she was so soft and hurt that she couldn't do her job. Helvetia had wandered over at some point, standing over Yelena's shoulder and silently watching her write. Yelena finished her sentence, then looked over at her.
"Yes?"
"Just observing."
"Care to interject any wisdom?"
"Not yet."
"Not yet?"
Helvetia turned and walked away, proceeding to fall lazily on Yelena's bed with her arms behind her head.
"Not yet."
"Because you don't know anything, or because you don't want to admit you know something?"
The witch shrugged. Yelena sighed aloud, then returned to her notes. She didn't have time for the odd witch's games right now. Despite Yelena very obviously saving her from the wrath of Ysha, Helvetia hadn't stopped acting as though she was some enigmatic mentor figure to her. To be fair, she was still vastly more experienced in nearly all forms of magic compared to Yelena, but after recent events, she figured that their relationship would have turned a bit more like one shared by peers, rather than a continuation of the mentor/mentee dynamic. She wasn't upset by it. More just…confused.
Yelena quietly reviewed her notes and pondered on what could be the cause for a good while, sipping on a warm cup of tea Helvetia had made all the while. Hemlock was nowhere to be seen, and Sonya spent the quiet time mindlessly carving at a small piece of wood with her knife. The shavings had made a sizable pile by the time Yelena was finished.
"Alright. I want to test something. Do you mind?"
Sonya seemingly broke a trance-like state, almost jumping when Yelena spoke. She put her knife back into a small sheath on her belt and turned to her.
"Go ahead. Do I need to do anything?"
"No, just stay still. If I'm right…well, let's just test and see."
Yelena had a hunch, but she had to test it first. If it went wrong, Sonya's symptoms weren't so far that any backfire would put her in immediate danger. A risk, but she was confident in her abilities now. Sonya put the piece of wood down on top of the pile of shavings on the table, then shifted to sit straight, facing Yelena dead on.
"Go for it. I trust you."
"Thanks, Sonya. It might feel weird, and it might hurt a bit. Here we go," she said, closing her eyes.
She needed to concentrate, needed to feel how the flow of magic weaved it way through Sonya's body. If her hunch was right, she might only get one shot at this, so she needed to be precise. No flubs, no mistakes. She held out her hands, pointing her palms out. She felt out for Sonya's source of magic, her soul, some would say, however small and frail as it might be. She could see it just barely twinkling in her gut, tucked between physical organs and metaphysical constructs that the naked eye could never see. She let out a small tendril of her own magic from her hands, its gentle makeup twisting and contorting as it spanned the gap between the two women, pushed and pulled by the incessant flow of magic around them. The tendrils reached their target, grasping onto her physical form, the idea of the person that tiny spark of magic associated as 'Sonya'. Yelena heard Sonya shift in her chair, no doubt sensing intrinsically that something was touching her, but unable to sense what or where it was. Those unable to use magic like she could could still interact with it, but only reactively.
"Hold very still," Yelena whispered, trying not to break her concentration.
She saw Sonya's head nod without opening her eyes, her mind's response clear as day now that she was communing directly with her soul. The tendrils of magic wormed their way through the countless openings to her soul, ignoring tangible barriers such as skin and bone. She did her best to be gentle, maneuvering around the tiny bridges and roads that Sonya's well of magic had built throughout her body. She had read in her book that doing something like this, to infiltrate someone's very being with one's own magic, was seen as a taboo amongst witches and wizards without express consent. For someone magically attuned, doing so could permanently damage or even alter the weave and flow of magic in one's body. For a soul as magically weak as Sonya's it was hardly as risky, but if she had any intention to, Yelena could easily sever Sonya's soul from her body.
After a minute or so of travelling through her body's pathways, her tendrils finally reached their target. She could feel the soft warmth exuding from Sonya's soul, the flow of magic pulsing along with her heartbeat, filling her with life and energy. This tiny, unremarkable spark of magic was what made Sonya who she was. It was what tethered her to reality, what centered her amongst the ever flowing tides of magical waves that crashed around the universe at all times. All of her, everything that Yelena loved, was right there, focused and condensed down into a speck of light. One wrong move would kill her instantly. She was confident that even Hemlock's ability could do little to correct a mistake of that magnitude. All she had to do now was just…feel. She reached out with a single strand, a lone finger to connect their two souls together. The tip of the tendril grew ever closer, and Yelena could feel a bead of sweat run down her brow. She breathed in and out slowly, making sure she remembered to do so. This was the most dangerous part. She reached out with her magic, and ever so lightly…
A flash of emotion, of memory, of experience washed over Yelena's mind all at once. It was all she could do to keep her concentration on maintaining the link as nearly thirty years of life exploded around her, its beautiful colors and smells and tastes all collating into an overwhelming flurry of what Yelena could only describe as life. It was incredible, and terrifying. Sonya let out a grunt, her mind struggling to cope with all of Yelena's thoughts and experiences as the sensation was reciprocated. All of Sonya was being shared with Yelena, just as all of Yelena was shared with Sonya. In this connection of life and soul, nothing was hidden, and all was laid bare for the other to see. As if living in her head, Yelena saw all of her life play out in rapid moments of blurry recollection.
Then, Yelena did what she actually needed to do here.
"Nocht an i bhfolach, an olc," she whispered, channeling the magic through the strands that were connected to her soul. Immediately, she received a response.
A feeling of dread, a flash of dark, mottled brown stained onto her soul, hidden beneath layers of pure life. It grew in her senses, reacting to her observing it like a beast startled from its slumber. The darkness imprinted on her soul shifted, saw her, judged her as an obstacle. It moved. It reached out, trying to latch onto her. It wanted to jump across, to rest in her soul, so full of magic and energy, so hungry to devour her very essence. Hunger. It was so very hungry. It needed to eat, to consume, to devour, to mash and tear and rip and gnash. It was awful, terrible, tortured and in pain, longing for relief. It opened its maw, looking to bite down onto her-
Yelena released her grasp on Sonya's soul, trying her best to be gentle a she receded. She had just barely avoided the sickening touch of the stain, whatever foul presence that had infested Sonya's soul. She wasn't sure what it was, but she did know one thing; that was the source. This was no disease of the body. It was a parasite, one that devoured the very soul. A sick, depraved magic that would slowly eat the life essence of those unfortunate enough to be infected by it, then likely use the host's strength to leap from one victim to the next, leaving their soul so damaged and frayed that their physical body would never recover. This was no natural thing. This was made to kill, its instructions set by a designer. On top of it all, and most shockingly, it was familiar. She'd felt it before, though only for a split second. She'd killed something just like it, when she'd severed Ysha's soul. She hadn't realized it at the time, but now that she had seen the sickening monstrosity resting on her friend's soul, she knew what had happened. The wizard shared the same illness, only unlike the common man whose soul would be devoured and killed, a wizard's soul could sustain a parasite such as that for years, maybe decades, slowly corrupting them and tainting their very being. It was an awful thing to consider, to have everything you are slowly changed and eaten by a mindless entity like that.
Yelena and Sonya both gasped as the link was severed. Yelena was out of breath, the shock of the malignant tumor on Sonya's soul having taken her by surprise. She'd had an inkling that this was something magical in nature, but not something as awful as this.
Sonya, with her hand held to her chest, asked with concern, "What on earth was that?"
"There's something on your soul. Something very dangerous," she replied, not wanting to say too much to panic her.
"No, I mean- wait, something on my soul? What does that even mean?"
"I saw it. A small presence within you. It's what caused the disease."
"Bingo," Helvetia said from the bed, laying on her side. "I knew you could figure it out, my darling little witch."
Yelena turned and flared at her.
"If you knew, you could've saved me from having to do all that."
"And miss the chance for her to see? Not a chance."
"See what?"
Yelena turned and looked at Sonya, who immediately averted her eyes. What did she mean? Sure, they had shared their memories and experiences for a few seconds, but the linking should have only revealed brief glimpses of some of the strongest emotions and memories. Things like…strong feelings of love…and…
Oh. Oh no.
Yelena could feel heat building up in her cheeks, and her heartbeat picked up. If her guess was correct, then Sonya just witnessed her true emotions. Specifically, about her.
"You know, you could've told me," Sonya said quietly, her hands in her lap. "I would've understood."
"I just- well, at the time- I didn't-"
"Bigger fish to fry, lovebirds," Helvetia cut in. "Yelena is right. You, and all of your folk, have been afflicted with a magical parasite. A nasty one, at that. I'd had a hunch about that bastard Ysha being infected as well, but now I can put that theory to rest. Seems he was long past any hope of cure, and you dealt him the only kindness left to him. As for you, you've still got time and a chance."
It made sense, looking back. That moment of clarity that had broken through the haze when Yelena had triggered an old memory for Ysha, the relief he'd felt in his final moments. He must have known, in what was left of his original, true soul, that he was being used.
"Do you think that he infected the village before coming here?"
"Oh, most certainly. I'm sure that by now, the parasite was more in control of his mind and body than he was. Explains why he was spouting all that nonsense about eating magic, at least. Even some of the more insane witches I've met generally aren't that manic in their ramblings," Helvetia said, just as aloof as ever.
"Then…what can we do?"
"That's the question now, isn't it? The only cure we know of right now isn't exactly practical, so we need to find out how to get rid of that vile thing."
"Any useful leads, Helvetia?"
Yelena could tell that she was trying to lead her on. She might as well humor her.
"Oh, perhaps. Though I hear he isn't on the best of terms with you right now."
Hemlock. Great. Where even was he? He'd been the one to let her know that Sonya was here. Had he left before Yelena could even get here? Was he that upset? She'd figured that he felt little remorse about what he'd done, but if he had called her back then gotten out of the way…
"I know it might not be easy," Sonya said, still a little timidly, "but if he's our best shot, then it might be time to talk to him. For real."
"Yeah, I know," Yelena replied, sighing.
If it wasn't quite literally a life or death scenario she would easily put it off for a while longer, but she didn't have that luxury. More specifically, the villagers didn't. She would have to put her personal feelings aside for now and do what needed to be done.
She reached out for Hemlock in her mind, searching for his presence. It was faint, but she could feel him nearby.
"Hey."
A moment of pause.
"Yes?"
He sounded a bit put out.
"We need to talk. It's important."
"I am currently preoccupied, I am afraid."
"Hemlock, please. I really need your help."
"You will have to do without for a time. Forgive me."
For the first time since she had been sucked into that weird space by the frostbloom, the link between herself and Hemlock was severed, leaving her with a sudden pang of emptiness in her chest. What did he mean? What could he possibly be doing right now that was more important than saving so many lives? And for him to dismiss her so casually, without even telling her what it was he was so 'preoccupied' with?
"Bad news?"
Yelena looked to Sonya, realizing only then that her face was turned into a grimace. She blinked once, then tried to relax her tensed muscles. She wasn't just upset. She was angry.
"He's busy, I guess."
"That doesn't sound like Hemmy," Sonya said, looking concerned. "Did he say what with?"
"No. He cut me off. I couldn't even find him if I wanted to."
"Looks like you're both a little overdramatic," Helvetia chimed in.
"Listen, you aren't helping," Sonya said. "Cool it, okay?"
"I'm only saying the truth. This is the price of secrets, and one that all must learn eventually. Perhaps your precious little kitty never thought about the consequences of his actions, and perhaps his master should have been a little bit less careless with her life," she said, still obnoxiously laying on her side.
Yelena clicked her teeth, then made for the door. She needed some fresh air. She needed space to think, away from all of this. She slammed the door on her way out, knowing full well that if she damaged anything, she'd be the one who'd have to repair it. Right now, she didn't care. Life was coming at her a million miles a minute, and it was just too much. She needed to focus on one thing at a time, and all this nonsense with Hemlock was just a distraction. If Helvetia wasn't going to help in any real way either, then she could beat it too. She had lives to save, and she wasn't going to let all the stupid obstacles stop her.
Ch. 16
Sonya had returned back home later that day, and after a good long walk through the forest to clear her head and come up with a plan, she'd come up with absolutely nothing helpful. To say that a magical parasite that fed on the soul energy of a person was far beyond her repertoire would be an understatement at best. She had no clue how to handle such a thing, and the very last thing she wanted to do was make a mistake and make it worse. She was certain that Helvetia was at least knowledgeable about it, but it was clear that the witch was trying to get Yelena to come up with a solution on her own. Under different circumstances, she would have appreciated such a challenge, but now wasn't the time for tests of wit. She had grown increasingly frustrated with it all throughout the day, and she knew she was already slightly on edge due to all the goings on.
She made her way back home and found Helvetia stirring something in the cauldron in the center of the room, its scent stinging her nostrils with acidic tinges. Yelena put her coat on the rack by the door, then went to investigate what she was up to.
"I hope that isn't dinner," she commented, leaning over to observe the contents. It was a frothy dark green liquid spinning along with the massive stirring rod Helvetia wielded with a spectral hand, its aethereal blue glow bathing the room in ghostly light.
"Only if you're looking to loose your lunch."
She was moving her hand in lazy circles to guide the spectral hand. She looked incredibly bored.
"So what is it?"
"A neat little concoction to help with our current dilemma. Haven't made it in decades though, so this is a test batch."
"And it does…what?"
"You'll see."
Yelena sighed, not willing to put up a fight about it. She'd find out when she became the test subject, she was sure. Despite the strong smell permeating the air, her stomach was growling. At least she had regained her appetite. She stepped away from the cauldron and went in search of something to eat. A bottle of wine and a loaf of bread would suffice for now. She found a half-eaten loaf near her ingredient table and sat on the side of her bed, crunching on the crust of the slightly stale bread as she watched Helvetia work.
"Want to talk about what's bothering you?" Helvetia asked out of the blue.
Yelena was surprised. She rarely asked about her personal life.
"I guess," she said.
"You don't seem like the kind of girl who likes bottling things up. Come on, I promise I won't laugh."
She wasn't convinced, but what was the harm?
"Fine," she started. "It seems like ever since you showed up, things have been happening too fast."
"Oh?"
"Not that it was your fault! It's just been like…it's been emergency after emergency, and I haven't really had time to process all of it. I mean, I met a god Helvetia. He messed with my heart, and now I can do things I never could before. I finally met the man who helped me realize that I could do magic all those years ago, then I…"
She couldn't even finish the statement. The words got stuck in her throat, and rather than forcing them, she moved on.
"Now this. A soul-devouring magic that I don't know how to fix, Hemlock's mad at me, I'm mad at him, and worst of all, Sonya knows how I feel about her."
"That's the worst of it?"
"Well, no, not really," Yelena replied, realizing how foolish that actually sounded. "Before now, I always had a clear path forward. I knew what I had to do to accomplish my goal. Now…I'm lost."
Helvetia didn't immediately reply, instead shifting on the stool the was perched on.
"Sometimes that's how things just go, little witch. Life isn't a series of straight paths and clear skies. It throws twists and turns at you, unexpected obstacles, and sometimes, impossible problems." She got up, still using the hand to stir the cauldron, but instead sitting next to Yelena before continuing. "And when it does, when everything looks hopeless and the winds of failure are pushing against you, remember this; headwind provides the perfect condition for birds to take flight."
She wrapped her arm around Yelena and pulled her in close. She responded by leaning in, resting her head on her chest. Helvetia was right, in her own, strange way. No matter how awful things may seem, she couldn't let the lack of hope stop her from trying. Helvetia surely hadn't. She'd just gone through something much worse than Yelena had. Yet here she was, consoling her instead of wallowing. She had much more a right to be a broken mess than Yelena right now.
"Thanks, Helvetia."
"Of course, my darling."
The witch ceased her stirring at last, guiding the hand to grab a small ladle and scoop up a spoonful of the fluid. She directed it to where they were seated, offering it to Yelena.
"Now, be a good girl and sample my brew."
Yelena gave her some side-eye.
"Not until you tell me what it'll do to me."
"Oh come now, after all that, you still don't blindly trust me?"
"No."
Helvetia grinned.
"Good. This is called 'feysight'. It'll let you see the world between ours and that of the fey, normally impossible to witness even to the most skilled of witches."
"Okay. Why?"
"Because we're going to need their help. Without your dearest kitty, we are lacking the insight of their kind."
"But…Hemlock isn't a fey? He's just a forest spirit."
Helvetia smiled. This time, Yelena didn't like it.
"I'm sorry, darling, but that was another lie he told you. Your familiar is…well, I will allow him to explain in time. To put it simply, he is a powerful fey. And without him, we are without options. But once you imbibe this, you will be able to commune with other fey that don't have an interest in you specifically."
Yelena was confused, but at this point, she wasn't necessarily shocked. If he had lied about something so important as sacrificing himself for her sake, then what was one more descriptive lie? Regardless, if this was a good lead to solving the disease, she'd pursue it.
"Okay. What should I be looking for?"
"It will be obvious. I doubt there will be any fey of import here, but they are likely many weak ones nearby. In fact, I've a feeling that there is one watching us right now, waiting to laugh if my brew should fail. If you see them, tell them to suck an egg for me."
Before Yelena could protest, the ladle was shoved into her mouth. The awful tasting brew passed over her tongue and down her throat, singeing her taste buds with its acidic contents. She coughed after swallowing, and almost instantly felt a wave of dizziness wash over her.
"Sweet dreams, silver witch," Helvetia said, though her words were echoing in her skull like they were bouncing around a cavern. Her vision went blurry, then tinged green and purple shades from the corners inward.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she was sitting upright on the bed again, her senses clear as day. She looked down at her hands, and noticed they seemed lighter. Too light. She pulled her palm close, then noticed that it was almost see-through. That was when she noticed that a perfect copy of her was laying just to her side, eyes closed, breathing deeply. She stood up, confused, and gazed around the room. It looked exactly like the inside of her cabin just a moment before, but something was just slightly off. She couldn't put her finger on what it was exactly.
"Over here," she heard a voice say. She twisted around and tried to find its source, her eyes darting about the room. Nothing stood out.
"Who's there?"
"Me!" a tiny, squeaky voice said from just behind her right ear now, making her jump. She whipped back around and was face to face with a miniscule humanoid creature, its body mostly aglow with bright yellow light and barely the size of her hand. It had two arms and legs, but also bright and colorful wings protruding from its back, flapping lazily as if floated at head height for her.
"Um, hello. Who might you be?"
"Oh, no one of any note. You however," the tiny creature said, its head moving back and forth as if it was appraising her, "Who are you?"
This had to be a fey. If so, then she'd need to be very careful. She'd heard all the bedtime stories about the trickster creatures and how they loved to fool mortals.
"I am," she started, then hesitated. She shouldn't give it her real name. Names had power, as Hemlock had once told her. "The silver witch."
The little fey grinned, its lips curling like a predator rather than a whimsical fairy though.
"Very well, Silver Witch. You may call me Aine. Charmed," the fey said, bowing humbly in the air before her.
The fey had vaguely feminine features, despite its body being made mostly of light. She was unsure if fey even had genders, but all markers pointed towards a girl. Or…whatever the closest to that was for their kind.
"A pleasure to meet you, Aine."
"Likewise, Silver Witch. We don't see many of your kind about our realm these days. What brings you here?"
The fey spun in the air, then performed a neat aerial loop before her. Cute.
"I was hoping for some advice, actually."
Aine stopped her aimless flittering and faced Yelena, a look of concern crossing her face.
"Oh? A bold choice, to travel here with naught but your soul simply for advice, Silver Witch. Pray, what would you ask of me?"
She spoke with what sounded like genuine interest, but Yelena knew better. She would be looking for a way to entrap her. She needed to word things very carefully and take things slow.
"I seek a cure to a potent magical disease."
Aine put her hand to her chin.
"Aye, a troublesome task. Not often does the mortal world face such a devious affliction," she said, slowly drifting up and down.
"I was informed that your kind were experts in such matters, being so closely tied to magic as you are," Yelena said.
"'Tis true. Unlike your kind, we are nearly wholly manifested through magics. To tell the truth, curing such a disease would be trivial for even the most juvenile of fey," Aine said, looking at Yelena with intense side-eye.
"In that case, perhaps a deal could be struck between us?"
Aine grinned. For whatever reason, it sent a chill down Yelena's spine.
"Perhaps, Silver Witch. First, prithee describe this ailment. I would know more before we craft an accord."
Yelena wasn't sure if over-or-under selling it was a good idea or not. This fey in particular seemed eager to play her. If she exaggerated the symptoms, it was possible that Aine would ask for something in return Yelena wasn't willing to part with. At the same time, if she tried to pull one over on the fey, she'd likely come out the loser in their game. She'd just have to be honest, and take the gamble that maybe this fey wasn't as conniving as her gut was telling her it was.
"The infection is that of the-"
Aine suddenly held up a finger, turning her head to the side as if she was listening to something else. Yelena ceased her speech, somewhat confused as to why she would stop her just as things were getting started.
"Forgive me, Silver Witch. I have just been made aware that you are bonded with a certain feline, are you not?"
Yelena wasn't sure if it was more odd that she didn't know, or that she was just now finding out. She had no idea how separated the realm of the fey was from her own, but surely a fey that was this easy to access in her own home would be aware of Hemlock's presence.
"Hemlock? Yes, he is my familiar."
Aine slowly turned towards her, her eyes wide with shock.
"That he would bind himself so," she trailed off.
"Is that a problem?"
"Aye! Aye, a big one! Should he learn of our conversing, I could suffer a terrible fate."
"What? Why?"
"Silver Witch, you are two steps behind and tripping through the dark. I haven't the time to explain, but hear this well; travel to the Grove of the Old Wood, and present yourself before the Three. There, you will bargain. Do not dare delay, lest your precious familiar may suffer. More than you know hangs in the balance. Farewell."
Before Yelena could ask to clarify anything the fey had said, she disappeared into a flash of yellow light. She used her hand to shield herself from the bright flare, and as she opened her eyes again, she found herself lying on her side in bed. She blinked a few times, trying to shake the stars in her vision. Her body felt normal again, thankfully.
"Welcome back, Yelena. How was it?"
"Helvetia, what do you know about a place called 'the Grove of the Old Wood'?"
Helvetia's face grew pale.
"How do you know of that name?"
"I was just told to go there by a fey called Aine."
The witch stood from the bed with a start. then took a step back. Her hands were shaking.
"Helvetia, what is it? What's wrong?"
"They couldn't truly…"
Helvetia began to pace around the room, muttering to herself with a panicked, shaky voice. Yelena got up, testing her legs before standing. Her limbs felt like they had all fallen asleep, and all of her extremities were tingly. Once she was confident she could stand properly, she cut the witch off and grabbed her by the shoulders. Her whole body was quivering.
"What is this Grove?"
"An old, dangerous place. It's older than this forest, older than anything you've ever heard of. Its where the Three reside, forever reigning over the fey and the magics, spinning the wheels of fate as the deem fit, using our lives as their playthings. Yelena, you mustn't go there. Nothing good ever comes from them. Please."
Yelena had never seen her like this. Even when faced with certain death at the hands of a mad wizard, Helvetia had retained some of her composure. Whatever these 'Three' were, they had her absolutely terrified. That, in turn, terrified Yelena.
"They have Hemlock. I can't abandon him."
"They would only take him if he chose to go to them. No, its too dangerous. I won't let you."
"You aren't my mother, Helvetia. I have to. Tell me where to go."
Helvetia stared into her eyes with fear, her lips trembling. Yelena was sure that whatever reason she had for being so deathly afraid of this place was likely justified, but it wouldn't deter her. She finally had a clear path to tread. She wasn't going to ignore it just because it was, admittedly, a little bit ominous. She'd face this obstacle just like all the others, and conquer it accordingly.
"Yelena. Listen to me."
Helvetia's voice was a little more composed now, but the fear in her eyes was still clear. Yelena nodded.
"The Three are impossibly ancient fey that govern the webs of fate. They are not kind. They are cruel, vicious beings that delight in creating pain and watching mortals squirm under their thumb. If you really intend to do this, you must not expect to leave unscathed. They may well bargain with you, but you will come out at a loss every time. Please, do not go about this with as stubborn an attitude that I know you normally exhibit. Doing so here will certainly cost you your life, or worse."
"What could possibly be worse than losing my life?" she asked, half joking.
"Pray you never find out. Now go, before I regain my wits and stop you."
Helvetia was truly worried for her, that much was clear. She was torn by letting her go, but she also knew that nothing would stop Yelena at this point. Not when Hemlock was in danger, much less all of the villagers under her protection. This was her only path forward. She just wished that it wasn't so terrifying. She had no concept of what these old fey might be like, but anything that made Helvetia literally shake in her boots was enough to give Yelena pause. She'd have to approach this like how she had Tuireann. Caution, but confidence. She'd just have to hope that her confidence wouldn't be treated as disrespectful to the Three. There was only one way to tell.
Yelena gathered a few things into her pack, stashed a water skin and a bag full of jerky, then set out into the forest. She didn't need to ask for directions. A faint tinge of Aine's magic trailed off ahead of her, leading her way as the midday sun began to wane, casting long shadows across the pine forest. She didn't have time to wait until morning. She'd brave the dark night alone, and she'd come face to face with these fey. Nothing would stop her.
