Chapter 26

Part 1

Humid air, icy snowflakes, warm drops of rain, all clung to my skin. “…What the hell is happening?” Apparently, I wasn’t the only one perplexed. Pedestrians of Hopesburg turned their eyes up to the swirling, thundering clouds, baffled at the sky that appeared more confused than them. “Is this a Magekin, Bramble?”

“I’m not sure.” The dogman familiar whispered to me. “Find a safer location and I will contact My Lady…move!” Out of character, Bramble shouted! Down from the clouds, hail, the size of golfballs rained! I ducked back into the bar, covering Bramble, as the ice collided with the building! The squall of frozen sky debris fell briefly, ending as suddenly as it began, leaving only a cold snap behind. “Young Fate, we must return to My Lady…” Bramble whispered again, but I was caught off guard by patrons of the bar all rushing to look outside! They all pushed by, with only one stopping to speak with me.

“You good, mate?” Lucas Maven offered his burly hand as I covered Bramble, hoping he’d quickly morph his face back. “Didn’t know it hailed like that in the states.”

“Oh…uh, yeah. It doesn’t that often.” I stood myself up. Unfortunately getting a whiff of the Brit. His aftershave, potent as it was, couldn’t mask the stench of alcohol. “Oh! If it’s storming like this, you should probably head back to the motel! Your father was looking for you!”

“The old bastard sending the village kids to come and pick me up, now, is he?” He laughed, still shirtless with his muscular frame and hairy blonde chest on display.

“Gregor being humble and having a sense of humility? Looks like that didn’t get passed down.” Pearl approached, poking fun, as the two jeered back and forth. “Amazing though, that storm.” Outside, the storm subsided, though circling black clouds lingered. “Good thing I bought this, huh? And you said it was a waste of time!” Pearl pointed out her checkerboard patterned coat. Delighted, wearing the recently acquired light outdoor wear over a black suede shirt, she flashed a grin to her companion.

“Aye, you just wanted a souvenir!” The two, being one of the most stunning women I’d met since Anesha, and Lucas, picture of masculinity that he was, drew eyes in the bar. Hell, they’d have drawn people’s attention just about anywhere. A nibble at my side elicited a yelp! “Didn’t think it was that funny, mate.”

“Huh? No, I was…” Discreetly frowning at Bramble who looked back frustrated, implying we lacked time for pleasantries. “You should go and check on your father! I’ve got to go!” Doing my best not to slip on the slick sidewalk, I dashed out of the establishment and searched for a secluded alley. Once clear of any prying eyes, I pulled up Bramble and we spoke. “Bramble, can you contact Anesha?”

“We are on the same page, I see.” With a loud crunch, Bramble unhinged his jaws and released black ash which slowly formed into an image of Anesha seated on her bed.

“Ane—”

“Shush!” Abruptly cutting me off. Anesha seemed to be pondering something silently, so I waited. Impatience forced my hand a bit, so I closed my eyes, reading the flow of mana in the air. My own mana, flowed normally. Nothing in the surrounding area felt oppressive, at least not more so than the seed. “Where are you two?”

“Still in town right now. Did it storm up there too?”

“No. There was, however, a spike in the surrounding area’s mana.”

“Is it a Magekin?!”

“Unlikely.” She retorted bluntly, my mind needing to reconvene as she simply soldiered on. “What I’m seeing on my radar spell, is not a Magekin, I believe. A moment…” Again, I was left standing in the alleyway, doing my best to avoid upsetting the witch’s thought process by keeping my mouth shut. “This unusual signature, it is east of your current location. You do know which direction that is, no?” Quickly dragging up my phone’s map, I directed myself east, and threw a thumbs up! “…What does that mean? I demand you answer me with words, not gestures.”

“Oh…uh, yeah! I know which way to go. Just east, right? Are you coming?”

“Of course. I’ve already begun dressing.” Reams of black tapestries encircled her image as she stood up. Within the smog silhouette she’d cast aside her pajamas, and the Magekin clothes snuggly fit to her form. “It may be a familiar, a rogue one. Do not, and I mean it, do not use an ounce of mana from the seed.”

(A rogue familiar…Anesha mentioned that one of those was wandering around Jasontown. If there’s one here, we absolutely have to take care of it, but…) Before moving, I needed to confirm something with Anesha. “Should we run it like training?”

“Surveillance, little else. We shall confirm the identity posthaste. Stay put for now.” Chills peeled up and down my spine, but I stifled fear, paranoia, and the seed’s influence.

Storm clouds over the town swirled, wind dragged across the asphalt, my own personal aura was drowned out by the crowd talking in the bar nearby. The world continued to exist, and even with it changing, perverting, as Anesha would say, people maintained. Articles of monster attacks, cryptids sightings, and bizarre deaths littered every social media site and news broadcast. To those unaware of primal beings, homunculi, familiar, and Magekin, those headlines would just appear crazy; to me, they were the reasons I fought. Every second brought danger closer to those I loved, and I’d already failed before, losing someone. “…The world on your shoulders will never weigh as much as your failures.”

“Philosophical.” Anesha! I’d let my guard down, not sensing her approach from the sky. “You do tend to mutter in your sleep as well. What was that saying?”

“Uh… ‘the world on your shoulders will never weigh as much as your failures’.”

“Intriguing. I’d have not taken you for the philosophical type.”

“I watch a lot of movies, documentaries, anime and stuff…” Though I struggled to recall where that saying originated from.

“You should read more. Maybe it would aid in growing your mind beyond the husk that it is. Regardless, let us be off.”

Part 2

As we trekked east through the woods, the weather continued to erratically shift. Sleet rained, random pockets of heat would flare up, and thunder crackled. Animals in the forest made their presence known as we walked, though kept their distance, as was often the case when traveling with Anesha. Any path leading up the hill we climbed had been totally wrecked under the recent hail and rain. Several tree branches had fallen, large pools of water, and displaced stone steps cluttered the hillside. “Even without my radar magic, I sense we’re heading in the correct direction. We shall continue on foot, out putting as little mana as possible. Follow me.” Anesha effortlessly vaulted over a massive branch, impressing me that she wasn’t using any magic to accomplish that, all in her weird mage clothes.

Since we began our travels, she’d added to her mage attire, or as I think she called it ‘Mage’s robes’. That leather jacket was clearly a favorite of hers, wearing it in both civilian and battle situations, also keeping the silver chain belt equipped. (They don’t have the mana stitching and energy pulsating through them like her dress and stockings. Does that mean they aren’t a part of her mage’s robes?)

Looking back over Anesha’s attire, I appreciated the intricacies. Stitching up and around the dress, a set that covered her thigh-highs and garter belts, and individual markings on each boot. Through her black mechanical hat, mana hummed at a constant low level. With my eyes closed, I could just barely make out Anesha by sensing the energy in the air, feeling drawn to her even without sight. “What, pray tell, are you doing?”

“Just, you know, trying to sense things. I still can’t pinpoint anyone without focusing really hard.”

“You’re awful at letting your instincts take hold. During training, it is clear every time you stop to consider how much power to put behind your kicks. Lo’, should you come across a creature which captivates you, or a subject you wish to speak on, you are nothing short of a child with eyes soaked in wonder! You also lack the ability to not gaze upon me whenever you believe my attention lies elsewhere.”

“I’m not!” That wasn't completely the truth. “I can’t help being interested in all your magic and magical clothes and stuff. I don’t really know anything about you.”

“…Shush, now. We’ve come upon an irregularity.” The ridge plateaued out into a soggy mud laden field. A smattering of jagged boulders stuck up from the ground, encircling a dusty pinkish stone, one twisted and looping upward into a spiral.

Anesha and I ducked behind a tree overlooking the marsh. “Whoa…is that the familiar?”

“Silence.” Once again, silenced. Slight movement from the spiral stone alerted me. The faint rustling grew to a louder splotching as the rock rose further upward, upturning and tearing apart the earth, rainwater and remaining chunks of hail. With overlapping sections interweaving, the spiral stone was revealed to be a shell attached to the back of a gargantuan snail! The bear sized mahogany colored creature lifted its stretchy neck and wailed with a cry sounding similar to a flattened trumpet. “A weather snail? Bramble, that is a weather snail, yes?”

“It would appear so, My Lady.” Bramble responded.

“What’s a weather snail?” I had to ask, otherwise they’d just move along without explaining.

“Simply put, weather snails are creatures with the ability to influence the weather. Often sedentary, they rarely use their abilities actively. I’m surprised one so large exists, and more so, would act in such a way.” The information the dogman rattled off made me wish I wasn’t carrying him and instead held a pen and paper to scribble down notes. Stifling my urge to run up and examine the creature firsthand, I waited to see what Anesha’s next move was.

“Let us return to the inn.” I wasn’t expecting her to just turn around and walk away!

“Really?!”

“That thing is neither a familiar, nor Magekin. We’ve no reason to engage it. Let us be off.” Another wail erupted from the beast, and in tune, the clouds overhead opened up, crackling with electricity! Sections of the spiral shell upon the snail's back rotated, rubbing over each other, grinding out sparks of mana that floated upward into the sky. The howling was strained, bellowing as if the creature was in agony. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning was unleashed from the heavens, striking a nearby tree and igniting it!

“Whoa! If that keeps up, it’ll cause a forest fire! Are you sure we shouldn’t…” Bramble met my gaze, conveying his feelings once more, without a word. Neither he or Anesha would put themselves at risk for something outside their goals, and a crazed cryptid sure wasn’t a matter of importance. More lightening rained from the heavens, striking the ground, trees, and the shell of the snail, then another, and another! The electricity surged through the murky pond, and though the creature wailed, sections of the spiral shell spun and twisted, glowing with purple mana and drawing more sparking electricity forth. “I think it’s in pain.”

“What?”

“No…I just…it looks like it’s in pain.”

“…” Her eyes said it all. Anesha couldn’t care less, and maybe, disliked my insistence on caring. The storm began subsiding as the snail curled up into its shell. Suddenly, she turned to face down the hill, quickly stepping behind me! Crunching branches and leaves caught my attention as someone approached!

“Aye, mate! What cha’ doing all the way out here?” Lucas Maven, having finally managed to put on his white dress shirt and navy blazer, strolled up the hill.

“Lucas? What are you doing here?” I scooted further in front of Anesha, so she’d be able to go about her secrecy procedure. The witch knocked her hat off, having it flatten and cling to her back with magic. Then she quickly zipped up her jacket, which fortunately, was long enough to cover down to the garter belts clasped to her thigh-highs. There wasn’t much that could be done about said thigh-highs, so if asked, we agreed to play it off as a stylistic choice.

“Fate, who is this man?” A wrinkle was formed on Anesha’s brow; the witch was upset.

“I met him at the bar…I mean, in town when I went looking for your protein bars!” I corrected myself, hoping she’d not caught my slip up.

“This man…I didn’t sense him approaching.” That set off my suspicions.

“Well…he’s a normal human, right?” I wasn’t sure if I needed to transform or not, so I swallowed my anxieties.

“By the way, mate…” Lucas spoke up. “Ya’ dropped ya’ phone at the bar! Haha!” Pulling my phone out of his pocket, the drunk brit laughed. I quickly shushed, but it was clear by Anesha’s glare that she’d heard him.

“Haha…th-thanks…” I reached forward to retrieve it, but then realized… (Wait…I checked my after I left the bar, didn’t I?) I couldn’t hold it back anymore. Lucas was nothing short of suspicious, and the worry I had for the cryptid still being close by, I let the seed kick in! I leapt back, making distance between myself and the possibly dangerous Brit. “…”

“Hmm? Wow, mate…that’s a hell of a lot of mana.” I looked to Anesha who readied a spell under her breath. “So now…what exactly are ya’ two? A witch and her familiar? Never seen one so agile and articulate.”

“…” Again, I looked to Anesha, confused. “You don’t know who we are?”

“Hm? Should I? All I can tell is the fit bird behind ya’ is Magekin. As far as ya’…if ya’re not her familiar, a werewolf or some such…?” He plucked at his beard and inquired with a confused inflection. With my senses boosted, reading mana was a bit easier.

“You’re…a normal human, right?”

“Aye, that I am.” More confusion struck me.

“…Who are you, answer now or…”

“Whoa now, let’s not be rash. Fate, wor-lass is a bit on edge, yeah?” Lucas backed away as Anesha pointed her fingers, ready to snap, toward him. It was only for a second, but Anesha felt it too, a killing intent came from the left of us! “Bloody hell. Pearletta, sweetheart, ya’ have to learn to control yourself.” From behind a tree, in her checkerboard jacket and black leather pants, Pearl, Lucas’s companion emerged. “The old bastard would be disappointed in ya’.”

“I got spooked, thinking they’d kill ya’. Ya’ should be happy I even cared enough to worry!” The woman blushed shouting that. “But Magekin all the way out here, in the open no less. I guess we aren’t all that far from where Graewood is supposed to be.” The fact that both seemed to not only have knowledge of Magekin but Anesha’s home too was baffling!

“Hmph!” Anesha neighed, unzipping her jacket and pulling back up her hat. “Then it appears I needn’t conceal my nature.” As always, striking an audacious pose, Anesha stepped forward, probably expecting me to be stunned by her. “Name yourselves, and the reason for your being here, immediately.” The witch demanded.

“I think not, lass. No matter how fit, and ya’ really are fit, give us a ring, ya’ are, I don’t much care for being ordered around. Also, it is common courtesy to give ya’ own name first, when asking someone to do that.” Maybe because I knew her, but without even being able to see Anesha’s face from behind, I could tell she was pissed. “Now, as far as goals, we could ask ya’ the same!”

“…” With fingers tensed, Anesha prepared to unleash a spell. At the same time, I saw Pearletta reaching for something on her back. The tension was palpable, even from the sloshed Lucas.

“Wait! Wait!” I stepped in between the combatants! “Let’s not fight! Let’s talk, let’s talk this out! We don’t know who’s who, and what’s what! So, let’s discuss it. We don’t need to fight.” Ignoring the unhappy glare Anesha was firing off, I stood strong, as a fight was unnecessary. “We’re…uh…we were just checking out this area.”

“For what?” Lucas asked, showing no concern for the still primed Magekin witch.

“We sensed a ton of mana moving around here, and with the weather changing, we came to investigate.”

“…Hm. What about ya’ being famous or what have ya’? People are looking for ya’, right?” Pearl interjected.

“Sort of…” I was questioning how much information I was even allowed to convey. Anesha hadn’t once broken eye contact, or unpinched her fingers.

“Enough of this, Fate. Why must we offer information alone? I’ve had my fill of this nonsensical situation! You will explain yourselves this instant, and there is no waiting.” That well of limited patience had run dry! Another wail erupted from behind us! The sky overhead opened up and showered the field with another smattering of golf ball sized hail and lightening!

I backed up near Anesha, knowing she’d cast a barrier to protect us from the storm’s onslaught, however, both suspicious foreigners took different action! Lucas reached back, producing a straight sword, and with a quick swing, obliterated all the oncoming ice! The slash blasted all the fragments away from him and Pearl, but the hail continued, as did the lightening. Before I could even consider aiding them, Lucas repeatedly blasted away the chunks of frozen debris! It finally stopped after a minute or so, and we all were unscathed.

“How’d you do that? Are you two okay?” Anesha lowered her barrier and I went to check on the two, surprising them, obviously.

“Fine here, mate! Looks like we’ve got ourselves a nasty bugger though.” Shifting focus from us, Lucas walked right by Anesha and I. “Thought so…” He said, pointing Pearl’s attention to the weather snail, partly submerged in the ground. “Weather snail. Bugger looks more pissed than me!” The two were more concerned with the pained cryptid than us.

“That’s what we figured too.” I added.

“So, looks like we’re here looking for the same bugger.”

“Really?”

“It’s not our main goal, mind ya’, but we can’t let this town keep getting terrorized by this thing. We’ll slay it, and be on our way.”

“Huh…?” I wasn’t expecting that response.

“If that is your goal, then we are not your adversaries.” Anesha finally lowered her guard. “Do what you will. I care little for wasting time and energy.” She began walking off, disengaged entirely.

“Hang on. When you said ‘slay’, you mean…?”

“Kill, mate. Obviously.” Though it was to be expected…

“Wait!” I felt compelled to step in! “That cryptid, it’s in pain, I think. That’s probably why it’s freaking out.”

“In pain? What makes ya’ say that?”

“You can hear it, right? It’s been wailing this whole time, plus, they’re supposed to be tranquil, aren’t they? Why would it just suddenly get angry and start causing trouble?”

“He makes a good point, Lucas.” Having Pearl agree was reassuring, especially with Anesha just dead-eying me.

A chomp to my arm made me drop Bramble! He’d clearly grown tired of my distracting from our goal. “Ow! Geez, man. Anyway, I think that it’s probably crying out in pain. Maybe you guys can sedate it and find out what’s wrong.”

“Nah, no chance.”

“But why?”

“Because, number 1, that’s the biggest bleeding snail I’ve ever seen. Two, I have no idea what sedatives work on snails. And lastly, it’s dangerous. Folks in this town could end up getting hurt, and the longer we take, the more danger we’re putting ‘em in. When something’s this dangerous, mate, ya’ve got to put ‘em down.”

Nothing I was saying was getting through to them, and Anesha wasn’t going to lift a finger. “Young Fate.” Even Bramble down by my feet made his intentions clear. No one was on my side. Wailing pitifully again, the snail raised its head, and the spiral shell sections rotated, whirring to life.

Lucas raised his sword over his head, and I could sense a twinge of mana beginning to form in the weapon. “I’ll make it quick.”

“…Wait!” The others glared at me again.

“Fate, that is enough. Come here, now.” I knew Anesha was already irritated, and I was exasperating the situation. Somewhere deep down, abandoning the poor creature felt wrong.

“No more waiting, mate.” From his chest, along his arm, into the hilt, and to the blade, mana traveled, then dispersed.

Before anything else could happen, I dashed toward the snail! “What?! Fate! Come back here! You fool! Stop!” She was going to be pissed; her, Bramble, likely Lucas, and Pearl, but it didn’t sit right with me!

My sneakers sunk into the marshy ground, but with the seed backing me, I freed my feet and kept running! I was so strong, that lumps of earth were blasted up as I ran to the creature. Reaching the snail, it was as big as a bear, maybe slightly larger! “Hold on, I can help you!” It thrashed about, tossing its head from side to side as the sections rotated faster, creating friction and exuded mana. The flow of mana was weird; I couldn’t perceive it properly until up close. Instead of a wave, the energy radiated from both the shell and somewhere else within the shell in a snappy and erratic, staticky manner. “Is there something in here? Ow!” The overlapping pieces had grinded together so much they were hot to the touch!

The temperature suddenly boiled in the marsh as strong winds perked up, swirling into the eye of the storm over head! “Alright! Heads up, mate!” Launched high into the air, looking like a bolt of lightning himself, Lucas fell with his sword drawn toward us! Maybe cruel, but I booted the snail, blasting it and myself away just as Lucas brought down the blade down where the cryptid sat! “…Mate…what are ya’ doing?”

Couldn’t muster an excuse or a lie, so I told the truth. “I don’t think killing it is the right call. That creature is in pain, and needs help.”

“It’s dangerous. Ya’ can sense it, right?” The air crackled again with electricity. Several bolts shot across the sky, and over Hopesburg! “We need to take it out now!” Faster than I’d ever seen a person move, Lucas swiftly moved by me and toward the weather snail again! He lifted the sword up, wanting to decapitate it, but I caught his hands, blocking the attack! “So, it’s going to be like this, eh?”

“…Guess so.”

Part 3

Lucas and I were locked in a power struggle! My sneakers were submerged up past the ankles, saturating the ends of my jeans in rain water, so I knew those brown dress shoes and dark blue pants Lucas wore must’ve been worse off. “I really don’t want to fight, Lucas! I’m really strong, you know. Like, super strong. I’m not sure if I can hold back enough to not hurt you.” Flooded with mana from the seed, asserting my strength over Lucas and scaring him off appeared the best and easiest route; I was wrong. My feet sunk deeper into the mud as I tried to press the stout Brit’s brawny arms up! (I can’t move him! What’s going on?! He can’t weigh that much!)

“Truth be told, I’m a bit interested in ya’ now, mate.” Lucas was unfazed by my attempted show of power. “What exactly are ya’? Ya’ giving off way too much mana to be a human, ya’ don’t have any armament, and ya’ just suddenly grew all monstrous! What’s it, Fate?”

With us both standing ankle-deep in water with thunder booming overhead, it wasn’t the smartest idea to start a fight knowing that the snail could call down another bolt of lightning at a moment’s notice. “If lightning hits the water, I’m pretty sure we’d both be in trouble. How about backing off?”

“Ya’ got the green.” The temperature changing rapidly from cold to hot, and dry to murky, made me worry for the forest surrounding us too. There could have been adverse effects on the wildlife and Hopesburg nearby, as Lucas and Pearl themselves stated.

(Doesn’t look like I’m talking my way out of this.) A flicker of light floated into the marsh and toward Lucas! (Anesha?!) She’d unleashed a spell, planning to ignite it and blast Lucas to smithereens! (No! Don’t! He’s still just a human!) Before I could react, the ignite spell exploded, long before it was near Lucas!

“…You…” Anesha stood opposite Pearl! “You’ve quite the nerve to have done that.” Poised and ready for combat, Pearl held a black tipped blade in one hand, attached to a twirling line in the other. Attaching to the end of the short sword via the line was another sword, which the Jamaican woman swung around as if she were readying to launch an ancient slingshot. “Fate, do not think you will escape punishment, you grasp that, no?”

Nothing sent chills up my spine like Anesha, but that feeling of Lucas attacking was close! We finally separated from each other! Fast, unbelievably so, Lucas unleashed a flurry of attacks, all of which I hardly avoided by leaping far back! “Eyes up! Don’t go hightailing it!” He spoke with nonchalance, swinging that sword of his around.

Landing back onto the ground, my feet got stuck! (Shit!) I threw up my guard, prepared for a sword slash, but a boot met my gut! Lucas’s kick was so heavy I was dislodged me and thrown back into the mud.

“Stay down, ok? I’m doing ya’ a kindness!” Like watching lightening move across the ground, Lucas primed his blade and moved toward the snail! He’d had reached the creature if not for the wad of twigs tossed in his direction!

“Grow, break through the soil which you call home, sprout forth!” A wall of branches and soil burst forth, slowing Lucas’s movements just enough for me to recover! I jumped to my feet, with the mud rocketing off behind me as I dashed past the Brit from behind. Grabbing one of the branches, with the whole of my body weight and speed I swung around, launching myself into a dropkick, blasting Lucas in the chest and off his feet!

(I’ve hit concrete slabs less dense than this guy!) Not sure if my attack even did anything, I still owed Anesha for the assist. “Thanks, Anesha!”

“Hmph!” As a response to my genuine appreciation, she turned her nose up, but there was a more pressing matter. The witch was trading blows with Pearl, her two swords to Anesha’s one. Pearl danced about with the tethered swords, pushing Anesha back further and further, not giving her time to even call her familiars! “Ign—” Before Anesha could gather herself enough to cast her most simple of spells, Pearl had once again, closed the distance between the two! The woman was faster, more ruthless, and attacked with relentless vigor that Lucas didn’t! “Vanguard, ri-” Using the line attached to her blades, Pearl cuffed Anesha’s hand, disrupting her focus and spell once again! She began reeling Anesha in, dragging the witch who dug the heels of her boots into the mud. A quick change of tactics and Pearl used her weapon to lasso Anesha’s arms to her upper body, ensnaring her!

Couldn’t let that continue! I grabbed the wall of branches as large as a car, still solid, and lobbed it into the middle of the conflict! “I’ve got you!” Pearl moved back, but held the rope in place, keeping Anesha trapped, so I moved in! “Hang on, I’ll break this!” No matter how strong the line could’ve been, with the seed’s power, I could snap it easily! “…Huh?” Or so I thought. Pulling apart, and ripping or twisting the line yielded nothing! Not stretching, but as if it was creating more line, extending without end!

“Fool, do not focus on that! Untie me, quickly!” That’d be hard to do without touching her.

“Uh…ok, how?” Suddenly, another boot to my gut, but that time it was from Anesha! She’d kicked me back, just as Lucas flew by with his sword pointed at me! “Fuck it! You can hate me later!” Seeing as we had next to no time to think, I just grabbed the rope looping Anesha’s torso and pulled it outward, freeing her enough to leap up and back into the marsh, which I followed. “You alright?”

“Silence.” Ungrateful, as expected. “Now my boots are dirtied. Someone here shall suffer far worse indignities!” Pearl swung her blade-rope and Lucas followed in beneath it! The two were in synch, giving Lucas ample time to follow-up, but Anesha had it scouted! She reached onto her silver belt, pulling out a trinket, that with a flash expanded into a majestic warhammer! Even with Anesha’s physique, it was clear the massive weapon, nearly as tall as her, was difficult to wield! The polearm was slammed down, squishing earth and mud beneath it’s might! Under pressure of almost certain death, Lucas retreated just in the nick of time! In the moment Anesha’s weapon had made contact with the ground, Pearl had encircled the head of the weapon with her own. “Hmph! Ranged weapons fail when they no longer can be used at a distance!” Smugly knotting the line around the hammer, Anesha chuckled at the two. “Now, if you wish to free your little tool, you’ll have to come and face me personally!” She said while pulling out her saber once more.

Pearl tugged at the rope, but the other end stayed in place, wrapped around Anesha’s hammer and trapped in the mud. “Lucas, what ya’ want to do?”

“Bugger all. We don’t have a lot of time. I’ll have to put an end to this…” With the slightest of movement, Lucas placing his blade on his forearm and taking aim at us, I felt pressure like I’d only ever felt from the spourisis! “…otherwise things may get out of hand, so don’t blame me, mate! I’ll try to make this non-fatal.”

“Fate!” Before Anesha could give another order, I’d already leapt for Lucas, unsure of what he was planning.

(He recovered from my dropkick without a scratch, doesn’t even look like it fazed him! The next kick, I’ll throw a little more behind it. I hope it doesn’t hurt him too bad!) Reeling back, I was prepared to strike, up until…

“Whoa there, lads!” Between us, just before we clashed, was suddenly Gregor Maven! I pulled up, and Lucas lurched to the left! We both were sent flying directly into the pool of mud. “Oh, good job redirecting that, boy’os.” The old blind Brit hooted.

“What?! Mister Gregor, how on earth did you get here?” Pulling myself up from the cold muck into the warmth of the marsh, the seed’s energy began immediately waning. As it did, I felt it bubble up again, that mana from the snail.

The sections of its shell began rotating. “Bugger all!” It drew in mana from the area, but there was another source drawing energy, something near the back, something malicious! Before Lucas, Anesha, Pearl, or anyone could do anything, I moved! Dashing around the backside of the creature, I found it!

“Here!” I plunged my hand into an opening, and wormed around through the gooey, thick inside of the shell until I found something hard and oddly smooth. “This is it. It’s gotta’ be!” At first, I pulled a little, but the thing didn’t move, so I tugged with all my might and pulled out…a doll. “Huh?”

“Wait…that’s—” Lucas and Pearl’s faces read out surprise and fear. The ragged doll, missing hair, with torn clothes, corroded plastic full of holes, and stained with black sludge emitted a malicious aura. Suddenly, a wave of mana broke from the doll, crashing outward into everyone in the clearing!

“Fate.” Though we all worried, Anesha stood unfazed. “Crush it.” Just like she said, I crushed the wicked toy in my hand! Malice faded from the clearing in that instant. “Feel proud. In the past, a creature such as that caused you to quake in your boots in our first meeting. Golems are often detestable.”

“Golem?! That thing was a golem?” Holding the remnants in my hand, I was almost upset. “Ah…tell me about them! Why is it like this?! I need to know!” From behind I felt a soft push, and a squishy, slimy, warm appendage lay over my back. The weather snail, it cooed while nuzzling its head onto me. “Oh, hi there, big guy.” Stifling my urge to pet the massive, and surprisingly cute, cryptid, I stood myself back up facing the group. “Uh…told you so…?”

Part 4

Back onto the crest of the marsh we all stood, including the friendly snail. It’d become attached to me, or maybe the seed’s mana output. “Now then, questions to be answered…” Anesha had called in her broom, just so that she could have a seat while looking down on everyone, myself included.

“Well, let me say, first off, my dear Magekin lass, ya’ really are quite the looker.” Lucas gussying up to Anesha was stomach churning.

“No, not you. You, his keeper, retain your idiot.” She said, snapping her fingers at Pearletta, who surprisingly obliged, grabbing the man around the collar and pulling him away. “Old man, what was your name again?”

“Gregor Maven, lass. Who do I have the pleasure of addressing?” Full-on tipping his cap, and bowing his head, Gregor won favor with Anesha. The witch shielded a smile behind her hand, then continued.

“Anesha, my good man. I must say, it’s been some time since I have interacted with a true gentleman.”

“Aye, ya’ giving this old man too much credit.”

“Enough pleasantries.”

“Agreed. I, Gregor Maven, am a member of the D.M.E.”

“…The D.M.E. I should’ve expected as much.”

“Lost here…as usual.” I interjected.

“I’ll take it boy’o is a civilian.”

“Of sorts.” Anesha pulled out a cloth and began wiping down her boots. “The D.M.E, the Department of Magekin and Extra-Species.”

“Department of Magic and Extra-Species, we’re not out here hounding ya’ll all.” Gregor corrected.

“That is not how it is seen, I will say as much.”

“What do you guys do?” My curiosity was piqued.

“I’ll answer that, mate!” Lucas rejoined the conversation, finally escaping Pearl’s headlock. “We keep an eye on the public, covering up magical incidents and anything concerning extra-species, like that snail there.” Even Lucas just pointing his finger caused the snail to recoil into its shell. “Guess we’re not exactly the best of pals now, are we?”

“You guys are British, right? Why are you here?” A hope in the back of my mind, considering they didn’t know about Anesha or mention the seed, was they’d have nothing to do with us.

“We are. Ya’re correct. We’re here on business, mum's the word. Something pilfered years and years ago popped up for the first time in decades, and we’re looking for it. The plonker, and the young lass here are my assistants.”

“Hold your horses, old man!” An assumed slight, Lucas cut his father off! “Pearletta is my lovely assistant, and you’re tagging along, throwing a spanner in the works, as we search for the…the stuff.” He seemed to think better than exposing their target.

“Which direction are you heading?” Asked the witch, discarding her dirty cloth onto my shoulder.

“West, south west, as of now.” We’d come from that direction, traveling in search of the other Magekin. “I can say, if it satisfies the lovely witch, Ms. Anesha, I don’t think our goals overlap. Our little discussion we’ve been having, and tussle with Fate, makes me think we’re on two separate, but similar jobs. How about it? Call it even, let’s not get in each other’s way, eh?”

Anesha leapt from the broom, startling the weather snail, and myself even more. She strolled up, maintaining eye contact with the boastful buzzed Brit, despite him standing more than half a foot taller. “You attacked someone under me, my property, and wasted my time. What makes you think an apology is sufficient?”

“…My knightly spirit says I should follow my duties, keep secrecy; my gentlemanly soul says I should do what I can to make a beautiful lady smile.” Lucas leaned over Anesha, their faces being only a nose’s length apart. The vein in her forehead told me how uncomfortable she was, her haphephobia acting up; something I looked into during my recent long nights. “Magekin from overseas have their eyes on Graewood. I’m going to assume, ya’re the reason. The D.M.E doesn’t have a bead on what’s going down, but we know it’s big. Again, our goals seem different. That’s probably more than I’m supposed to say, right old man?”

“Unfortunately.” Gregor replied to his son, squeezing his temples in exasperation. “Does that suffice, Ms. Anesha?”

“…Fine.” Like that, tension evaporated and I was none the wiser as to why. She walked back to me, and whispered… “We have many things to discuss, privately. Our mission has not changed, though circumstances as of now, may have shifted…a bit.” She stormed by, taking a seat back on her broom handle and silently began pondering. “That will be all. I have little reason to trust you, yet I also have no reason to fear you. Should you appear before me again, as an enemy, I will unleash the full fury of my magic upon you.”

“…Not going to lie to ya’, Ms. Witch, that’s awful sexy in a way.” A chill ran up Anesha’s spine, I could see it, so I talked her down from launching an ‘ignite’ into Lucas’s head. “We’ll be heading back to the motel. Would ya’ like to come with us?”

“No…I’m sure we have clean up here to do.” She’d want to have Bramble, the sulking dogman at my feet, absorb the excess mana left about. “We’ll catch up.” I smiled, half-heartedly and waved goodbye.

“Mate, one last thing!” Lucas broke from his group as they walked down the hill. With his arm wrapped around me, he whispered. “Technically 2… watch it with the amount of mana ya’ give off. Ya’re going to get some people pissed off of that.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m trying to get better at controlling it. What’s the second thing?”

“Sorry about hitting on ya’ bird.” He gave me a slap to the back and ran off, foolishly thinking I ever was involved or had a chance with the wicked, yet beautiful witch.

“…Dense.”

Part 5

“Thanks Bramble.” I patted the dogman on his fuzzy head, as he successfully cleared the seed’s residual mana from the marsh. My body also finally cool back down, and the transformation ceased while I gradually healed from the encounter with Lucas. “I hate how messed up my jeans and stuff get from kicking.” So much power was behind every attack I’d unleash that my clothes would sometimes fray. My sneakers and pants were often the recipients of the worst damage, ripping across the knees and having the soles come right off! I got up off the muddy ground, dreading the process of cutting my hair, and dyeing it again. “Maybe I’ll just get some sleep and we can worry about the transformation in the morning, right?” I looked back to Anesha, silently glaring at me. “…Right. I’m sorry, I know you wanted me to not get involved, but I couldn’t just leave the poor cryptid alone.” The weather snail crawled back to the rocky marsh, and just before it withdrew in its shell, the creature cooed a goodbye.

“You disobeyed me.” It’d been quite some time since I’d seen Anesha’s brownish-red eyes glow with such disdain.

“…Yeah. Sorry. It won’t happen again, I swear.”

“…” Her eyes bore holes through my chest, borrowing deep into my soul, and choking me.

“Uh…y-you want to sleep, right? I’m sure you’re tired; do you want me to grab you some protein bars?” She didn’t answer. “OK. I’m really sorry! I swear, I will not disobey you again, seriously, I won’t.”

“No, you will not.” She finally broke eye contact, turning her head just to scoff.

“…I’ll…u-uh go get your protein bar. Come on, Bramble.” I hurriedly picked up the familiar and trotted down the hill. The sound of Anesha following behind surprised me. “You don’t need to come, I swear. I’ll jus…j…ju…” Suddenly, I was short of breath, and weak in the knees. “Shit…w-w…” It wasn’t just shortness of breath, my lungs had difficulty taking in any air, at all! Forming a sentence became impossible and I fell, barely managing to avoid face planting. “A…nesha…” She just walked right by me, then stopped and turned about face, looking down with that icy glare, and ominous purple glyph in her right hand.

“You have forgotten your place.” That broke me immediately.

“N…no…” The witch slammed her boot onto the top of my head, driving my face deep into the mud! I struggled to free myself, but I couldn’t draw an ounce of strength from any part of my body.

“I wonder now, is this worth it? I allotted you too much leash, and this is what I receive.” My nose and mouth were blocked, I couldn’t breathe! “This little journey we are on is due, in part, to your proposal to leave your home town. The home town that I allowed you to live in alongside your friends and family, all against my better judgement! My mercy has been gifted to you not once, not twice, but many, many a time! Foolish, as I was.” Burning in my lungs, begging for air, sound beginning to fade out, and my skin tingled. “Tonight, that man could’ve killed you. He was holding back the entire time, as was the woman. You did nothing short of cause me grief, and suffering, all because you foolishly obsess over altruism?!” Anesha placed more weight down onto my head, only keeping myself conscious via panic and wild pain across my body. “My plans…! Everything…and all because I cannot trust you! You. Are. My. Tool. Never forget that.” She removed her boot and released the spell.

I gasped, finally sucking in air again! “…I…”

“Apologize to me again, and I shall make you a vegetable, buried deep in the ground, in a wooden box until the seed is ready. You will never, ever, have to apologize to me again, for you will never disobey me again.” The soulless harbinger of my impending death, Anesha Kyteler, as always, reminded me of my position. “Bramble, stay with him while he recovers. Do not return without my food, even if you have to make it by hand.” Anesha walked off, leaving me gasping, wiping mud off my face, and nearly an inconsolable mess. I couldn’t even bear to lift my eyes off the moon lit soil.

“Young Fate…” Bramble spoke beside me, but even looking at him felt wrong. “I will offer you counsel, and you will accept it. Follow My Lady’s orders, to the letter, for you do not have a friend in me either. I am loyal to My Lady, more so than any man, god, Magekin, or devil. When the day comes that you are meant to die for her dreams, I expect that you will walk into the flames as instructed, as I expect all for lives in service of My Lady to do. Now…do heal up quickly. I do not wish to keep My Lady waiting.”

“…OK…” 3 months and 17 days had passed since I was told my life would end in just around a year. That my soul would be destroyed, leaving nothing of me in the world; no after life, nothing. The person, the witch who told me that, Anesha Kyteler, would do anything to see her goal realized, to become a goddess and rule over the world. To her, I was a tool, soil for the Seed of Yggdrasil to grow in, maybe even less. I could never forget her feelings toward me, or mine toward her. I wanted her dead, I wanted my life back, I wanted to survive.

End of chapter 26