The Last Adventure Before the End

In a blink of an eye, gone was her night-shaded hair, gone was her pristine dress. It was replaced by smooth purple strands and a puffed lilac dress when the glow made out of fairy’s dust vanished. A macaroon shell adorned her hair at each side of her face.

     Henox remained unphased. Not that he understood why that phenomenon just occurred, but it was simply fairy magic. Nothing extraordinary about that.

“Ah! Yes, I forgot.” Gretel laughed at her momentary surprise. “I am the fairy of delicacies.”

“Are all fairies that neglectful?”

“No, it’s just I am still not used to all of this.” She replied lightheartedly. “Actually, it’s the first time it happens because I haven’t eaten any deserts since I became a fairy. And any time I do, my look changes depending on what I eat! That’s funny, right? And, you know, when this happens I can-”

“Since you became?” He frowned. These were the words which had aroused his curiosity. “Haven’t you always been what you are?”

     Gretel shook her head.

“No. I became a fairy after dying. Before that, I was a human being. But…” She had a more thoughtful expression. “…however I try, I fail to remember. It remains hazy.”

     While she kept on nibbling her macaroons bit by bit, Henox brought his hand closer. After having laid upon the book where Gretel had set her translucent wing, he grabbed the book in his hands, standing up.

     He was aware that all fairies didn’t come to life in the same way. They could take their origin between the petals of a flower lit by the first rays of the Moon, under the shadow of an old oak tree,… and sometimes a pure soul did give them birth. Though this, this was more sparse.

     Simply because only so many souls could be considered as pure. In particular when it came to the beings devoid of magic.

“It is useless to force. Memories are like stars. If your sky is veiled by clouds, you have no chance to catch a glimpse of them.

     Even if the young fairy did not answer, her gaze was enough to share her frustration. Nevertheless it was but fleeting, as soon new thoughts came to distract her mind.

“By the way, you didn’t tell me. What are you going to do with the time left, sir Henox?”

“Sleep.”

“Ehh? But… Why? There’s so much to do and… it’s our last chance to achieve beautiful things.”

     Henox made a few steps, approaching his desk to lit an oil lamp. Numerous stone puppets already getting busy rebuilding a new door, carrying and chopping wooden boards to the right length, the luminosity previously gifted by the outside was weakening.

     When he manipulated the roller, it slightly squeaked before a spark appeared in its glass case.

“There is nothing more I wish to accomplish. To rejoice at the coming end is sufficient to my eyes.” He said with a slight smile. I will take the time to attend it, when this world’s dusk will be near.”

     If Gretel’s eyes could have fallen out of her sockets, they would have done so in that moment.

“You are happy… to think that the world will be destroyed?”

“Absolutely,” Henox confirmed with a nod. “When you have lived for as long as I have, this idea is even a deliverance, I must say.”

“For long?… How old are you, sir sorcerer?”

     Such statements could only surprise her. It must be granted to her that based only on Henox’s appearance, it could hardly be given him thirty years.

“Over a millennium.”

“How is that possible? You don’t even look like a grandpa.”

“Yet there are many species that live just as long.” Henox noticed with an almost amused expression. “Though, concerning myself, I acquired this longevity by my own means. The passage of time… has long since lost its hold on me.”

     He didn’t even try to rethink about the day when he ceased to age. These were just derisory thoughts. What was the use of reviving the past? What he needed, the spells, this world’s knowledge, all of this was written in him. This was satisfactory.

“You may have trouble in realizing it at such a young age, but the world isn’t as interesting as it seems. At the beginning, when you ignore everything about it, I can fathom it fascinates. Though over the centuries, you end up having seen all there is to see.”

“It’s impossible. You can’t know everything about this world. It is too vast.”

“And yet.”

“You don’t know how to repair a fairy’s wing.”

     A remark which had the merit to make one of the sorcerer’s eyebrows twitch. He refrained from answering.

“And then, there are so many things that deserve to be seen! Even if it isn’t the first time.” She assured with a convinced expression. It would be so sad to do nothing but sleep for the remaining time…”

     Ah, she was unaware of all the benefits of a sleep devoid of dreams, of this state of suspended life where thinking was no longer necessary. But it should be at least acknowledged, Gretel seemed sincerely saddened. Even though it had nothing to do with her. Even though Henox was a stranger to her.

“Oh! I have an idea! All you have to do is come with me. Let’s travel together!”

“I see no point in it.” He noted with a sceptical glance.

“It would allow you to see wonderful places, to live great adventures! I am sure you would discover things you didn’t even know existed.”

     The fairy – who had already abandoned her macaroons to get closer to the edge of the book – jumped to his wrist and grabbed the end of a beige sleeve lined with green with her both hands. And so she began pulling it, as if she imagined she would be able to make him move. Silly little dreamer.

“I promise you that you won’t regret listening to me. Come on!” She added with cheerfulness, tugging on his sleeve several times before taking a break to breathe. “And… With your help I still have a chance to make my dream come true. Even maybe to heal my wing…”

     Somewhat ashamed to require the sorcerer’s help, Gretel hid the lower part of her face behind the folds of the fabric, averting her gaze.

     Surprisingly, Henox did not refuse immediately. He took a moment to consider the fairy’s proposal. In one way or another, she had managed to arouse… curiosity? No, it would be exaggerated. A doubt. Yes, a doubt would be more accurate. A feeling as uncomfortable as finding a thistle stuck in your shoe. Could it be that there existed something able to make him feel interested in this bland world?

“Very well. I shall accompany you. Though only until we find a way to fix your wing.”

     Thus, he could at least see which hands were capable of such goldsmithery before returning home, once this ephemeral doubt would be dissipated.

     It only took a few moments before Gretel’s face lit up. She then nodded with a large smile.

***

In a short while, they were ready to leave the place. Henox had wrapped Gretel’s wing in a small piece of fabric serving as a makeshift backpack. He had given his stone puppets final instructions.

     Moreover, two of them stood on the threshold, waving to the sorcerer and the fairy who were already leaving. One of the puppets shook a cloth handkerchief, and Gretel waved back, perched on Henox’s shoulder.

     The latter’s footsteps took them away from the foot of the hill. Until it was nothing more but a distant point.

     It was the first time the sorcerer got outside since the announcement of the goddess Kishar. And it did not take him long to discover the first signs of the fate awaiting them.

     Right at his feet, near the grass he just trod on, a winding branch had emerged from the ground. Covered with thorns. For now barely as thick as his arm, he seemed to see this woody tentacle moving faintly.

     Continuing on his way, he spotted giant brambles here and there which extricated from the bowels of the earth. Where they crawled, the grass was choked.

     Passing a stream, he made some stones appear on the surface thanks to his magic, allowing him to cross the body of water without hindrance.

“Sir Henox, where do we go?”

“We are heading to the forest, so we can find elves.”

“Elves?” She repeated, tilting her head on the side.

“With the intimacy they share with nature, they may happen to know a way to heal your wing. The forest bestows them all its secrets.”

     While the two travellers were progressing across the plain, a deer had stopped in the distance to keep an eye on their passage. Or at least, what was similar to a deer. Because instead of its antlers, tangled coral branches stood on his either side. Scales with iridescent reflections covered his body.

     Their journey could at last begin.