Chapter 33:
Fate of Yggdrasil
Part 1
Bathed in the moon’s light, a rural road lit by sporadic lampposts sat nearly baren apart from a lone car idling beside the silent forest. The child of a couple sat in the backseat, squirming with his eyes on the darkness of night surrounding them. Fear that a monster would jump out and grab him at any second kept the boy from moving an inch. “Jimmy, do you need to use the bathroom?” His mother, hair pulled into a perfectly spherical bun, asked. She sorted her purse of makeups, receipts, and notes scribbled down to memorize later, OCD in full effect! “Bill, I can just call a towtruck.”
“Janice, trust me, I’ve got this.” The father, Bill said, peering around the open car hood and wiping his brow. Even with the sun gone from the sky, growing humidity clung to each family members’ skin, coating them in uncomfortable sweat. “Can you take Jimmy over into the woods and let him pee?” Rolling up his sleeves, the man prepared to get the sputtering engine started again. The boy, no more than ten, was resolved to wait until the car was going again, regardless of his bladder’s integrity.
“OK. Come on, honey.” Out of the passenger side, Janice exited, dropping her adequately arranged bag into the back seat next to her son. She pulled open the back door, and poor Jimmy remained unmoving.
“Go with your mother. She needs a strong man to protect her.”
“I am not using the bathroom in the woods!” They laughed. Jimmy and Janice left bill to his work, walking off into the woods behind some trees. Confident his repair skills were adequte; Bill took solace in knowing an actual mechanic sat just a town over.
“My, oh, my, what have we happened upon?” The sudden appearance of a voice caused Bill to smack the back of his head off the car hood! He turned to see four shadowed visages approaching from up the road. In low visibility fostered by foggy headlights, the clothing worn by the oddly dressed individuals remained strikingly distinct. Two women, and two men, attire stitched with glowing fibers, all equipped with assorted and bizarre accessories appeared seemingly from nowhere. “Disgusting, revolting, repulsive!” The taller man leading the group spoke while twirling his long crimson hair with the tip of his finger, spiraling it downward into his breast pocket like a rose. “Why, I’m at a loss for words!” Despite that, he began to speak again, only to be cut off. “You—”
“Right, as always Killian!” With eyes as big and round as dinner plates, and hair cut so neatly one could believe a bowl had been used as a guide, a smaller member of the group complimented the leader. He wore a jacket nearly the same color of the man identified as Killian; a cooler mint green with gaudy gold trimming covering some glowing purple stitches. “Humans are gross, disgusting, nasty even!”
“I just said all of that, but better! Do not imitate me, Bryn, you fool!” Staring down on his shorter, more weaselly looking companion, Killian bent his riding crop in to relive frustration.
“Excuse me, buddy!” Bill called. “You guys some…traveling performers or something?” Confused, yet polite, the unaware man’s fate was already sealed.
“…Performers? Do you hear that, Bernadine? The human, filthy, forlorn, and destitute, left to repair his own vehicle, thinks we are nothing more than performers?!” Killian cackled, loudly, covering his face with a white gloved hand.
A member of the group simply sighed and walked off. “These diversions have grown insufferable. Should you so wish to waste, not only our, but our very peoples’ precious time, then do so alone! Darcy, come!” The other woman, shorter and stouter, quickly followed suit, leaving behind the men.
From the corner of his eye, Bill spotted his wife and son glancing around a tree in the woods. He gestured for them to stay hidden as a pit welled in his stomach and sweat dampened his palms. Husband and father, Bill rested his hand on the loaded gun in its holster, hoping to not use the weapon. “You guys aren’t performers, then what are you? Those costumes are pretty amazing! I like how they glow.”
“Bryn, the human has laid his hand on the gun on his hip.” A bizarre, deeply gargled voice resounded from nowhere!
“Oh, did you hear that Killian? Gossamer says this human has a gun, and you know how humans are with those.” Before Bryn could make a move, Bill unloaded a single shot right at the gangly man! The shot connected, blasting Bryn’s hood off with a thick plap sound! Liquid sprayed from the young man’s head as he was sent to ground.
“N-now you put your hands up-”
“Shred!” A wave of translucent energy shuddered around Bill’s outstretched forearms; then suddenly vibrated fiercely, and all at once tore the man’s arms asunder! Bill wailed in agony, blood spewing from what was left of his arms! Skin and flesh below the elbows were shredded away as if he’d ran them through a metal grinder! “Truly, humans are barbaric! Animals! Furless beasts!” With a wave of his riding crop, Killian spoke another spell! “Bind!” Ribbons of light ensnared Bill against the grill of his car! “Now, sit quietly.” The Magekin spoke, slapping the agonizing father across the face. “Gossamer! Pick up your foolish, worthless, incompetent master. I will make sure this excursion serves one purpose…at the very least.”
Hidden on the other side of a tree, Janice clutched Jimmy against her sweat laden dress. “Jimmy, we need to run!” Speaking in a frantic, hushed tone, the horrified mother eyed the man silhouetted in her car’s headlights. “Don’t worry, daddy will be ok! We’ll come back for him!”
“Hmm?” A bit too far away, Janice couldn’t entirely make out what Killian was saying as he responded to that bizarre voice again. “Which way…?”
“Run, Janice!” Bill hollered at the top of his lungs! It was too late…
“Bind!” A ribbon quickly wrapped itself around the tree and Janice’s neck, locking her against the trunk! The mother reached for the magical band, but suddenly another ensnared her forehead, and two between her jaws, wrenching open her mouth! Janice was trapped, unable to break free of the bindings she hysterically clawed at! Resigned to her fate, and feeling her jaw nearly dislocate, she shouted for her son Jimmy to escape! The boy refused, trying desperately to aid his mother hanging by her bound head and neck, stuck to the tree! She swung her hands and kicked her feet, pushing the boy away, hearing the Magekin approach!
“G-Go!” She barely managed that garbled word, realizing it was likely the last thing she speak to her beloved son. With tears in his eyes and fissures running deeply through his heart, Jimmy sprinted off into the dark woods, praying to find safety.
“Well…” From around the other side of the tree, Killian strutted. A devious smile was spread wide across his pale, makeup caked face. “Time to take stock.” Using the riding crop, the Magekin traced Janice’s body. Dressed modestly, Killian’s eyes still covered every inch of her writhing frame. The desperate flexing of her legs as she pushed off the tree, twisting of her arms attempting to free her head, and chest pulling for dear life, the sadist relished the sight. “Truly, as disgusting as humans are, they do produce women with the most lascivious, lewd, and vulgar bodies.”
“Get away from her!” Bill screamed, unable to even move his arms but fighting desperately to escape his own bindings! “If you touch her, I’ll rip your throat out with my teeth!”
“Your teeth? Animals.” Killian chuckled. “Then, I guess it best I pull out those teeth, one by one. Then, you can watch as I bend, fold, and break…your woman.”
Part 2
I kicked back on the couch, since Anesha wanted Arnold’s son’s former bed. Fighting for that would’ve been an obvious loss, so I didn’t even bother. The couch was nice, anyway; much better than laying in a sleeping bag on a dusty concrete floor. Arnold walked down the stairs, looking to see if I was awake before turning on the television. He sat in his chair beside the couch, trying to relax, I assumed.
“I’m going to watch the news.” He said, flipping through the channels.
“Uh…ok.” Not like I was able to sleep, too many things running through my head. Dad, Mom, my friends, Erna especially, my mind was cluttered with thoughts about their safety, and if any of them had grown to hate me. “Arnold.”
“What?” Finally flipping to the news, the old man leaned back in his seat and exhaled a deep and long sigh.
“I was just wondering about your family. I mean, you don’t have to talk about them, if you don’t want.” Awkward as always. There was no hope for my social skills improving at that point.
“Wife’s off teaching in DC. She’s a college professor, teaches advanced mathematics. Son’s in the military, a lieutenant. Doesn’t come home often, since he got himself a lady. Anything else?” Blunt, the old hunter spoke without reservations.
“Uh…no, I guess. I just didn’t expect you’d tell me like that.”
“Nothing special.” He turned the news up. A segment played discussing a long thought extinct species of bugs resurfacing in Europe. Casters theorized that it had something to do with the recent change in the climate, or breakthroughs in researching underground tunnels and caves. I knew the truth, or suspected it; the seed.
“Um…” I began again. “You aren’t going to ask about my dad?”
“Nope.”
“Why not?”
“If ya’ want to talk about it, go ahead. I’m not going to stop ya’.”
“…I don’t really want to rant.”
“Then don’t. Keep it short, if ya’ want. Up to ya’.”
“Right…well…” A chill overwhelmed me! I shot up from the couch, and if my ears didn’t deceive me, so did Anesha upstairs! The sound of her running across the wood floor, and turning down the stairs, I was right! She’d not even bothered to change out of her pajamas, compelled to get up by that ripple of mana! “Is it?”
“I am not sure. Lo’, it may be.”
“What’s going on? Ya’ kids alright?” Our ambiguity may have confused Arnold, but we were on the same page!
“It’s what we’ve been training and preparing for.”
“How are you feeling, Fate?” Anesha sprung her magical radar up.
“Let’s see…” The wound hadn’t properly closed by then, and I was still tender across my body. Joints ached, and muscles felt fatigued. “Still healing…”
“Unfortunate. Do not transform, we require the secrecy.” Rolling her fist up underneath her chin, the witch thought aloud. “I cannot be completely sure. Behold.” On Anesha’s radar, there was a larger signature standing out among multiple smaller ones.
“Any chance it’s one of those rogue familiars?” We hadn’t encountered one on our journey by then, but I recalled getting blasted off Anesha’s broom in Jasontown. She later explained that a rogue familiar caused that.
“Luck is often not on our side, lo’ it is not an impossibility. I have not heard my name called, thus the likelihood remains slim.”
“Your name? Oh, right. You said when a Magekin’s startled it can cause a ripple of mana.”
“Yes, and the best way to do such is simply calling them by their name. That aptitude of yours for recalling my lessons remains your greatest asset. Despite the Seer’s stating there would be groups of two, only one appears on my radar. Familiar, Magekin, or even a magically inclined beast similar to that goblikin, I refuse to be remiss with any such risks.”
“Do we go?”
“No. That’d be a fool’s gambit. Bramble!” Trotting into the room, the old dogman familiar pretended he was awoken. In actuality, Bramble was scarfing down chocolates I’d snuck him. “Stay within range of Fate. I shall pursue the anomaly, alone.”
“Alone?! No way! We’ve been training to fight together! What happens if it is one of the Magekin and they just split up or something? How much range do you even have on that radar?”
“Roughly enough to see just beyond the edge of the next town, however; it begins to dither.”
“Then we can’t even be sure if that other Magekin isn’t just hiding outside your range!”
“Which is why I am going. Without mage’s robes, whilst keeping mana usage low, I shall appear as little more than a human or beast; should they be using a radar as well. In the interim, you remain here, shielded by Bramble, essentially invisible.” Anesha left us, quickly rushing back up the stairs! “I move to ready myself; Bramble, on guard!”
“But without your mage’s robe you’re at a massive disadvantage, right? Your hat helps boost your mana control, your dress, stockings, and sleeves protect you like armor, and you won’t even be able to fly on your broomstick, right?” She returned, dressed in civilian clothing, still needing her boots to be laced up.
“Truly, you have done well to remember all of my teachings. You deserve praise for that, and I deserve such for being an excellent tutor!”
“You’re way too nonchalant about this.”
“Oh?” That sultry and smug grin traced itself across her lips. “Do you worry for my well-being? How sweet.” Anesha sneered, taking a seat atop Arnold’s dresser to fumble through lacing her shin-high boots. “Ugh…” The eyelets ran up to the witch’s shin and relacing looked annoyingly cumbersome. Swallowing my disdain for said witch, and against my principles, I aided her! “W-What are you doing?!”
I’d already moved down to one knee in front of Anesha and, without permission, began swiftly lacing the other boot! “We need to hurry, right? Get the jump on them? You fussing with your laces is slowing you down. It’s better I do it.”
“Hmph.” We finished about the same time. I barely managed to avoid my fingers brushing the skin between her fishnets; didn’t need any more problems. “Do not expect thanks.”
“Whatever, just be careful. You’ll contact me using Bramble, right?”
“Of course. Stay prepared, but do not transform.”
“OK.” Anesha slipped her jacket on and walked off, closing the front door behind her. (I’m worried…not for her, but everything. If she goes down, then should I rescue her? Do I just turn myself over to the Magekin and beg for mercy?) I was drawing up every plan and scenario in my head without even properly grasping the situation!
“Kid.” Arnold called my attention. “…Ya’ into some weird stuff after all.”
“…Huh?” I thought was confused for a second. It hit me; the boot lacing?! “No-I”
Part 3
Skulking through the woods at night always offered a light thrill. In days long gone, I enjoyed playing in the Graewood forests alongside my parents. We would simply enjoy the peace of escaping that obnoxious town teeming with grandiloquent aristocrats. Safety was of no concern; dangerous creatures could not hope to penetrate the world’s most masterfully crafted barrier protecting Graewood. (Nothing has changed on the radar. I’ll have to keep mana usage low and my wits about me.) I’d managed the quickest route off of the peninsula, reaching the bridge connecting both towns. Whispering Hills, inebriated pedestrians wandered the town streets, and others drove loud cars throughout the roads. (It would appear the signature lives beyond this town, within the hills themselves. Any further radar or mana usage would be daft.) One such poorly lit pathway was clear of civilians, beside a human eatery. A large dumpster to the side radiated dreadfully pungent odors as I passed it, staying low. Mercifully, that path began to ascend up toward the ridge and away from the noise and smell pollution.
Even with limited hunting prowess, reading the mana surrounding me was not difficult. It rose from the ground, exuding heavily from trees, all as it should have. Differentiating between animals scurrying about the brush and any Magekin, however, was nothing to be proud of. Skills such as that were only above standard in the slightest of margins. My lacking abilities; master would’ve been disappointed, more so than furious. She was no hunter herself, yet had seen many in her homelands.
I continued traversing the incline, regretting my choice in footwear while cursing the mud which caked my beloved boots! No matter how high I climbed, the flow of mana remained unchanged. (Was it no more than a false reading? Shall I employ the radar once more? No. Doing such would cause a ripple in the flow of mana, and the slightest wave could give away my position.) Finally, I reached the peak. From atop the Whisper Hills, the towns below shimmered with yellowish lights as if trying to mimic the starry sky overhead. (Clearing my mind and reading the flow of mana shall have to do.) Shuttering my eyes, I breathed deep and exhaled. Mana in the air remained stagnant, calm like a lake. A visual scan of the area only offered green pines, soft brown dirt, and a waterfall dumping into a ravine. The cavernous gorge to my side and slick rockfaces were dampened by condensation, as was everything near the rapids. Moisture tinged not only the air but my clothes, and fertile soil beneath my feet. Nature hadn’t been overcome completely by man in the Whispering Hills.
A snap current of mana surged from beyond that waterfall! It was as if something had awoken, exploding within a calm body of water! Magekin, or a beast equally as capable, something had suddenly sprung to life. Using the cliff’s edge as my guide brought me upon a small clearing. I found them! Crimson hair spiraling like a rose down into his emerald-colored mage’s robes, Killian Dufort. He sat atop a glossy black throne down in the clearing’s center. Beside him, another person writhed on the ground. From the distance, only their mage’s robe was visible. Gold trimmings shimmered under moonlight, woven upon a minty green jacket, with black pants; nearly as gaudy as Killian. They conversed as that person staggered to their feet, unaware of my presence.
(Big round eyes…that bowl cut…) I scoured my mind, connecting every name and face within Graewood. As one of the conditions of the barrier, I memorized them; all of them. (…Bryn Wooton!) The pompous little bootlicker who chased Killian around as if a fly orbiting excrement. Again, the mana in the area rippled! (A familiar? One was summoned, but from where? Having studied their physical attributes, and names; of their magic, I knew very little.) Curious as I was, confronting them outside of my own mage’s robes, and without my armament, would have been foolish. (I shall take my leave and concoct a plan of attack for later.)
“Waterspout, penetrate!” A spell! I turned back with just enough time to see that stream of water aimed to perforate my skull, slipping away! They’d found me! How, I was unsure, lo’ escaping was the best option, until the ground beneath me sank! The cliff face I stood upon was cut by another water laser. It slid downhill in the ravine; thus, I attempted to call my broom!
At the snap of my fingers, the feeling of my armament hurdling toward me brought reassurance! Emerging from the forest, the broom was seized midair by reams of light! I was stuck! Doing my best to steer the rock down through the gorge, I also kept my eyes high, expecting that more attacks were to come! Another beam of water barreled towards me, leaving my only option as retreating! Back flipping off my perch, the rock was sundered! I landed myself on the ground, unharmed, and ready.
Far below at the bottom of the cliff, I watched as Killian Dufort and Bryn Wooton strolled into view and looked as if predator animals found their prey. Killian cackled, shielding his eyes behind those absurdly white gloves. “I’ve done it! Accomplished it! Achieved it! Lo’ they of little faith, witness, that I, Killian Dufort, heir of the Dufort household, have located the traitorous Anesha Kyteler!”
Clapping, truly an underling, Bryn applauded Killian. “Excellent work, Killian.” The spell, it came from him, the weasel. “Shall we restrain her?”
“Yes, of course…however, where is the seed?” He sat atop his sleek throne, looking down both his nose and the hill at me. Bryn cupped his hand over Killian’s ear, attempting to whisper, yet was met with a whipping from his riding crop! “You fool, speak aloud! She is no threat to us.”
“Ok…uh…Gossamer says the seed isn’t around here.” I surmised that Gossamer was likely his familiar. Where it was, I couldn’t tell.
“Truly? Then where?” The weaselly little man shrugged. They had no idea where the seed was! That was an advantage to me. “I see. Anesha Kyteler, relinquish the seed, and surrender yourself unto me.” Trying a commanding tone, I was sickened by Killian’s attempt at appearing strong.
“You expect that of me?” Killian, I remembered all too well. “Gods, how pointless an endeavor. Surely you would not expect me to bring the seed along everywhere I go.” Though he excelled in various magics, his rational mind would fail him under delusions of grandeur. “My, it could be buried miles and miles away.”
“Buried? The seed requires a living host, and I believe it’s preferably a human. Is that correct, Bryn?” Nodding like an obedient seal, Bryn confirmed. “You, doing something so cruel as to burying someone alive? Yes, I could see that, however, not to a human!” Cackling again. “Bryn, have Gossamer search for the seed. Find it, as I wish to…negotiate, bargain, mediate with Anesha Kyteler.”
“On it! I’ll find the seed and bring it right back to you! I promise, Killian! You can rely on me! After we find the seed, we’ll present it right to Master Caelan, and he’ll invite us into his family!” And again, Killian walloped the bowl-cut haired man across the back!
“Enough of your foolish, idiotic, moronic prattling! Find the seed of Yggdrasil, now!” Bryn sprinted off, as uncoordinated as Magekin often were.
“Not allowing your minion to use their broom? How cruel.” Saying that made me look to my own broom, tied to a tree upon the cliff.
“Where is the human, Anesha. Tell me. Do not play coy.” Lowering his voice to try and enchant me, profoundly disgusting.
“Killian, I shall tell you nothing. I have little reason to, as you do not pose me a threat, can offer me anything of value, and I simply detest you.”
“…” That vain in his forehead, a minuscule victory. Master always spoke of upsetting one’s enemy to gain the advantage. With Killian’s ego, doing such was simple. “Anesha, I am of house Dufort. House Dufort is a widely respected family in Graewood, the amount of influence we exude—”
“Means nothing to me.” Pointless grandstanding and overconfidence, an aristocrat through and through.
“Yes, I assume things like that means little to a lowborn, to a commoner…to a wretch.” That word. “Hmm? Have I trampled onto your feelings?” Did it show on my face? Many a time in the past had that word been spat at me, yet it never truly got easier. “It is sad, deep down, you really are like them. Your blood, tainted as it is, I do respect your ability. You are amazing for someone born of a Magekin and a human, a half-born, a wretch.”
End of chapter 33
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