The Blood Witch Chronicles

by L. A. Stinnett

  Having felt the land freed from the dark curse, multiple Green Ways opened and dozens of Green Folk emerged to begin healing the earth. A tall Green Jyll covered in ivy approached U'ka, pointing a long, viney finger at her.

  "This is a start, Battibahla. But you have much more work to do. You are the only one left who can clear the Daemon filth magic from the land," the Green Lady sneered.

  Many Green Folk did not care much for humans, but the Green Lady held an especially strong destain for her and hated being reliant on U'ka's magic to break the Daemon curses defiling everything they touched. The Green Lady was only here because of her duty to the land.

  U’ka wiped thick sweat from her brow, exhaling heavily. "I know, I know. It took everything in me to break the curse. It's going to take time to fix everything. Please don't call me that name!"

  "Time may be shorter than you think, Battibahla."

  Without further explanation, the Green Lady turned to Teek in silent communication. U'ka knew they were sharing information they did not want her privy to. Seemingly satisfied with what Teek told her, the Green Lady signaled the other Green Folk to follow her into the ruined area to start the process of bringing life back to the land. Each of them bowed their heads as they passed Teek. They always treated him with great reverence. He was unique among the Green Folk, but she did not know why.

  Teek helped U'ka into Bud's saddle, fastening leather straps around her waist to hold her in place. This wouldn't be the first time she drifted off to sleep from exhaustion while riding and fallen out of the saddle.

  He led them along an overgrown path. The air was already warming and the ground turning muddy from the quickly melting snow. The long-frozen bodies of soldiers, women and children emerged from the thawing snow mounds all around them. Their arms outstretched in defense, sagged and slowly lowered to the ground as they thawed. It looked like they were reaching out to her. The scene was another gruesome reminder of how the people of Eleanthra suffered during the war.

  U'ka was utterly drained emotionally and physically from pulling on that much magic when her body wasn't ready for it. Numbness spread throughout her, the world around her swam wildly. She closed eyes, allowing herself to drift off, hoping for exhaustion to pull her into a deep sleep, free of nightmares of the war. The horse felt the grip on the reins loosen and slowed to a more steady pace.

  * * * * * *

  U'ka sensed Bud's gait change. It seemed like she'd only slept a few minutes, but as her eyes slowly opened, she saw they'd cleared the ruined land, and the sun hung low in the sky. Teek led them deep into a wild, heavily wooded area. There were forests humans could not travel this far into without becoming hopelessly lost. They were angry at humans for the war they brought to their lands, so the Green Folk banned humans from certain woodlands after the devastation brought upon them during the Blood War. The forests were living, sentient entities that made sure those foolish enough to venture too far were never seen again. With Teek as their guide, the trees let her pass unharmed.

  He pointed ahead. At first, U'ka didn't know what she was looking for, but then she saw it. A giant Iron Oak deadfall. She dismounted and ran to its massive bulk. Teek came up behind her, placing his hand in reverence upon the fallen tree's rough bark.

  "Has his spirit left?" said U'ka.

  Teek nodded and looked around. Seeing a small sapling, he strode over to it, kneeling to place his hand on the ground near its base.

  She knew this meant the Elder Iron Oak had renewed and was starting life over as a young sapling. The Green Folk spread their seeds far and wide over the land. The seeds lay dormant till they needed to renew, then their spirits flowed through the Green Ways to start life anew as a sprout. Teek silently communicated with the young tree. He wouldn't tell her much about their conversation. The Green Folk preferred to keep their secrets.

  Teek came back to the fallen Oak. U'ka watched in amazement as the bark separated, and he sunk his hand down through the many layers, slowly pulling out a dark piece of inner wood. It was the heartwood of the ancient tree. Everything it experienced during its long life resided there. He dug a hole near the base of the sapling and placed the heartwood there. It would become a part of the young tree, so all of the knowledge and experience of its former self would not be lost.

  "Thanks for sharing that with me, Teek. I know you don't usually allow humans to witness your sacred rituals."

  Teek nodded solemnly before he stood.

  "Will he allow his wood to be processed?"

  The Green Folk did not care much about what happened to their old shells once the spirit passed on, but U'ka still wanted to make sure it was okay to use the wood.

  Teek nodded, indicating the saplings indifference.

  "Please give my thanks to the young tree. The wood will help us get some much-needed coin. Can you peel off a piece of the bark for me, please?"

  Teek sent delicate tendrils from his fingertips that snaked deep into the tiny crevices of the bark, carefully lifting a piece away.

  The deadfall wood retained its indestructible properties. Green Folk were the only beings able to process the wood. No blade, human or Daemon made, could pierce the hardwood of Iron Oak. It was worth a fortune to the right person. U’ka took out a scrap of parchment and a charcoal stylus to draw out a rough map of where the deadfall lay.

  Teek led them further into the forest. Bird song filled the air, and small animals scurried around the forest floor. It felt good to hear the life of the forest around them. She hoped the land would be fully healed one day. Teek led down a grassy hill, stopping at the bank of a large lake; indicating this to be the camping site for the night.

  "We're not continuing to the trading post?"

  Teek shook his head, pointing towards the horizon where the sun slowly sank behind the tree line. It was too dangerous to travel at night with whispers from the forests about bands of marauders taking advantage of unwary travelers. They could easily take these former soldiers out, but they were trying to go unnoticed as long as possible to not jeopardize their mission.

  U’ka looked out across the lake to the far shore where two men pulled in their fishing nets. Her heart leaped a bit at the sight of them. They were the first humans she'd seen since they started out a month ago. They gave her a wave, and she eagerly waved back while they picked up their gear and headed down a dirt road out of sight. She was almost sad to see them leave, being eager for human contact again. Teek was her competent guardian but his conversational skills were non-existent. It was a lonely recovery for her these many months without anyone to talk to.

  U'ka gathered firewood while Teek waded into the water, standing motionless with his hand hovering just above the surface. Impossibly quick, his hand shot down with a splash, pulling out a large wiggly fish. He stabbed it through the head with his wood finger before throwing it to shore. He caught a few more fish that he tossed into his mouth, swallowing them whole; then came ashore to get Bud and Daisy settled down for the evening.

  She got the fire going then gutted and deboned the fish. Laying them in the hot skillet the air quickly filled with the delicious scent of seared fish. Her mouth watered at the prospect of eating meat that wasn't rat or pigeon or squirrel. When the filets were nicely browned she took the skillet off the fire and laid it before her, pulling off pieces of meat which she greedily popped into her mouth. She groaned in pleasure at the taste of the sweet meat that seemed to almost melt in her mouth.

  A soft meow sounded behind her. A black and grey striped cat sat atop a small log. Six tiny pairs of eyes and pointy ears peeked out from behind.

  "Don't give me those sad eyes." U’ka knew she couldn't resist the cat's pleading look and tore one of the filets in half, throwing it to the mother cat. She quickly grabbed it and hurried back into the underbrush. Six little kittens, tails in the air, followed closely behind, letting out high pitched cries.

  "You're welcome!" She yelled before going to the lake to clean out her skillet. Sitting near the fi
re, it was time to ask Teek the question that was bothering her all day. U'ka knew she wasn't going to like the answer, but she needed to know.

  "Teek, what did the Green Lady mean when she said time is shorter than you think?"

  With a grim face he exhaled heavily, holding out his hand to mind share with her.

  She was a little hesitant to take it. The Green Folk shared their thoughts, feelings and memories freely through the Green Ways but did not mind share with humans very often; even then, it was basic thoughts. They controlled what thoughts they shared, but human minds were laid bare to the Green Folk, like an open book. She was afraid of the things he might see, the past she was trying to forget.

  U'ka gathered her courage, closed her eyes and laid her hand on his. Small leafy tendrils wrapped around her hand, sealing their thoughts as one. He showed her the scars of the ruined lands scattered all over the formerly lush areas of Eleanthra. The ruin was not just surface wounds. They cut deep, the decay seeping far into the ground, winding its way towards the heart of the land. U’ka felt the suffering of the earth from Teek's connection to the land. A deep cold flooded her body from sharing his pain with her. He needed her to heal the torment. She was the only one left of her magic order. The only one who could break the Dameon curses, poisoning the land and draining it of life. If she failed, all of Eleanthra would die.

  Releasing Teek's hand to break the mind share bond, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

  "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

  He looked at her sternly before rumbling his answer.

  "You're not protecting me by keeping things from me. I know how damaged and broken I am. I'm reminded of that fact every time we pass through a destroyed city."

  Teek continued to stare at her impassively.

  "This is too much. How am I going to fix all this

  in time?"

  He reached out to softly caress her cheek, letting her know he'd be there to support her through it all. She looked into his dark green eyes that held great wisdom and understanding. He knew her plight and the challenges she faced better than anyone. He would be at her side, fighting till the end. She wiped away her tears.

  He let out a creek that told her he would try to be more truthful in the future.

  "Alright, we'll figure it out together like we always do. Enough feeling sorry for myself."

  U'ka was still upset with Teek, knowing there were still many secrets he kept and looked out over the lake to calm herself. The sun was down and the night creatures were starting to stir. Frogs croaked out their melancholy songs. Fireflies provided a tiny, but beautiful light show near the shore. Above, she heard the high pitched squeaks of bats flying overhead, catching small insects buzzing around in the night air.

  The clouds parted, revealing a round, full moon. Its delicate light reflected off the surface of the lake. The water parted as a giant Thealam lake serpent raised its head above the surface, sending rippling waves to the lake's shore. Its big golden eye looked at her curiously. The water around the serpent vibrated; a subsonic call going out across the lake. Moments later, a smaller lake serpent broke the surface next to its mother, letting out little squeals. The mother serpent let out a high pitched roar before they both disappeared beneath the water. Despite all the ruin inflicted on the land, life found a way to go on. U'ka was more determined than ever to make sure all life in Eleanthra got a chance to flourish again.

  She laid out her bedroll to settle in for the night to the sound of soft owl hoots. Looking up at the night sky, she picked out the various constellations in the expansive starfield above until sleep finally took her.

  On the battlefield again, swords clanged against each other as fierce combat raged all around her. Screams of humans and Daemons filled the air. There was movement on a cliffside trail. Women desperately led children away from the killing going on all around. She thought they were going to make it to safety when a Daemon mage with dark red skin and huge black horns roared, throwing a fireball at the cliffside. New screams filled the air, women and children fell to the ground burning in agony.

  U'ka turned away from the horrific scene. There before her stood a small boy, his skin horribly scorched and blackened. In several places, his skull shone through where the skin was seared from the bone. His eye sockets were empty, the orbs melted away by the fire. He raised his hand, pointing a shriveled, black finger at her. U'ka was frozen in place, unable to move, unable to run away from the horrible sight.

  She forced herself awake to escape the terrible nightmare. Thankfully morning had broken, so she didn't have to struggle to return to sleep. U’ka sat up and looked down the quiet, mist-shrouded lakeshore where Teek stood silhouetted in the early morning light.

  He dug around in some reeds near the water's edge, then pulled something out before waded back towards their camp. The frantic quacking of a mother duck paddling quickly after him pierced the silence of the morning. The brown mallard desperately bit at his leg with her tiny bill. He handed U'ka the eggs and she held them up to the sunlight to check if there were ducklings inside, but only saw the deep brown yolks.

  "Sorry, momma. I need this."

  The mother duck paddled back to her nest to guard the rest of her eggs. With the fire going again, she broke the eggs into the skillet. Teek handed her a cloth bag full of berries he gathered earlier.

  "I could really use some bread. You need to look around harder for those wild bread trees."

  Teek just snorted at her.

  U'ka finished her breakfast then waded into the lake to wash out the skillet before tossing it back to shore. The water looked so inviting she decided a quick bath to remove some of the road grime was in order.

  Taking off her underclothes she waded deeper into the cool water. As her fingertips skimmed the surface, she invoked her magic to warm the area around her, filling the crisp morning air with light steam. She waded in until her shoulders were covered, enjoying the warm water. Baths were a luxury from before the war. The Citadel, where she went through her magic training, contained hot springs that ran beneath it. She used to spend her free time soaking in the warm mineral-filled water of the ornate bath halls decorated with intricate mosaics of mythological scenes. These were pleasant memories of simpler times when she had the freedom just to relax and enjoy herself. Times where a meal always awaited her in the dining hall. Now she scrounged in the dirt for her food. She hadn't fully appreciated those easy times at the Citadel. It was something she yearned to return to.

  Teek grunted to let her know it was time to head out for the day. U’ka sighed before dunking her head beneath the water, running her fingers through her hair to get rid of as much oil and dirt as possible. She surfaced and reluctantly headed back to shore to dry off and dress.

  Teek already prepared the animals for the day's ride. U'ka jumped up to Bud's saddle, and they were off on their day's adventure.

  3

  The Road to Lonely Hilltop Outpost

  Teek led them around the lake's shoreline to an area where the shallow water allowed the horses to cross to the other side. He waded to the far shore, beckoning them to follow. Bud plunged right in and they were halfway across when U'ka turned to see the mule still standing at the water's edge.

  "Come on, Daisy, let's go."

  He tentatively put a hoof in the water before slowly starting across. When he got further in, the water brushed up against his stomach. He refused to take another step, braying at her helplessly.

  U’ka slid out of the saddle to wade back to Daisy and put her arm around his neck.

  "Come on. I know you don't like the water, but we have no other choice but to cross here."

  U'ka knew the mule's trauma. Daisy was barely alive when Teek found him in a tangle of tree roots along the bank of a raging river shortly after the war ended. He still carried a fear of deep water.

  Bud waded back to stand on the other side of Daisy. He let out a whinny of encouragement, gently nudging his friend forward. To
gether they slowly crossed the rest of the way to the shore. Daisy gave himself a full body shake, sending water drops flying all around, ready to continue on.

  U'ka gave him a soft pat on his side before climbing into Bud's saddle and following the path the fisherman disappeared up yesterday. The sunny, warm day made the start of their journey a pleasant one. She was glad to have the warmth to help dry her clothes and armor. She forced the earlier nightmare and Teek's dire revelation from her mind.

  The roads were empty of travelers. Normally they were bustling with traders going from city to city, selling their wares. Now the roads were quiet, the isolation almost overwhelming. She was alone with her thoughts on the dusty road. Her thoughts were a lonely place that she desperately wanted to escape from.

  Several trails led off the road they were on, but Teek kept them on a straight path for many hours until they reached a wide fork in the road. The right one continued through a lowland forest. The left led gradually up a hillside. The lowland trail looked like the more natural route, but Teek turned them onto the left fork leading higher up a slope. He guided their travels well so far, so she trusted he knew the route they needed to take.

  U’ka felt Bud's gait change and pulled him to a stop. She dismounted to examine the horse's legs for any injuries.

  "Give me your hoof, Bud," she said, patting his left front leg. He raised his hoof to show he'd thrown a shoe. She frowned but was thankful to see the hoof still intact and no nails left behind.

  "He's lost a shoe. I'm going to walk him the rest of the way up."

  Teek nodded and continued their climb.

  I hope the outpost has a blacksmith. U'ka didn't want anything bad to happen to Bud. If he injured his leg, she couldn't bear the prospect of having to put him down. He wasn't just a means of transportation; he was her friend. She clung to the bond they developed during their recovery and the affection another warm-blooded being provided. It helped keep her sane during the many months of isolation.