by M. L. Brooks
“Mighty World Tree Leyanie, please awaken and grace us with your wisdom,” he called to the tree.
The tree trembled and the mouth twisted. The eyelids of the tree opened up and revealed two incandescent yellow eyes that shone like light passing through acorns of topaz. Leyanie gazed upon them and coughed, bark chips belching out of her mouth. She licked her lips with a moist, vine like tongue. Fairies drifted over and misted her gently with water.
“I had a dream of you! Although in my dream you had died,” groaned the tree.
“Well… I think I’m still alive,” said Adair.
“Great Wondrous Tree of Life, I bring this traveler before you so that you may render your divine judgment upon her,” announced Alfein.
“Oh, Alfein quit being so over the top. What’s your name girl?” asked Leyanie.
“Adair,” she introduced herself.
“I know why you are here, although I think you do not. I have several gifts for you and each one of them is of great importance. First, I must warn you against seeking your revenge. I have seen through many of your lifetimes and only through friendship were you able to fulfill your destiny. Secondly, you need proof of meeting me today,” explained Leyanie as the tree began quivering again.
A large root reached up into the boughs of the tree and snapped off a branch. It brought the branch down and handed it to Adair. The branch was longer than the length of Adair’s arm and as thick as her forearm. Adair took the branch and tried holding it like a walking stick. The length was right, but it was too thick to handle easily.
“Hand this to Rose and tell her that when she is ready to stop hiding from her past that I will be waiting for her. Lastly, I would like Alfein to accompany you back. His fate is not tied to the destiny of any world, he must leave and choose a path for himself now,” declared Leyanie.
Alfein looked surprised, and he jumped to his feet.
“Yes! I’ve been waiting for this!” he cheered.
Alfein flew off, almost gliding through the air as his wings carried him along. Leyanie groaned again, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. Her eyes closed and her body returned to that of a motionless tree. Adair watched Leyanie return to sleep and then got up to chase after Alfein. Emin stood up and dusted himself off.
Watching Adair walk out of the hollow with the tree branch in hand, he commented, “Looks like we got what we came for. Let’s get out of here.”
“Where did Alfein go? She asked us to take him with us,” said Adair.
“I’m here!” replied Alfein as he came back to them. “I just had to grab some things.”
“Okay. We’re heading back to the… Ship? What is that thing actually?” asked Adair.
“We call it a void chamber. A long time ago the World Tree foresaw the destruction of our race and she wanted to create a place outside of the confines of that fate. So, she moved us in between the planes. The Fae eventually developed the void chamber as a way of crossing between worlds when the need arises,” explained Alfein as they walked back toward the chamber.
“Wait, she can see into the future?” questioned Adair.
“I guess that’s a simple way to look at it. I don’t think she looks at time as a linear thing though. It’s more like she sees all things happening and then curates the world she wants to see,” Alfein said out loud. He didn’t sound certain of what he was saying.
“I don’t know if I like being bound to someone else’s fate,” Adair said.
“We all follow a path without any regard to what the future may hold or what consequences our actions have for the people around us,” scoffed Emin.
Adair put her head down and thought about what they said. When they reached the void chamber, they all filed inside. The screens were still lit and the center console was active. Adair turned to Alfein again.
“Do you know how to operate the chamber?” she asked.
“Yes. It’s hard to describe to mortals. It mostly responds to the will of the strongest spirit who activates it. The chamber we’re in is different from other void chambers because it was only designed to move from your world to this one. If we all sit in one of the chairs and place our hands on the panels, it should just shift us back,” instructed Alfein.
“Alright, let’s do this!” said Adair as she jumped into the chair closest to her.
Without a second thought, she set the branch from the tree next to the chair and then put her palms on the panel in front of her. The room started humming as it reacted to her touch. Emin walked over, sat in the chair nearest to Adair, and put his hands on the panel. The screens in front of them shifted to images of the Crystal Waste. The last of them to take their seat was Alfein. When he put his hands on the panel in front of him, the room vibrated for a few seconds and stopped. The humming ceased and the wording around the images changed to something else.
“That was it!” Alfein told them.
Everyone got up from their stations and walked back outside the chamber. The day was overcast from clouds swirling in the wind barrier but it was bright enough that they could see clearly around them. The dragon had waited patiently for them outside of the void chamber. Alfein stumbled back when he saw the dragon in front of them.
“It’s ok, he’s a friend,” said Adair.
“Ahh, you smell of the other world, and you brought back a Fae with you. Looks like you were successful. Did Leyanie have any wisdom to share?” asked the dragon.
“Well she told me not to seek revenge… and she has a message for Rose,” cheered Adair as she held up the branch.
“Then we better get you back to her. Can you fly, Fae one?” asked the dragon.
“Of course!” said Alfein, flittering his wings and lifting off the ground.
“Good, then stay close and we will pass through the barrier together,” said the dragon as he picked up Adair in one claw and Emin in the other. With several forceful thrusts, the dragon had lifted himself from the ground and started flying back toward the wind barrier.
CHAPTER 13
The dragon flew north along the mountains and then looped backs to where Rose’s mansion was located. It seemed like the dragon didn’t want to get any closer to Fort Blackrun than they did. Behind the dragon was Alfein, whose wings worked quickly to keep pace with the dragon. The trip back to the mansion was much easier than the trip away.
Finding a clearing in the forest around the mansion was the hardest part, and the dragon ended up dropping them off a short walk away from Rose’s house. The group gathered themselves together, Alfein landing gracefully next to them.
“Thank you!” said Adair, patting the dragon’s claw again.
“Farewell human,” said the dragon as he ascended into the sky and made his departure.
Adair, Alfein, and Emin walked back down to Rose’s mansion. When they arrived at the front gate, the lock had been repaired and the gate was sealed again. Emin reached out to the touch the lock, but when he did his vision started going hazy and he had to take a step away.
“The wards on this place are back up. Something was different about them a couple nights ago,” commented Emin.
“I didn’t notice any wards when I first came through,” said Adair.
She reached for the gate it, and it opened right up as if the lock wasn’t even there.
“Ah! You walking through the gates weakened the wards. That’s why I was able to break the lock so easily last time I was here!” said Emin. He seemed relieved that he was able to figure out some part of the warding spell.
“Okay then,” said Alfein as he walked through with Adair.
Emin followed behind.
When they arrived at the front door of the house, it had also been repaired without any sign of having been broken in. Adair reached out and rapped her knuckles on the door. Rose opened the door. She was wearing a gown this time that pushed up her cleavage, and she had bejeweled epaulets that draped over her shoulders and ran across her chest like a necklace. In her hand was a long and oddly shaped
pipe from which she was smoking.
“Oh, you brought a friend! I do love a good party,” said Rose as she laughed and pulled Alfein in.
Emin and Adair walked in after them. Rose led them over to a parlor by the front of the house. It had two couches arranged around the front window and fireplace. The couches were wooden and backed with dark red cushions. Rose went over and lounged her body across one of the couches, still smoking from her pipe. Emin and Adair sat on the other sofa while Alfein walked around the room, examining it.
“You came back with a Fae so I’m assuming you were able to use the void chamber?” asked Rose.
“Yes. We spoke to the World Tree and she gave us this branch. She also told me that when you’re done hiding from your past, she wants to see you,” said Adair as she handed the branch to Rose.
“Indeed,” said Rose with a sour tone as she accepted the branch and leaned it against the sofa.
“So, you’ll train me now?” Adair asked eagerly.
Emin rolled his eyes.
“I said we’ll negotiate the terms of your servitude. You work for me from now on until I release you. I will make you into a great fighter. I will even help you get the revenge you seek. Then after that’s done, you have to help me with my quest,” said Rose.
“What’s your quest?” asked Adair.
“No, no, no. I’ll explain it to you when you’re ready. What I need to do is dangerous and will change the course of this world, but what you need to decide right now is if your goals are important enough to you that you will give up yourself to achieve them. That’s my offer. Take it or leave,” declared Rose.
“I don’t know,” Adair thought aloud.
“Everyone wants power, no one wants to sacrifice for it,” sighed Emin as he got up and walked away.
“Shea is worth the sacrifice. I’ll do it!” agreed Adair.
“Oh good! Then you start today. You are confined to the garden and the bottom level of the house. If you go upstairs, I will kill you on the spot. Your room will be the servant’s quarters. I want you to begin by cleaning every detail in this house. After that, prepare me a full-service meal. Mr. Tycho, I’ll expect you to help her. As for you, fairy boy, I want to talk to you upstairs,” said Rose cheerfully as she clapped her hands.
“I thought you were going to train me,” said Adair.
“Don’t argue with me, honey, it’s very unbecoming. Do your job first and I will train you when I’m ready,” replied Rose.
The lady of the house pushed herself to her feet and walked back into the foyer where she then headed upstairs. Alfein shrugged and escorted her up the stairs. Adair plodded over to the pantry and into the servant’s room. She grabbed some of the cleaning supplies and brought them into the dining area.
“Alright Emin, start sweeping,” she said, handing him a broom.
“I’m a great wizard! I can’t be expected to sweep!” he exclaimed.
“Ok clearly your dime store magic didn’t save you from Rose so if you have a problem following orders then you need to take it up with her,” remarked Adair.
Emin groaned and took the broom from her, holding it at a distance as if it were something foul. Adair set about dusting the house, straightening up things as she found them, wiping down surfaces. The house was not messy but rather as if it had not been lived in for a long time. When she walked by the kitchen she saw Emin preparing ingredients for something.
Just as she was about to yell at him for not cleaning she noticed the broom glide by. He had enchanted it to sweep on its own. The broom went about fastidiously sweeping all of the dust and debris on the floor into a neat pile. Adair grabbed a mop and set it over by Emin.
“Work your magic on that one too,” she said.
“We’re not friends, remember? I don’t owe you any magical favors” replied Emin.
“Fine, I’ll do the mopping by myself” she said as she picked the mop back up and proceeded to mop the floors.
When she could not find anything else that obviously needed to be done, she went back to the kitchen to help Emin. She was not doing it out of kindness, as Emin had chosen not to help her with mopping, but just to stay busy until dinner. He had a stew brewing over an open fire and the oven roasting something else. It smelled amazing. Adair quietly set to work cleaning up after him. Without saying a word, Emin slid her a knife and a bunch of carrots. Adair took them and started dicing the carrots.
Together they made a great meal. Rose came down with Alfein and brought a bottle of vodka down with her. Rose shared the vodka and they all enjoyed a meal together. Adair was surprised that Emin was also a good cook.
“What were you two doing upstairs?” asked Adair curiously.
“The Forest Fae left our world many years ago and I wanted to talk to Alfein privately and see what his real motives were for coming back” said Rose.
“She just wasn’t there when Leyanie sent me. Trust me, the conversation wasn’t exciting” said Alfein.
“What do you keep up there, Rose?” asked Adair.
“Just my personal quarters. I’ll show you around when you’re ready” replied Rose.
The rest of the dinner went by uneventfully.
That night, Adair slept in her closet behind the pantry. Alfein and Emin were directed to a shed in the garden that was where a gardener would have slept. Rose retired to the upper level of the manor. Adair was curious about what was up there, but the bottom level of the house was big enough that she didn’t feel the urge to explore that curiosity.
A week went by with Adair running different chores every day. First it was gardening, then it was fetching water or chopping firewood. Alfein and Emin were allowed to don disguises and head to the outskirts of Bosh Ragan to trade for food and supplies. Rose herself would disappear upstairs for large parts of the day and return with exotic new outfits or oddities that Alfein and Emin were not able to procure from the city.
As they reached the end of autumn, it got colder outside and there was more rain than sunshine. It was on one of these days where Rose was lounging in the parlor with her elegantly embroidered robes draping across her skin and down the sofa, sipping on her adult tea, when Adair reached the end of her patience. She threw down the broom that was in her hand and stormed into the parlor.
“I’ve had enough! When are you going to train me? Do you even know how to use a sword?” Adair demanded to know.
“I will train you when I’m ready,” replied Rose.
“I’m ready now!” shouted Adair as she drew her sword and pointed it at Rose.
Before Adair had even finished aiming the tip of her blade, Rose had leapt from the couch. Rose grabbed Adair’s wrist, pushing on pressure points on her either side of her wrist. Adair’s eyes widened as she was forced to drop the sword. Rose swung the palm of her fist around hit Adair in the center of her chest, sending her flying into the wall. Adair collapsed, gasping for air.
“Lesson one. Don’t draw a sword unless you’re ready to kill your opponent. They are weapons, not toys for petulant little girls. Now get outside. We’re not done yet,” shouted Rose.
Adair nodded, compelled to do as Rose told her to, and scrambled to her feet and walked out into the center square of the garden. Rose slinked out behind Adair. Emin and Alfein gathered around to watch what was happening. Rose began to instruct Adair in hand to hand combat. Eventually, she handed Adair a stick from the garden and showed her a few sword-fighting forms. She whipped Adair with the switch every time Adair failed to duplicate it exactly.
Each day, Rose had Adair complete all of her regular chores before training. She spent several days training with Alfein. The Fae used two training sticks in a style that Adair had never encountered. He was faster and more skilled than she was with her stick. Even when she thought she finally had him, his wings would pick him up and pull him back.
After learning from Alfein, Rose had Adair train with Emin. The black mage had sculpted two golems out of the earth and from a distance he manipulated the
m like a puppet master controlling his marionettes. They were strong and punishing when Adair stepped outside of the forms that Rose had taught to her. At the end of the day, Emin released the magic over the mud that had created his golems and they crumbled apart.
Learning from the three of them was like a master class in combat. Rose knew every technique and move that Adair could even dream of. In the evenings, they would often discuss strategy and share stories about their battles and experiences. Adair was working harder than she had when she was at home in Guardia, but she also realized this was the happiest she had been. One evening, Rose found Adair putting away dishes in the dining room.
“We’re going to have to get you a real sword,” said Rose.
“What’s wrong with the one I’ve got?” Adair asked.
“It’s a piece of mass produced garbage and if you go up against a well-equipped swordsman or in a long battle it’s going to get wrecked,” said Rose nonchalantly.
“Well it’s not like I can just walk into town and buy a new one,” said Adair.
“In every world I go to, I need at least one master weapon smith. They need to have work I know I can count on. I would like to take you to meet him. He’s a true artisan and he won’t craft a sword for just anyone who asks him so you need to be ready to convince him that you’re worthy,” said Rose.
“This sounds like another test,” said Adair.
“It is. If he finds you’re undeserving of a real sword then that’s where your training ends,” informed Rose.
“I understand. Where will we be going?” asked Adair.
“He lives in a hamlet near Basilia. We’ll get there by carriage,” answered Rose.
Adair thanked Rose and then went back to the servant’s quarters. Over the course of her time at Rose’s house, she had managed to deep clean the room, acquire new blankets, and move the cleaning supplies to a new space in the kitchen. The space was still small but it had just started to feel like home. Now it was time to prepare for her next quest.
CHAPTER 14