Arista and Gavin wandered among the statues and outdoor sculptures. They paused to appreciate unique pieces, like the big stone ball of yarn and the bottom half of a dog digging ferociously into the ground. When they opened the wooden door, the ringing brass bell over their heads announced their arrival. They appeared to be the only customers, although the shelves and racks crammed into every available spot made it difficult for them to see.
The shelves were full of Native American art that overflowed into piles of ‘Indiana’ stamped pens, postcards, and shot glasses. Large paintings of Hoosier icons like James Dean and Garfield hung on the wall across the room. There were even a few with the pair featured together, each wrapped in a red leather jacket and lost to his own angst.
Arista browsed a shelf of locally printed books while Gavin meandered through the store. He finally paused in front of a guitar resting on a countertop display. As he took a closer look at the garish American flag hand-painted across part of its face, he idly plucked several bars of a Mellencamp song. Arista put down the book she was perusing to stare at him across the room.
“Wow,” she said in a hushed voice. She walked closer to watch him play more of the song. “How did you learn how to do that?”
“I didn’t really, I’ve always been able to pick up music,” he said, his fingers trailing over the taut strings.
“Not bad for teaching yourself. Some’d say that’s a gift, but really it’s magic,” said an old man, walking out from a shadowed doorway in the back of the room. He hunched over his cane, leaning on it for support as he walked towards them.
Gavin inched closer to Arista. He didn’t like that the man referenced magic, no matter how harmless he appeared. Arista didn’t seem to share his concern. She stared at the man curiously as he reached them.
“Music and art… some of the last vestiges of magic we have in this world,” the man continued, holding his hand out for the guitar. “Magic has all but abandoned us.”
Gavin offered it to him and the man set the guitar back down on the counter. He rested his cane along the side of the display counter and leaned against it slightly for support. He strummed the strings to a tune neither of them recognized.
Gavin watched the man warily, still uncomfortable with the magic talk. Arista, on the other hand, was transfixed by the song the old man played. Gavin stepped closer towards her and touched her arm but, as if in a trance, she appeared not to notice. The old man finished the song and Arista blinked her eyes several times, seemingly coming back to reality.
“That was beautiful,” she said.
“It’s my own rendition of an old melody,” the man said, lifting his cane and turning to face them once more. “It’s a song the mermaids shared with my people long ago. A man was fishing when he snared a mermaid in his net. In return for freeing her, the mermaid taught him a song and promised to return if she heard it. The next winter was so severe, they could not hunt for food. The man went to the water and sang the song. The mermaid came and gathered fish from under the ice for the people to eat. Our children still learn this song, in case we’re ever in enough trouble to need the help of mermaids once more.
“It seems that time has come,” he said, watching Arista closely.
“We have to be on our way,” Gavin said. He grabbed Arista’s hand, but she stubbornly held her ground as she turned her head to scowl at him. She looked back at the man with renewed curiosity.
“I know that story. Kellen’s family has shared it with me before. I thought it was nothing more than a tale.”
“I always thought it was make-believe, too,” said the old man. His eyes sparkled with a youthful spirit that belied his age. “My name is Nikan Wesaw. I have been singing that song to the spirits, awaiting your arrival.”
“That must have been why I wanted to stop here. I felt something as we drove near,” she said.
“I still don’t understand what you want with her,” Gavin said suspiciously.
“I need to be sure that when the time comes, she’s ready to do as she must,” Nikan said. “Come, come with me.”
He turned and walked back through the shadowed doorway where he had emerged from earlier.
“Wait,” Gavin said. “We should get Valerie. She’s not expecting us to be this long and she may want to hear this.”
“I’ll get her,” Arista offered, already heading for the door. “Why don’t you help him back there.”
She gave Gavin a pointed look, intending for him to be nicer. Gavin nodded and walked faster to help Nikan into the adjacent room. On the other side of the doorway was a small sitting room, decorated with rich oil paintings of western landscapes on the wood paneled walls. Gavin helped Nikan settle into a high-backed upholstered chair in the far end of the room. Before he could go sit on the nearby couch, Nikan stopped him.
“I already see the love you have for her and she for you. But your future actions will have a ripple effect through our whole world, going well beyond the two of you.”
“I don’t… we don’t love each other,” he stammered. “Not yet anyway.”
Nikan watched him with care, his features softening. “That thought might make your current situation easier, but it points to a bigger issue for you. You need to open your eyes, m’boy. Open them wide enough to see with your heart. Treasure what’s there. Believe me when I say you’ll regret it if you don’t.”
Nikan leaned over the arm of his chair and opened a drawer at the top of a nearby table. He poked through the drawer for a minute before pulling out a small velvet pouch. Nikan shook the pouch over his opened hand until a small ring fell out.
He held the ring between his fingers, twirling its reflective surfaces under the light. At its center sat an amethyst heart. Its polished purple surface was broken into two halves by a white streak shaped like a lightning bolt. Nikan took the ring and placed it into Gavin’s hand, closing his fist around it.
“When the time is right, this will help show her the way. The amethyst can clear her mind and bring her strength.”
Gavin nodded and placed the ring back in the pouch and into his pocket. Arista entered the room then with Valerie in tow. Gavin sat on the nearby couch, locking eyes with his sister. Arista had filled her in, but she still seemed caught off guard by the situation. Arista sat next to him and he put his arm around her waist, keeping her close. Nikan watched the two of them with interest before turning his attention to Valerie.
“You’ve gotten stronger since you were here last,” he said.
Valerie’s mouth parted in shock. “How could you possibly…”
“We all have our secrets. Some keep them better hidden than others. You wear your power openly. It’s something you should work to correct if you hope to be successful against the darkness.”
Valerie frowned, but nodded in assent. “So what are you exactly?”
“Nothing otherworldly, if that’s what you mean. In the simplest terms, you could call me a shaman, though that’s not how we would describe it. I come from a line of spiritual leaders. The friend you left behind would do well with the training we offer to our people.”
“Clarissa?” Gavin asked. “How do you know about her?”
“She and I have similar abilities.” Nikan continued. “But unlike her, I can connect with the spirit world and through that can see those who are far away. To see what is unseen.”
“Do you know how to help us then?” Valerie asked.
“I know where you are going, but not how to find what you seek.”
“But there is something there? Something at Shades?” Arista asked eagerly.
“There is, but I am not sure it is what you desire. Current events are clouding the future,” Nikan said, leaning back in his chair.
“But the Shades can protect Arista? Protect all of us?” Gavin asked.
Nikan nodded. “Long ago it was established as a refuge for magic. Magic used to be much more prolific in our world. When people sought to destroy magic, wise leaders of several species created places where
magic would remain unharmed. There were those, like the mermaids, who could hide out of reach from men. Yet many others had nowhere else to go. These safe havens were created using powerful magic to keep them safe. It worked, although not as well as the creators had hoped. Some magical creatures are still hidden there today, but most hated to feel trapped and unable to explore the world.”
“But when they left, they were hunted,” Arista finished.
Nikan nodded. “Now there are few left. But magic is still protected in the woods… there just isn’t much magic to protect anymore.”
“How does it work?” Valerie asked.
He shook his head. “Unfortunately, I don’t know much about that kind of magic, and I believe it’s different for each protection site. Shades is one of many. The idea was if people or malicious creatures figured out a way into one, it wouldn’t give them the key to every site. Shades also has a guardian who seeks out those who would harm magic, and destroys them.”
“Kills them?” Gavin asked, his eyes going wide.
“Shades of Death,” Valerie said.
“Precisely. As magic became little more than a fairy tale, the stories grew surrounding Shades grew. They tried to explain why it seemed death was never far from the woods,” Nikan said.
“What else can you tell us about what we’re up against?” Arista asked.
“The battle is far from over,” Nikan began. “During the last big threat against magic, we still had those powerful enough to go up against it. But in the aftermath, the species split up and many went into hiding. The unity that developed between them dissolved.
“During the great war, many once again teamed up to fight the threat caused by the Ahnenerbe. But their numbers had already dwindled and, of those, many had forgotten how to use their magical strengths, the mermaids included. After the war, everyone once again went into hiding, most deeper than before. Now, there’s only you. If this threat grows, it’ll be next to impossible to amass the opposition necessary to stop it.”
Nikan took a deep breath and stood. He leaned heavily on his cane and walked to the nearest wall, standing in front of an old painting. Its layers had cracked, exposing the wood underneath. Through the cracks and faded colors, an eagle still soared proudly among the clouds.
“It will not be easy,” he continued. “You all have difficult paths ahead. I believe my dear friend Pythia filled you in on that, and I’m afraid there’s little more I can add. What I can say is that each of you will see your destiny rise up in front of you, and you must not be afraid to face it.”
He turned away from the wall to face the group, gazing directly at Arista. “And you, little one, have a hard path immediately in front of you. Beware of who you trust, but place your faith in the warrior from the sky. Beshkno will help lead you to the path you must take.”
“But how will I know what to do?” she asked, the anxiety clear in her trembling voice.
“The spirits will guide you. You need only to watch for them and listen to what they say. You should be on your way now. Danger is coming and you must be in the protection of Shades before dark.”
“What kind of danger?” Gavin asked.
Nikan frowned as he answered. “The blutjager was not killed as you had thought. He’ll come after you again.”
“But how is that possible?” Valerie yelled, jumping up from her seat. “There’s no way he could have lived through that.”
“Unless he had help,” Arista said, lowering her voice. “It’s my mother, isn’t it?”
Nikan nodded and Arista leaned back against the couch cushion with a sigh. Gavin squeezed her shoulder and smiled in reassurance. He and Valerie stood and walked back into the main part of the store. Arista and Nikan followed, but he stopped her in the doorway.
“Don’t forget: you are not her. Her choices are not your choices, and her mistakes are not your mistakes. Your life is your own. Don’t let her burden yours with her sins.”
Arista lowered her eyes, unwilling to meet his gaze. “But I’ve already made my own mistakes. How do I know I won’t end up like her?”
“All the more reason why you shouldn’t take on her problems. No matter how far you’ve gone in the wrong direction, you always have new chances to turn around. Another moment to do the right thing. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to face consequences or make reparations for what you’ve done, but you can always make the choice to be better.”
Arista nodded solemnly. “Thank you.”
The pair walked out to where Valerie and Gavin waited.
“Thank you for your help,” Gavin said, walking over and placing his arm around Arista’s shoulders once more.
“When this is over, when you’ve won, please return. I never get enough company around here,” Nikan said with a sad smile.
“Of course,” Valerie answered, as Arista bobbed her head up and down in agreement.
The three left the store and walked back to the awaiting truck. Nikan stood in the doorway watching as they drove down the driveway and turned back onto the main road.
“Good luck,” he whispered, letting his words carry behind them on the wind.
˜
{ Chapter 43 }
Arista looked at the brightly lit numbers on the dashboard of the truck. She gnawed at the edge of her lip.
“What time is it supposed to get dark?” she asked.
“Not until around 8:30 or so,” Gavin answered, tearing his eyes away from the road to glance at her. “Are you okay?”
“Nikan warned us to make it to Shades before nightfall,” Arista said, looking out the window once more.
“We’ll make it with plenty of time to spare,” Gavin reassured her. In the rearview mirror, he saw Valerie still reading in the backseat.
“Have you found anything useful yet?” he asked.
“I think so. I mean, based on what Nikan said, it seems like all the stories I’ve heard are true. That will be easy enough to determine once we get there. I didn’t know about the old powers setting up protected sites. I hope I can learn more from whatever shield they enacted,” Valerie said. “Understanding that may come in handy later… especially if what he said about Salazar is true.”
They all fell silent at the possibility that he could still be alive. Arista secretly hoped it wasn’t the case, but deep down she knew Nikan was telling the truth. Their encounter with him still perplexed her. It was a lot of pressure to be the last hope to defend magic. And even though he said she wasn’t destined to become like her mother, she couldn’t help but fear that outcome.
She thought back to the dreams that had haunted her during those final few weeks under the water. As the years went on after her mother left, Arista had thought about her less and less. It reached the point where she hardly thought of her at all. Then those dreams started. Mermaids rarely dream and Arista didn’t know what it meant to have the same dreams night after night.
They always featured her mother. She’d hover before her, shrouded in a light mist. At first, she never said a word; they would look at each other until Arista awoke. They were so startlingly real that Arista half expected to find her mother sitting there in front of her.
After the first week or so, her mother began talking to her. Repeatedly, she told Arista that she was in trouble and needed help. Arista would wake up shivering, unable to shake the images from her mind. She stopped seeing Kellen and her other friends, and would instead sit by herself thinking of her mother. She found herself visiting the rock where her mother had liked to sit. It was clear between there and the surface, and the sunlight sparkled through the water.
In the final dream with her mother, she told Arista to come to the surface by seeking out the witch Morena.
Arista turned back towards the window, gazing out into the distance. The occasional small house peppered the woods along either side of the road. It had started to rain and small drops hit the windows of the truck.
Valerie looked up from her book, distracted by the pitter-patter sou
nd of raindrops breaking against the glass. “We’re close, aren’t we?”
“Yeah. We should be there soon, but the rain is picking up. Hopefully it’ll stop by the time we get there — we’re going to have a ways to walk.”
Arista looked out the windshield. Sure enough, the sky was turning darker. Gray clouds had piled up one on top of the other, amassing into one large cloud blotting out the sky. The truck rumbled with the sound of thunder and the rain fell in more frequent drops.
Valerie glanced out the rear window of the truck. “Look behind us, Gav. The sky is completely clear.”
He looked in the mirror and saw she was right. The bright blue sky behind them was bare except for a few puffy white clouds. “That’s not so unusual,” he said. “Sometimes these storms pop up out of nowhere.”
“I suppose you’re right, but that doesn’t make me hate it any less.” Valerie said, looking at the ominous clouds ahead of them with visibly growing concern.
Arista watched as the rain fell even harder in big, thick drops. The dark sky enveloped the horizon in front of them. The sun wasn’t supposed to set for another couple of hours, but it already seemed to have vanished from the sky.
“It’s getting so dark it’s hard to see, but I think I saw a sign saying Shades is ahead. We should be there in another few minutes,” Gavin said.
Arista smiled at him, thankful they were so close. He glanced in the mirror at Valerie who had yet to respond. She stared out the window with a transfixed expression on her face.
“You okay, Val?” he asked.
“Before dark,” she whispered.
“What did you say?” Arista asked, turning in her seat to look at Valerie. Her face had turned ashen as she stared unblinking out the window. She couldn’t see anything outside as the pounding rain covered the window.
“Before dark,” Valerie said. “That was what Nikan said. Not sunset or nightfall. We assumed that’s what he meant. He said ‘before dark.’ Look, around us. We’re surrounded by darkness.”
Valerie whipped her head away from the window to fix her gaze on Gavin. “We have to hurry. I’m afraid we’re already too late.”
Tangled Ripples: Book One: The Morrigan Prophecies Page 23