Hollows of the Nox

by Matthew E Nordin

  Dust particles swirled together, forming a cup he handed to Eldritch.

  “He must like you, lad.” Grinley laughed.

  Eldritch quelled his thirst from the water falling from an invisible source. He stood and offered the cup back.

  Ben waved his hands and blew at the vessel. It dissolved back into dust.

  “Air is never empty, always full. Waiting to be formed as clay.” Ben muttered.

  Eldritch nodded to him in agreement.

  Ben shook his head and narrowed his eyes. He looked at Grinley who continued to laugh at the mess on the ground. Eldritch wondered if anyone acknowledged the strange conjurer in such a way.

  Ben bent under the table and clapped his hands. The water melded together and returned to the air as Eldritch joined in the laughter, more out of relief.

  He would need time to adjust to life in Caetheal and to study the book of the dark fae, whatever it was. With Ben and Grinley on his side, he would not need to worry about the locals bothering him. And if he performed well enough during the shows, they would leave him alone to study too.

  He would strengthen his will to unlock the book’s secrets. He stopped. He’d been rubbing his vest where it rested. Its shape formed an impression into his skin, like a close friend.

  Chapter Eight

  “Fire is lighter than air.” With those words, the flames intensified under Eldritch.

  Although the smoke burned his eyes, the fire didn’t produce any heat. His arms floated up before the levitation spell made the rest of his body weightless. More orbs of fire lighted above his head.

  “Is that man part fae?” a child questioned loudly in the crowd.

  A few members of the audience chuckled.

  Unfortunately, it wasn’t actual levitation, more of a lingering jump. Eldritch’s spells were like smoke and mirrors to the real magic beyond the tree line of the fairy forest. He wouldn’t need a spell to fly if he were part fae.

  “The fire consumes all impurities.” Eldritch descended into the flames below as the orbs grew larger, twisting into his hair. “Until ash remains.”

  The spell spun around in a flurry of light and smoke. He remained inside the chaotic swirl longer than he would have done on his own. Grinley told him not to rush, but any concept of timing vanished as soon as he stepped on stage. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Almost over.

  “Save for the immortals.” He let out his best theatrical laugh and commanded the flames to die out.

  The audience applauded when he bowed at the edge of the stage. Not quite the standing ovation he’d hoped for, but it pleased him. He sensed their longing for more. The ability to do so waited for him, tucked within his vest pocket.

  “Great show, lad,” Grinley said slapping Eldritch on the back as he joined him backstage. “The crowd may have looked small, but I can tell they were impressed. Good on you. Make the show your own for tomorrow night.” He stared intently at Eldritch. “Be careful not to do anything too intense. I assume you know more than you let on.”

  “I owe most of the show to Ben,” Eldritch said. “They liked his fire tricks the most.”

  Grinley shrugged and led him to one of the tables in the back corner, behind the curtain. A few of the other entertainers sat at a table and had partially consumed drinks in front of them. Grinley mentioned something about a performers’ resting area.

  “I’ve been doing this for too long,” one of them commented. “It will be good to have new blood in here. Should help all of us.”

  “You should leave while you still can,” another jeered.

  “I really do have things to attend to,” Eldritch said hurriedly. “I must study and prepare.”

  Grinley nodded and sat down to speak with the others.

  Eldritch rushed upstairs. He had prepared enough to study the dark book. It waited for him in the recesses of his mind. Always lurking within his desires. With the knowledge he’d learned from Ben and the superficial illusions he’d witnessed from the other performers, he was certain he could control its power.

  The tree on the cover squirmed under his fingers as he tried to open the dark book. Sayeh must have learned some trick to unlock it. He wondered if she had a choice to open it. It didn’t seem possible for her to do without any study.

  The book truly had a will and a purpose of its own, but it didn’t matter. His purpose was greater. His will was stronger.

  “You brought me here, you wanted me to find you,” he said to it. “Open and reveal yourself. I am Eldritch, and I command this.”

  “You speak as one with more understanding of us than you know,” the voice echoed around the room. “We are close, so close now. It is almost time. You can find us in here, but that is not where we enter. We are trapped beneath these pages, in this contraption of skin and ink. Release us, and you will be rewarded. Fail, and someone else will become more powerful than you. They will be given the abilities and secrets we have hidden beyond time.”

  “Unlock yourself. Show me.”

  The book’s cover peeled away from the edges. The tree on the front held it closed by its roots. Eldritch grabbed the book and ripped it open the rest of the way. The roots retreated from the pages, shrinking back from the force.

  Eldritch’s eyes widened at the wisdom exposed to him.

  It was impossible to read. The words were unlike the ones in the herbal book. No patterns or repeated phrases. Each word contained an entire story behind the characters. Like looking at the tip of an island in the water, the larger portion of knowledge floated beneath the words, or it floated alone with the illusion of more behind it.

  The longer Eldritch stared at the book, the deeper beyond its surface he submerged. The text was not words written in different languages, it was every language contained in single words. Every story or dream locked away in the pages of this book.

  He scanned the book and found a page that had been recently torn. The page contained the spells Sayeh had used in an attempt to transform Eldritch’s will to her desire, to follow her without question―words of lost love. Lovers who longed for their mate and witnessed it taken away by choice or by death. Each shattered desire and lost hope was locked behind these words. They could be released to live again in another world.

  The desires of the reader determined the magic, unlocking the true ability of words. The power to control and change a person’s will. With the book’s strength, Eldritch could decide the fate of all inside the tavern.

  “Such power, how would one know when to stop?” he questioned aloud and trembled. His own will could be turned against him if he did not have enough focus.

  The book changed as he continued to read. It was alive, resisting his will over it. In time he would be able to overpower it and use the lost hopes and dreams of others to fulfill his own.

  “You understand nothing of our true power,” the voice taunted from inside the book. “You will. Be patient as we are patient. Seek the fae. The beginning is where you will find our prison.”

  Eldritch could not control the book any longer. The words swirled into a void on the page too fast for him to read. The cover tree’s roots grew through the ink holes. They twisted together at the center spine and pulled the book shut.

  Eldritch sighed and rubbed his temples. Controlling his own mind needed to come before controlling the mind of the book. His vision blurred from the new knowledge, and he had already used too much magic during the show. It drained him.

  “Tomorrow,” he promised as he climbed into bed. “I will find that hidden entrance.”

  He needed to get his herbal book back. The exhaustion took its toll on him without it. It eventually took over the anger continuing to build against the thieves who stole his other spells. They would pay, once he was well rested.

  ~ ~ ~

  To Eldritch’s surprise, no one else wandered the streets of Caetheal in the early morning. A few of the shop owners bustled about their businesses, but they paid him no heed. He almost wished they would. At
least to give him some directions as he was traveling by memory.

  Without any maps on what route would be best, he had to stick to the main road, the worn path designed for humans with carts and horses to bring their goods to the city.

  “Find the path, get to the forest,” he repeated to himself.

  It was somewhere west of town, but he wondered if the fae used the trade routes. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to assume they simply appeared in the stores they needed to be in.

  The path stopped abruptly at the edge of a large field. Beyond the area, the trees of the fairy forest stretched in either direction and rose like mountains to the sky. A haze above them hid their actual height.

  “There must be a path of entry,” he said to the empty field. “Perhaps farther south. Or maybe north near the water. Do fairies like water? Where would a fae leave their forest, if they left at all?”

  He adjusted his coat and stepped into the field.

  Sharp vines and thorns sprung up harshly from his footfall. The farther from the path he walked, the larger the barbs became.

  A scattering of plants popped up from the ground. From his studies with herbs, these were not pleasant ones. With the right recipe, he could be immune to their paralyzing nectar, a recipe he no longer possessed.

  No gritting of teeth or ignoring of pain could get him through such a defense at this time. Wherever the entrance was, he couldn’t examine it now. The grip of the thorns in his sandals loosened as he stepped back onto the path.

  The air smelled of jasmine mixed with vanilla. An aroma he had not smelled since. . . Sayeh.

  He turned to the fairy forest again, barely catching the movement of something beyond the field, near the base of the trees. It looked impossible to move between the trunks. They almost grew together in one large form.

  The figure appeared again, a familiar shape, but too far away to determine. Eldritch needed to get closer. He took a few steps back into the field.

  A wild thorn jammed into his leg, forcing him to retreat again. Blood ran down his ankle. Limping back to the path, he sat down and put pressure on the punctured skin.

  “Sayeh?” Eldritch called. “If that’s you, I know you’re here. You don’t need to be afraid.”

  He stared at the forest, waiting for the figure to return. Nothing. He rubbed his eyes and stood up.

  “Whoever is there, I will have you know that I will not be swayed easily by whatever ill you have for me. Come closer, and I shall prove it to you.”

  He waited. There was no sound except a few birds overhead and his heavy breathing from the pain in his foot.

  It couldn’t have been Sayeh. There was no possible way she could find him. He never told her how to reach Caetheal or the border lands. Although they did speak about the fae during most of his visits. Yet even with his extensive study, he could never distinguish truth from fancy. Such was the fae magic.

  “The field of eternal sleep.” He shook off the pain and turned back to the city. “Did she find a way past it?”

  Sayeh had somehow unlocked the dark fae book and found the hidden passage under the shop, so understanding his favorite poem he liked to quote to her was possible.

  But if it was Sayeh, she would have rushed out to greet him. Unless she hadn’t forgiven him. He hung his head and traveled back to Caetheal. The words of the poem echoed down the path in the haunting voice:

  The fae see you, but you will never see,

  Dancing between worlds of reality.

  If you linger too close, you will weep,

  Falling into the field of eternal sleep.

  Let them sing until your heart is free.

  Chapter Nine

  A small group of locals gathered around the stone well in the center of town when Eldritch returned. Most guffawed over their latest hair accessories and held their hands aloft, letting their rings sparkle in the morning light. Eldritch looked down at his mundane appearance. He did not have anything like their fancier clothes, but he could at least try to fit in a little more. He pulled out the small bag of coins he collected after the show. With any luck, some shops still traded with them, unlike the tavern.

  He spotted one of the many tailor’s shops. A familiar voice boomed above the crowds before he had a chance to wander in.

  “This here, friends, is something exceptionally rare,” Grinley said, gathering the people around him and Ben. “Not only is it a useful bottle for containing liquids, it is also a bottle containing a mighty ship for sailing.”

  The audience around him chuckled. Eldritch moved in closer, eager for a chance to speak with Grinley whenever his stunt completed.

  “Ah, you don’t believe me. That’s all right. Many can’t see the ship because it is magic and is only revealed to those with the true sight.”

  More people snickered while he flipped the bottle into the air.

  “I happen to know this, because my friend, Ben, professes it to be true.” He cupped his hand over his mouth in a pretend whisper. “I’ve never been able to see it myself. He might be crazy.”

  Ben spun his hands around and put them on his eyes. “Just smarter than you is all,” he muttered in his strange language.

  “See, what did I tell you?” Grinley took a slow swing at Ben with the bottle.

  Ben ducked out of the way and stuck his tongue out. He toppled forward a little too easily as Grinley tapped the back of his knee with his foot. Ben held up a fist to react but turned back to the crowd with a mock look of surprise and smiled.

  “As I was saying, my friend here can see this great ship inside the bottle but I can not. It would take a true believer who can see beyond the physical to be able to do so. Of course, I think he’s bluffing and gave me an empty bottle.”

  As Grinley spoke, Ben told a strange tale in his unique language. It was something about a ship which sailed the smallest seas, carrying its passengers into tiny harbors. His spell sounded more of a story than a ritualistic chant.

  “I’m afraid no one has the sight,” Grinley continued. “I might as well put a cork in this and see who would want a simple bottle.”

  The crowd gasped as smoke formed into a storm inside the bottle. The tiny flashes of lightning swirled into the shape of sails. Soon the entire container was filled with a great ship that fit perfectly inside the once empty bottle.

  “I don’t know though.” Grinley peered into it and turned to Ben. “It is my last drinking vessel, and I’d hate to have to buy another one because of this magical sight you claim to have. There’s no real magic in the world. I keep telling you.”

  “There is magic,” a young boy in the crowd exclaimed, pointing at the bottle. “Don’t you see it, daddy?”

  The child’s father laughed and nodded in agreement.

  “What?” Grinley put the bottle up to his eyes and squinted, overplaying his act of confusion. “I still don’t see anything. Are you sure there is something in there?” He held the bottle out so the audience could get a closer look, and cause a distraction.

  Ben stepped back from the others. He muttered again―too softly for Eldritch to hear. His entire form shifted. Instead of the strange man with a scraggly beard, his body slimmed to a feminine shape. His clothes turned into a vibrant purple dress, and his hair grew into long curls.

  A few who saw him change laughed and pointed. The new Ben stepped forward to grab the bottle. He batted his eyes at Grinley.

  “Oh, excuse me miss, when did you get here?” Grinley said.

  Ben giggled and winked at the crowd.

  “Oh, well, I suppose you can have the bottle, but be careful with it. It is my last one, and my friend said it was special. Where did he go? Ben? Benny?” Grinley turned to the audience behind him.

  Ben held a finger to his lips and giggled again. He lowered the bottle to the boy who exclaimed it was magical. The rest of the crowd clapped when he handed it to the eager child. Eldritch found himself laughing along as Ben twirled his dress and swayed his hips.

  “Wha
t are you doing?” Grinley said turning back around. “Where did my bottle go?”

  Ben held up his hands and shrugged.

  “Well if you don’t know, I suppose that’s all right.” Grinley removed his hat and acted shy. “You wouldn’t happen to be busy tonight would you?”

  Ben took the hat and pulled it over Grinley’s eyes. He fluttered his eyelashes at the audience.

  One of the ladies laughed louder than the others around her. Ben grabbed her arm and pulled her next to him. He twirled his fingers over her head, transforming her hair to match the color and curls of his, and led the woman over to Grinley.

  The crowd cheered as Ben took an elaborate bow. His womanish disguise fell off of him.

  Grinley lifted his hat back up and took the audience member’s hand, kissing her lightly on the wrist.

  “Anytime you feel like that drink, stop by the tavern. We’ll be there.” He winked at her, and she slipped back to her friends, continuing to blush and smile flirtatiously at Grinley. “Well friends, we must depart. If you enjoyed our performance, we take any trade-able wares or empty bottles. Stop by for more entertainment and delight at the tavern.” Grinley put an arm around Ben’s shoulders, and they bowed in unison.

  The crowd pushed around Eldritch, dropping small items into the large basket in front of them. Quite the amount for a little show. Eldritch took a mental note. The key indeed lied in the way they interacted with the crowd at the beginning.

  “There he is,” Grinley said, pointing at Eldritch. “We wondered when you’d see us on the road.”

  “It was an entertaining show,” Eldritch said. “You two make quite the pair.”

  “The masses must be appeased,” Ben said in his mumbled language.

  “Indeed,” Eldritch replied.

  Ben looked at Grinley and then back to Eldritch. He fumbled with the corners of his vest.

  “Is it true you understand the words of this conjurer?” Ben asked intently.