WARNING!! -- this is old, and while recently updated with minor edits and the last of the chapters i never put up back in the day, it shall never be updated...enjoy it anyways!
...since a lot of you seem to keep doing so o-o ...
- Created By itsumademo
Chapter Fourteen
The Catalyst
Chapter Fourteen
I knelt down to get a better view of the child, her small hand tightly clutching the thick fabric of my cloak.
“Did you lose your mommy, sweetie?”
My hand gently stroked her long light blonde hair, her large eyes continuing to stare at me.
“You look diffwent…why?” She tilted her head to the side, her free hand then reached out and took a portion of my own hair with it.
“Um, I-I’m not really different, just a...uh...a wig, yes I’m just wearing a wig.” I smiled as kindly as I could, hoping she wouldn’t be afraid of me.
“Yes huh! Your eyes are gween, your hair is bwack. Mommy says nobody has those but the Immortals and tat I have to stay away if I sees one.”
“Oh, no no sweetie,” I rubbed her head reassuringly, “I’m not an Immortal, you don’t have to worry.”
“Okay!” Grinning from ear to ear, she took another grip of my hair and started trying to braid it.
A small giggle coiled in my chest. I had always loved children but found it somewhat uncomfortable when they were around, likely due to their parents or possibly the large amounts the travelled in made me feel on guard. People always gave me slight anxiety, I really don’t know why.
“While you give me a lovely hairdo, how about we go looking for this missing mommy.”
“Yea!”
We shared a small laugh as I gripped her tightly and hefted the girl up to my side, where she happily rested on my hip with my arm around her, my other hand coming to interlock with its twin beneath the child’s bottom.
“I completely forgot to ask, what’s your name?”
“Sara.”
“That’s very pretty, it suits you well little Sara.” I smiled at her as she giggled in response.
We entered into the bustling areas where the stalls were crowded with customers, and venders shouted out their vocal commercials. Further toward the core of the buying turmoil was a man doing odd things with fish and bells, and a little boy playing a large instrument I didn’t recognize at all.
I tried not to linger anywhere too long so as not to be noticed, although it seemed that having Sara with me was keeping suspicious eyes away.
“So little Sara, where do you think your mother has gotten to?”
She paused in her braiding to think, her plump pink lips puffed out as she went.
“Mommy makes fings with clothes.”
Her answer was cryptic and unexpected, although still childlike as the girl went back to braiding my hair, thinking her response was perfectly understandable. I exhaled with calm exasperation.
“Does she sell her work?”
“Mommy says she hastah work so I can eats and goes to school.”
“Ahh, does mommy make clothes or does she make other things?”
“Mommy makes lots. Sometimes she makes me clothes!” She smiled cheerfully and released my twisted locks to grasp her dress.
“Did your mommy make you that dress?”
“Uhhuh!”
“It’s very pretty.” I grinned.
“Yup! It’s my favwite one. Mommy said she made it only for Sara.”
Lightly I chuckled at her words, bouncing her on my hip to readjust her position. “There are a few vendors here that sell fabric. Do you see you mommy anywhere, Sara?”
Her brown eyes searched the several stalls, little lips sticking out again as she decided what to answer. “Mommy’s not here.”
“Okay then, let’s keep searching.” Stopping for a moment to think, “I wonder if she’s at one of those nicer places I saw being set up earlier today.” My foot shifted on the dusty stone ground and I headed for where I had left the Immortal.
“TADA!” Suddenly a tuft of my hair was pushed up into my face with Sara beaming proudly on the other end.
“Wow, you did such a great job Sara! Let me get a gift for you and your mommy.”
Releasing one of my hands I worked it into the pocket in my cloak, with some finger maneuvering the bag shifted open enough that I could reach the shiny gold pieces I knew lay in its belly.
“Hey Sara, what’s your very favorite number?”
“I like fwree.” Her mouth stayed open after answering, like she were going to say something else but she never did.
With some trouble I collected three coins, then removed my fist and awkwardly pulled the drawstring as tight as possible in this situation and put my palm out to the little girl.
“This is your gift for doing such a great job for me Sara.”
Chocolate brown reflected burnished yellow, her mouth agape in awe.
“Now make sure when you see your mommy you give her this, alright?”
“I will, I pwomise.” She collected the bits in her small grip. Her excitement was adorable; I couldn’t keep from smiling warmly at her.
“Sara!” A shout came from a few feet ahead of me, altering my attention from the joyful child to a terrified looking woman with the same large brown eyes staring at me.
“Oh hello ma’am.”
She stopped abruptly before me, her eyes seeming to grow larger as she continued her penetrating gaze.
“Mommy!” Sara threw her arms out towards the woman, who upon hearing her shout quickly went to pry her away.
“Here you are sweetie.” I held her out, where her mother swiftly leaned toward me just enough to snatch up Sara into a fierce embrace. I exhaled an awkward cough, “I, uh, I hope her wandering is just a phase.”
I gave them both a gentle, placating smile while backing away slowly and began to head for the meeting place where the
Immortal was likely waiting with growing impatience.
“Mommy, the pretty lady gave me these.”
A gasp followed the exaggerated words of the little girl, but I managed to get myself out of sight before anything else could occur. I didn’t need a grateful, or possibly angry stranger following me around.
The area was rather difficult to remember now that ornaments and stalls filled the viewable buildings and masses of people moved this way and that among them. I sighed with frustration, “I don’t recognize anything!”
As I was just about to turn another corner, I spotted a thankfully very familiar person standing and pacing in a small area near a wall. It was the mysterious hobo-like man with the oddly complacent bird resting upon his hair.
I ran up to him, slightly thoughtless of me really, although it also gave me a chance to observe him more closely as I had wanted to do the first time I saw the man. His absurdly long, somewhat straggly beard dragged along the dirtier grounds as he moved. Now that I got closer, I believed he looked a bit…agitated.
“Excuse me, sir?”
“AHH! There you are, there you are my dear. Shouldn’t take so long, not so long. I’ve been waiting, you know. Waiting and waiting and waiting.”
The peculiar nature of his words almost made me laugh, although I retained my demeanor.
He had one light blue eye and one somewhat amber colored eye; I had never seen someone with two eye colors before. It reminded me of something grandmother had said about her first two uncles that went missing, they had shared eye colors, one grey-blue and one violet.
For a moment I pondered on if that had any sort of connection or was merely a coincidence, when my thoughts hit the brakes and rewound. “Hold on, you said you were waiting for me? Why? What for?” The realization of what he’d said had only just reached me, seeing as I was too busy studying him and falling down the rabbit’s hole of my thoughts.
“You must come, follow me, follow me.”
“Wait! Where are you going?” For such an old looking man, he was certainly quite spry and quick in his movements. I had to jog just to keep him in view.
The man ducked into a small building that sat along the edge of the forest. It looked as though the edifice walls wormed their way into a huge and elderly looking tree, a quite massive one. Once I reached the already opened door, I made a cautious step through it.
“Hello? Creepy hobo guy?”
“Jade, finally!” The Immortal suddenly appeared from my side and took a firm grip on my wrist, pulling me all the way into the building and shutting the door.
My heartbeat was rather rapid after nearly being lunged at, but I fortunately hadn’t made any noises, which was calming to know. “I would have hated to squeal in front of him.”
“What?”
“OH!” My free hand thrust up to cover my mouth. Darn, I thought I was getting better at controlling that habit. “Nothing, it was nothing.”
“You should have been here earlier.” A sigh escaped him.
I rolled my eyes, “Well sorry, I was busy.”
“What could have possibly kept you nearly a half hour later than originally planned?” We stopped in a large, alcove-like room.
“A small child found me as I was leaving the shop I got some supplies in and she was saying she was lost. I simply helped her find her mother.”
“Jade! You can’t be exposing yourself like that!” The Immortal ran a hand over his face; he seemed far more stressed out than usual.
“I didn’t even think you could BE stressed out. What’s the big deal? Calm down.”
“The poison in your body is what’s stressing me out, Jade! According to the mage, that particular poison kills rather swiftly.”
“Poison? Oh yeah, my arm.” I pushed up my sleeve to reveal the soiled bandages covering the discolored skin.
The Immortal took a sudden hold on my limb and moved the sleeve up farther, finding that the wound’s bruising had now spread to my upper arm and from the looks of it my shoulder and part of my chest as well.
“Oh my gosh…” I could feel my eyes widen at the view. “This was only on my forearm a short while ago!”
A foreign voice chimed in. “And we must hurry before that poison reaches your heart. For a human, you’re lucky it didn’t get you immediately; should be thankful an Immortal helped you.” An aged looking person stepped into the spacious room. He certainly looked ancient, even more along in years than the gentlemen from this afternoon. A dark brown robe with some golden patterns weaving around it covered his slightly hunched, short form. “Hello Jade.” He gave me a small smile, closing his eyes in the process.
“Um, hi.”
“Why don’t you come lie down on this table and we can get the procedure underway.”
The old wood of the counter did not look at all sound, and the whole ‘lie down on this table and we can get the procedure underway’ sounded odd and satirically eerie. I gave a hesitant glance towards the Immortal, however he simply nodded for me to comply.
“If this thing collapses beneath me or I wake up without my kidneys, I will be sure to hurt you both.”
My threat didn’t seem to faze either of them, so I crawled up, keeping my dress down and my cloak I had set off to the side so as not to be a hindrance for the mage. Staring up at the dirty and oddly low hanging ceiling, despite it being a dome, I found things becoming comfortably peaceful.
“You should be falling into a sedated state.”
“Hmm?” My voice rumbled softly in my own head.
“She’s ready.”
Though the world had certainly taken on a more nebulous form, I could feel the mage take hold of my bandaged arm and the sudden, raw tingling of cold air rubbing against the wound as he removed the fabric.
“Do you think you could remove all the magic you have placed on her?” The old mage was surprisingly loud beside me. “It would make my job easier.”
“I can, but my work is all that’s been keeping her from feeling the poison’s effects. There is no telling what may happen if I do.”
“That’s one reason for her sedated state, but I simply cannot put her out completely, she must have some consciousness.”
“No, I understand.” Another hand took hold of my injured limb, and from the fuzzy but loud voices, I assumed it was the Immortal’s touch.
“Jade,” my head twitched back at the whisper near my ear. “Please prepare yourself. This is going to be painful.”
My eyes blinked sleepily in a form of response to his words. His hand gripped firmly while an abrupt and odd feeling washed across my body, like plastic wrap being pulled off my skin. It wasn’t until the sensation reached the bruised parts of my body that I felt the pain I had been warned of.
A sharp inhale rushed into my lungs, my eyes ripped wide open while tears began forming and streaming down my cheeks, pooling warmly at my ears. I held in any screams, trying very hard to bite back the piecing agony. Once his hand lifted from my arm, my body set itself into matters of its own and shot a series of spasms through my left side. A few whines managed to slip between my lips until the Immortal’s large hands took hold of my limb and shoulder to stop the movements.
It seemed as though I could feel every single pore on my body, each one’s hair standing up straight in shock of the pain that ran its way through all the nerves which were settled beneath the peculiar markings along my side. Even being sealed by the Immortal’s hands didn’t keep me from the impossible urge and need to writhe, jolt, and wriggle about with the futile attempt to dull the aches.
The elderly mage once again placed his hands firmly upon my arm, far tighter than he had previously. A part of me really wanted to tell him to let go, both of them actually, but I didn’t seem to have maintained a connection from my brain to my mouth…all that slipped away were moans and whines and airy exhales.
“My my my,” the old man mumbled “this girl has an incredible amount of layers on her.”
“What? How many?”
“I can’t say, but it’s a great deal. Quiet strong and very tough. I may need some assistance.”
I followed the man with my watery eyes as he left my side and went to place his bony hand upon the wall, which looked to be the large tree’s center. I wished for a better view, but my body would not cooperate. While my ears were picking up sound like the world was shouting, as his thin lips moved I couldn’t make out any of it.
Slowly I made another forceful convulsion. However, no matter how strongly I tried, the Immortal kept me firmly in place, allowing only my pitiful exclamations and hot tears free.
Just as my eyes finally cleared themselves of my latest bought of sobs, I saw the old man step forward, though this time he had a companion at his side. Lovely, tall, slender, a woman I had never seen before though oddly familiar. Dark, dirt brown locks waved haphazardly around her face and drifted far past her shoulders, a few leaves and twigs nestled in the mess, and the ends of delicately pointed ears peeking through the loose curls. Her features were soft but strong, all done in creamy skin. A smooth though powerful brow touched slightly by widow’s peak bangs with thin, short eyebrows that seemed to be in two parts, the main, though tapered, piece and a little bit cut off…almost like the beginning of a dotted line. A petite, gently tipped nose sloped down to plump lips with a mild cherubic v, and the small chin of a near heart shaped face. But, of all this, my gaze finally settled upon her golden eyes. I knew those eyes. Big, warm, full of wonder and childish intent, lined with dark lashes to further accentuate the emotions always dancing in her bright orbs. And like an accent to them, two dark speckle marks just a bit beneath the lower lids added to her otherworldly appearance.
My lips parted to greet Autumn, but obviously couldn’t seem to form the right words. Nevertheless, she smiled gaily as usual and pressed a long finger lightly against my trembling mouth to stop my trying.
“What could you have possibly gotten into to make me appear in my full form?”
She tucked some of her wild hair behind an ear, and though, now a bit relieved of some hair, I noticed they were not quite like the small ones she apparently wore the times I saw her. No, they were much longer, finely shaped, and it seemed cut in three places similar to the appearance of small leaves hanging from a branch. Each end faded lightly with a calm green; everything added to the earthy glow she possessed.
A graceful hand touched my forehead, which I tried and failed to follow.
“Wow, you were right, my friend.” She sighed heavily, “You do realize that you’ll owe me greatly, Tahlk.”
“Yes, yes, I’m quite aware.” He waved her comment off and returned to his place, with Autumn at my opposite side.
With the way all three of them held onto me, I felt they may be trying to tear me apart at the seams. Thankfully Autumn’s grip was far more delicate than the two men, not that she wasn’t digging into my limbs as well. Pulling strongly at each of them, I still continued to spasm and writhe at the pain, which was happily a bit duller now that I had three magically inclined people forcing my body against an old table in the center of an even older tree.
“You ready?” Autumn loudly questioned, to which each man nodded quickly. Just as I was about to shut my eyes tightly for whatever the hell they were going to do next, my once child friend turned her calming face to mine. “We’re going to wipe all the magic out of your system rather than try to remove the poison itself. I don’t know what may be uncovered, so, good luck Jade.”
I tried to give a small smile of understanding, though I felt like I may have only grimaced with slightly, not exactly calm eyes.
Chapter Twelve
The Catalyst
Chapter Twelve
“Jade…Jade…” My name continued to echo back at me while the world rocked and shook lightly. With subtle movements, my eyes eventually were open and wide.
I jerked straight up and looked around. Somehow I was on Orion’s back and in front of him the Immortal walked swiftly with reins in hand.
“I was so positive I had just been holding Orion’s reins and walking…I was just walking…” I held my finger to my lip, which I had already begun to chew on gently.
“You fell asleep while walking and nearly ran into a tree. I thought it best to allow you some peace after your prior ordeal.”
“Prior ordeal?” I blinked several times, trying to come up with something that could in anyway be considered an “ordeal.” Ehh, at least as of today…or yesterday.
“Yes, after falling from a forty foot tree trying to appease the appetite of this horse.”
I distinctly noticed his irate emphasis on the word horse, but chose to dwell on that later, as the more pressing matter of how he always seemed to know everything was yet again becoming problematic.
“How did you know about that?”
“When you have lived as long as I, you find information is far easier to acquire.”
I dropped my brow into a firm line, my arms crossed loosely against my chest. “You’re completely bypassing my question…” I leaned forward, an earnest expression on my face, “please, just answer me straight for once.”
His pace faltered for a split second, which I hardly would have noticed had I not been so intent on his graceful figure. I quickly deleted my mind’s content and went back to pursuing my original point. “So?”
He released a cursory sigh, “I had the pleasure of having Caleb literally trip into camp…though I must admit I was the one who tripped him.” A, rather strange to see, wry grin appeared at the corner of his half hidden mouth.
“Why?”
“He seemed to be stalking the area, so I merely took the opportunity.”
I could still hear the odd little smirk in his generally smooth, calm voice and while I would normally find his recent behavior childish, a part of me really wished I could have seen Caleb fall flat on his face.
While casually pondering how Caleb may have appeared, I found myself slipping back into a weary sleep.
“Do not sleep again, please.”
Mildly startled to hear the Immortal’s voice so sudden and close; I carefully turned to my left and saw him walking slowly beside Orion, reign still in hand. His expressions had returned to normal, though as he glanced towards my direction, there was a little hint of something different…nervousness?.
“We shall be in town very shortly. It would not be prudent if you were to sleep again.”
He returned to the front of our small procession, a confused and curious quirk spread to my brow and lips.
“Um, so, uh…should I pull my hood up then?”
“Yes, though we will stop on the outskirts of the gate. I would prefer it if Orion stayed there, our combined presence will be enough of a surprise.”
“Wait...why?”
He remained silent and though I hadn’t been with him long, I was quickly learning that he was likely never to answer. I had prepared to slump in my seat when Orion abruptly stopped. Looking up I saw an almost canopy-like haven which led to a large opening, where a few shuffling people could be seen back in the distance.
“Is that the town?” The question escaped more like an anxious exhale.
The Immortal’s head bobbed gently in response and without pause he began walking towards the door-less threshold, leaving the worn reins on the dusty path we had come upon.
“Hey?” I nearly jabbed my ankle into Orion’s muscular side when he nickered lightly, alerting me to the Immortal’s outstretched hand supposedly meaning that I was meant to stay.
“Tie up the horse out of direct sight, then come and meet me.”
“But how will I find you?”
“I won’t be far in. You’ll see me, I assure you.”
His long fingers gripped the lengthy hood at his back, swiftly maneuvering his hair beneath the fabric and the scooped opening came to rest elegantly atop his head. That unnervingly inhuman way of his to do…well, anything was certainly hard to not gawk at like an utter moron.
I slipped off Orion’s back, rather nicely I thought, though I could see a mocking glimmer in his eye that may have told differently. Yanking somewhat vengefully on the reins, in order to tug at his bridle, I started to pull him over to a berry and grass strewn flock of brush so that he could at least avoid the undoubtedly festering temptations of taunting others while we were away.
“I wonder if there are vampires in this world. The Immortal sort of reminds me of…” I stopped mid-sentence while wrapping the leather straps around a large tree. Lightly scoffing I began to tie a very constricting knot. “I really have started to go crazy or something. Vampires don’t exist, they defy any possible logic! Then again…I haven’t seen the Immortal eat at all or actually sleep or bathe or drink…or…” I noticed outside my trailing verbal thought process that I had begun lightly stroking Orion’s head, from the tip of his soft ear to the strong bulging velvet cheeks at his muzzle. Oddly enough, he hadn’t bitten my hand or eaten my hair. His piercing blue eyes were in fact closed, and for a single fleeting moment, I believed that this absurd and obnoxious “horse” actually purred. Which I don't think is even possible.
I jerked back at the thought and action only to smack my head against the tall oak-like tree I had apparently been leaning against, the quite thoroughly tied knot in my free hand.
Sighing casually, I brushed off the ideas for later contemplation, as it was surely to invade my mind again. Pulling my hair over my shoulder I did my best to tuck it back behind the heavy cloak. It felt odd to have the equally heavy and smooth hood draped over my head, a bit of material drooping slightly over my forehead. Inwardly I wished I looked even a small portion as good as the Immortal did. However I knew it wasn’t so. The quickly brushing thought pushed against old wounds; I vehemently shook my head before taking a confident step forward.
“Ahhh, finally.” A smile danced on my face, my eyes pulling in a bit at the sun’s bright glare.
The area was actually rather bereft of people or anything really. It seemed to be one of those ignored edges of a town that only the lowest, creepiest, and most repugnant of citizens hung around. Out of the corner of my eye an old looking man stood with his long beard nearly touching the ground and a corny, eccentric grin beneath that hairy exterior. His fingers were all covered in what seemed to be thimbles and a rather large, pigeon-like bird was nesting on his haphazard scalp. Part of me wanted to go over and just stare at him for hours, but another was screaming ‘WARNING! WARNING! STRANGER DANGER!’ I managed to tear my eyes from the odd hobo creature and began to search for the Immortal’s deep blue cloak.
Not much further than a few yards from the opening I spotted his silken hair hanging along his back, apparently he took the opportunity to have his hood down in this shadow-ensconced area. Inhaling strongly, I headed to his side where I stopped and, with a sarcastic tone, spoke to him without even a glance towards his person. “Thanks ever so much for leaving me with a moron in the middle of nowhere; a nowhere I am stranger to.”
“I knew you would be fine.” His eyes also stayed away from my face. A part of me had wished he would acknowledge my existence along with his. I gently bit my lip when I saw an older man slowly step into my view. ‘My view’ being a mere six inches from my face.
His completely bald head and complexion was rather off-putting, considering he had to be well over 100 years old; I had never seen so many wrinkles on a human being before! It seemed unnatural.
I retracted from his uncomfortable stare and foul breath, though he managed to stay just as close somehow.
“Her eyes are odd.”
I blinked rapidly at his sudden statement.
The elderly man went back to his original place, in the shadow of the building we stood behind. Likely why I didn’t see him when I first came to the Immortal’s side.
“Her eyes are of little consequence. Is there anything that can be done?” The Immortal’s voice was soft but slightly urgent sounding. However, I had to admit I hadn’t the slightest idea what he was talking about.
“Perhaps, perhaps.” He stroked his narrow chin. “Let me see the wound.”
The Immortal abruptly grabbed my bandaged forearm and pulled up the sleeves, revealing the bloodied white dressing, now a bit frayed from my recent tree plunging activity. Gently but incredibly fast, the old man removed the wrappings, revealing a deep, bodily fluid dried gash from which purple, blue, and red spread out along my skin like a rabid disease seeking new prey. It looked far worse than the last time I saw it, and oddly I felt nothing to suggest it was any worse at all.
His large, bony fingers probed along my evidentially festering wound, while sudden nips and bites of pain would hit me, occasionally causing me to twitch in his hold. I could feel my face scrunch up at the sharp sensations.
The Immortal lightly squeezed my corresponding shoulder. I had momentarily been happy for the attempt at comfort until I saw the small man pull out a small, slender knife. I flinched back hastily but found myself met with the Immortal’s force of strength. My eyes followed as the blade made a careful incision into my discolored forearm, but from the wound, rather than crimson blood, a bubbly blue liquid seeped. Small burns began working their way through the ill flesh, the sharp bites of which sent my nerves in a frenzy beneath my skin. Writhing reflexively from the shock and pain, I jumped back, keeping my arm at a distance, and rammed into the Immortal who still kept me from running away.
“What the h-hell is happening!?” I inhaled sharply through my teeth as the pain started to subside.
Calming heat was flowing through my shoulders, which were held in the Immortal’s firm grasp. He must have been removing my pain all this time. I wanted to thank him, although I was a little more disturbed about why my arm seemed to no longer be an arm.
The thin man came out of the building’s shadow while cleaning his blade. “The poison is far more potent than I would have expected.” His stern brown eyes turned to my own, “you’re lucky you had two magic wielding Immortals with you, girl.”
My brain hardly registered his reference to me as ‘girl’, a title I would generally be rather peeved by, and instead my eyes vaguely gazed over the man, then turned to the ground, wrapped deep in thought. Before I had a chance to return to reality and voice anything, my arm was being re-bandaged with clean white dressings. Once the ends were tied, blue and red fluids had already begun to seep through the fabric. I had wanted to examine it myself but my sleeve was quickly pulled down for me.
I thrust a puzzled glare at the Immortal, but his attention was already with the elderly gentleman again. My ears were more curious than my eyes at the moment, so I also came back to the grouping.
“I can have the mage prepared by late this evening, after the festival has begun. We needn’t attract any extra attention towards you two. Although…” he paused briefly, “there is a chance you’ll be far less recognized seeing as a few years back a new tradition was initiated.”
“And what’s that?” My voice flowed out on its own.
“Ah, wearing blackened hair pieces, girlie. True, they are mostly crude and noticeable but it’s a good cover. Yes, I had nearly forgotten about it.”
My brow quirked both at his returned, slightly altered and more annoying, reference of ‘girlie’ along with the very idea of them not knowing what a wig was. “You mean wigs?”
The Immortal waved off my comment when the man looked at me with confusion.
“That is all good.” He replied to the old stranger. “My friend here needed to acquire a few things in town as it is, so time shouldn’t be an issue. Please have your apprentice find me when you are ready.”
They each nodded to the other and the thin, old creature slipped into the blackness.
“He’s agile for such an elderly man.” I placed my hands to my hips as I watched him vanish.
“Jade.”
“Hmm?” I turned to face him.
“Here is some money, please do not cause any trouble. The villagers should be setting up for the festival about now, so you will not likely bring attention to yourself.”
My lips pursed at his accusation. “I won’t cause trouble.”
He appeared to roll his eyes, but on coming lanterns caused the area to glimmer oddly, so I may have imagined it. Maybe.
I lightly shrugged beneath my cloak and went to head into town, leaving the Immortal at my back. Some part of me had simply assumed he would be joining me while I shopped, except that was really a silly idea. He wouldn’t show himself in such a way just for me.
People had started hustling about all over; this festival looked to be a big deal. It sort of reminded me of a carnival with those myriad stalls and vendors, the little shows and acts going on every which way you looked. I giggled as a playfully disguised group danced around a few small children who kept trying to steal their well-painted masks.
At times I thought I caught eyes on me, watching the stranger covered with a deep green cloak. I tried to make sure my face remained hidden from view, while still attempting to watch the festivities.
In a less busy area of town, an odd but enticing store caused me to stop my wanderings. The front window was littered with several different objects, all rare looking and odd or unique and beautiful, and although I likely couldn’t afford anything, I wanted to explore it.
The place wasn’t huge, but decent and simply covered with all sorts of things from food to weapons and clothing to furniture. I ran interested fingers gently along the cool steel of a sword as I passed an aisle. Luckily no one else had ventured in, however I also couldn’t spot a clerk, not that I was overly upset to be alone to search on by myself, undisturbed. I enjoyed being on my own; it was familiar.
Fidgeting clumsily with a large blade, I thought I heard someone in the store. Embarrassed to be caught, I hurriedly replaced the sword as best as I could and slyly checked the front area only to find no one at all.
“Strange.”
I returned to my sporadic pursuing, this time glancing in awe at the intricate jewelry beneath a glass cover near the back of the shop. A sudden gasp sounded from near where I was, along with a piece of furniture falling over. My heartbeat quickened, curiosity and worry churned inside me as I took a few steps towards the owner’s door at the back wall. I reached out with uncertainty for the handle, when it pulled open on its own and a young, attractive, sandy haired man stepped out, straightening his shirt as he went.
“Oh I’m so sorry...I-I was just..uhh…” I had begun backing up and, without noticing the man’s warning, fell into a large container of furs.
“Are you alright miss?!” His hand reached in to help me out, and I hesitantly accepted. As I was pulled up I felt my hood slip from my head.
He immediately released his grasp and took a step back, eyes wide and mouth agape.
Seeing his gaze grow, the realization I was no longer shrouded from view as I was supposed to be at all times, jerked me straight and I quickly groped for the hood, yanking it down over my hair and features. “I-I-I…um, I’m sorry for spying, I-I was just, uhh” I exhaled nervously. “Please excuse me!” I turned to dash out of the small store, but before I made a step my wrist was captured.
“Wait, please.” His eyes looked far more nervous then I felt, nevertheless his grip was unyielding and strong. “What are you?”
I blinked several times, pondering over an answer to such an odd question, gradually allowing my rapid breathing to calm.
“I uhh, I don’t really know how to answer something like that,” my internal monologue blurted mid-response, “uhm, I-I’m a human…I think?”
The young man released his grip and shook his head in confusion. “You…think?”
My relinquished arm drew up to my chest, where I held it with my other hand. “Uh, yeah. I’m sort of new here.”
“Well,” he puffed a sigh, still puzzled fingers scratched lightly at the scruff of his neck. “Hi then, I guess. I’m Kaiden, this is my father’s shop, and I’m in charge during the festival.”
“Oh, um, hello Kaiden.” I let a small smile slip onto my face.
He released a long breath, ran all those fidgety fingers through his rather tussled hair, and then finally dropped a hand to the small counter to his right.
“So, madam, is there something I can get for you?”
I looked him over cautiously, but his demeanor was fairly calm and easy, not at all threatening. My posture straightened and I lowered my arms, carefully I pulled up the hood a bit back to where I had originally had it placed and could see better.
“Um, my name is Jade. I was looking for several things actually.”
“Jade? Interesting sort of name. Well, we have any and every thing here, just tell me what you are looking for and I can help you find it.” He let a kind, welcoming grin spread across his lightly angular features.
A similar smile danced on my own face in reply. “Then I suggest we get started.”
Chapter Ten
The Catalyst
Chapter Ten
The Immortal’s voice was light but soft and after the disturbing shock I had, I found that I was stepping back into him for protection and comfort.
As I did, however, I was abruptly swept off the ground and into his arms, just as Caleb had done to me earlier.
“Why do people keep picking me up?” My voice was stronger this time, though the pain still hurt just as much. “Do I look like I need to be carried?”
“Yes.”
I stopped short, and then frowned.
“Well …I don’t. I’m fine.” I began to squirm a bit in his hold. “Put me down!”
“No.”
I thrashed slightly until the intense pain of my injuries caused me to discontinue my efforts towards freedom. Once I calmed down, he then relaxed some of his grip, which made it a bit more comfortable.
“Why did you come for me anyway? Did Caleb talk to you?”
He grimaced at the mention of Caleb, but nodded in reply.
“So you know what happened?”
He mutely nodded again.
“Would you stop being so monosyllabic and uncaring!” His pace stopped and he looked down at me with mild confusion as I hoarsely shouted. “I died! I was dead, gone, vanished completely from this and every world for nearly two hours!”
After I finished my outburst, I glanced up to find the Immortal angrily staring down at me, like a terrifying statue.
“What?” My reply was timid.
He suddenly looked out into the trees, “Orion!”
My head was getting fuzzy; everything was becoming more and more baffling as the day slipped into night.
Orion stubbornly pushed through the trees not long after being called, and seemed to roll his eyes when he saw me.
“Orion, take Jade back to camp.”
I attempted to protest this transfer, but as I opened my mouth to speak, the Immortal effortlessly lifted me onto Orion’s back. As I sat sluggishly, I idly scratched my wrist and laid half-way down.
Once he turned from me, I caught a quick moment of tension between him and Orion; the Immortal was placing a heavy glare on him. However when he left, Orion snorted towards his departure; neither seemed overly pleased right at the moment.
I ruffled his surprisingly soft mane to show my irritation at him and his gesture. He simply shifted a blue eye to me and snickered.
When we headed through the forest, back to camp, I found myself having to lie down along his back and neck since he clearly took no notice to avoid low hanging branches.
I released a sore and heavy sigh against him, blowing pieces of his shining hair.
“Orion, could you slow down a little more? My chest is throbbing from all the movement.”
To my surprise, he complied and lowered his pace. While peacefully riding my eyes began to droop, eventually I shut them completely. His stride became a gentle rhythm to me, so I started to pet along his neck and shoulder in reply to it.
He uttered a soft bluster at the contact, but I was tired and sore and didn’t care right now. Soon he stopped protesting altogether and let me continue stroking his white coat.
I hadn’t noticed until I slid from his high back to the ground, but a pretty humming voice had been coming from my body. Just before I laid onto several strewn blankets, Orion nudged my head with his nose. I looked at his large blue eyes and he then bumped at my forehead, leaving his exhaling nostrils pressed onto my skin.
My brow quirked wearily, “what?”
He lightly smacked against me again, beginning a bizarre attempt at humming. It was definitely the strangest sound I had ever heard, especially from a horse.
“You want me to keep humming?”
He snorted into my face and nodded.
I rubbed my hand against his long muzzle and I dropped down onto the warm bedding. I was just so exhausted all of the sudden. Furiously, I scratched my wrist again before starting to lightly hum the same tune I had been before. A simple lullaby my grandmother had sung to me years ago.
Whisper softly my angel’s lips
Take my hand and soar
Protect my dreams and watch over me
Be there when I slip too far
Guardian with me still
Night’s wings shelter here
And forever I’ll love you my darling
Till dawn’s break into day
I barely managed a second loop before I wholly succumbed to the comfort of sleep.
A sudden jerk pulled me awake and through watery, blurry eyes I saw the fire low and dancing and on the other side sat the Immortal; his eyes appeared closed. I quickly ran my nails along my wrist as I moved to a sitting position.
Orion was quietly standing and sleeping not too far from where I was; his blue eyes were shut and light exhales blew against his long deep auburn mane.
I was feeling so hot, but every breeze that passed across my skin caused me to shiver violently, disturbing my wounded chest and side. I gripped my torso then scratched my wrist again, though more forcefully this time.
Clumsily pulling to my legs, I nearly toppled over two or three times before I stood straight.
The world was spinning in my view. The trees seemed to be changing places over and over...dancing around me in strange patterns. I tripped and caught myself on a tree that abruptly stopped just to catch my fall.
“Nice tree…….thank you….”
I pushed off from the bark and it went back to its swirling, leaving slight dust clouds in front of me.
The back of my hand swept across my forehead and cold beads of sweat stung against my skin. To keep warm, despite the fire I felt in my stomach, I wrapped my arms around myself, my hands tucked deep into the long sleeves. Afterward, I quickly rubbed my forearm against the fabric of the coat, the skin was beginning to sting and felt raw with each itch that I tried to satisfy.
The area cleared itself of trees as they flew away together and beams of light splattered onto the ground. Young, excited giggling came from a female shadow that ran around me.
“Daela, Daela let’s play hide and seek!” My voice was child-like and as I spun around to chase her I saw my shorter locks of hair swish across my smiling face. Bare feet ran through growing green grasses that glistened in the brightening sun.
“Jade, I want to tell you something special.” She cuddled beside me while we hid up in our favorite tree.
I leaned closer to her quiet voice.
“I have a secret treasure. No one knows about it, so you can’t tell anyone! Especially grandmother!”
Nodding emphatically, my finger drew a cross over my heart.
She slipped a soft box from her pocket, a peculiar design decorating the cover. Before I really got a chance to study it closely she popped open the top and a shining straight diamond glowed from inside. I reached my hand out to touch the piece of jewelry but she immediately closed the lid.
“Hey—“
“Shhhhhh….” She held a finger to her mouth.
“Jade! Daela! Get inside, it’s time for dinner!”
“Come on Jade, we’ll play later.” She took my smaller hand and pulled me away.
Suddenly I lost her grip and she kept moving further and further from me. She turned and smiled happily at me before fading from view, her pretty curly black hair cradling her face.
“Daela….” I whispered.
The trees stopped moving and the ground changed back to dirt and grassy patches. I felt like I was lit on fire, melting inside my clothes.
In the dark blackness I slipped off a cliff that came up from nowhere and fell, fell, fell...stopping with a strange thud. While I lay there, the empty nothingness swallowed me whole.
When I awoke, black hair and eyes on pale, flawless skin hovered over me, the man’s hand on my forehead. I blinked away some of the haze that still plagued my vision, alerting the Immortal that I had woken up.
I lifted my arm to scratch at my wrist but the Immortal grabbed it and stopped me, revealing a bandage covering me from palm to elbow. The white, clean wrappings caught my attention because just at my wrist a brownish red stain was making a spreading pattern into the fibers.
I took a deep breath and my chest only ached a bit, though my side was somewhat stronger in intensity. I was surprised by the lack of writhing pain however and probed at my bruises. It was tender and in a few places sharp and more severe, but all in all I felt… better.
“I’m healed?”
The Immortal finally acknowledged that I had become conscious again and moved my hand away from the wound. “Mostly, though it was much harder with that poison spreading through your system.”
I furrowed my brow and then brought up my once irritated wrist, seeing the bloody bandages again. “What happened?”
He scoffed, his face marred with anger and cynicism. “I’m sure Caleb can elaborate far better than I could.”
I was a little surprised at his flare-up.
I lifted my torso towards him, ignoring the scream that my body gave, and placed my calm, bandaged hand on his fidgeting ones.
“Immortal…are you alright?”
He stopped making his agitated gestures and softened his face.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
He then pushed me back onto what felt like the blankets I had been on before, only more comfortable. I was reluctant to lie back down now that I had gotten up, but I went. When I took a moment to look around I noticed the scenery had changed completely, the trees were a little thinner and much less green and the ground was nearly barren of any other plant except the few sparse roots from the trees.
“Immortal, where are we?”
I tried to sit back up, but he pushed me right down.
“Jade, you have been asleep for five days. Nearly the entire journey is over.”
“WHAT!?” I shot straight up and my dirty hair flung up with me.
“Well, yes. When I found you a few feet away from the campsite five days ago, you were almost completely gone. Your arm was throbbing and deeply bruised with bright colored veins protruding, except for an oozing, bloody slit at your wrist, which was surrounded by a patch of normal colored skin. I have been healing you as best as I could since, and Orion has been carrying you.”
I looked over to him and he snorted, turning his face away from me. He was just close enough that I barely managed to brush my fingers against his leg, my best attempt at a thank you.
“So… I was poisoned somehow and now the journey is almost over, yet you also healed up some of my ribs?” I was having a hard time following everything; perhaps my head was still cloudy from all that sleep.
“Not much, some of that was Caleb’s doing before I found you…it just had not yet taken hold. Though I took away some of the pain; you would sometimes scream in your sleep.”
“I did?”
“Yes, though actually you hum a lot.”
“I hum? How long has this been going on?”
“I hadn’t noticed you doing it before; perhaps you were dreaming something specific.”
I tried to think on what the dream may have been, but the only thing I could think of was the old, forgotten memory of Daela and I years ago, back when we still lived in Maine. “When was it that I remembered this?” I mouthed the words to myself. But, regardless, I didn’t recall any song from that? Out of some habit, I shook my head.
“No, I don’t think I dreamed.” I was looking sadly down at my hands, I couldn’t really describe the feeling but something just felt sad when I tried to remember anything.
“Don’t dwell on it too much.” He stood. “Come on, we need to be heading out. We should reach town by this evening.”
“What! So fast?”
“Yes, we need to get there before sundown.”
I crawled sluggishly from the bedding and used a tree to help me stand up. “Why sundown?” I mumbled half-heartedly as I brushed the dirt from my clothes and cloak.
“People rarely ever come from these woods. The only creatures known to live here are some of the remaining Immortals and several mystical forest dwellers that can’t always be trusted, and for good reason…” he began wrapping up all the blankets I had been spread out on. “Although I suppose there is the occasional traveler who unknowingly stumbles in from an area that is not blocked off.” He shrugged lightly with the bundles on his shoulders, “besides, if we just came out at night, it would cause a terrible panic. Our presence will already be unsettling.” He easily tied the packs onto Orion like an expert, which he most likely became in all the time I had been asleep.
I smacked my forehead for that.
Hands suddenly grasped my waist and then I was hoisted up and settled gently onto Orion’s back. I had blushed a little from the unexpected contact. I wasn’t even sure why, blushing was not something I did too often, although it seemed to be happening quite a bit as of late.
“Let’s go, tonight should be the War Memorial Festival, people are going to be everywhere, coming from all around, and we need to be there at a good time in order to slip in quietly.”
“War Memorial Festival...I never heard of that from grandmother...” I covered my mouth hastily, then sighed. I had been doing so well with not speaking out loud.
The Immortal and Orion chuckled softly at me. This was already turning out to be the beginning of a very long day.
End
