Song of the Piper

::6:: Core Bound

Music is The Fields of Ard Skellig from The Witcher 3 OST. Play it!

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In that day itself, I had never managed to beat the lycanthropes into submission. I'd kept trying and trying, only to be somehow outwitted by the beasts. In the end, I had been so drained of magic that I'd immediately collapsed after the sixth illusion.

Elise kept a wary eye on my stamina ever since the incident.

The next week, when I'd recovered sufficiently, I'd returned to the training room and faced the lycanthropes again. I'd finally succeeded after my fourth try, trapping them with tree roots and flinging multiples spears of silver coated with wolfsbane into the dome. Again, I had been drained of magic. Though not as serious as the first time, I'd still been confined to the bed for a few days. 

After that, I had faced a nachkrapp, a giant, raven-like bird which looked like it had just rose from the grave, with its empty eyes and decaying, bony wings. A real one would peck out the eyes and heart of unassuming travellers. An illusion simply screeched and kept circling overhead and swept down in attempts to snatch you in its wicked claws.

I had killed it by spelling a tree to extend its branches and snatch it from the sky, before setting it on fire. It took me five tries. I hadn't collapsed, but it still took quite a while before my Core fully recovered.

A few days after that, I had went up against a fluzwîb—water woman. I had slayed it by luring it onto dry land first, weaving an illusion of a young, handsome male specimen. Then I'd trapped it using dry, solid earth. No roots this time—the fluzwîb could have easily drained them off their water and free itself. A mistake I had learned soon enough. It had shrivelled up after I'd waited for five minutes. It had taken me three tries.

Now, nearly two months and countless of other monsters later, I was deemed worthy enough by Elise to drink from Heidelberg's Fountain.

So here I was, in the largest courtyard of the castle, bowing before the enormous pool of light in the centre. It was the same silver-golden liquid in the Tinkers' workshop. They were, after all, the ones who kept a steady stream of magic flowing from the earth and onto the surface.

The Fountain wasn't like anything I was expecting. I had caught glimpses of it as I'd passed by windows or sneaked past corridors, but never did I have a chance to witness it in its full glory. All castle denizens were strictly prohibited from entering this courtyard; only Tinkers and the ruling lord could.

It actually looked less of a liquid and more of light, coalescing and gathering at a point in the middle, swirling outwards until it was spreading like a circular blanket. My head was buzzing from being this close to this much magic. My Core, my well of power I had learned to recognise over the weeks I was using magic, was stirring to it, aching to devour its strength.

I held it back, although my hands were itching for the power too.

Lord Himmel was standing beside me, chanting a prayer of blessing. He was as impeccably dressed as ever, in his formal robes of white and gold, making him look as though he were a saint descended from the Heavens. His scarlet cloak was thrown over one shoulder, embroidered with a silver gryphon extending its wings and ready to take flight. His family crest.

Meanwhile, I was practically drowning in my heavy layers of silk. I was wearing a robe similar to Lord Himmel's, except that I had no cloak and I didn't have his effortless poise. My curls were braided and coiled into submission, tucked beneath a heavy headdress that was continually tipping my head forwards. I was sure that the Tinkers looking at me were doubting if I were truly their future mistress. Among them, was Josef.