The Magic Mirror

Through the Shadows

All the breath left Fritz's lungs as he stepped between the two parting paths. The thick fog that had surrounded him for the entire journey snapped away and he found himself looking at the scorched walls of Graves's Lair. The magic in the barrier had been sharp and unexpected. He was slowly beginning to understand the true power a place like this held. He turned around. The path was clear of fog. It was just bare faced rock and wind blown shrubs. But it was a veil, nothing more. Beyond it he could still hear the faint, muffled barking of Dumpling who was truly only standing feet away unseen but present. On Dumpling's side the world was still thick in silver mist.

He wanted to tell the dog that he was fine, that he would return soon and bring Audrin back, but he knew the animal wouldn't hear him. The magic was too resolved, too strong. So he faced the lair once again and took it in. Enormous as it was, and as intimidating as it seemed it was not the sheer size nor ominous shape that made Fritz nervous. It was that crackle in the air. Like strings held too tight the magic here was stretched and bound into a web.

Fritz had never been taught magic, he didn't know what to make of it all, but he could feel it all the same and this magic was like staring an angry bull in the eyes. He swallowed the hard lump in his throat and tried to think more reassuring thoughts. He had magic too, after all. Perhaps this wouldn't go as poorly as he suspected it could.

As an inkling he had owned a magic. The sort that most inklings did, hell fire eyes, a rabid appetite- most of it had been uncontrollable and a curse besides. Any time he had gotten upset or hungry his own thoughts had disappeared. He would scratch and claw and hiss like a feral cat- and then sometimes he would do more. He had hurt his own father on more than one occasion. The last time had been the worst.

But now the magic was different. He could control it and use it... or, he could use some of it. True he hadn't had a lesson in it to claim, but he had taken down that scalafanger all the same.

A small voice in the back of his head wanted to point out that he had held the stone at the time.

The lump was back in his throat, accompanied by a new knot in his stomach.

Suddenly the air shook and a cloud of black bled into it a few feet ahead of him. From the blackness a bird emerged. Fritz stepped back.

"...its... you," he said, lamely.

He remembered this one. Indeed it was hard to forget the same bird that had once thrown him from a cliff. The faceless creature lifted his shoulders and the feathers scrunched together at his neck. Then, with a tilt of his head, the bird walked a circle around Fritz. As if studying him.

At last the bird stopped and said, "... you are Fritz?"

Of course the bird didn't recognize him at all. He had been an inkling when they had met last.

Fritz was at loss for what to do. If he was captured now he wouldn't be of any use at all. He had to get rid of the bird before he was killed, yet.. he held back and he couldn't say why.

"My name is Naros," the bird continued. "I am a friend from the shadows. The master has requested that I help you."

"Your master?" Fritz asked, hesitantly. "You mean.. Graves?"

"No.. the real master... the one who will end Graves. The changeling." Naros hissed as if Fritz had suggest something unthinkable.

"The changeling?" Fritz asked. He was surprised by the idea. When had birds become such discerning minions? "What about Marcos? Niarosa? Is Audrin here as well?"

"The knight and the loud one came in together not long ago," Naros shared. "The girl that came before is poisoned... we tried to save her. The master has me picking leaves to slow the poison.. but she will die- slowly or quickly- she will die all the same."