Witch Doctors Inc: SEASON TWO (Ongoing)

Part 4.11

Amarat smiled weakly. "Maybe," she said. "I'm just starting to think that maybe the planet needs it more than we do."

A frown creased Scion's forehead. "King Aurorus of Phaedra thought so too. Onyx's kind used to eat the stones."

It was Amarat't turn to raise an eyebrow.

"I read it recently," Scion said defensively. "I take an interest in history."

"No need to bite my head off," Amarat said, throwing up her hands. "I was only curious."

Scion turned away from her. He watched the mist drifting, like ribbons of light. Green and silver clouds joined their pink brethren, looping in and out of each other in a playful dance.

"Are you worried about something?" Amarat asked.

"What? No. If you don't want to go glacier rushing, that's fine with me. But you are missing out."

"It won't be any fun with this headache. You go with Onyx. I'll rest tonight."

A grin lit up Scion's face. "Onyx," he sniggered. "I am very much enjoying teaching him the art of glacier rushing. It truly is an experience to be cherished."

"Er...okay. How's Onyx doing with it?"

"May I ask you something, Amarat?" Scion looked to be struggling to keep a straight face. "Have you ever seen mist fall over?"

Amarat frowned. "No? Can mist fall over?"

Laughter burst out of Scion. "Then you must come glacier rushing with us. Onyx is useless. I keep telling him...I keep telling him, Onyx...you are in gaseous form. You may divert your particles around the obstacle. But he always forgets when he's going at high speeds. You will see him whizzing over the glacier, having a wonderful time...then there will be something sticking up out of the ice, and before you can warn him, you will hear a small crashing noise...and then you can see...you can see a cloud tumbling to a stop over the ice... and you know it's him..."

His shoulders were shaking with laughter now.

Amarat was laughing too, her lilac hair quivering along with her. "It does sound like fun. I wish I could go, but...another time."

"You are getting many headaches these days," Scion observed. "Perhaps you should speak to a healer."

"No!" Amarat snapped. Then she softened her response with a smile. "I'm fine, Scion. Really. It's just a headache."

Scion nodded.

Amarat's gaze travelled to the non-quartz buildings once more.

Her head throbbed.

*

1,000 YEARS AGO
AFTER THE DEATH OF LAZARUS
PROMETHEUS, PHAEDRA

"You're not listening!" Amarat shouted at the figure behind the table.

"Do not raise your voice with me. Sit down."

Amarat sat down with so much force the chair almost snapped in half. She took a deep breath and started again. "The glacier," she said. "It's melting. It shouldn't be melting. More holes are appearing, where the ice has simply vanished. The last hole...I spoke to the man who discovered it. When he looked inside, the darkness was crawling."

"Crawling with what?" The figure sounded disinterested.

"With butterflies," Amarat replied softly.

The figure moved its head. "Butterflies," he said flatly.

"Yes. Black butterflies."

The figure didn't respond for a while. "The incident is being investigated."

"But he investigators are wrong!" Amarat blurted out. "Their deductions make no sense! There aren't temperature fluctuations. The other study -"

The figure raised one shadowy hand. "The investigators," he repeated slowly, " are wrong?"

Amarat quietened. "The evidence..."

"They are some of our most highly respected scientists. They know what they are doing."

"I know, but..."

"Not everything needs your interference, Amarat. Believe it or not, the universe will survive perfectly well without it. The experts are doing a fine job with their investigation. I suggest that you save your cleverness for the classroom."

Amarat sighed.

The throbbing in her head grew stronger.

*

PRESENT TIME
LARAN VALLEY, KADREA

It was him.

I know it was him.

That figure behind the desk. There's such anger inside me for him, but I don't know where it comes from. I only know that Phaedra is gone because of him.

"Is it Lazarus?" the First Witch purrs. "Or is it someone else? Who is it that hides among you, little one?"

I clap my hands over my ears. "Go away."

"If you want to know the truth, you know what to do. All Hallows Eve is four nights away. I shall be waiting."