Beyond the Glow

Chapter 42

One of the men turn away from the spectacle, wiping his forehead on his sleeve. "Hey! That's your horse right?" I nod, looking in the direction Wiccet disappeared off to. "Go get him. He's been causing trouble all month, and I was with the group when you magically charmed the beast."

"All month you say?" I look to him, my curiosity piqued.

"Been trying to get into the base underground." He lets out a short laugh. "Must have been quite the sorcery to make it follow you so adoringly."

I frown. "I didn't do anything to make him love me. In fact," I shiver, thinking of Fiona."Horses have always kind of hated me."

"Well that one really wants to find you. He won't listen to anyone else." Shrugs the man, walking off. I frown, but head in the direction Wiccet charged off to. It's not hard to follow, he's left a very evident path of destruction in his wake.

It slows down after awhile, Wiccet realizing they hadn't followed, and stopping to check his surroundings it seems. I hear running water ahead, and sure enough the path nearly disappears right as I come out at a small creek, Wiccet gulping down water while he seemingly waits for something.

Or someone.

He looks up as I come out of the bushes, pulling a stray twig out of my long hair. He stares for a moment, before walking over and nuzzling my shoulder. I let out a laugh, stroking it.

"Why do you have to be so difficult? I don't see what I did to make you this possessive of me." I whisper, watching his ears perk up.

I freeze as something touches my consciousness, prodding gently at the walls around my mind. Cautiously, I lower the wall, and let it in. It connects back to Wiccet, but it doesn't feel like the mind of a horse, I know because I've tried to make them listen to me when Cynthia made me ride with her, but they never respond the way a human would. They very much resent to feeling of me in their mind.

But I had to learn that the hard way.

They respond fine when you know how to handle them. A chuckle sounds deep in my mind, and my eyes widen. Why does that voice sound familiar? Because it is.

Who are you? I ask, an idea of exactly who forming in my mind.

You're close, but no, I am not Bladur, Says the voice, laughing again. He would not mess with your mind like this. I wouldn't either, if I had the choice.

Will you tell me? How are you connected to my Father?

I am your Father.

How? I ask, my stomach churning, refusing to believe it. You're stuck in that coma, in my lamp! I took care of you, I saw you last night. I shake my head, pushing Wiccet away gently.

My body isn't going to wake up Asra. He says, sadness edging the words.

What do you mean?

They took too much, my body can't be fixed. He pauses, don't let them take you, because the magic they use is dark, terrible. Not something they were gifted with, but something they... Stole.

What did they do? I think, remembering the pale pallor of Leila's skin after only minutes in the lamp. He notices the thought, sitting in shock for a moment before speaking.

They took Leila? His words are a whisper, and I gulp nervously.

It was a deal, you, for us. At the last minute, she- sacrificed herself so I could help you. He doesn't react, sitting and thinking over the information as the silence stretches between us.

Can I see what's happened to you? He asks tentatively, reaching towards my memories. I nod, then remember he can't see me and just let him sift through.

Years flash by my eyes, reliving the moments with Cynthia, and the Crawdoves before her, feeling his anger as he watches how they treated me, then the shock and happiness as he sees Len helping me escape, despite my jumbled memories not recognizing his face.

I knew he would find you.

We fly through the castle, his distrust in Tran evident from the start, then joy as he sees Leila confronting me in the woods, silence as he assess our escape, then the nights in the woods, Fira, Rena, the cloaked man, Leila's capture and Len saving me again.

We go all the way to the present day, silence stretching between us while we think. He draws back to the edge of my consciousness, before the silence becomes unbearable.

So why can't you go back to your body? I ask, thinking of the empty corpse back in my room.

Don't think of it like that. He says quietly, I still need my body, but I cannot return to it. My mind is tied to my body, but with enough effort, I was able to tie myself to Wiccet as well. He is my temporary body, you could say.

Temporary until what?

He doesn't say anything, the his silence is enough of an answer at this point.

Trust Baldur. He has your best interests at heart, he says finally. He is a very wise wizard, and he can see you are the tipping point in the war.

Wiccet lifts his head, and I can feel Father leaving my consciousness, shocking me to stand again from where I'd sat in the grass. "Where are you going!?"

He doesn't answer, just pushes the reins into my hand, then starts heading back down the path he took to the creek, leading me behind him, too busy trying to get him to talk to me again to pay attention to where we're going, my staff knocking into trees and dragging in the undergrowth.

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The base is silent when I get back, everyone had probably gone to sleep a long time before I got back. I'd spent most of the night trying to get Father to talk to me again, but he had kept his silence, a cloud of mourning hanging around him. When I finally gave up, and left him to his brooding in the stables, it had already been dark for hours.

The halls are empty, except for a few guards, so it's not a surprise when I stop inches from the edge of the time bubble, not noticing it till the last second. I turn, seeing Baldur behind me, leaning on his staff and watching me with old eyes.

"You talked to him?" He says, and I nod.

"He told me to trust you." I whisper, gripping my staff in one hand. "Is it true, what you said about the power?"

Baldur frowns, his brow wrinkling along familiar creases, "Only if you make it true."

"Whats that supposed to mean?" I frown.

Baldur shrugs, "That is up to you." He pauses, letting the words sink in. "I came to see you tonight," He adjusts his grip on his staff, straightening his posture. "Because it was decided in the council earlier today, we are moving tomorrow morning."

"That's pretty sudden."

"Fira doesn't want to wait any longer." He says, eyes cast downwards, as if in shamed resignation. "You better get some sleep. Kendi will wake you tomorrow, I'm sure you can make yourself some armor with genie magic? I nod, and so does he, turning away. "Good, you're going to need it. Make sure to sleep well tonight."

I didn't.