Stormchild: Emeline and the Forest Mage

31 Path

    Celissa looked up at one of the eight rooms in admiration. She was sure she could see Gorst gazing down at her, but it was a bit too high to be sure. Her heart danced in her chest with yearning.

    'Was it Gorst who found it?' Celissa asked innocently.

    She tried not to give away her obvious infatuation with him, but it was nearly impossible. Her voice lilted with glee when she pronounced his name and her shimmering, radiant eyes flickered between colours excitedly.

    Vargin's eyes sparkled. 'Nope' she said, 'I'm not telling you until we're there.'

    Celissa sulked, pouting, but Vargin took no notice thereof. She tugged on Celissa arm and they stepped onto one of the wider round discs that floated about. These discs hovered around the towers like moths fluttering around a flame. They ranged in size from a hand's width to the length of a small horse. They were white, solid, shiny, and less than an inch thick.

    The disc rose slowly up into the air, manoeuvring between the great towers. It jerked to a stop touching the side of one tower with a ring. They had arrived at one of the brothers' dwelling spots. The translucent wall dissipated before their eyes. Celissa stepped in and Vargin followed.

    They entered the dwelling with significantly less pomp than usual, giggling like adolescents. Huiden looked up from his chair, the one he loved to slouch in, and smiled sweetly at the girls. He proceeded to close the window to Erdil that had been open before him speedily, using The Way. After a minute, he abruptly stood and approached them.

    'Celissa,' Huiden bowed, 'Mistress of Tales.'

    She held out her right hand to him and he took it in his own, kissing it softly.

    'Welcome to our dwelling.' he said, formally.

    Celissa smiled abashedly at him, tucking her hand behind her back.

    'And Vargin.' Huiden's eyes filled with adoration as he turned to welcome her. 'My Vargin, Mistress of War.'

    She held out her hand elegantly to him, her chin lifted above her long, slender neck. He bowed low, keeping eye contact with her, and taking her hand in both of his own. He turned it over to kiss the palm of her hand tenderly. She smiled then, unable to hide how pleased she was with the extra attention he gave her.

    'Huiden, my love, I have brought Celissa for 'the news'.'

    Vargin winked at Huiden, moving her body in such a way that every beautiful curve was accentuated to him.

    She is so good at that. Celissa watched Vargin enviously.

    'Would you like to take a seat, my ladies?' Huiden held his hand out, palm facing them, and indicated towards the other chairs available in the room.

    Vargin and Celissa seated themselves quickly, eager to get to the details of the news he had for them.

    'You know my unique role in Götteril, and that I frequently meet with... 'Them'.' Huiden pointed up.

    He means the Fathers. Celissa folded her legs under her, getting comfortable as she listened. She did not feel the need to answer. This isn't that kind of conversation. She remained silent and allowed Huiden to continue with his thoughts uninterrupted.

    'I have seen many things because of this unique role. I have seen the darkness within those... those old, manipulative windbags.' Huiden now frowned as he explained.

    'Us Immortals know that our stature as eternal, infallible beings is a sham. We are all prisoners to Götteril, the place where 'they' test out all their crazy ideas.' By this time, Huiden looked absolutely livid.

    'We are prisoners.' Huiden accentuated the 'are' with fervour. His eyes shot between the ladies, darting back and forth. He was trying to address them both at once.

    'I have grown tired of the games they play with us and with their pets on Erdil. I cannot stand by and watch their wickedness and rot spread throughout all of creation anymore.'

    The atmosphere in the room filled with a tense sort of hatred, making Celissa, the sweetest of the three, quite uncomfortable. She tried not to squirm in her seat or fiddle with her fingers.

    Celissa glanced over at Vargin who was seated to her right, trying to take note of how she kept her elegant posture, how she watched Huiden with avid interest, and how she responded with a dispassionate nod of her chin. A pause laden with tension ensued, before Vargin finally broke the silence

    'So, in light of this, Huiden has found something.' She raised her eyebrows pointedly at Huiden encouraging him to continue instead of stewing in his hatred.

    Huiden cleared his throat before speaking, 'I found a way to Erdil, Celissa. It's so simple! All this time we thought there was no way, but there is, and I am the key.'

    This was so much greater than Celissa could have hoped for. The juiciest tale of all time is unfolding before my eyes, and on a Tuesday! Who would've thought such a thing was possible? She leaned forward, unable to contain her excitement.

    'Wow! How does it work?' she asked.

    'We need to be together, all those who want to be involved. We need some sort of excuse for us spending copious amounts of time together.' Huiden said.

    'Here's how I see it happening.' Huiden's embittered heart seeped with poisonous hate and it showed on his face as he spoke.

    'We will gather, at a specific spot that we've recently discovered. It's some sort of dark, blind spot. There's something about it.' Huiden tapped his chin out of habit as he wondered.

    'I think Vargin could show you hereafter?' he posed the idea to Vargin with an enquiring expression.

    Vargin nodded her agreement and so Huiden continued.

    'We will gather nearby it. When the Fathers call me up, I will report to them as I always do. This is where you come in Celissa.' Huiden pointed at her as he spoke. It made him look purposeful and determined.

    'We need you to work with Gorst and cause some drama in Erdilly and Träumenil planes of existence. This news will thus occupy a large chunk of time as I show it to the Fathers.'

    'The rest of us will use The Way, a favour or two that a Mage owes us, and the blind spot to travel to Erdil. At the last minute, I will slip away, following the rest through a window to Erdil.' Huiden's hand gestures were becoming extravagant and passionate now, and he nearly knocked over a flower pot as his hand flew through the air, depicting his escape.

    Celissa was absolutely overcome by her excitement. It was so wrong, but so temptingly delectable. The idea of opposing the Father's will and escaping Götteril made her heart flutter.

    'This is great,' Celissa whispered.

    'It's great!' she leapt from her chair, squealing again. 'Just imagine! Being the commander of your own fate, even for just a day... It would be so... Refreshing!' 

© Joy Cronjé 2015