Chapter Text
Kingdom of Otonokizaka, Ayase Castle
When Eli returned to the castle and sneaked the brew in under the cover of night, she immediately rushed to her sister’s room to give Alisa a dose.
She cradled her sister’s head as she fed a spoonful of the golden brew, making sure not to waste a drop. After that was the wait. Long, uneventful, tense. She sat beside her sibling for hours in the candlelight, almost forgetting to breath half the time, but it was worth. Alisa’s breathing evened out and she opened her eyes.
Eli questioned her at once. “Alisa? Alisa, how do you feel?”
Alisa squinted in the low light, her movements slow, drained. “Sis?” Her voice croaked. She reached up to touch Eli’s knee, Eli meeting her halfway to grab her hand.
“I’m right here, Alisa. I need you to tell me how you feel.”
Alisa blinked, gaze wandering, as though seeing her room for the first time. “I feel… warm.” She sighed and closed her eyes, expression peaceful. “It’s really warm.” And she fell back to sleep.
Alisa was going to get better, Eli was sure of it. That was all that mattered as she passed out at her sister’s bedside.
The next morning was hardly easier. Because of her absence, Kousaka did not greet Eli as he usually did in his usual gruff way. The grayed instructor took one look at the bags under her eyes and her scratched up face and said with all the caring and understanding in the world, “You look like crap, little lady.”
“I feel like it, sir.”
“My granddaughter’s got more sense than you, y’know. Least she warns me before she runs right into the unknown.” He huffed, a sign he had been lonely but was not going to say. “Don’t think I’m gonna take it easy on ya just ‘cause you went and hurt yourself. You got lost time to make up for.”
She had expected this, and took her punishment with grace. She held her head high and said, “Wouldn’t dream of it, sir.”
It was not easy earning Kousaka’s forgiveness. One of the first lessons he taught her was “diligence breeds strength, neglect breeds laziness”. As his only pupil, despite having achieved knighthood by the age of twenty, he liked still liked to help her hone the skills necessary of a knight by always keeping an eye on her progress, doting on her. And by dote, Eli meant torture.
Seven days - seven long, grueling days - of double drills, regiments, and chores in what he dubbed ‘hell week’ was what it took for him to forgive her. He would yell as she ran errands for the castle staff and ran drills with the other knights. He would observe her with a critical eye during individual practice, criticizing her whenever he spotted a hair out of place. It was exhausting, but Eli knew it was his way of showing he cared. Been that way since she was six.
In the week Kousaka ran her ragged, Alisa had been causing trouble. She began to invade the kitchens and bother the kitchen staff for solid foods rather than the mush she had been spoon-fed for years. With her strength returned, lessons had resumed, but nothing she learned or did was good enough unless it was under the sun.
Occasionally she would try to sneak out of bed for ‘a quick walk’ in the halls or the gardens at all times of the day when she supposed to be resting. Which was fine to Eli, she encouraged it even, but it gave the servants a scare when they saw her in the moonlight. She never blamed her sister for missing the outside, well aware of the days Alisa would stare forlornly out the window from the bed Eli moved so she could see the stars at night. But her thin frame draped in white wandering the castle corridors or the rose gardens in the late hours spread rumors of ghosts throughout the servant quarters. Alisa thought that was hilarious - and though it was unspeakably incredible to see her laughing again, Eli still asked her to stop going out at night.
By the end of the second week, the discoloration completely disappeared from Alisa’s fingers, the color migrating to her cheeks instead in a beautiful rose tint that looked the best when she smiled. Eli enjoyed the sight by joining her sister on one of her walks after another day of intense drills. Her arms were sore, but she forgot them easily as she relaxed to the familiar smells of lamp oil and baked goods as they strolled halls Alisa hadn’t seen in years. They would pass suits of armor that Alisa greeted with the shake of an armored hand as though saying hello to old friends.
Along the way, she commented on the state of the castle, bringing forth everything she found wrong with it.
“Why is everything so gray? I don’t remember the tapestries looking so lackluster before. When was the last time this hallway was cleaned? Or even used? And the light! There’s hardly any in here.” Alisa flitted to one of the many draped windows to push away the heavy cloth and let in the sun. Dust flurried around her, but she hardly noticed. The glass dyed reds and greens on her skin as she breathed in deep, soaking in the colors. “That’s better.”
Eli chuckled as Alisa sneezed from the dust flying up her nose. “I think Papa’s become fond of dark spaces.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Alisa faced her, eyes narrowed. Her older sister’s fear of the dark was hardly a secret between them.
“Well… not exactly,” Eli admitted weakly, turning away. “You know how he is.”
“How he’s become,” Alisa corrected. “You haven’t talked to him yet, have you?”
“No. There hasn’t been any time. I’m supposed to see him today though. It’s just been hard lately to schedule any time. The city guard has been starting fights with some of the knights and it’s gotten too far out of hand. The fighting has spread anxiety to the citizens, and they’ve become caught in the crossfire. I’ve been assigned to help prevent riots. And that’s not to mention the reports from the south requesting help with the drought...”
“Excuses, more like,” Alisa interjected with a knowing comment, “Must be contagious.”
Eli tapped the hilt of her sword with a finger, eyeing her sister curiously. “Since when did you have such a smart mouth?”
Alisa shrugged and resumed down the hall, letting the light in through every window along the way. “In my experience, big sis, there are only three things one can do when bedridden with a seemingly incurable ill and forced to swallow that horrid gruel every day.”
She was never going to let that go, was she?
“Boiled oats aren’t that bad.”
“No, but would it have killed anyone to at least add some butter? Blueberries, maybe? I thought they were the royal chefs for a reason!” Alisa exclaimed as she forcefully threw open another curtain. Unfortunately for her, she stood on the excess of cloth, leading her to almost push herself over and tear the curtain at the same time.
It took some effort for Eli not to laugh as she watched her sister struggle. “What are these three things?”
Finished with the curtained mess, Alisa regained her smile. “You can either sleep, read, or…” She twirled around, the hem of her dress billowing like clouds around her bare ankles. “Gossip.”
Eli mouthed a silent ‘Ah’ as Alisa went on, “The maids are never quiet. Sometimes they’ll talk when they think I’m sleeping and they tidy around my chamber. Sometimes I’ll ask them how the kingdom is doing and their answers can be… hard to believe. Though after hearing your ‘excuses’ I know they were not false.”
The resolute look in her eye befitted that of a princess. It was hard to believe Alisa was not a little girl anymore.
“How is Papa really, Eli?”
The hardened wood of her sword’s hilt was a solid comfort under Eli’s gloved fist. She could not lie to her sister. “He’s been… busy. He’s burying himself in his work. I think something is bothering him, but I don’t know what. He locks himself away in his study and rarely comes out, even to see the citizens on days the gates are open. I hardly see him myself, but what I have seen can be… concerning.”
Alisa pattered over and put an understanding hand over Eli’s, loosening her white-knuckled grip on the weapon, smiling encouragingly. “Do you want me to accompany you when you see him? We can speak to him together.”
As tempting as the offer was, Eli shook her head and summoned her best smile. “No, you should go rest. It’s hardly been a few weeks since your recovery.”
“Not that again,” Alisa scoffed, dropped their hands, and turned away with her arms crossed. “You sound just like the maids. I’m fine now. You don’t have to nanny me on my walks.”
“I know you’re excited Alisa, but please take it easy.” She pouted even as Eli looped their arms together and led them back down the hall toward Alisa’s room. “Come on, good princesses need their medicine and beauty sleep.”
“It’s hardly evening,” Alisa protested.
“By the time you change and join Papa and me in the dining hall, it’ll be well past time for dinner. It’s been so long since we all ate together, so you need to get ready! And then you need to take your medicine. You’re almost through with the bottle, right?”
Eli felt Alisa relax as she fell into step beside her and tighten the hold on her arm. “Almost. That brew really is a miracle. You’ll have to bring Nozomi here one day so I can thank her in person. I’d like to meet her.”
The tale of how Eli obtained the medicine had been an obsession of Alisa’s since the day she told her, the younger constantly badgering her about the adventure. No detail was spared. Fairy tales had been a common thread their mother wove for them before bed as children, and both sisters adored the lore of ancient beings and forgotten worlds. Born with nature’s blessing, gifted with earth’s energy, the two as little girls spent hours reconstructing the fantasy of witches, unaware that one, alive and well, dwelled in the western forest. Naturally, Alisa yearned for the chance to meet her.
“I’ll talk to her about coming here the next time I see her,” Eli acquiesced, “Would that make you happy?”
Alisa’s pout returned with a vengeance, her arm choking Eli’s in a weak threat. “I would be happier if I came with you.”
Eli laughed, patting her sister’s arm to release her hold. “You know it would be suspicious if you suddenly went missing. At least I can make an excuse. I promise, next time I’ll try to bring you with me.”
“It’s a promise then.”
They made it to Alisa’s bed chamber. With the time to part closing in, Alisa surprised the knight with a hug. Those thin arms, just two weeks ago barely able to hold themselves aloft, held on tight before letting go.
“See you at dinner,” Alisa said her farewells, the door shutting heavily after her.
Then Eli was alone.
She supposed it was time to face the dragon in its den rather than delay the inevitable. As she made her way through the cool corridors, she appreciated how bright they’d become. Crystals embedded in the colored windows painted the walls and shone light on the polished armor suits the two had passed earlier. Alisa always did know how to brighten up a room, even if it was just by being there. Pity Eli couldn’t stay long to enjoy the effects.
The throne room came up sooner than she liked. She nodded to the guards posted to either side of the entrance and held her hand to the large wooden door, pausing to stare at the cracked frame. Her hand buzzed against the wood, but by no fault of the door. Her nerves were shot, and she couldn’t stop shaking.
The guards shared puzzled looks, the one to her left daring to ask, “Are you alright, princess?”
Startled from her thoughts, Eli hastily said, “I’m fine, thank you,” and bit her lip. She pushed the door in and stepped inside.
The first thing Eli noticed was the quiet. If not for the hushed whispers from the advisors, Eli would have wondered if she had interrupted a vigil. She might as well have from the expression on her father’s face.
King Ayase was the ashes of what was once a man. The vibrant blonde hair that had been passed to his daughters was now a faded gray upon which sat a heavy crown. It looked too big for his brow, furrowed at the discussion before him, shadowing features that sunk into his face as though he had not slept in years.
His blue eyes, dull and unfocused, looked up from the discussion at the sound of rusted hinges, a small light rekindling in them when they saw her.
“Eli,” His voice was strong as ever, successfully booming across the room to capture all attention.
“Father.” Eli maintained decorum and bowed her head. “You wished to see me?”
“Yes, yes. That I did. Ladies, gentlemen, if you would allow me a moment with my daughter.”
When the advisors passed her after paying their respects and saying their goodbyes, Eli felt comfortable enough to drop formalities.
“It’s good to see you, Papa.”
The cape around his shoulders seemed to weigh him down as he descended from the throne, approaching her with leaden steps. “How long has it been, Eli? A few days? A week?”
She smiled weakly. “Several weeks, actually. I have a lot to tell you about.”
The king furrowed his brow, a look of apology written across his face. “Really? Those reports from the southern colonies must have kept me longer than I thought. How the time flies. You really must tell me everything, absolutely everything.” He put his arm around her shoulders and led her toward the thrones, sitting in one and beckoning toward the other. “Sit, sit. It’s been so long. Have you been doing? Has knighthood treated you well?”
Eli sat herself, humoring her father. It was nice to see some interest from him, though he still looked weary; he must have been able to sleep a little better recently. “I’ve been doing fine. Kousaka has been rough, but fair. The knight commanders have been satisfied with my performance as a fighter, so I think I have been accepted well enough.”
He nodded, maybe too enthusiastically, as though he were in a rush. “That’s my girl. Fierce as her old man and twice as strong. The castle staff say Alisa, too, has been doing well. Thanks to you?”
“She has, but it’s thanks to Nozomi, actually.”
Her father frowned at the unfamiliar name. “Nozomi? Who is that?”
“A woman I met a few weeks ago. She lives in Verdant Forest, just west of here.”
King Ayase’s eyes flickered, a finger tapping against his leg, frown deepening. She had his full attention now. “Verdant? Is that where you went when the knights reported you missing? What were you doing out there? You know our people stay away for a reason.”
Eli quickly answered, “I know, Papa. But Alisa wasn’t getting any better and I wanted to do something. I had to. And it worked, Papa, it really did. I found Nozomi, and she and her weird cat helped me and gave me medicine and it brought Alisa back.”
She looked her father in the eye, the same blue as hers. “Isn’t that what matters?”
The king fell silent, his gaze unwavering.
“Yes, yes I suppose it is.” His features softened slightly, reaching out to clasp her hand. “I apologize, it’s been difficult ruling the kingdom as of late. Civil unrest has been sprouting between the people and the knights. The southern colonies have reported multiple complications, asking for help, and I try, Eli. I try. I’m to protect the people, but I can’t do that even for my daughters. Hearing about this now… I can’t help but be worried for you. I’m glad you came back safe. Though, this Nozomi woman… what is her purpose for living in the forest?”
It was rare seeing him like this, showing anything besides dismissal and cold disdain; Eli couldn’t help but smile. “To protect herself, I think.” She squeezed his hand back, her voice lowering in her excitement, “Because she’s a witch. They’re real! Witches are actually real, and she’s been there all along. She was just like mother said. I could hardly believe it.”
“A witch?” His voice hardened, questions piercing. “Are you sure? You’re sure she is a witch?”
“Of course, I saw it with my own eyes.”
“I see…” His hand slipped away, expression thoughtful. “Thank you, Eli. I’m glad Alisa is well again. I am afraid I must call my advisors back in. There is a recent complication in the southern colonies that simply cannot wait.”
Eli stood with the king, head bowed in farewell. “Of course, Papa. I will see you at dinner. Alisa will be joining us tonight, so it should be an eventful evening.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” He stopped Eli’s leave with a hand on her shoulder. Heavy, purposeful. “And Eli, please, for your own safety, do not return to Verdant.”
Eli froze, eyes glued to her father’s hand, unable to look at him. “Of course.”
One month later, Verdant Forest
Sometimes, Eli liked to pretend that she was hard of hearing. She cast away the warnings of her father to return to Verdant Forest once again. There was no way she was not going to investigate the strange occurrences happening within without seeing it through to the end.
The wood was as Eli left it all those weeks ago - just as creepy and dark as she remembered. The first step, however, was much easier this time. When she thought about what lie inside, there was no hesitation. However, it did little to abate the fear.
“It’ll be okay. It’s not scary.” Eli breathed, trying to calm the initial unease that buzzed in her belly with Kousaka’s technique. It worked the first time, no reason it wouldn’t again.
One, two, one, two - she counted the rhythm of her feet as she trekked deeper into the forest to distract herself until the light filtered in through the canopy once more, like it did before. The atmosphere was hardly changed. Bent back branches and shy fauna adjusted to her intrusion, the sounds of the forest slowly coming back as she walked. The familiar pattern put Eli at ease, making her believe for a second that she could get through this and be at Nozomi’s cabin in no time at all.
Until she realized she forgot about the fog.
Without the distraction of dazzling bugs, the change in the air was noticeable, almost immediate, the fog rolling in thick clouds to cover the landscape. It slipped Eli’s mind to ask Nozomi how to bypass it, so she rooted herself there, waiting, waiting. For what, she couldn’t say, but it gave her a chance to think until she remembered.
“That’s right… She saw me last time.” Eli collected herself, took a deep breath and yelled, “Nico! Are you there?”
Silence.
“Nico, please!”
The continued silence crept along slowly. Eli wondered if she really was alone in the fog, no one to help her, no one to hear. Maybe Nico had been an illusion, and she was here on a fool’s errand, destined to live her life amongst the trees.
That’s what she thought, at least, until a disgruntled yowl at her feet nearly gave her a heart attack. Her knees crumpled from under her to sit her on the hard earth, the cat skittering out of the way.
Eli clutched at her chest, tunic clenched tightly in her fist, breathing heavily when she saw who showed up. “Was that really necessary?”
Nico looked at her flatly. Whether out of haste or spite, the cat alarmed Eli by turning tail and disappearing into the fog.
“Wait!”
Nico seemed to have an issue with that word, hardly slowing down enough for the knight to catch up and follow her through the haze. While stumbling after the feline, the ground beneath her, once the hard, dirt trodden path of past men, shifted to green grass that mellowed out onto the familiar soil of the flower lined road Eli found the first time.
The curved path to the glen was the same, the cabin as she remembered. Eli let out a ragged breath, glad she made it in decent condition this time. Nico looked to her expectantly, waiting.
Not knowing what else to do, she said, “Thank you, Nico.”
The cat flicked its tail with what sounded like a grumble as she stalked away to the back of the cabin, disappearing within the foliage without so much as a glance. Eli stared after her for a bit, wondering for a brief moment what cats did in a forest. It was none of her concern, she concluded, striding up the creaking steps to the door. All that mattered was that she was finally here again.
“Nozomi?” Eli shouted at the wood, knocking lightly. “It’s Eli.”
A quiet breeze was her only answer. Was she out? Considering how Nico brought her here, that couldn’t be right.
As she thought about what to do next, a muffled shriek erupted from somewhere in the back of the cabin, a dull thump following shortly after.
Fearing the worse, Eli leapt into action, trying the knob of the door to find no lock. Unfortunately, it was flimsier than she thought, the frame splintering on impact with the wall when Eli flung it open, but that could be dealt with later. A glance around the main room revealed nothing beyond a noticeable decrease in jars, but that was less of a concern. She went to one of the two doors in the back, knocking on the one she believed to be the witch’s room.
“Nozomi? Are you okay?” A low groan sounded from the other side. Positive she was in there, Eli called again, “I’m coming in.”
What greeted her inside was a mess to take in. As Eli thought, the room served as a bedroom with an armoire on the far side, a vanity close to the door, and a bed in the center buried by a mountain of pillows, some scattered on the floor and piled on top of the bundle struggling in the knotted sheets. Above the bed was an open window, the sill sitting a smug looking Nico with a live mouse struggling in her mouth.
Eli crept over to the witch, the sleeves of her nightgown askew and her hair mussed from the tumble, and asked again, “Uh… Nozomi? Are you okay?”
Nozomi paused in her struggle to huff away a strand of hair from her face, her annoyed green eyes looking up to the window. “No. I’m not. That was unnecessary, Nico.”
Nico made a sound like a laugh, then jumped from the window to the outside, gone.
Eli offered her hand down to the fallen woman. “What did she do?”
Nozomi sighed, took the offered hand and pulled herself up, trying her best not to trip on the sheets still constricting her feet. She kicked away at them, transferring her hand to Eli’s shoulder for balance as she replied, “When I nap too long, Nico likes to bother me by dropping mice in my bed. She knows I don’t like things wiggling around me when I’m sleeping. It’s creepy when I can’t see what it is.”
Eli shivered at the thought. “Agreed.”
Free of her linen prison, Nozomi turned her attention back to Eli, eyeing her.
“You’re back. I’m surprised; I didn’t think you would come.”
“A knight keeps their word,” Eli answered honestly, puffing out her chest with pride. She bowed her head. “My sister is well again thanks to you, and I will do whatever I can to repay you.”
Nozomi’s smile was soft, almost relieved. Despite her confidence last they spoke, she must have been hoping her medicine had worked after all. “That’s great. I’m so happy for you and your sister. You look better yourself. Didn’t run into any more trees on the way here?”
The flat look on Eli’s face elicited a full-blown laugh from the witch.
“Sorry, sorry, I couldn’t resist,” She said, changing the topic, “You came to help, then?”
“As promised.” Eli humored her with another bow. “I’m at your service.”
Nozomi clapped her hands together excitedly. “Great! Give me a moment to clean up and gather some supplies and we can go. There are a few things I had been meaning to get around to, and what better time than now?”
Nozomi spun Eli around and swept her quickly out the exit. “Just wait out there.”
Stunned by the sudden leave, Eli heard the door slam behind her before she could get a word out. “Uh... I’ll be outside then.”
When she heard a distant shout of acknowledgement, she returned to the outdoors. It was a strange thought, being a witch’s assistant for the day, but Eli would be lying if she said she did not share in Nozomi’s excitement.
The forest was a strange place with many a secret. For years people had avoided it, told tall tales of dark creatures and ancient beings wielding unearthly power with only a wish to harm humans. So far Eli had yet to see a hint of truth to it, and she wondered why.
It was not for the sake of knowing either, but to learn, to understand the world that lived so close to home that she never knew about. She figured Nozomi could be counted amongst those mysteries, and oh did she have questions for her, questions that burned the tip of her tongue. Where did witches really originate from? Were there many or were there few witches left? How did Nozomi come to be here with only Nico? How did magic work? Was there such a thing as bad magic? Had that caused Alisa’s illness? What other fairy tales were real?
But Eli held off on asking. She believed it best to take her time; they had plenty of it. If she was meant to know something, she would find out eventually. The mystery was too tempting to leave be without answers.
As the knight waited, she felt with creeping anxiety the feeling of being watched. A scan of the area showed nothing, until she heard a slight rustle from above that snapped her head toward the sky. There, up in a tree on the fat end of a branch, sat the culprit. Nico stared down at her like a dark sentry, tail swishing along the wood.
Eli relaxed, gave her a meek wave. “Hello again, Nico. Fine day, isn’t it?”
She felt silly, talking to a cat, but it was outmatched by her surprise when the the feline nodded. The intelligence it possessed made Eli wonder what secrets even Nico held. What would cats say if they could speak?
Apparently it was, “Try not to do anything stupid.”
Nico slid from her branch to land on the ground, strolling across the glen as Eli watched, speechless.
“You act like you’ve never seen a cat before.” Somehow, Nico had a smug undertone to her voice, like she was proud of her comment.
“You can talk,” Eli stated dumbly as Nico began to circle her. “How is that possible?”
Nico did what Eli guessed was the closest to a shrug a cat could make. “Magic makes the improbable probable. Why question it?”
“Because,” She crouched to better inspect the black furball, blue eyes sparkling with renewed wonder as she gaped in awe. “It’s just… so amazing. You can talk! And magic makes that possible? It’s like a dream. How come you didn’t say anything before?”
“To see the look on your face. Although I’m surprised you’re taking it so well.” Now Eli knew for sure that was a smirk on Nico’s muzzle. Her eyes became serious, narrowing as she propped her paws on Eli’s knees to bring herself up face to face with the knight. “Remember what I told you. This forest can be a dangerous place if you don’t know how to handle yourself. Nozomi will be with you, but even she can slip up. Do what she tells you.”
Eli met her gaze, voice even. “I will. You have nothing to worry about, Nico.”
“I should hope not.” The cat scoffed and went back to her tree, climbing the trunk quickly with sharpened claws and staring down with glaring red eyes. “Don’t think I won’t be watching.”
Her black pelt melted into the shadows, and then she was gone.
“That was pleasant.” Eli muttered to herself.
“What was?”
Without Eli realizing, Nozomi had finished preparations for their outing. Around her shoulders was a dark hooded cloak to hide a brown and white dress unlike the green she wore before. Whereas the green dress was for show and personal use, Eli noted this one was something easy to move and work in, a hint to the day ahead. A satchel rested against her hip, the contents jingling oddly inside. She had tied her hair into a braid that fell down her back, same as the one she wore before.
“Nothing.” Eli looked back to the tree to check if Nico was still there. “Nico and I exchanged a few words is all. She wanted to be sure I didn’t hurt myself again.”
“She finally revealed herself?” Nozomi shook her head. Her voice was calm, but Eli thought she heard a hint of fondness, “She’s more trouble than she’s worth. Always acting like a mother hen. By the way, did you do something to the door?”
Eli tensed up, quickly looking away. “I uh… I didn’t mean to break it. I was just trying to see if you were okay. I’ll repair it for you if you like.”
Rather than anger, Nozomi’s voice was matter of fact, prompting Eli to look to her. “It’s fine. I already fixed it. Lucky for me you didn’t shatter it completely. Repairing minor splints are much easier with wood. However, if I could ask you not to break anything else in my house?”
The note of amusement at the end of her question eased the guilt slightly, though Eli still felt responsible. She said earnestly, “Of course. I mean, I’ll try. And I’ll definitely try to make it up to you.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” Nozomi smiled, then looked up to the sky, noting the sun climbing closer to its highest point. “We should get going.”
Eli nodded, waiting for Nozomi to lead the way. Instead, where she expected Nozomi to lead them through the glen, the witch knelt down, touching two fingers to her lips before pressing them into the earth and murmuring something too softly to hear. Whatever it was, Eli was sure it was not their native tongue.
Curious, Eli asked, “What are you doing?”
“A ritual of gratitude before we go.” The wind blew through the glen as Nozomi rose, lightly ruffling the witch’s hair like an affectionate parent. “I like to do it before leaving. The earth gives so much, so I think it’s only right to say thank you.”
“I see…” Eli tapped her finger on the hilt of her sword as she stared the ground, hesitant, thoughtful. Slowly, she knelt down and copied Nozomi’s actions, fingers digging into the cool soil. “Thank you, earth. For not… killing me last I was here. You certainly know how to make a maze out of fog. And a sturdy tree.”
A sharp breath reached Eli’s ears, and when she looked up she discovered Nozomi trying to hide a laugh behind her hand but failing terribly. Eli huffed and quickly stood, looking anywhere but at Nozomi. “What? I thought I’d say thanks.”
“That’s fine. Just interesting. Don’t worry, I won’t judge,” Nozomi said between giggles.
Once her laughs left her, Nozomi walked to the edge of the glen, beckoning for Eli to follow as the greenery swallowed her within its branches and brambles. When Eli did, she discovered an old footpath hidden in the shadows of the trees leading down, down, down into the heart of the forest. From further ahead, Nozomi waved to her.
“This way, Eli!”
She jogged to catch up, falling into step beside Nozomi. The quivering boughs overhead had begun to shed red leaves as they walked, giving the forest the look of autumn rather than the height of summer. They created a carpet beneath their feet, the silence comfortable between them.
“So, what am I helping you with?” Eli asked, too curious to let the quiet last.
A knowing look Eli was not sure she liked accompanied Nozomi’s words, “You’ll see. I wouldn’t ask you to do something I couldn’t, so it will be a simple job. Your help will just make it easy and fast.”
Eli nodded. Seemed fair enough. “Are we going far?”
“Far enough, but close.” Her cryptic answer was not reassuring, though her smile was friendly. “You’ll understand when we get there. It’ll be fun!”
Eli hoped her own smile did not look as nervous as she felt. Flags were raised in her mind, warning Eli to turn around, to leave this place and never come back. But similar to the first time she stepped into Verdant, she ignored those feelings. Her journey had worked out in the end, and she owed Nozomi. So despite the skin-crawling chill the woods had a habit of giving her she would place her trust in Nozomi. For now.
The footpath led them to a small spring that ended in a rippling pool. Water so clear Eli could have mistaken it for glass lapped at the lip of the earth, cool and inviting. She followed Nozomi to the reason they were here - the large circle drawn in the ground from stones at the side of the spring, no bigger than five steps in diameter. The stones were ringed at perfect intervals around several bigger boulders with runes Eli didn’t recognize seared into their faces. The runes glowed faintly as Nozomi approached.
Eli stopped just short of the ring. Now that she was close enough, she saw that the outer stones had runes inscribed into them too. “What is this?”
Nozomi walked right through, gesturing for Eli to do the same as she explained, “It’s a portal. It can take us anywhere where there is another portal with this particular character in the middle of it.” She pointed to the central boulder, the largest of the bunch, that displayed a rune different from the others. “Normally, it would take from dawn ‘till dusk to walk where we’re going, but this will take us there faster than you can blink.”
Eli frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s like a bridge,” Nozomi held up her arms to demonstrate, the tips of her fingers pointed toward one another as she slowly tapped them together. “Connecting one part of the world to another. The rune in the center acts as a beacon and an anchor so we can find our way through the chaos of energy that thrives in this world. The smaller runes around it are wards so animals stay away and flora will avoid growing over it.”
It sounded surreal, but after witnessing her sister return from the brink of death and conversing with a talking cat, Eli was willing to go along with it.
She cautiously stepped into the circle, an airy hum filling the air around her as she did, hushed voices tickling the back of her mind with words she had never heard, the stones glowing brighter. The knight stood just close enough to the witch to feel safe from the voices, her own a whisper, “Incredible.”
“Isn’t it?” Nozomi looked to her. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
The witch laughed at the childlike excitement in Eli’s voice. Without another word, she lifted an arm and spread her fingers, mumbling again in that other language. The circle reacted strongly, dispelling the voices, intensifying the brightness of the stones to make Eli squint. Before Nozomi sent them off, Eli heard her say one more thing.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Make sure to keep your eyes closed or they’ll melt in their sockets.”
Then she waved her hand, the two disappearing in a burst of light.