Stormchild: Emeline and the Forest Mage

31 Path

"The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men."

~Abrey Lincholm, Lois

Götteril

    'Celissa!' Vargin called out, waving her one hand around in the air with the same grace that a queen would.

    Celissa smiled. She liked Vargin, even though their callings were so vastly different.

    'Hi!' she waved back, her hand flopping in the air like a flag. She thought of herself as the most awkward, embarrassing Immortal to be around, and her ridiculous flopping hand affirmed that idea.

    'My friend,' Vargin said lovingly, in her elegant voice, 'I have the best news!'

    They stood together now, on a lush green pasture. Celissa's willow tree swayed gently behind her in the supernatural breeze and little white flowers were scattered throughout the landscape. Vargin doodled with one flower in her hand as she spoke.

    'Oh! Wonderful!' Celissa danced excitedly. 'I love news!'

    Her bare toes wriggled in the lush grass and she did a quirky little jig. Awkward as always.

    'I know you do, precious Celissa.' Vargin smiled knowingly, inwardly criticizing Celissa's naivety.

    Vargin tickled her lower lip with a petal from one of the tiny white flowers.

    'That's why I came straight to you!' she said.

    'Is it a tale from Erdil? Celissa asked excitedly. Vargin shook her head slightly.

    'Träumenil?' Celissa asked, clinging to Vargin's shoulders and bouncing like an excited teenager.

    The pitch of Celissa's voice rose with each syllable. Vargin gave her a knowing look, one that told Celissa all she needed to know.

    'From here?' Celissa squealed.

    She could not contain her excitement anymore. The Fathers had created her with a great passion for stories and it surfaced at moments like these. Celissa leapt into the air, her white dress flowing gracefully about her perfect legs. Her hair whipped up into the wind and rainbow colours shone on random surfaces all around her. She was floating! She felt ecstatic with wonder. Slowly, she drifted back down. Her toes touched the ground gently and she sighed.

    'I'm ready,' she said, looking at Vargin expectantly.

    'Alright.' Vargin leaned closer, hiding her words with her hand as she whispered into Celissa's ear. 'We found a way out. You know, a way to change the path.'

    Celissa giggled. She couldn't help it. A way out! It sounded so enticing. It sounded absolutely impossible. She frowned, looking Vargin in the face. They were barely an inch apart.

    'But, how?' she whispered.

    Vargin licked her lips lasciviously. 'You're going to love it, my friend. Come have a look.'

    She grabbed Celissa's hand, tugging her. 'Come on.'

    They ran amicably past enormous, brightly coloured feathers that towered high above their heads, past the lake of gathering and through a misty waterfall of lilac vapours. After a good long run, they slowed down. The brothers' residence came into view. It was a grand white palace with graceful, tall towers. It was unlike any castle in all creation. The towers started off an inch wide, balancing on one tiny tip each, which lightly touched the ground. At each tower's highest point, it widened into a colossal round room, though truthfully these rooms were so massive that entire homes could easily fit into each of them. The entire 'room' was made of completely translucent material. Roof, round walls and floor were completely transparent. The effect was dizzying.