Zerin grabbed for Willow as she jumped to her feet unexpectedly and ran toward the house. Missing Willow Zerin turned to follow racing to keep up. She reached the house managing to make her way inside, lurched sideways and began to fall as Zerin leapt forward wrapped his arms around her and then flopping to the floor as her body went limp.
Ali hearing the crashing in the front room dropped what she was doing and hurried toward the sound. Entering she saw Zerin on the floor holding Willow to his chest with a look of pain on his face. Willow was waving, thrashing and mumbling her eyes shut tight. Ali watched her daughter with concern but waited till her movements calmed before relieving Zerin of his burden and moving her to the carpet.
As she pulled a throw from a chair to cover Willow, she motioned Zerin to the Kitchen and asked," Will you heat some water while I find the herbs for tea?
Ali hoped that Willow's quiet rest meant there was nothing to worry about, but deep down she knew better. They would have to leave soon, even if Willow was still asleep. Ali gathered her things, keeping an ear out for any sounds from her daughter. Suddenly, the door slammed shut, making Ali jump. She quickly rushed to the kitchen to find out what was happening. There, she saw Zerin bringing an old man in through the back door and guiding him to a chair. The man, with slumped posture and gray hair, was wearing a sleeveless shirt and a leather belt. His torn leggings were soaked in blood, which trickled down his leg.
Zerin looked concerned, but Ali was just annoyed with this stranger and her voice said so, “What on earth is going on now! Turning to look at the stranger she asked, “Who are you? and where are you from and why are here on my farm.” Ali's eyes blazed with anger.
She didn’t understand why she was yelling at this man, but she just knew there was something off about him. This stranger was hiding something, and she didn't need anything more going on. As she looked closer at his bloodied leg, the strangest thing happened, the air shimmered then stilled and the leg was no longer injured. Startled she looked up and instead of an old man sitting in the chair there was a young man. He couldn’t have been more than about 18 years old, long brown slightly curly hair pulled back into a braid, amber colored eyes, tanned skin and a lean slightly muscled body. He wore brown loose pants tucked into high top soft leather boots, and a long loose white shirt with golden symbols around the cuffs, neck and bottom. It was tied with a colorful sash. Ali frowned at the stranger.
Atrum didn’t know what to think he just had a strange feeling, and she was a maius, could she see through his illusion?”
Sorry about the intrusion, but my horse spooked throwing me into the bushes and ran off.” Pausing, “He is a good horse, but it was understandable that he would chuck me. It was the biggest ugliest thing I have ever seen it was something to freeze the blood. I really didn’t get a good look because I also ran, but the smell was oppressive.”
Watching the woman’s eyes, he could see the spark of magic there and he was sure she wasn't buying his perfectly good story.
He needed to think but had no time, so he changed tactics. "That Creature might be back and the fire, we must get out of here. In fact, thank you so much for the help but we really should be going.”
He rose carefully to go, trying to play up the hurt leg, when he sensed the aura of the other maius on the other side of the next room toward the front door, the girl from his vision. He stopped grabbing at a cabinet and instinctively used his magic to look, listen and feel. She was a slight thing, thin as a twig, her hair was the color of gold it clung to her round face which had been sweating and was pale. He could tell she had power, but it was out of balance, and he could see dark sickly colors seeping into and swirling around her beautiful bright colors. She was fighting for her life and didn't have much time from the level of power being thrown around.
He moved till he could see into the next room acting as if he just noticed and motioned to the figure on the floor, “Maybe I could help. I am a healer after all.”
He hoped he still appeared to be an old man to avoid anyone identifying his discretions in the future. he was breaking more than one rule just passing through the wild portal.
“You are?” This man’s illusion was back but she now knew his deception. “And you can drop the act you are not injured or old.”
Zerin quickly closed his mouth; he had never heard Ali speak this way to anyone before. Stuttering he said, “What are you talking about Ali? Are you ok?”
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“No, not until I get the truth!” She declared.
Atrum dropped the illusion which brought a gasp from Zerin and a smirk from Ali, “I did not want to expose my identity I am a healer as I said I can really help." He paused wanting to be careful with his words. " I was draw here by the creature who caused the damage to your farm and possibly the injury to your child.” Taking a deep breath, he continued, “Let me take a look at her see if there is anything I can do. Then we must go the fire is not the most dangerous thing here!”
Ali saw no deception from this man now but how could she believe his claims. She had to admit to herself leaving the area was a good idea, but her daughter had not recovered. He said he was a healer that is the only reason she continued to listen to him. She didn't trust him but if he could do something for Willow, she had to try didn't she? Willow appeared to be resting, but her breathing was slightly labored, and her skin pale, so Ali knew something was not right. She asked again, “Name?”
Atrum, feeling the weight of urgency, let out a weary sigh. "I am Atrum, Master Healer, light splitter, Protector and Sovereign of the 7th realm of Terra Mana," he introduced himself, his voice carrying an air of authority. "But you can simply address me as Protector Atrum." As he spoke, his presence grew, and his aura burst forth in a dazzling display of golden light, gently diffusing her anger and irritation. She felt the desire to kneel and almost did. She saw that both Zerin and Cyan were kneeling foreheads to the floor.
Alu couldn't help but wonder if Atrum had just used his aura to influence her emotions. She tried to regain her previous feelings of anger and mistrust, but all she managed was a feeble attempt at sarcasm. "Oh, of course, Protector Atrum Master Healer," she remarked, waving her hand dismissively as if his titles meant nothing. "You must be quite the exceptional individual. I was well aware that we couldn't stay, hence why I was packing what I could. But it's not safe to move my daughter, and that's the only reason we're still here."
Atrum smiled and held out some herbs,” I can fix that if you will trust me. And you luminare, oh au, can rise.”
The herbs he held out made Ali feel better about his declaration as a healer, but her voice was still harsh, “Because people you can trust always misrepresent themselves. First you mess with my perception and then with my mind. I know everyone from around these parts, you are not from around here!”
Zerin’s worried for Willow caused him to jump in, “If he can help maybe we should let him what choice do we really have? Whatever is going on he seems to know something of it.”
Ali nodded her agreement." Maybe," she said quietly to Zerin.
She decided to test his knowledge, quizzing him about various healing plants and their properties. At first, they struggled to communicate, as the plant names Ali used were unfamiliar to Atrum. He emphasized that he healed using his powers, rarely relying on mundane herbs. However, Ali couldn't help but notice his extensive knowledge of healing plants, which both surprised and intrigued her. She had always been eager to expand her knowledge of healing, but she quickly refocused on the pressing matter at hand - Willow. Although she seemed to be resting peacefully, Ali couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, perhaps a head injury. Her instincts had proven accurate time and time again.
Atrum knew he had no choice but to be completely honest with this astute woman, so he mustered up his courage and began his explanation. "Listen closely, for what I am about to reveal is of utmost importance. My name is Atrum, a healer and protector of the people of Itza. I came here in pursuit of a creature known to my people as a Wighte. Contact with this abomination usually leads to death, but there are rare cases where the afflicted become sick in the head or unconscious instead. Only a few possess the strength of spirit and mind to recover from its grasp. They start off disoriented, losing themselves bit by bit to the insidious creature. I have witnessed many such cases and have successfully cured them; it is part of my duty. However, the Wighte has been lurking in the shadows on your world for quite some time now, afflicting others or causing them to disappear. It will continue its reign of terror until I locate and eliminate it. Allow me to examine your daughter and attempt to heal her, if I can. We cannot let the creature take your daughter and her power, if it does then even, I can’t stop it. After that if you so desire, I will leave this place, but you must understand that it is imperative for you to leave as well. The Wighte will return, mark my words. I have only managed to weaken it, and it needs time to rest before it can strike again. Normally, the Wighte only prowls the night, so with any luck, we have until then to escape this wretched place." pausing to let the seriousness of the situation register he continued, “I will need more power than I have alone to defeat it. I vow to find a way to return with help and eradicate it but it will take time.”
Ali was taken aback by this revelation; could it truly be the case? However, there was something in Atrum's words that resonated with her, a sincerity that she couldn't ignore.
"If what you say is true, then how do you explain the recovery of Willow's friend, Fern, just yesterday? She had been plagued by the sickness for over a week."
Atrum couldn't help but smile, appreciating Ali's skepticism. "Ah, magic. It exists within you, and it exists within your daughter. Fern was healed by one of you, using your own magical abilities. Consider this: you and your daughter reside here, while Fern lives elsewhere. Fern fell ill, and despite her prolonged suffering, she miraculously recovered within a day of your arrival at her home. The cure for magical maladies is magic."