Ali was aghast did she have magic? It would explain many things, but it was hard to just except. Magic wasn't real, was it? She had just seen Atrum use some kind of illusion was it magic? There really was no other explanation for everything that had happened. Ali shook her head it was a question that would take more time to answer, time she really didn't have right now.
Motioning for Mr. Healer no it was Protector Atrum she thought as she walked closer to Willow. Should she let him heal her daughter, could he? The questions just spilled out, "What herb is that and how are you proposing to heal my daughter? I am not saying I will let you touch her I am just curious."
Atrum began in his confidant commanding voice, "The Illness starts in the mind, so we want her calm and her mind strong. This herb is used to cleanse an area of negative energy you may have similar herbs. This creature brings with it negative energy it gets in our thought, it infests us with doubt, anger, and leads us to make poor choices. I will burn it while saying a word of magic. I will need to support your daughter's struggle? by placing a hand on her I can assess her health and assist her healing and the struggle with the Wighte. No harm will come to her."
Stepping closer Ali could see her daughter beginning to toss and turn looking as though she was lost in a nightmare, sweat beaded on her forehead her eyes moved rapidly under her lids. When Ali didn't protest Atrum walked closer and motioned to Willow. Ali nodded her head she would watch him closely. He spent a couple minutes moving his hand steadily over her body from her head to her toes in a circular motion before pulling them back rubbing them together and shaking them out. Using his magic, he probed the bag of stone, looking at the magical matrix within. He allowed his perception to move from the surface and begin to spiral deeper into one particular stone. The color was clear and the light bright as he neared the seed core of the stone, but as he moved closer. Suddenly, a wave of sensations overwhelmed him, tingling crawling under his skin and enveloping every nerve. Colors danced before his eyes, and fragrances of fresh grass on a moonlit night and blooming flowers on a sun-drenched field filled his nostrils. Before he could process what was happening, the tingling intensified into a surge of energy, physically throwing him backward several feet. He didn't immediately stand back up but instead sat in a lotus position on the floor with his eyes closed for a few minutes. He took the herbs he was holding earlier and removed a few leaves, then began rolling them gently in his hand while speaking in a language that Ali didn't understand.
Realizing he lacked somewhere to burn the herbs he looked at Ali and asked, “Do you have a stone bowl, or it's equivalence I can burn this herb in." Smudging will cleanse this space and hopefully keep that from happening again?”
Ali was still shocked by what had just happened and stuttered, “You mean the thing where you are throw across the room? What was that? Will that energy harm Willow? How do we stop it?" She knew she was babbling but she had never seen anything like it before.
Atrum feeling like he was talking to a child just sighed and spoke as calmly and as clearly as he could, "Please the bowl then I will heal Willow. The energy is part of her magical defenses and tells me she is fighting and using her magic. Further explanations can come later when we all are somewhere safe."
Ali handed the strange man a stone with a slight curve which gave it a bowl like shape and with a wave of a finger a small flame began to dance happily over the small ball of herbs which he placed in the bowl. He quickly moved the smoke around the room with another wave of his hand and Ali watched in awe as the smoke swirled in the air above Willow then following his hand it returned to him. He spoke a few more words too quiet to hear clearly, then threw the ball of smoke at Willows head. The smoke disappeared as if soaking into her. Willow calmed immediately after her encounter with the strange smoke.
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Then motioning to the now calm girl Atrum asked, " Please remove any stones, jewelry or trinkets she might be carrying. They may interfere with my healing."
Ali smoothed some stray hair from her daughter's brow, kissed her head gently before removing her leather bag of stones. Checking her pockets, she removed three stones and a handful of mint she must have collected. She held the items out toward Atrum.
Atrum nodded, “Interesting." is all he said as he used his magic to probe the items and got the same buzzing proceeding him being knocked to the floor and motioned Ali to keep it.
He gently placed his hand on the girl's forehead before he began chanting in a musical cadence. Instantly, his mind expanded, scenes flashing before his eyes. He glimpsed fragments of the girl's life. He saw her find the stone in the garden; he saw her disappear in the woods and panic; he saw her circle her stones and sing for a sick girl and he saw from her point of view the physical battle with the Wighte. As amazing as that was none of it caught his attention like the scene before him now. He began moving closer and watched as a radiant goddess rose into the air, her figure small, dainty and defiant. She stood three feet off the ground, back straight and head held high, radiating confidence as a pure light it was an astonishing sight. There was no physical force involved; instead, a potent, resonating song filled the air, growing louder as he approached. Atrum studied the situation, observing the worn-out Wighte struggling to move. He marveled at the girl's skills, realizing that she might even defeat it with the power of her light and song. His own teacher had used vocals in magic, but he had never excelled in that particular form of power. After searching for an apprentice for years, he knew she would be an exceptional candidate. Assessing her energy, he determined that she needed to be taught control sooner rather than later using energy like this could burn the girl out. But how would he convince her mother to send her child to another reality? Gathering his power, he knew he needed to help end this to preserve the child, he willed into existence a whirling ball of fire and focusing his power added energy into it until it was large enough to fully engulf the Wighte, then he hurled it at the creature. The flames surrounded what was left of the weakened monster and it instantly caught fire. The weakened Wighte let out a soul torturing howl as it vanished in a great puff of smoke. He saw the girl turn toward him smile in triumph and wave right before he pulled his hand away from her forehead. Head swimming, he steadied himself to prevent a fall. He couldn't help but feel a sense of joy and a tinge of envy for the girl's talent. Such power was rare even in his world. In minutes Willow sat up head covered in sweat and the moisture causing her dress to cling tightly to her skin, but her color had returned, and her eyes were bright.
Atrum looked at Ali, he now knew who healed Fern, and spoke “Your daughter is a remarkable girl she will need training and I could use an apprentice as talented.” He then looked at Willow, “You were with Fern when she woke weren’t you? You sang for her too, yes?” He was excited to hear her answer to confirm for the mother her daughter's magic.
Willow wasn’t sure where this man had come from, but he had helped her get rid of that horrible monster that killed her animals, so she answered in a raspy whisper, "It was just a song. I sing all the time.”
Atrum picked up her bag of stones from a table by the laces handing it to her, “Don’t let this out of your sight, in fact keep it on your person always it will protect you from magic and much more.”
Willow slipped the leather thong over her head and tucked the bag inside her dress. She then noticed her mom coming closer and Willow jumped up and wrapped her arms around her. Tears threatened Willow as she whispered, “I was so afraid.” “That creature killed our animals.” “I tried to save them.” She raised her head and looked at Atrum and gestured his direction,” He can throw fireballs just like the wizards in the books.”