The crisp, cool air of her private realm whispered around them, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. Sora’s fox ears twitched, picking up the faint sounds of the alien world that surrounded them. Despite being totally new, the path beneath their feet was well-trodden, a familiar route leading to Ember’s beautiful bonfire that she’d walked throughout the week.
Her father led the way, his steps steady and purposeful. Wendy walked beside Sora, her tanuki ears twitching nervously as her bushy tail swayed gently behind her. It made Sora smile, thinking about how she’d felt upon getting her ears and tail; her sister was probably still coming to terms with everything, including her true body being a brooch.
Sora’s gaze drifted to the magical girl brooch attached to Wendy’s silky blue dress front as she waited for her father to start whatever conversation he wanted to discuss.
It can’t be a coincidence that Aunt Rose gave me a pendant with Wendy’s real body being a brooch. What are you, Dad? Am I going to get my own unique body at some point like that when Dad’s powers awaken in me more? I think I’m starting to know more about my family and then something crazy pops up.
Her focus went to her sister’s poofy squirrel tail. And now we learn that Noelia is from two different Founder families. Is that why she can’t have kids? Maybe it was an experiment her father did that didn’t turn out well… I’ve never even heard anything about the Squirrel Founders. More mysteries. Always more questions than answers. I hope Dad has something to help us.
As they walked the wind blew her hair to the side and Sora’s vibrant copper hair caught the light, her ears perking up at the sound of Ember’s cheerful voice. The Fire Fairy hovered near Ron as he talked with the tiny woman, her form illuminated by flickering flames.
Sora waved at her, offering a reassuring smile, long overhearing their conversation before reaching them. “I’m doing okay, Ember. Thanks for asking!” she called out.
Ember waved back, her fiery wings fluttering with excitement as she zipped closer. “Lady Sora! Is that Wendy?!”
“Mhm! Why don’t you go and talk with Eyia and the others? We’re getting closer to school! Soon, you’ll be able to show me around.”
“I know!” she chimed, wings beating faster and flames growing. “I’m so nervous. Maybe this year, I’ll finally pass the test and graduate! Umm. Actually, the Avalon Academy Open House is in two days, but school starts in four… Do you want me to join you?”
“Yes, obviously!” Sora grinned, waving her off as they passed, holding her hands behind her back at the base of her swaying tail. “Talk to Eyia about it. She’ll be joining us. That will give us time to see what we need to bring and do some shopping! See you later.”
“See you later!” the Fire Fairy called out, returning the gesture before flying toward the cottage.
Ron gave them an encouraging nod as he passed them to help his wife. Wendy’s ears drew back as silence took them. The private realm’s atmosphere closed in around them, a haven of tranquility and magic, pulsing with life. It didn’t take long before they were past the bonfire, walking by the spread-out towering trees, with their unique snowflake leaves rustling in the wind.
Sora’s sharp eyes caught glimpses of hidden fairies flitting through the underbrush and just beyond sight, their presence a reminder of the Avalon enchantments that permeated this place—her personal place.
She and Wendy glanced at their dad as he finally spoke, his Irish accent a tad pronounced with his weighted words, choosing his words carefully. “So… I’m in the dark on much of this, as hard as it is for me to admit. You’ve both met Rose, correct… My…older sister?”
Hope filled Sora’s chest at finally having people to talk to about her mysterious visions and weird dreams. “Yeah! Ever since I fell unconscious after meeting Mom and turning sixteen, I’ve been seeing her black vines and thorns all over the place. No one else could see it, though! It was like she didn’t exist, like the Herald of Sakura.”
Wendy frowned, her brows furrowed while rubbing her elbow. “I’m totally new to a lot of this stuff. I don’t really know much about the Herald, other than what you’ve told me, but my meeting with Rose was so quick that it’s kind of a blur.”
Jarlath nodded, his expression turning serious as he looked at the path to the gate to Avalon. “I had a meetin’ with the Herald of Sakura…one your mother knows nothing about, Sora. Apparently, I have some deal with her predating your mom, and she told me to wait until after the ritual to talk to ya about this. Now, I can see why,” he mumbled, glancing at Wendy’s swaying tail.
As they reached the path going to Avalon, Sora stopped them, her gaze locking onto Wendy. “Wait, wait! The Herald told me that your side of the family is dangerous. After some thought, I don’t know if she meant Aunt Rose or other members of our family,” she admitted, looking back on her conversation with the purple-eyed woman inside Nihility.
She twisted around to stare at the distant elevator that would take them back to the suite. “But…I may have a way to talk to her,” she said, her face pinching a little while studying black thorns emerging out of the aether around her sister. “Is that you creating those thorns, Wendy, or is that Aunt Rose?”
Wendy hummed, not looking particularly worried by the crawling vines, millimeters from touching her skin. “It’s not mine, and I see them too. It feels like…like Auntie Rose is calling for me to talk, like a phone call or something.”
Sora followed Wendy’s gaze to their father as he rubbed his chin.
“To be honest, girls, I don’t know what to believe. The Herald only told me Rose is a pivotal figure from my past, my big sister, and that she is rebellious and intertwined with the threads of Fate… I’m not sure if she’s speaking about Fate as a person or an abstract concept as opposed to Destiny. It’s only due to the damage done to this…vessel,” he sighed, gesturing at himself, “that I am slowly awakening.”
Sora’s mouth creased to the side. “That’s tough, Dad… All I can tell you is that she, well, feels like a lonely, imprisoned woman. She’s all shadowy and thorny, has super-bright, yellow eyes that are cut into seven pieces, marble-like skin, and she’s really beautiful…in an alien kind of way. She’s also trapped by something called the Great Old Ones, whatever that means.”
Wendy’s eyes widened, her tail twitching. “That sounds terrifying. How can we help her… Shouldn’t we if she’s family?”
“I don’t know,” Sora mumbled, staring at the thin spikes surrounding her sister. “I kind of want to, but I know she’s also really dangerous… I’m also kind of dangerous, too, and Mom is, so that’s not an excuse not to. I just feel like maybe we should be careful. Right, Dad? I’m not sure about the Herald either, to be honest.”
He nodded, seemingly deep in thought, as he took in their discussion.
Wendy perked up while trying to grab the swirling vines around her with a small smile. “She said we were in something called Nihility or the Null-Void. Personally, from these vines and my talk with her, she seemed really sad, gentle even, and curious about our growing family. She was kind of funny, looking back, trying to make me laugh and making light of things…but she was pretty cryptic, too.”
“What about the black star and the thorns everywhere—oh, the chains connected to the big black sphere…that she called a rose?” Sora mumbled, brushing out her hair as it flew into her face from a shift in the wind. “She said everything we saw wasn’t really what it looked like but how we interpreted it since Nihility is like that for…beings like us? I don’t know.”
Her dad scratched his arm and stared at the portal to Avalon, its swirling mystical gate pulsing with magic. “It’s evident that my sister is going to keep reaching out to you two, so it’s not something we can ignore. Your mothers are as blind as everyone else since Rose is outside of Existence in Nihility, and, for some reason, that causes some kind of…soul dissonance—I’m not sure how to explain it. In any case, we need to confront the source if we’re going to get clear answers.”
Wendy’s eyes widened, a mix of fear and excitement swirling around her strange aura. “Oh, do you mean me?” She moved to touch the vines, only for them to shy away again, always keeping just outside of reach. “I…feel like there’s this impassable barrier between us, despite her being so close to me. What do I need to do?”
Sora stepped closer, placing a comforting hand on her sister’s shoulder as the vine squirmed away from her. “I…have an idea, but it kind of freaked me out with the whole swallowing stuff and making everyone forget about it. There is just so much I don’t know. When I first met her…she gave me a pendant, and I hid it in the safe so no one would get hurt. It’s dangerous,” she whispered, looking away.
Her father’s arms enveloped her, providing the solace and comfort she needed. “It’s a lot to take in, Sora,” he murmured into her folded ear. “I get it. Your mother, Rose, and the higher beings—it’s all shrouded in mystery. But we’ll face it together, one step at a time. I’m here with you. Both of you.”
Sora hugged him tighter, feeling the warmth and strength he offered, always knowing what to say and do. She saw her new sister smiling to herself in the background. I’m glad Wendy is open to this new family, she definitely deserves it!.
“Thanks, Dad. I just wish things were simpler, you know? Boys, school, and cat-fights with friends…normal stuff.”
He pulled back slightly to look at her, his understanding gaze drifting to Wendy and opening up an arm to pull her in, as well. “I know. I know, girls. But life’s rarely simple. Sometimes things are scary…like waking up as a piece of jewelry.”
“Too soon!” Wendy cried with an emotional laugh. “Too soon… I’d do it again, though. I feel so much…better. It’s like I belong somewhere again, and I’ve wanted to feel like I belong for years…even before Kari, when I’d go home to…yeah.”
Sora’s heart burned as her dad squeezed tighter, kissing their folded-down ears.
“Everything is alright,” he whispered, pulling back as the violet sky painted across their skin. “Let’s take a deep breath and relax for a second…because there’s no other place I’d rather be right now than with the two of you. Do you want to handle this so you can clear the air and be ready to start your magical school year?”
Relishing the ability to feel and hear her dad’s words when, a little more than a week ago, he’d been in a coma, was strength enough. She glanced at her red-nosed sister, showing her body acted just as normally as any other human—or as close as they’d get now—and nodded. “I’m ready. Are you?”
“Mhm!”
“Right. Let’s see if we can use the pendant to meet her and get some answers.”
“That’s my girls,” their dad chuckled, ruffling their hair and getting a riled growl out of them. “I’m right beside you.”
Agreeing with a few pointed remarks at messing up their hair, Sora spelled it back into place and led the way back to the elevator, the air filled with a renewed sense of positivity. The elevator ride to the suite was silent, each of them lost in their thoughts.
When they entered the kitchen, the familiar hum of the refrigerator and the faint scent of herbs welcomed Sora, making her wonder if Wendy had the same enhanced senses as her. Kari wasn’t upstairs anymore, which meant she was either blowing off steam at the rec center or talking to Mary again. She’d been doing a lot of therapy meetings lately by the scent she left at the office; the wolf was practically marking her territory at this point.
Sora approached the safe where her medications had been kept. She felt the weight of her magic pulsing within her as she unraveled the charms with a desire, sensing the intricate locks and wards she had placed around the safe. With a gentle flick of her fingers, the locks clicked open, revealing the pendant nestled inside.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Hopefully, Kari will be good enough to talk tomorrow, before the Open House… Should I have her join Aiden and me on the monster community visit?
“What’s with that look?” Wendy asked as Sora retrieved the pendant. “It looks like you’ve swallowed some sour candy.”
“I don’t like sour stuff,” Sora mumbled, ears furrowed as she thought about Kari interrupting her fun outing with Aiden; it wasn’t technically a date, but Aiden did kind of call it a date in a non-date kind of way. “Just…considering some stuff tomorrow. I should talk with Kari and Eyia before the Open House.”
Wendy’s mouth drew in as if she’d tasted something sour now while glancing off to the side. “Oh…you’re thinking about her. Ms. You’ll figure it out, I’m going to go chill while you freak out about turning into jewelry. Yeah, I’d rather not even think about the wolf bully. Weird diversion, Sis.”
Sora strained a smile. I guess Wendy’s still not that warm toward Kari yet but she was kind of…yeah, toward Wendy this morning.
Her ears flew up as a new thought punched her in the nose, an answer that seemed so obvious now. Kari hated who she was… She wanted to be human, and Wendy felt isolated as a human. They’re like…polar opposites. Kari’s still getting more comfortable with her own skin while Wendy felt like the friend equivalent of the damsel in distress trope that was a vulnerability to me… Things are always complicated.
Her father put a hand on their shoulders, drawing their attention. “Kari’s had a complicated life. I talked with her earlier this week, and there’s a lot she’s dealing with…a lot. She’ll come around. Just give her some time because she’s doing much better than she was.”
“Sure,” Wendy mumbled, oddly dispassionate for her usual kind heart but Kari was the object of a lot of internalized guilt she’d built up; distancing herself as Sora’s best friend due to the bullying had been hard on her. “Can we get back to our imprisoned netherworld goddess auntie or whatever she is?”
Sora puffed out a long breath and held out the pendant for everyone to see. “Well, I feel its pull, but it’s weak, and I can resist it. I’m guessing it’s like a wormhole to her place in the Null-Void. Wendy?”
The brunette’s expression brightened while leaning in to sniff it, which was…kind of odd, Sora had to admit. “I can smell like…umm, how do I describe it? Something like…woodsy, creamy vanilla…and freshly baked bread!”
“Okay, Miss Bloodhound?” Sora muttered, pulling it up to take her own sample. “Uh, yeah, I smell nothing but my hand, Stephanie, and everyone else I’ve touched. I guess you’ve got the Nihility nose on you. Dad?”
He looked at it like a viper, his green eyes narrowed. “I…can feel it like…a cold, wet ocean breeze. Are we ready to touch it together? I can feel its pull, as well, Sora.”
“Weirdos,” Sora grumbled, ears drooping and feeling a little left out, being the least one connected to it when she’d been the first! “I’m already touching it, so…on three?”
Counting down, they each placed a hand on the pendant, and in an instant, the world around them dissolved into a swirl of shadows and light as they were transported through a place beyond infinity. When the chaos settled, they found themselves in an endless, nigh-empty expanse—Nihility.
The air was thick with an eerie stillness, and above them, the sky was a stark contrast of black and red. A bloody ocean churned behind a glass-like barrier, casting a crimson glow over the sea of black thorns. Sora felt a chill run down her spine as she took in the familiar sight, her senses more alert than ever in the place.
“It’s so much more…vibrant,” Wendy whispered, her eyes wide with awe and fear as she spun on what appeared to be an invisible platform they were on, only the sea and thorns allowing them to orient themselves. “So many weird colors and shapes!”
Sora took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “I guess I’ve got vulpes Desire Magic, and you’ve got Nihility powers.”
They walked through the thicket of black thorns that parted for them, allowing clear passage. The atmosphere was heavy with a sense of foreboding, as if something was observing the area while their sight slid right over them. It was oddly familiar, as if the place was welcoming them in its own twisted way, singing to Wendy.
As they moved forward, a figure appeared in the distance—Rose. She was still trapped, bound by ethereal chains that glowed with a sinister light. Her effulgent yellow eyes, cut into seven pieces, watched them approach with a mixture of sadness and relief.
“Welcome back, little ones,” she greeted, her voice carrying an ethereal echo. “I see you’ve brought my little brother… It’s been a long time since you clung to my stem. I take pride in what you’ve become, chasing after me.”
Sora stepped up, feeling a mix of emotions. “Aunt Rose, uh, I don’t know how long we have until the watchers or whatever they’re called see us. We just, umm, we need answers. About Nihility, about our family, about everything.”
Wendy strained a smile, hiding behind their dad and poking out to wave. “Hey, Auntie… You’re kind of a lot scarier than before… Bigger. I can see why you’re called Rose now.”
Rose’s slim figure shook with silent laughter. “I see someone in the family has decided to embrace Nihility more than Existence… It speaks to your deeper roots and essence, Wendy. But first, let’s talk about what you truly want to know, my Sparks of Existence.”
Wendy inched out a little more. “Uh, what exactly is Nihility? And why does it feel so…not empty, I guess?”
“Probably because this is an artificially created zone of Null-Void, not Nihility itself… Think of Null-Void as a weaponized version of Nihility that can even be used against beings of Nihility. Any normal creature would think of this as emptiness but it is far from it since its purpose is to be a prison.”
Rose’s golden eyes fell to examine her shifting, thorn-like black dress that mixed with her prickly hair and the ethereal chains. “Nihility is…freedom. True freedom. It is a force devoid of all things,” she whispered longingly. “It is not opposed to Existence, but rather, it exists outside and all around it. It is the void before all and that which is where all comes from… The nothingness that balances and encapsulates all conceptual reality. I believe many fictional accounts in your world have tried to describe it, but none truly capture even the essence of a space like this Null-Void.”
Rose paused, a hint of a melancholy smile playing on her lips. “As for why, I cannot tell you more, as I’m sure you’ll ask… My little brother would have a fit if he awoke and learned I’d told you more than he’d like—or should I say than you like, little brother.”
“I don’t suppose you can tell me why I’m so protective of my secrets that even my wife refuses to tell me anything?” her father asked, his gaze not leaving his big sister. “I have a feeling in my chest that tells me…I pity and am a little angry at you…but that I love you. Why did the Herald tell me to not trust you when I have this draw inside of me that says…I have to?”
Rose’s smile softened, and a black tear ran down her cheek. “Well, that was certainly…unexpected. The old you would never admit that. I’ll tell you what you would wish me to, then. Our family is very dangerous. I am something of an outlier that you followed. We have evolved from our family to incorporate such concepts as…emotions…attachments. I’m proud of you for chasing after me this far, despite our falling out.”
Sora’s ears were high, and a lump formed in her throat, feeling the weight of the conversation as she looked between her father and aunt. There was a heaviness in Rose’s words and cadence that spoke of mistakes made and damage done that spanned eternities.
“The Herald is not wrong, Little Brother,” Rose replied, her tone turning more pointed. “You should not trust me…if I am freed, and you definitely shouldn’t trust our family. We are beings of Nihility. Creatures of immense power, and with that power comes a natural counter to Existence.”
Sora felt a knot form in her stomach. “But what about us? What if we meet our other family members and they say stuff like you to get us to think you’re wrong? Everyone is so…frustrating!” she growled, looking up at the void-like event horizon and the maelstrom of blood in the endless expanse of Null-Void. “Wendy and I… What are we? If Nihility and Existence can’t co-exist, then how do we…exist?”
Rose’s face softened as she looked at her. “You and Wendy are impossibilities. A combination of potent Nihility and the fabric of Existence. What does that mean? I doubt anyone in or outside of Existence can say. Why do you think Sakura is invested and sent her Herald? You are both something entirely new. That makes you incredibly special, incredibly dangerous…and targets.”
Wendy swallowed hard, her eyes darting to Sora and then back to Rose. “So what do we do? How do we handle this power in Existence without hurting people or causing trouble because, as I understand, we’re in vulpes territory, but if other Founders or factions find out… That’s bad, right?”
A charming smile brightened Rose’s face. “That is why I called Sora in the first place. I can guide you both whenever you manifest your Nihility side. I can direct you on how to mold it into Null-Void. However, for now, Wendy, you must not open up your powers whatsoever. At least, not when inside Existence. Even the Herald and Nilly will have trouble hiding the ripples from reaching the Three Pillars of your Existence.”
“Nilly’s better than Poky-Poke thinks Nilly is!”
Sora took a deep breath and let it out while glancing to their left, where the frightening-fanged Chinese child sat, the chime of a bell ringing into eternity.
“Nilly…” she called out, a mix of amusement and exasperation in her voice while staring at the mischievous Nekomata. “Why do you always show up when things are getting serious?”
The child-like cat snickered and hopped forward to study them, disappearing and reappearing around them from various angles. “Nilly’s always here when Nilly needs to be! Nilly’s Nilly, and Nilly likes to have fun with Nilly’s friends.”
Rose’s somber expression returned with a pained smile. “Hello, Nilly. It’s good to see you again. You have been a busy kitty.”
“Nilly’s always a busy kitty; Nilly’s the best, you know! Everyone knows and loves Nilly…except for when people don’t like Nilly. Nilly is a lonely kitten,” she sniffed, suddenly red-nosed and looking up at Wendy. “Nilly needs a hug.”
“Aww!” Wendy knelt down to wrap the sniffling child into an embrace, wrapping her tail around her to snuggle. “You are the best, Nilly. You’re always cheering me up.”
“Watch out,” Sora warned, grabbing her tail defensively. “Nilly’s sneaky and will attack your tail to cuddle out of nowhere.”
“Nilly likes fluffy tails! Wendy has better fluffy tail than Sora now!”
Sora’s ears jumped up. “Oh, does that mean I’m safe?”
A snicker came from the cat as she disappeared from Wendy’s arms to look up at her slyly. “Sora’s never safe from Nilly’s hugs!”
Wendy moved to join Sora and their dad, arms crossed and waiting for Nilly to get bored and go since that was all you could do when the cat showed up.
Her dad chuckled and reached down to rub Nilly’s head, messing up her hair and moving her whole body with how small the 8-year-old was. “I think a hug is an easy price to pay for your love, Nilly.”
“Oooh. Nilly likes swishy-swish, choppy-chop daddy!” the cat purred, her tails going stiff under his pets. “Wait, where is Nilly?”
In a blink she was gone, now hopping up and down in front of Rose. “Hi, Auntie Rose! Nilly didn’t see prickly-prick there! You’re looking as thorny as ever, Nilly sees. Nilly’s a good kitty, always here to help the kittens. Nilly knows everyone important because Nilly’s Nilly, and Nilly’s the biggest-est, strongest-est cat mom!”
Her big eyes somehow grew larger as she leaned in closer. “Oh, did you know Nilly was swimming in the Red Sea and found a scared little kitty that Nilly adopted? Nilly’s a new mommy! Nilly’s a good mommy!”
“Why, thank you, Nilly.” Rose whispered, yet her vision was narrowed with a point. “Yes, Nilly is quite the resourceful kitty. You’re always very good at finding trouble and poking your nose where you shouldn’t be. Always the little interrupter.”
Nilly’s tail flicked with playful defiance before flipping on her heels to point at Wendy. “Nilly’s not naughty, Pokey-Star! Nilly’s just a curious kitty. Squirrely-Raccoon is a good kitty, too! Always cheering up Wendy’s little sis and protecting Sora.”
Wendy’s face lit up at the compliment, her fluffy tail swinging happily and in dangerous territory with the cat nearby. “Thanks, Nilly. You always know how to make me laugh. Want to hug my tail?”
“Yes!”
In the next second, Nilly was in heaven cuddling the fluffy tail. Sora gave her big sister a thumbs up; somehow, Wendy had become an expert Nilly handler.
Sora’s ears tilted to the side while looking up at her trapped aunt, pondering her warnings. “Aunt Rose…you don’t have to be alone. We can come back, right?”
Nilly’s ear perked up, and her voice became somber while peeking out from Wendy’s fur. “Pokey-Poke is a sad little flower that was stolen by the Blood Throne…the Reaper of Fields has her. But Nilly found her little adopted kitten, and Nilly doesn’t want her to feel lonely, so Nilly visits and swims in the Red Sea. Nilly’s a good mom!”
Rose chuckled softly, the sound like a distant melody played from a broken heart. “I’ve seen Nilly be a very naughty kitty, poking around places Nilly shouldn’t be able to go.”
Nilly’s tail shot up in mock indignation. “No one can stop Nilly! Nilly’s the fastest-est, you know! No one catches Nilly! Bye-bye!”
The light moment brought a smile to Sora’s lips as the cat slipped away into the aether, only leaving behind her tinkling bell. Rose turned her gaze to them and spoke with a tad more hope in her depressed, smiling cadence.
“You don’t need to worry about me… I am where I am, and that is of my own folly. I am content just being able to be with you again every so often, even if only for a short time. It’s been…so lonely. And to see you again, my baby brother, and what has become of you… It fills whatever constitutes my heart with pride. Our parents could never… I could never.”
Her downcast golden eyes lifted to them. “It’s time for you to go. Fate and Destiny have finished playing their next hand, and are preparing to look at the board. Until next time…”
“Wait!” her dad demanded, stepping forward and now looking more frantic. “I haven’t even learned anything about you… I know you’re my older sister. How am I supposed to reconcile with these feelings? We haven’t even been able to talk.”
Rose’s expression became gentle as the thorns began to close around them. “Don’t worry, Jarlath. We’ll have plenty of time. Touch my pendant, and if the guards are not looking, I will pull you through. Farewell, and remember my warning, Wendy. Fight the instinct of Nihility, or it could consume you. You will naturally know how to utilize your mother’s side… Search, and the answers will come.”
Sora blinked as darkness took them, only for the familiar scene of the kitchen to meet her vision. They were back.
Wendy slid her finger down her blue dress to her brooch. “I guess I have my answer… Freed Auntie Rose is a menace, and Trapped Auntie Rose is a fallen angel. Thank you, Sora,” she whispered, stepping forward to hug her. “I finally feel like I can be me… That I’m worthy of being in your life.”