“Hethekk?” I questioned Pyro on who that was and what it even meant, but the deranged young man kept banging his forehead against the floor, laughing hysterically. Renew calmed him down a little, but it was no cure. I tried Vivify with my maximum number of Purist spells – ten – stacked up. While it certainly removed the bruising and calmed him down, his mind was still lost. Guess I’ll take a trip to the desert. First though, I decided to find Kira.
She was home, dousing her mind with magic research notes. The advice I sought, she didn’t have, but she put me onto someone else and I wondered why I never thought of that person from the get-go. I gave Riftwalk its mandatory ten seconds of casting and teleported to the Grove of the Ancient to speak with Aerellis.
“Eric, welcome,” she greeted, vines slowly allowing her to descend to me. “What brings you to this neck of the woods?”
“Aerellis, you’re a lot more beautiful than I remember.”
“Your standards of beauty do not translate to me. Flattery will get you nowhere,” she held her hand out and a soursop floated down into her hand and was sliced into half, showing its white interior. She offered it to me, and I couldn’t very well refuse after she prepared it into bite sized cubes arranged on a piece of leaf from a plantain tree. I popped a piece in my mouth and bit down, totally losing my train of thought.
“Damn, this is good!”
Donna fidgeted and eventually came out as well to sample the fruit. She kept eating, until she eventually just took my entire share. Brusque in her manner of eating, she didn’t even bother leaving any back for me. “I hope you get fat.”
“Do you?”
I looked at her curvaceous body, “Well, no…”
Aerellis cleared her throat and summoned our attention back to her, “Since you’ve eaten most of it,” she clasped her hands together with a hopeful and innocent smile, “I do hope you plant the seeds back home!” Words of the guardian of the forest, through and through. “So, tell me, why is it you come to me?”
“Well, I haven’t confirmed anything yet, but there’s apparently something going on in Inferno Desert. Reports from the Order say a creature of some sort is damaging the minds of people. I’ve seen those people myself. It’s as if they’ve gone insane.”
“And I’m an expert on mind magic, and so you wish to ask me what to do?”
I rubbed the back of my head, a little hesitant to voice my thoughts. “As far as I know, killing the caster of mind spells frees their targets, but they don’t seem to be mind-controlled at all. It’s like they saw an unfathomable horror and their minds broke. It’s different from my Mind Break spell as well so I don’t think this Hethekk creature used anything like that.”
Aerellis’ eyes widened. She turned around and gestured us to follow, her expression weeding out any vestige of her previous playfulness. It spooked me. “The ancient witch once spoke to me. She mentioned that one day, I would have to cure the madness that might overcome you, and teach you how to conquer Hethekk the Scryer. But it looks like you were smart enough to seek me out first.”
Yeah, thanks to Kira… I chuckled, knowing that the Apostle advised me to see Aerellis in the first place. If I went to visit Hethekk without whatever the dryad had to teach me, I’d probably be banging my head against the ground soon enough.
So, Emily spoke to her about me. She must’ve really wanted me not to die stupidly. “Hey Aerellis,” I followed her to the bamboo patches and was about to ask her to visit us home sometime. But instead, I threw my arm around her shoulder, something she didn’t take too kindly to.
“What are you doing, young one?” she glared at me, not with anger but more with slightly irritated curiosity.
“I’m hugging you, sorta,” I pulled her even tighter. “You’re really a reflective and introspective being.”
“Big words for one such as you.”
“Hey!” I cleared my throat and got back on subject. “Anyway, you stick to yourself so I know that’s your preference, but I don’t need to tell you that you’re welcomed in Endathal, and especially my place any time you want. You’re practically a hero to Methelians y’know? And you’re family to me, even though we may not see each other much.” I pinched her cheek, “So you don’t need to be so reserved!” I tapped her on the shoulder.
Her gait zeroed, “Is that so?”
“Of course!” I walked backwards, stepping in front of her. “You want to tell me what’s up now? I’m all ears.”
She opened her eyes a bit, in surprise I picked up that something had been bothering her. And as if piteously laughing at herself for believing her reticence allowed her to escape my prying eyes, she looked me right in my eyes with a cute smile. Her leaf-embroidered hair fell slightly over her face and somewhat disguised one of her eyes’ incoming look of worry. “You won’t think it’s ridiculous? You won’t laugh?”
“If I laugh, you can string me up with your vines upside-down,” I placed my hand over my heart, as if swearing an oath.
She sighed, rubbing her elbows and averting her eyes downward. “It’s a bit shameful, for the guardian of nature to think this way, but I’ve been feeling…” she looked up at me to see if I was paying attention, then looked away again. “I might’ve been a little, lonely.”
After I took a stupidly long time to reply, she wondered what was up and eventually feasted her eyes on an immature mage who couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, that is kind of ridiculous!” My guffaw came out inevitably and it would result in my own words coming back to bite me. She hung me upside-down by the ankles, some vines digging into skin.
“I’m sorry!” I appealed, still trying to hide my smile. She fumed and walked off. “Wait! Just hear me out, alright? I laughed because I always thought that you thought you could talk to me or my friends anytime. You’re not alone at all, Aerellis. But well,” I scratched my neck, “that depends on what kind of loneliness you’re talking about. Is it like, wanting some friends, or y’know, finding that special someone to do things to you?”
“After you laugh at my misfortune, I’m not sure I could confide in you anymore,” she folded her arms with her back turned to me.
“So, you want a lover then,” I concluded by her lack of readiness to tell me, and also to see her reaction. “That’s fine and all, but what would it be? A deer? An elk? I’m not sure what your lower body is supposed to be.
She turned around and peered at me with deadpan eyes.
“Oh, wow!” Donna commented.
Oh, wow? I questioned, then realised what that look was about. Oh no!
“That’s, uh,” I fished around for the words in my mind. “Listen, um, it’s not that I’m saying you’re not desirable, it’s just that, I might not really react properly to, well…” I hinted at her lower deer-like body.
Suddenly, a bunch of vines surrounded her, forming something of a sphere. Some of her magic flared, then dissipated. The vines retracted and bestowed upon me an Aerellis without a furry lower half, without cloven feet, and missing two legs.
Yeah, she just turned into a full human woman. It was something akin to what the spirit lords did. Even her hair of leaves was now just regular hair – albeit a darkened green. A true beauty, with all the meat in the right places. I seriously think she copied Donna’s general shape because she knew of our relationship and hence, my type of woman. Even her breasts’ shape changed from what it was before. She became a vixen.
The bindings holding me together loosened and I fell. Levitate helped me slowly descend whilst still upside-down. Avatar of Wind stopped the descent when my face was aligned with hers. “Listen, Aerellis, I’m married now. I can’t jus–”
“In the animal kingdom, marriage is nought but a fallacy. No animal was meant to bind themselves to one person so strongly,” she spun me around and grounded me. Her small and slender hands gripped tightly onto my shirt, “Am I really, so detestable?” she asked, looking away, unable to focus on me as if dreading the answer.
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Some chord of doubt strung in me at that point, reverberating a heartbeat of sudden consciousness. This… This isn’t normal. This really isn’t normal. I inhaled, and breathed out that palpitating heart, now composed. “You aren’t. In fact,” I turned her face toward me, “you’re just my type and it took a lot of effort to resist your temptations. But in the end, this type of behaviour is undoubtedly a product of something unnatural, the very antithesis of what you are. And you are the guardian of nature, Aerellis.”
Suddenly, it felt like a haze lifted from my eyes – no, from my very consciousness. My entire state of being normalised. The sad thing was, I didn’t even realise when this haze fell upon me. There was no sudden shift, or even a subtle shift. When I came out of it, I saw Aerellis standing exactly where she was before, looking exactly what she looked like in that tempting vision. “So, you actually can look like a human if you want. That part was true, huh?” I questioned her.
She beamed, a giant smile of pride on her face, “I’m glad you noticed. The things you saw, felt, heard, and might’ve tasted had you continued, was the result of the world I built inside your mind. ‘Phantasm’. That’s the mind illusion spell I used on you, one of the most forbidden spells by human standards. It’s the spell mother used on Moken’s people, the Virai, to show them visions of victory and glory. I will train you to notice when mind magic is being cast upon you. As long as you Dispel it in the first few seconds, you’ll be just fine. Once you learn to notice Phantasm, any other mind magic would become extremely hard to work on you.”
I cast my gaze upon her body once again. “If you’re still in humanoid form, does that mean the things you told me in Phantasm also remain true?”
“It does. However, I do respect your wishes to remain faithful to your own.” She admitted it so nonchalantly. Now that was the type of character Aerellis was, not a meek and shy person like in Phantasm. Introverted, yes, but certainly not afraid of telling others her true thoughts, should she deem it necessary.
“I respect that you respect that. So, will a clone do? He can be dismissed without transferring memories so it would be like I never cheated and you get it on with the most handsome man you’ve ever seen.”
She cackled, a pitch high enough to almost break the glass that was my ego. “That’s quite the comical claim, young one!”
I folded my arms in faux-anger and used Clone, bringing the sexy beast another sexy beast. “I’m being pimped, huh?” he asked.
“Perhaps… Anyway, I’m leaving.” I Riftwalked back home and began practising the big brother to the space-teleportation spell, Riftshear.
I brought a few clones out in my front yard and heard the neighing of horses and their trot upon my cobblestone path. “Oh, you guys going on a date?” I asked the cook and the groundskeeper, “Ah,” I held my heart with a smile and closed eyes, “young love is so precious!”
The girl bust out in laughter, quite unlike anything I’d ever heard. The fella, who controlled the reins laughed a bit as well, although much more reserved. “With all due respect, master, you’re younger than us. Also, she’s my sister.”
“Hey well, I’m not judgin’!” I grinned.
“You’re missing the poi–”
“Whatcha going out for?” I cut him off, almost feeling like teasing the poor guy would be the best thing in the world to do right then.
“Well,” his sister spoke, still somewhat laughing, “supplies and stuff. Mainly ingredients for lunch and dinner. But uh, we usually just ask everyone what they want and get it.” She held up a shopping list of stuff, reaching from the tip of her fingers to her elbow.
I floated over to her and took a look at the miniscule scroll. “This list is goddamn ridiculous! Why does Bianca need a wheelbarrow?” I wondered out loud. Actually, I don’t even want to know. “I can just make these for you,” I told them, handing the list back to her.
“Really? Please do! It’ll be a big help!”
And so, I spent a few minutes transmuting ice into all sorts of random things from quills to wheelbarrows to new shoes for Tacari. “Why don’t you guys go to Endathal anyway? Enjoy yourselves,” I suggested, which they felt hesitant to take me up on the offer. “In fact, take the day off. I’ll handle the meals.”
And so, I did. For any distance more than a room’s length that I had to walk, I’d instead use Riftwalk, and Riftshear if a clone or two were with me. August and his folks came over after a clone paid them a visit with a carriage. We all ate together in the living room, but I kept some room for second-lunch with Anjali. I spent the day casually, only practising my two new space-type magic spells.
My mind would pass on Aerellis’ words every now and then, but never dwell on them too much. I leaned back in my study with a half-asleep Tacari resting on my chest. Hethekk the Scryer, huh? In retrospect of my previous years, my composure over matters concerning my friends had evolved immensely.
Fifteen-year-old Eric would be gliding through the gilded and haunted Inferno Desert the minute he saw his carmine-haired friend in such a state. It was kind of amazing that I survived this long. Sure, I had Donna and a big arsenal of spells that neither me nor her used all of, but I was still pretty reckless. Just going to kill a beast like Ashfur alone was madness incarnate. The beam he shot from his mouth would vaporise you. Yet, I still ended up defeating him with my power alone.
Would Hethekk the Scryer be the same? Was he one who could be defeated with your usual physically-damaging spells? For a creature that was versed in mind magic, could you really reduce him to the simple sentience of a mere monster?
Donna was eventually lured out by Tacari’s charm – he was just like his big brother – and began playing with him when he awoke. He chased her around the study. She looked back at me whilst I perused the bookshelves lining my walls. “Your mind certainly seems elsewhere,” she commented, eventually rolling on the plush carpet with my brother.
Yeah, it was real damn easy for Aerellis to trap me. Phantasm, was it? The only mind spell I had in my repertoire was Mind Break. Now how on earth would I practise those kinds of spells without becoming a criminal? Should the lack of ethical practice even stop me? I knew, in the back of my mind, that the higher the sentience of the target I practised on, the more unethical it would become, although it was unethical across the board.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the luxury of contemplating about the ethics of my magical progression whilst actual mages from the order were smashing their foreheads against walls. I exhaled and rubbed my temples, “Donna, could you take care of Tacari?” I looked out at the evening’s sienna sun, “I’ll be back by dinnertime.”
“At least cast Renew on them when you’re done, okay?” She lifted Tacari up into the air and continued playing with him. “And don’t stay out too long! You’re making dinner after all.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
I looked on with remorse at the hare munching down far off into my forested backyard. Me and that guy went through a few cycles of a weak Mind Break then Renew before I let him go with a bounty of fruits and vegetables. My next target, a capybara at the side of a little watering hole was pulled in by the hind legs by Convergence.
“Ouch! You hairy bastard!” I complained after he chomped down on my hand; it was much deserved though, for what I was about to do. Instead of using Mind Break, I opted for the general feel and atmosphere of it, and thought of the exact opposite whilst still somehow achieving manipulation of that magic type.
A lot of times whilst playing around in the mind of the animal, I felt like the magic type would cross over into arcane territory, so I backstepped. Just like Donna told me a few years back, creating a spell you haven’t been thought was like trying to shoot an arrow into a target whilst blindfolded and having no knowledge of the general location of said target.
It was comical, really, that the one most likely to save those maddened mages was – in a manner of speaking – walking around in the dark and exploring a place he couldn’t even see, only feel. That’s exactly what it felt like, doing mind manipulation. It was walking around blindfolded, holding my hands out to feel for where there were walls. It was hoping I didn’t fall into a ditch, but having to fall into that ditch purely for the sake of knowing that the ditch was there. It was adventuring with a fear of damaging the place which I explored – the capybara’s mind.
After thirty minutes of exploring the inner reaches of the animal’s mind, I cast Renew and let it go. I repeated this a few times with other animals, and learned that their minds were all shaped out differently, but as I continued along, it was clear that they all collectively took a single shape. It seemed, the more sentient they were, the more I had to explore.
You could view it as something like a fly having the mind capacity and complexity of a shower, a bird the size of the bathroom itself, and as the sentience level increased, so did the amount to explore. Eventually, I could look around someone’s mind and manipulate it in such a way that it wouldn’t bother them. Hence, why I eventually settled on myself, or a clone, rather.
If a fly’s mind was the size of a shower, then a human mind was the size of a town. It was so fascinating that I couldn’t possibly stop, so I sent a couple clones home to make dinner and kept one with me. We both explored each other’s minds, going different directions to make the entire thing more efficient. It was midnight by the time I was finished. My ass hurt from sitting in one position and my tummy protested negligence.
But, man, let me tell you, exploring my own mind was perhaps the scariest thing I’d experienced ever since seeing Emily’s ghastly apparition appeared in her Phantasm spell. The reason for that being that it made me realise, that childhood trauma, no matter how insignificant, would never fully heal, nor would it be forgotten.
Sure, I didn’t have something you’d call trauma per se, but growing up knowing that another person can see, read, feel literally everything that was happening to you was quite a mountain to get over. And yet, at this age when I figured her presence was more of a blessing than a curse, I realised my fear of having someone see my inner thoughts never healed. It was still there, no matter how many times I cast Renew and Vivify. But I was glad it didn’t go away because I knew no matter what hardship one encountered, as long as it didn’t break you completely, then it played a part in making you a stronger, more resilient and wiser than you ever thought you’d be.
The thought that I couldn’t even think my true desires, the thought that no matter what secret I harboured, it had to be shared with another was perhaps a retardant in allowing me to be true to myself. It made me avoid many feelings almost involuntarily. But now that I looked back, or more accurately, when I looked at my present self, Donna became more of a comfort than a discomfort. Really, it was more of a surprise she never mentioned any of this to me. She must’ve had her qualms about it as well.
I decided to return home and crept into bed, careful not to wake the chairwoman of K&A nor our resident elf. They’re certainly getting along, I grinned at their arms around each other.