Chapter 69 Sharlafyn Nettledew.

Forgive others.

Not for their sakes, but for yours.

Holding a grudge will torment you for the rest of your life!

Noxi, Guardian of Light.

Half an hour later, we are already seated around the fire. The night is falling, the cold rises, and the fire had been made just in time. Kolag grills pieces of seasoned deer on the flames, and the smell is mouthwatering.

“I missed your cooking…” I say in Toml’a. Not having to worry about human meat in my food… not having to distract myself from what I’m eating… not having to run to the Kondra snake inn for some meat…

“I missed you too, Inara.” His voice echoes lowly in Toml’a.

“Get a room, kids.” Salik snickers and my face flushes red.

Ryon snatches a piece of meat from the grill and puts it in his mouth. “Ow! Ow! Hot! Hot!” Despite the apparent burn, he still bites into it enthusiastically.

“Chief and Metal Man will make fearsome pups together!” Lezere adds in Sinteo with a cackle that intensifies my blush. “Strong, and beloved by the spirits!”

“When did you two learn to speak Sinteo?” I keep asking in Toml’a.

Lezere shrugs and switches back to my native tongue. “A day or two after you disappeared, an old twisted shaman came. She forced me and metal man to train and learn this language. We can't say no to the twisted shamans. And this old twisted shaman was a dragon, one stronger than any other, one who breathes fire for being disturbed.”

“That's true…” Sounds like the hag... That means that the hag has access to the Sapphire Tower... Wait! That was a day or two after I disappeared! I didn’t even reach Axero! I was at Jerro’s farm! How?! She was planning it all along wasn’t she? Did she target me from the start?

But I picked an inn at random, how did she know where to place Sharla… or was it random? Maybe she used some kind of magic to guide me to that inn? That hag is capable of erasing my name from the minds of so many people… she's capable of making me step into her cellar against my will and better judgement... it wouldn’t surprise me that she made sure I find the inn she wanted me to…

Or… she has people in every inn in Axero… that would make sense with the kind of control she has over the city… I did give glitter to people working in every inn too… that’s actually more likely… I just happened to stumble upon Sharla…

Speaking of Sharla…

I get up from near the fire and approach Jerro and Sharla who sit at the edge of our merry group. Sharla shifts uncomfortably, but doesn’t avoid my eyes this time. “Can you give us a minute, Jerro?”

The man sighs and leaves the fallen tree they both previously sat on.

“You’re angry,” Sharla says while tucking her long bluish hair behind a sharp elven-like ear. She has crystalline blue upturned eyes which are clearly inhuman. They’re way too large, and there’s no white in them.

“A little, but also curious. Who are you? What’s your real name? What are you?”

She shifts awkwardly. Her body is thinner than the average human, unnaturally slender. I suspect that she doesn’t have as many ribs or internal organs as humans do. “I gave you my real name, or at least a nickname. My full name is Sharlafyn Nettledew… I’m a Nugl’e-kar, a shadow-heart in your tongue. I’m a light autumn court fae, I… well I can change the way I look!” she laughs mirthlessly.

“I figured as much,” I say dryly. “I assume you don’t hail from my homeland…”

She shakes her small head slowly. A head too small and delicate to be a human’s head, one that looks like it could break if I hit it too hard. “I grew up in the last oak forest. It’s… north of Axero, a long way north. They didn’t have humans where I grew up, only elves and the fae… I… I was young and foolish. Fell in love with a human… He died, and I became a slave. There you have it, the story of my life.”

“You became a slave… to the hag I assume. What’s keeping you in her service? Why won’t you simply leave? Or was the story about glitter true?” I doubt she got you hooked on glitter… otherwise, the hag would mention I need to prepare her dose like Salik, and she didn't…

“No, I wish! She... she bound my soul to a stone. As long as the stone is around her I have to obey her every order. And right now; her orders are to serve you as my mistress, which is what I’ll do. You have nothing to worry about. I can’t betray you even if I wanted to, and I don’t want to.” She tugs the edges of her dress lightly, a dress seemingly sewn out of large coppery autumn leaves. The dress is hugging her body like a second skin, and its high collar barely exposes a hint of her pale collarbones and a shoulder.

“It’s not about whether you can betray me or not. It’s… Do you truly want to be my friend, or were you simply ordered to be my friend?” Why does it bother me so much? I should just use her for my means…

“I…” She averts her gaze. “I was ordered to. I don’t think we can be friends. It’s not right, I wronged you. I was ordered to do that, but it’s not an excuse. It doesn’t even matter if you forgive me or not. Your kind feeds on me. It won’t be long before you treat me as a good meal or a precious object, and I’ll lose all my senses and only care about how much mana you can provide me with, just so I’ll be able to survive or maybe even have my pleasure…”

I shake my head. “I won’t! I don’t feed on human beings or any other sapient mortals as most mages do, and I’m willing to extend that courtesy to my friends, even if they aren’t mortals.”

She raises a thin dark eyebrow. “So you’re saying that if I won’t become your friend, you might feed on me, huh?”

Not what I meant… why do you twist my words? I shrug. “Maybe, maybe not. I don’t even know how I’m supposed to feed on you, so probably not…”

“Like that!” she places her hand on my heart, and a stream of mana hits me. The mana flows throughout my body, giving me an amazing sense of pleasure. It feels as if someone pours a wave of adrenaline and alcohol into my blood, with a little touch of sexual arousal.

She pulls her hand back and the amazing feeling lingers and tingles in my body for a little while before it fades away. It leaves me panting. I want more, I need more! She’s like a drug for mages! Of course she’s scared of me… I want more of that… I…This doesn’t make any sense…

“If you’re so scared of me, why show me this?! Why did you let me know?!”

“Because that’s what my mistress… my former mistress—your mother, had ordered me to do.” She says with a voice full of cynicism. “And I’m not allowed to have secrets from you. I have to answer all your questions. So yes! I can speed up your progress connecting your mana pools, and you need to get stronger.”

She sighs. “I will do that, it’ll kill me eventually, but I’ll do that if you ask me to. I don’t have a choice. But I don’t think we can be friends. I’m sorry for my earlier deception. I was ordered to do that, I didn’t have a lot of choice in the matter. The same way I don’t have a choice now. Hate me if you want, feed on me if you want. The Monarchs know I deserve it. I know I would hate me too.”

Right! I was looking for a way to advance faster without the need for souls, the hag just gave me one. Wait… couldn’t she do this for me earlier? Why now? It can’t be that simple. There must be some drawbacks… “I don’t hate you, hatred won’t get me anything. I’m hurt but I’ll get over it. So if it makes you feel any better, I forgive you.”

I have nothing to gain by holding a grudge, and the fact she’s a slave and was forced into this hadn’t changed. I know all too well how manipulative the hag can be, and Sharla can be really useful as an ally. True, I can use her guilt to get her to do as I please. But it’d be much better to befriend her, even if I can’t make myself trust her fully.

“Just like that?” She raises a pair of thin dark blue eyebrows.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she’s disappointed by my forgiveness.

“Just like that. I’m going to use your talents, and I do not fully trust you yet. But I’m not going to hold a grudge.” And unlike the hag, I’m upfront about using you… “Now please tell me, what are the drawbacks of this type of feeding?”

“Aside from killing me slowly you mean?! You’ll become addicted to me. The withdrawal can be very difficult. You’ll also need to provide me with fifty gems worth of mana each time you feed, it’s to make sure I won’t die right away. Your master said she gave you all the details about it in her writing.”

I really want more of that… that was pure bliss… No! There’s no way I’m doing that again, especially not if it harms her… not unless it’s an emergency and even then it should be controlled… So she’s telling me because she thinks I already know… wait! “What writing?”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

She shrugs. “I don’t know…”

I leave her on the fallen log and head toward Loyal’s saddlebags.

I pick the first book, the one the hag said contained guidance, and open it. The first page contains a letter in the hag’s curved handwriting.

If you’re reading this my child, it means you’re already on the gray islands.

There is much to do, but it has nothing to do with you. However, it does not mean you are allowed to slack off.

The gray islands is a cursed land, mages who had ascended to the first rank are unable to walk its grounds, and the strongest entities in there are the peak level of mortal apprentices.

In the gray islands, anyone who wields even the feeblest of magic is treated as a ‘sorcerer’. These islands are barbaric and isolated, the various gem towers do a lot to ensure it stays that way.

As for the apprentices who inhabit this place, there are three kinds. Those who seek refuge from the world of magic. Those who are sent there by their masters as a trial. And those who were born on these islands and discovered their magical talent.

These islands contain many small mortal kingdoms that vie for power over one another. Some of them are ruled by these so-called ‘sorcerers’, and others by mortal religious orders. More often than not the local fae, and orc tribes will take control over one of these so-called 'kingdoms'.

While you’re away on this trial, I want you to practice and master authority.

To satisfy me, you’ll need to have ten thousand mortals or fae who respond to your every command within a year. The age, gender, and occupation of these souls are irrelevant, only that they’ll obey your command.

The way you choose to achieve this goal is irrelevant. Slavery, intimidation, blackmail, money, trust, honor, patriotism, vassalage, faith. The method does not matter to me, only that they obey your word, or that their leaders obey your word.

If you manage to get it done within a year, I’ll grant you a gift. Since our circumstance have changed, I’m calling our bet off. I will gift you with a grand birthday gift on your next birthday. Since I know you’d win our bet under normal circumstance.

Since you've failed your trails as my assassin, if you cannot get ten thousand people to serve you within a year, I will not let you have an ascendance ritual for ten years, and you will have to wait longer before you can become a full mage while undergoing your assassin trials again. One needs some power in society, if you cannot use the shadows in your advantage, I shall test your power of authority.

I do not want you to neglect your path of magic. The book you’re holding contains instructions on your path. Training methods, answers to your questions, and guidelines on how to reach the pinnacle of the apprentice rank. Some of it is hidden, do not scribe anything on the empty pages, instructions will appear on those should you need them. Check page 6 about the Nugl’e-Kar I sent with you.

The second book contains knowledge about alchemy. No child of mine is allowed to be ignorant on the subject. I shall test your knowledge when you are back.

As for the grimoire, the instructions for that are on its very front page.

With the capabilities of your mind and your passion for magic, I reckon you’d benefit from these gifts.

Good luck Inara my child, may you find your path to power.

The Maven of Mysteries.

I flip to page 6.

Here I find details about the Nugl’e-Kar and their abilities, copied by hand from another book.

The name means ‘a Shadow of Care’ or ‘a Shadow of Devotion’.

This type of fae can shapeshift, turn invisible at night, and has sharper senses of hearing and smell. They are herbivores which explains why I never saw Sharla eating meat. And blackberries are like drugs for them – which is the primary way for a mage to catch or hold them in captivity.

However, their main weakness is the fact that they are incapable of direct violence. They could use indirect methods to harm other beings, such as traps or poison, but they cannot take a dagger and stab another living creature directly.

More importantly. They can speed or slow the heartbeats and blood flow of whoever they touch, as well as the flow of mana. Which is extremely helpful if it’s done to a mage during meditation.

Mages who got addicted to their power, develop an emotional codependency on these creatures, as well as a constant need to experience more. Overuse of this magical effect could kill mages, or damage their bodies. Causing illnesses such as heart diseases and hemophilia. As well as exhausting the Nugl’e-Kar in question to the point of death.

There are a few speculations in the book about whether this type of fae causes emotional codependency in mortals they came in contact with. The same way Pixies make people feel sympathy, or how the succubui evoke lust.

The hag has a few notes about my relationship with Sharla, and there are points that both support and argue against this theory. She reaches the conclusion that even if there is such an effect, it’s more subtle and not as strong, and only works on mortals who are prone to emotional codependency. She also notes that my fae-blood might interfere with this particular experiment, and I should test Sharla's interactions with the human members of my party.

The hag also notes that every Nugl’e-Kar craves pity the same way a human being craves love. Apparently, it’s a form of feeding to this type of fae, but nothing they can’t exist without.

The thought of the hag using my friendship with Sharla as an experiment is unsettling. I wish that was the worst of her deeds.

I flip the page. Here the hag tells me about Sharla’s real identity and urges me not to use her as a crutch to advance faster. But she gives me the option to choose for myself, as a way to advance without feeding on humans.

She mentions that using Sharla on a daily basis will be the equivalent of consuming three human souls' worth every day. The process will eventually kill Sharla within a year or two, something that’ll leave me hungry for more.

That type of addiction won’t be easy to overcome. But the hag thought that it might be better for me to use Sharla since my morals won’t let me feed on humans, and I’ll have trouble advancing faster without the use of her cauldron for soul baths.

The hag also notes that using Sharla’s powers for an hour twice a week is safe for us both. As long as I channel fifty gems worth of mana back into Sharla after the hour is over, and make sure I won’t increase the number of times we’re doing it.

Oh great! So now I need to feed on my friend to advance… how moral of me… Is she my friend? She said it herself she was ordered to be my friend… That was an act. A way to make me feel sorry for her, guilty about feeding on her. It’s a defensive mechanism she had built, I’m not buying that!

I’m not going to trust her, but I’ll not feed on her… Jerro will never forgive me if I feed on her. I need his loyalty… She can also be useful with her shapeshifting and invisible abilities, a spy as the hag said… If I could’ve fed on her before, why did the hag send me to hunt animals? Probably because she’s addictive... which is not good for the long run…

I could also hunt more magical beasts on these islands, that’s what she gave me these soul bottles for… I could go back to that spider nest… kill some and eat… Yuck… I’m not eating those spiders… I’ll find another magical beast to hunt… they were also pretty intelligent... Where do I draw the line between what's allowed to be eaten and what isn't? Those spiders were monsters, intelligent monsters, but monsters that wanted to eat me!

There's my line. If something tried to eat me I can eat it...

No! Other mages might try to eat me too, so should I eat them now?

If something looks like a monster and tries to eat me, I can eat it. Spiders are fair game. If some giant snake has intelligence and is trying to kill me, I'm eating it. It's better than eating the mortal races or pixies, and I have to draw the line somewhere. I have to allow myself some freedom to feed on animals/creatures/souls. The level of intellect alone can't be the measuring method as there are plenty of intelligent animals, and even dogs understand human speech to a degree.

Regardless. Feeding on Sharla, is a last resort for me, and I don’t think I’ll do it. The gains aren’t worth the cost and the risk involved.

I nod to myself as I make my choice. I close the thick book and pack it again in Loyal’s saddlebags.

“You can relax, I’m not going to feed on you,” I say when I return to Sharla’s seat. “Not worth the addiction.” Even now, after only having a slight taste, a primal part of me wants more. I hate her for giving me the taste, I didn’t need this temptation. “Next time, don’t let a mage taste how it feels, it’s a really bad idea.”

She laughs mirthlessly, “I was ordered to…”

Of course you were ordered to. The hag has a thing for making people try first and decide later… I heave a heavy sigh. “With how my Master’s mind works, I’m not surprised. Jerro seems to care about you, truly care about you. I’d embrace it if I were you…”

She frowns. “What do you mean?”

“The guy loves you, didn't you talk to him?”

“Yes. I don’t understand half of what he says. Are you sure that’s all he wants from me? Sex?” The relieved ridicule in her voice tells me she’s not opposed to the idea, only bored by it.

I shrug. “I think he’s more interested in love than sex. Who knows, he’s a bit of an enigma. But aside from my healing magic, he’s the reason you’re still breathing. So even if he has an ulterior motive, I don’t think he’s bad…”

Sharla shakes her head with a grimace on her pretty inhuman face. “I also saved your life a year ago. My ulterior motives were pretty bad.”

“I won’t argue with that, but not everyone is like you.” I get up and leave her alone to her thoughts as I rejoin the rest of the group.

*~*~*

Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.

Mana pools status:

Crown-knot: Affinity 10: formed: 1 gem replenished per five minutes.

Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 66

Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: formed: 6 gems. Conversion ratio: 6:1

Air: Affinity 4: formed: 18 gems

Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 9 gems

Light: Affinity 3: formed: 14 gems

Water: Affinity 6: formed: 27 gems

Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 4 gems

Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 9 gems

Gravity: Affinity 9: formed: 40/41 gems

Cantrip known:

Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing.

Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating.

Light: Noxi’s Light, Lako’s Blinding Light.

Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet.

Earth:

Wood:

Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burst. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s lesser shield. Imari’s Minor Telekinesis. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body.

Spells known:

Gravity: Alino’s weightless bodyb.

Life: Brigit’s lesser cure poison.

Focus capability: 12 patterns

Social status: Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries.

Wealth: 1854 gems. 1421 golden peas, 7 silver scales, 37 copper bits.

Items:

Magical necklace. Contain a 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.

1 potion of lightning body.

1 potion of mana, medium grade.

An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keep the pouches’ content fresh.

Fresh rose petals, 22g

10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.

The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 4/100

Companions:

Kolag of house Befar.

Lezere of the black fang tribe.

Salik.

Berthold.

Jerro.

Sharlafyn Nettledew

Ryon

Loyal

Languages:

Toml’a Fluent

Sinteo Fluent

Myrsha 6/10

Felul 1/10

Injuries and scars: