“That sounds like something oddly specific,” I said, looking from Stormy to Cali.

“Ammrrrr-lllaww-rrrrrrrrdd,” Stormy outputted, trying hard to say the words. “MmDd-urrrrr-sshhhh-eeeee-aaaw.”

“Two words?” I asked, opening the Codex in front of Stormy and watching as her paw landed on ‘yes’.

“A… name of our enemy?” I guessed.

“Mrrww!” Stormy slapped ‘yes’ again.

I frowned, looking between Stormy and Cali. Something wasn't adding up here.

“Maw-Dmaw-Mawrd Mrddd-mawl-sshh-mwaaaw!” Stormy repeated, staring at Cali.

“Cali?” I asked with a stern look. “What’s she talking about?”

The Felix Arcanicx swallowed nervously, blue eyes darting between me and Stormy.

“Aclard Dulsea,” She said after a deep pause.

“Where’d you hear this name?” I asked.

“My dream,” Cali replied. "I... I think I had a nightmare, but I can't recall the details. Just a feeling of dread and... yellow, hollow... eyes?"

I nodded, piecing things together. "And Stormy bit you to get a taste of your blood. She must have sensed something off about you when you woke up."

"What?! That doesn't give her the right to bite me!" Cali protested.

"Actually," I said, "it might have been necessary. Stormy doesn’t do things unless they’re necessary for our survival. I've seen Stormy slap away your mind-control threads. I wonder if she's able to likewise disrupt whatever is trying to get into your head... Stormy, did you learn the name of our enemy from Cali's blood?"

Stormy's paw landed firmly on 'yes'.

"I've never even heard of anyone by that name!" Cali protested.

I turned back to Stormy. "Is this person coming here? To Svalbard?"

Another 'yes'.

“Is it a person?”

[NO]

I frowned.

"When?"

Stormy simply stared at me.

"Right, specificity," I frowned. "One day?"

[NO]

"Two days?"

[NO]

"Three days?"

[YES]

"Is this Aclard Dulsea working with Jarl Bobliss?"

Stormy's paw landed on 'maybe'.

"But they're still a threat to us?"

'Yes' she answered.

"Alright," I said, "it seems we have another player in this game. Cali, I need you to think hard. Try to remember anything else from your dream. Any details at all could be important."

Cali closed her eyes, concentrating. "I... I remember feeling trapped. And there was something dark? And whispers? I'm sorry, it's all so fuzzy."

I paced around the feline merchant and then sat in front of her. It was time for some psychotherapy.

"Cali," I said, my voice calm and steady as I pulled gem 51-B from my neck and swung it in front of Cali's eyes like a metronome. "I want you to look at this swinging gem and relax, breathe in and out, then slowly close your eyes, sink into a trance-like state of consciousness. Take deep breaths. In... and out. In... and out."

I watched as Cali followed my instructions, her breathing slowing and her body visibly relaxing.

"Good," I continued. "Now, I want you to imagine you're in a safe, peaceful place. Somewhere you feel completely at ease. Can you picture that place?"

Cali nodded slightly.

"Excellent. Now, keeping that feeling of safety, I want you to think back to your dream. Don't try to force it. Just let the images and feelings come to you naturally. What do you see?"

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Cali's brow furrowed slightly. "I... I see darkness. And yellow eyes."

"Good," I encouraged. "What else?"

"There's... a figure. Made of shadows and... roots? It's sitting on my chest. I can't move."

I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "What does this figure say to you?"

"I... I can't recall."

"Crrrrrrssshh-miii-mwzzzz-mwww-yawww!" Stormy hissed out with a deep growl.

"It starts with a C," I said. "Sink deeper into your subconsciousness, breathe slower. Think of the name. Criiii-sss-iii-something?"

Cali's face contorted in concentration, sweat breaking out over her face. "It... it calls itself Chrizantia Malekai. A Gygr of Chernobog. It... she says... She says I've claimed something that was meant to be hers."

"What was meant to be hers?"

"Svalbard," Cali's voice answered. "She... she pulled your name from my mind!"

"What else did she say to you?" I pressed gently.

"Something about... a chorus-web? And... and that Svalbard should have slept. All should have perished." Cali's voice grew more agitated. "It... she wants to drag me to her rootlair, to drown me in her bog. To make me her shadow-hand... to stop my heart in thirteen nights!"

"You're safe, Cali. Remember your peaceful place," I said, my voice as calm as I could keep it. "What else can you tell me about this Gygr?"

Cali took a shuddering breath. "It... it says I'm a void-vessel waiting to awaken for Nox. That... that my flesh will turn wrong-side out. And... and it mentioned Aclard Dulsea. Said he would arrive soon, that I should let him in and... and help him kill you!"

Cali's entire body started to shake.

"I... I don't want to kill you. You're my f....friend!" She cried. "My a-all capable Champion that I'm going to claim when... when..."

She started to hyperventilate and sob as whatever the Gygr did fought against the blood contracts focused on Cali's aura.

"Focus Cali," I said. "I want you to slowly come back to the present. Remember, you're safe here. When I count to three, you'll open your eyes and feel calm and refreshed and remember none of this. One... two... three."

Cali's eyes fluttered open, and she looked around in confusion. "What... what happened? Was I saying something? I can't remember a word!"

I sat back, processing everything she had revealed. "You told us the name of our enemies, Cali. It seems we have more to worry about than just Jarl Bobliss."

"Our enemies?" Cali exhaled, her white ears low.

"A Gygr," I said.

"W-what?" Cali choked out. She grabbed at her bare neck.

"This.... all of this is your fault, Ioan! You stripped me of all of my magic weapons! A void-born wouldn’t be able to get in my head if my runes protected me!”

"It had to be done," I said. "I'll build you new tools, better tools that aren't made with blood magic. That thing was probably already in your head for a long time. Or something else was in your head. I’ve been testing your lavalier outside while you were sleeping. It exhibits intelligent behavior attempting to crawl to you, responding to external stimuli like a creature. Do you know why?”

“I don’t know!” Cali shook her head, looking distraught.

“There’s a draw-needle pin mechanism in the central gem, facing your chest,” I said. “How often does that thing feast on your blood, Cali?”

“I… I don’t know!” Cali cried out. "This is your fault, Ioan, stop trying to weasel out of your screw-ups, damn it!" she repeated, her voice rising. "You've left me completely defenceless against a Gygr! S-so what if my lavalier takes a bit of my blood sometimes? That’s how it freaking works! It's a familial artifact... you... you..."

She huffed, trying very hard not to call me names.

I sighed.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous the void-born are? They're creatures of pure darkness, able to corrupt and twist anything they touch!" She barked.

I held up a hand, trying to calm her. "Cali, I get it, you're scared. But the lavalier was doing more harm than good. Blood magic works like a beacon, drawing the Gygr’s attention to you. Drawing her Jotuns to you.

"Jotuns are coming, yes?" I turned to Stromy.

The kitten placed her paw on 'yes'.

"So what?" she snapped. "At least I could have defended myself with my tools! Now what am I supposed to do? How are we going to fight a Gygr and her f-freaking Jotun minions?!"

I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. "I'll admit I'm not an expert on Gygrs. My experience with such is... limited."

Cali let out a bitter laugh. "Limited? That's putting it mildly! We're talking about a creature that can turn people inside out, Ioan! This isn't some petty thief or low-level monster. This is a being of pure evil, the wielder of the void!"

"I know," I said. "But I also know someone who is an expert on Gygrs and other creatures like them."

Cali's ears perked up at that. "Do you now? Who? Another one of your mysterious friends from the moon maybe?”

“I don’t have moon friends,” I crossed my arms.

Cali’s blue eyes snapped at Stormy.

“Is your cat a Gygr expert, on top of her future-seeing ability?”

I couldn't help but smile. "Probably not.”

“Then who?!” The Arcanicx demanded, looking exasperated with us.

“Her name's Yaga Grandhilda and she’s a witch who lives nine thousand steps from here,” I said.

“What?” Cali blinked. “You… you know a Nordstaii Yaga? Like the one from your book?!”

“Yes,” I said. “I think it’s about time that we visited her. What do you think, Stormy?”

“Mrrrrr,” the kitten nodded.

“Think you can help us find the way to her grove?” I asked my little future-seeing fuzzy cloud.

“Mrrrwrr,” the kitten placed her paws on the ‘yes’ sign with a confident look in her eyes.

“What? How… How do you know a Yaga?” Cali sputtered looking between me and Stormy.

“We don't just know her. We're incredibly well acquainted with her,” I replied. "Practically family at this point!"

“Mawr!” Stormy nodded.

I couldn't help but smile at Cali's incredulous expression. It was like I'd just told her I was best friends with the tooth fairy.

"You're seriously telling me you know a real, live Yaga?" she asked. "And here I thought you two couldn't get any weirder!"

"Oh, we're full of surprises," I replied with a grin. "Just wait until you see her face when she sees me walking up to her grove! She’ll be ecstatic, I bet.”

“Why would she…” Cali blinked. Her eye twitched slightly. "Is everything a joke to you?"

"Not everything," I shrugged. "But when faced with eldritch horrors and impending doom, a pitch of light humor helps keep the existential dread at bay. That, and a good cup of magic tea. Speaking of which, want some before we head out?"

“Yes please,” Cali nodded.