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Chapter 6

The crowing of the rooster woke Alanna at the crack of dawn. She groaned as she sat up and stretched. Unfortunately, she was not yet used to her larger frame and she managed to hit the lamp on the nightstand. She yelped and lunged for the lamp catching it just before it fell. "I will never get used to being a giant." Alanna said and frowned. She both loved and hated her current size. She was worried about the social ramification more than any sense of body dysmorphia. Logically, she thought she should be feeling worse but something about it felt right. Ever since she left the place of power yesterday she felt — she wasn't sure of the world. Complete worked yet it wasn't quite right. She was certainly complete. One with her selves even. She accepted her lives by reliving every one of them. She was no longer worried about a memory triggering a vision at an inopportune time. She cold simply recall most of that. She wondered at the logistics of it. Could her mind store that much information. It was somewhere around 800 generations worth of memories she relived. She decided not to question that too deeply. It was probably not possible, just as a place of power still existing was not possible.

Alanna never really thought about it before but magic had to have been real at some point right? There were stories and myths of it being prevalent throughout nearly every civilization. She understood that when the old deities were killed or fled that the magic of this world slowly faded away. So, was magic intrinsic to the planet or was it tied to belief and mythology? She had to believe at least this land was magical. She had been to the place of power. She had seen and felt the magic of the land. No, she was the land it was the magic of her people. She opened the curtain and stared out at the rising sun. She took a deep cleansing breath and let go of the pointless thoughts. She heard her grandmother in the kitchen and got a bit excited for breakfast. She then moved to the jacks to complete her morning ritual.

Anna hummed to herself while she prepared the breakfast. She was not really sure what to think about Alanna's transformation. That was far outside of the expectation she had. She knew the place of power would reunite her with the land and stabilize her memories of the past as it did for all of the Kirwans before her. Yet this response had not been recorded as far as she knew. She was a bit worried for her grandchild. If she was transformed like this what did the land have in store for her. All of their kin had a bit of power to help the land. They would feel called to preform various tasks and the did so happily. This was their land and they would always care for it. The quest the land called them on was not thought of as a burden. It was simply a responsibility. However, to be drawn to the forts. That was a terrifying thought. They were similar to the places of power in that they had an otherworldly feel about them. The issue was at certain times of the year they were gateways to elsewhere and if one were particularly brave, foolish, or unlucky at those times the denizens of those places would pull them into the place beyond. If one was lucky it would just be a playful spirit playing a prank and they would eventually wander out of the portal and remember a drunken good time. If one was unlucky — well they wouldn't worry about much after a while.

Shane eventually wandered in from outside and dropped a log into the hearth. He moved in behind Anna and gave her the morning kiss she required. "Thinking of her?" He asked and took the tea to the table. "I fear for what she is charged to do." Anna admitted. "It seems a bit much doesn't it?" Shane blew out a long breath which Anna knew meant he agreed. "Nothing for it though." He eventually said. "We will have to give her what training we can and let the land guide her." Anna looked lost and on the verge of tears. "What if she has to go to the lands beyond?" She whispered. Shane blew out a longer and deeper breath. Which she translated as "I have no idea." They embraced for a few moments until they heard the door to Alanna's room open then close. They separated and Anna took a moment to dry her eyes and set the table as Shane pulled out a new paper and sat down at the table.

Alanna noted the atmosphere was a bit more tense then usual but didn't speak up about it. She noted the table had been set and the food was being plated so she sat down. "I apologize for running a bit behind this morning and not helping mamó." Anna huffed a laugh. "Think nothing of it child. I was up a bit earlier today." Alanna accepted that and began to eat her breakfast voraciously. Her grandfather cleared his throat and spoke up. "So Alanna you believe your quest has to do with one or more of the fairy forts yes?" He asked. Alanna finished the bite she had taken of her bacon and nodded. "They seemed to be calling out to me to do something. I couldn't really tell what. They kind of felt somehow connected though." Anna and Shane shared a look and a frown. "We are worried about what that could mean." Her grandmother said. Her grandfather shifted uncomfortably. "Alanna," he started. "What do you want to do now?" Alanna considered for a moment. She wanted to say eat breakfast but the atmosphere in the room was not one conducive to glibness. "I suppose I feel the need to visit one of these places." Her grandfather nodded in understanding. "I understand and while we expected you would have some sort of quest to do for the land this" — he paused and looked up as if he would see the words he needed on the ceiling. "This quest might lead you to elsewhere." He said.

Alanna looked confused so Anna picked up the explanation. "The fair rings or forts have been known to lead to another place. Some believe they are all connected to the underworld, others to the lands where the mad queen reigns." I do not know for certain what the truth is as our covens and groves have long been abandoned so that we could integrate into the new world. Much of what we knew to be truth was lost." Her grandfather spoke up in the ensuing silence. "We ask because this task you have taken on may not be fast or easy. It may take you elsewhere or it may not. You have been preparing for a life already. You have school and your mother and whatever plans she has for you. You now have a responsibility to yourself and your land." He stared at her pointedly causing her to put down her fork. She opened her mouth a few times but all that eventually came out was a soft "oh."

After breakfast Alanna walked out back and made her way through the grassland behind the house. She walked for a good mile before she found a tall lonely willow on top of a hill. She made her way to it and sat against its trunk. Alanna hated to admit it but she had not once thought about school or her future the past few days. She did not find that odd as she was on vacation and it was early enough that she wouldn't have considered her responsibilities yet. Her initial thought at what her daideo said was to disregard and disbelieve. Yet that was just a reflexive reaction to the fantasy that was now her life. It was very likely that those places were some sort of portal or gateway. She looked back into some of the old druid memories and found that they did interact with spirits and fae of all sorts. However, none had ever willingly traversed the rings. It was the spirits that crossed over to advise, make mischief, or plead for aid of sorts. There were also horrors that crossed over and the land demanded they be expunged. She did not know if she would have to cross into elsewhere or the underworld but now that it was a possibility she was uncertain.

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There was much to consider. She knew her mother or her Ojīchan would be trying to play matchmaker as soon as she finished university. They wanted to find her a husband that would benefit the family as a whole. She would, of course, have nothing to do with that. If they wanted a perfectly filial child they should probably not have had her raised in the United States. While family was still respected there, personal freedom and choice was of even greater value. Some of those ideals may have influenced her personality and beliefs. While she held great respect and love for her parents and grandparents she would be her own woman. She thought about that assertion. Was she being her own woman? She was enrolled in university because it was expected. If she didn't go she would be worth less than others that did. She frowned at that. She did not really know what she wanted to do with her life.

She sighed and looked up into the boughs of the tree. There she saw a rather large corvid on one of the branches. It poked around the branch a bit with its beak but then cocked its head so an eye was looking at her. "What do you think the right answer is?" She asked it. It cocked its head the other way. Alanna smiled but continued. "Should I plunge into the portal and see what happens or should I deny this new part of me and go back to the states, finish school, get married, and have a bunch of kids? The corvid opened a wing which made it look like it was pointing at something. Alanna looked questioningly at the bird then slowly turned its head in the direction it was pointing. There was nothing there. When Alanna looked back the crow was grooming itself under that wing. "Pfftt hahaha." Alanna laughed at her self. "Oh, man you had me there." The corvid cocked its head and looked at the noisy person. It hopped toward the edge of the branch and opened its beak. "Fly." a sibilant voice hissed out of its mouth. Then it beat its wings and flew away. Alanna stared dumbfounded at the branch that had just been vacated. "I am fairly certain that bird just spoke." She decided. "Fly huh? Fly to where? Oh, is it metaphorical? Like I should spread my wings a soar?" She laughed at how utterly over sentimental that sounded.

Alanna picked herself up and walked back toward the cottage. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do with her life. She did know what she did not want to do though. She did not want to go back to the states and live the life someone else chose for her. She did kind of want to finish school but she was not sure if that was residual societal expectation or an actual desire. Still, she would put that in the want to do side of the check list. She also decided she liked how she felt and she loved this land. If she had to take a short trip to the underworld or wherever to protect it then she would. Just as soon as she understood how to defend herself. She was a bit absentminded at times but she was not completely foolhardy.

The door to the cottage opened and she saw her grandparents seated on a sofa. Her grandmother was stitching something she could not tell what. Her grandfather was reading his paper as usual. She smiled brightly at them. "Have a good walk dear?" Her grandmother asked. Her grandfather pulled a corner of the paper away from his face and stared at her in anticipation of her answer. Alanna's smile widened a bit at the site and nodded. "I did. I still have no idea what I want for my future. I do know that I want to live my own life and I want to stay here. I probably want to finish school but I am sure that I can do that here or perhaps with a distance learning program." She shrugged. I feel tied to this place and well if I have to take a little trip to the underworld then I guess I will as terrifying as that sounds." She paused and shrugged. "I do not really feel all that afraid when I think about that though." Her daideo put the paper down shared a look with her mamó. "There are some things we may be able to teach you about the land and the bit of magic that remains on this side." He said then stood and walked over to a small bookshelf. He pulled out a hand written leatherbound journal that looked ancient. He handled it reverently and gently placed it into Alanna's hands. "We do not have much from the old world. What we can recall from the memories of our past selves and ancestors is not always clear. When we do have a clear memory we have all written down what we can in journal like this. Much of it will not makes sense as it is incomplete but there are a few full rituals we can use to call upon the power in the land. As soon as her hands touched the journal a fog screen appeared in her mind's eye.

Congratulations you have learned a spell.

"Huh." She thought. "So that is still a thing. Can I see my status?" As soon as she had that thought the fog screen changed to a more familiar display.

Name: Alanna Hotaru Race: Druid Class: Mystical Warden (Unique) Age: 18 Gender: Female Anthropometrics: 183 CM / 11 Stone STR: 18 DEX: 20 AGI: 20 CON: 16 INT: 14 WIS: 20 CHA: 22 Health: 100% Mana: 100% Stamina: 100% Level: 1 100/200

Spells Abilities Wild Growth: Use mana to call upon the land to trip up your enemies Shapeshift - Lesser Regenerate: Use mana to call upon the land to heal damage to you or your allies. Nature's Charm Bark Armor: Use mana to call upon the land to cover your body in Ironbark ???? Land's Bounty: Use Mana to call upon the land to satiate your hunger and thirst. ????

"Oh." Was all that Alanna could manage.