It has been three weeks since Rosie's disappearance.
As Eleanor stood silently in her living room, her memories of Rosie flitted wherever she looked. The window ledge used to be where Rosie always sat and read, the sofa by the wall was where Rosie used to be take her afternoon naps, the basket of Rosie's favourite toys is unusually tidy, the corner of the room where Rosie usually sets up her pillow fort is empty.
Eleanor sighed and shifted her attention back to her rucksack. Rather than needlessly reminiscing and worrying about her daughter, she knew that it's time to take things into her own hands.
Eleanor went through her items once again. While she is technically extremely powerful even by deity standards, her experience from her adventuring days showed her that it is always better to be safe than sorry.
That asides, Eleanor had an unpleasant inkling that whatever happened to Rosie is an portent omen of things to come. Powers and schemes that are far beyond her might be at play.
Knock knock!
"Come in."
Marge entered the house. Rather than her usual baker's outfit, she was wearing a pair of black outdoor boots, a dark brown parka, as well as a dark green shirt and khaki pants. Marge was also carrying a black bagpack and a floating silver cube covered in various glyphs.
In addition, a rolling pin was also dangling from Marge's belt, looking somewhat out of place. However, upon closer examination, one could see delicate glowing lines of magic script on the cudgel-like rolling pin.
"Hello Eleanor."
"Hi Marge. I'm just going over all my things right now. Did you bring all your stuff?" Eleanor didn't look up as she continued checking her list of items.
"Yes." Marge sat on a chair and looked around the house.
"You really packed everything," Marge softly said. Eleanor paused and closed the flap on her bag.
"It's not like this is going to be a short trip." Eleanor turned to look at Marge. "I know I asked you to come, but it's fine if you don't want to."
Marge smiled and shook her head. "I'm responsible for what happened to Rosie. Plus, I gotta go after you cried askin' for mah help."
"I'm not joking Marge. We are travelling to the Foggy Plains. Even deities like us are just like ants down there." Eleanor sighed. "I also know it's where you lost your.."
"Imma stop ya right there." Marge's expression turned stony. "I know, and ya know that I know, how damn well dangerous the Foggy Plains is. It's where Rob and Seth..."
The two of them turned silent. Eleanor offered some tissue to Marge but was rejected. After breathing deeply, Marge continued.
"That damned place already took two of mine. I won't let it take yours as well." Marge gave a wry grin. "Plus, I'm the best guide ya' can get."
Marge patted Eleanor's shoulder encouragingly.
"Anyway, is that the device we'll be using?" Eleanor gestured at the silver cube.
"Ya' bet." Marge caused the device to land on in her palm. "It can help us navigate the Foggy Plains and track down Rosie. However, I need something small and concentrated that has Rosie's aura."
Eleanor reached into her pocket and took out a plain silver bracelet with a rose engraved on the tag. Despite her reluctance, she solemnly handed it over to Marge who examined it carefully.
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Hissss.
After Marge infused her mana into the cube, the top of silver cube slide open to reveal a small compartment with numerous tiny filaments jutting out from the walls. She gently placed the bracelet in the compartment, causing the silver filaments to slowly entangle the bracelet. The filaments begin to glow gently once the bracelet was tightly bound.
Marge resealed the cube. Moments later, the glyphs on the cube flashed and the cube started floating again. It gently rotated several times and stopped. Then, the glyphs on the sides of the cube died down except for one side which was still flashing.
"We're set." Marge said and stood up. The cube also flew higher and started hovering gently around Marge
Marge opened the living room and went to wait outside. Meanwhile, Eleanor hoisted her backpack and slowly panned her eyes around the living room.
Her gaze landed on stairs where there were various pictures. In contract to all the other pictures that were properly set in their frames, there was one small picture of her and Rosie lying on the grass.
'Date with Mommy'.
Eleanor smiled forlornly when she saw the childlike words on the photo. She carefully unfastened the handmade frame to retrieve the photo. After gazing at it for a little bit longer, she tucked the photo into her breast pocket and turned to leave.
Thud.
* * *
Marge and Eleanor breaths fogged up as they walked. While sounds of merrymaking could be heard behind closed doors, the two of them were instead stealthily and silently keeping to the shadows as they made their way to the gates.
"Hey Marge, hey Eleanor. Where are you two going so late?"
The two of them froze and noticed a man-size rabbit hopping between them. Despite being on high alert, neither of them noticed him until he spoke.
"Hey, Nanaz." Eleanor sighed.
"Sup'." Nanaz grinned. "So, why are the two of you creeping around at night? It's definitely not like the you two to be so... thief-like."
"We're heading... somewhere." Eleanor found herself fidgeting much to her own annoyance.
"Somewhere, in the dead of night, one might think you're going to the Foggy Plains." Nanaz crackled. Marge and Eleanor didn't reply.
"Geez, you are? Now that's bad." Nanaz's grin froze and he crossed his arms.
"Oi, we've a completely valid reason fo.." Marge started to explain.
"It's for Rosie, isn't it?" Nanaz interrupted. He stared evenly at Eleanor until she nodded her head.
"You do recall the High Council explicitly forbidding you from venturing out of this dimension, right?" Nanaz walked around them with all his clasped behind his back. "Even if you find a rift, you can't just crossover. Remember what happened the last time Puch descended?"
"I know, Naz." Eleanor replied. "Marge and I are willing to have our divinity sealed, if that's what it takes."
Nanaz stared at the two of them again. Seeing the resolve in their eyes, he sighed and shook his head.
"Fine, don't resist." Nanaz placed his hands on both of their heads.
"By the authority given to me by the High Council, I hereby declare the divinity of Eleanor, Goddess of the Brilliant Light, to be stripped and placed under the guardianship of the gods. This power will be released when one whose deeds and actions shines so bright comes forth, or until Eleanor willingly returns to atone for her misdeeds."
Eleanor gasped as she felt her powers being torn away. However, a sliver of divinity remained deep inside her soul. Nanaz cleared his throat and continued.
"By the authority given to me by the High Council, I hereby declare the divinity of Margery, Goddess of the Pearl and Devotion, to be stripped and placed under the guardianship of the gods. This power will be released when one whose deeds and actions shows devotion beyond the understanding of men, or until Margery willingly returns to atone for her misdeeds." Marge winced as she felt a searing pain in her heart.
Nanaz released them both after he finished reciting.
"Personally, I know this sucks, but business is business." Nanaz shrugged. "We can't risk two powerful bombs running around breaking the balance between worlds."
"That said," Nanaz continued in a softer tone, "I sincerely wish that you can find Rosie. However, please understand that there's always an unfair price whenever powerful beings like us enter the Foggy Plains." Marge felt Nanaz's gazing at her at his last sentence.
"Thanks for letting us go," Eleanor bowed her head.
"Leave quickly. People from the High Council will be here shortly." Nanaz patted Eleanor and hopped off.
"Wait!" Nanaz yelled.
Just before the two of them turned to leave, Eleanor turned around and caught something in her hands. To her surprise, she was holding black rabbit foot charm.
Eleanor turned around to thank Nanaz but saw that he had already left. Without further delay, she nodded to Marge and the two of them sprinted into the ominous fog in the distance.
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Author's Notes
Nanaz comes from Nanabozho, a trickster god of the Anishinaabe people in North America. He is usually in the form of a rabbit and a hare and is said to have created the world.
Puch comes from Ah Puch, the mischievous Mayan god of death and the underworld. He is often shown as a skeleton with a rotting body.