On the fourth day, Andrew rushed home from school. He hadn’t bonded with the egg the previous evening and ignored its pulses again in the morning. It had been hard but he resisted its pull. Now, mid-afternoon already, he felt the compulsion stronger than ever. He knew he had homework, but the egg was calling and he had delayed enough. It was time.

Wolfing down the last of his food mom had left for his lunch, he rushed to his room and opened the drawer where he knew it would be waiting expectantly.

Only it wasn’t.

Andrew freaked out a bit but no matter where he looked he couldn’t find it. He was about to go into his moms room to see if she had perhaps found it, perhaps confiscated it, when he felt a pulse. It was very definitely the egg calling out to him. He stopped, his hands hovering just before the door-handle to enter moms room and instead turned around. The pulse had originated outside, in the backyard.

Someone, perhaps mom, had retrieved the egg and had placed it outside. He rushed to the window and looked over the backyard. Besides all the leaves there was nothing to see. He almost thought he had imagined the whole feeling when the pulse hit him again. This time he knew it didn’t just come from outside, but the pulse emanated from within the forest beyond their garden.

He would have to go search for it. The feeling was strange. It was calling to him, but it didn’t feel like it needed help. He didn’t know how he knew that, he just did. Deciding to be cautious rather than foolish, he grabbed the shed keys so he could get the axe. He emptied his backpack from school except for a notebook and a pencil and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, which he also put inside.

He scribbled a note on the fridge door that he would be back soon, and scrambled out the back door. He needed to get the egg back.

The Axe soon accompanied his notepad, pencil and water bottle in his backpack as he made his way to the sliding panel in the backyard fence. A third pulse told him he should hurry.

Breaking through the underbrush on the now worn path between his backyard and the clearing in the forest, Andrew lost his balance and fell hands out splayed into the clearing. A slew of mushrooms and shrubbery followed him in. If he had been a herd of elephants, he probably would have made less noise getting there. As it was, it was a wonder his clothes were still in one piece. The brambles had been particularly clingy.

He looked around frantically, knowing the egg was nearby, feeling the urgent whispers of its beacon. Heeding the call with the fervor and enthusiasm only a twelve year old could bring.

Dusting himself off he moved towards the large tree. It must be an oak tree, he thought, because the stories always had oaks as being the most majestic trees and this one stood above other trees in its might. He approached it and started to circle. Almost knowing what he would find. He was not wrong in his imaginings. It was as if he had always known.

“You have come.” said Willow. A twinkle in her expression. The egg right there in her hands.

“That’s mine, I found it!” blurted Andrew. A rage swelled up, but he squashed it down. He knew he was out of his depths, but he couldn't help the feeling that something had been taken from him, and he didn't know why. His possession of the egg was more important than the wonder that was Willow. Fortunately for him she did not take offense. Instead she replied with candor and a regal bearing.

“Of course it is, it awaits you as much as I do. Here…” She presented the egg to him with an outstretched arm and Andrew paused. Her act of not taking possession of the egg, and yet being the one to take it from his room left him confused. If she didn’t want the egg, then why take it? Why not just knock on their door and ask him to come out and play? She had basically stolen the egg. Some part of him, a very tiny part told him that the egg was not his either, that it belonged in the forest. Many questions, accusations, fury tumbled through his mind such that he paused in taking it from her. There was also an element of relief, and he focussed on that.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“You don’t want it? she said, one eyebrow raised and her face looked so much older than he ever thought a young girl should. Perhaps he had misjudged her and she was a witch after all. Perhaps he had misjudged everything. Maybe he was the kid getting lured by the apple, a victim to be ground to dust and his bones powered and spread in her soup. She did not behave the way that she looked. She was definitely not a little girl.

Willow saw the look of consternation on Andrews face and her face changed to one of sincerity and concern. He felt the change as if it were palpable. A perceived feeling rather than an observed display. It gave the enotions a presence. More weight. Perhaps his superpowers of perception were still lingering. Shaking his head, he reached out, forcing himself not to snatch it, instead he took the item gingerly, carefully, and possibly even tenderly. The warmth of its presence immediately flooded into him as relief washed through his veins.

“Thank you” he replied, his voice trembling from suppressed emotions, “But why did you take it?” His query was more a plea for things to make sense as much as looking for the answer. Perhaps they were one and the same.

Willow’s reply, filled with authority and possibly even a rebuke layered in the words, confused him even more.

“It is for you, yes, but not for you to covet. It has a purpose and the purpose is fulfilled. At least one of its purposes. It is now time to fulfill the second purpose.”

“What are you talking about?” Andrew felt the golden stuff flow into him more strongly than ever and his unnatural superpowers filled his body and mind, his blood pumped pure strength, his adrenaline spiked and he felt his posture change. He didn’t know why, but he had taken a defensive pose. A stance to protect the egg. A confidence he had never felt before filled him as the golden glow enriched him with its essence. The smell of the forest around him became a living entity filling his head with information. The sounds surrounding them became nearly deafening in their clarity. His eyes sharpened and he picked out anomalies in the appearance of the person that was Willow.

Her skin was not skin at all, but a type of textured bark. it contoured and rippled as if it was skin, but the similarity to tree bark was suddenly so clear to him. The realization dawned that things were not going to make sense for a while yet, but the comfort from the egg kept his paranoia at bay for the moment. He knew his legs and arms were boosted, indeed strengthened beyond the norm for any boy his age and he could probably beat the best sprinter from his school by a country mile. All he had to do if things got crazy was run home, lock the door, tell mom and call the police. Maybe not in that order, but certainly any order would do if that situation arose. His thoughts were tumbling as neurons fired and ideas filled his mind.

“Breath Andrew, breath deep. You are getting too excited and the egg is filling you with its power. You only need to breath deeply to gain control. Do as I say. Do it now.” Willows words, while not shouted loudly, were filled with urgency and seemed to seep through the overload of his senses. On some level he recognize that they were not a threat. That she was not a threat and instead was trying to help. He did as she said and took in a deep breath.

Deep breath in. Long exhale, deep breath in, long exhale.

With each breath, calm filled him and the stream of golden energy diminished. Not completely but the flow slowed and he was able to think past his reflex to bare his teeth and snarl, or even better, to run away to seek help. Neither option would get him the answers he wanted. It was a mature thought and he wondered if the eggs influence hadn’t helped with that too.

Finally, his mind stilled enough and he got himself under control. Willow smiled and he understood that his thoughts and his actions were very transparent. That Willow could read him somehow and it very nearly set off his overreactions again. The deep breathing continued and he looked at Willow expectantly. At no stage during the entire transition had the egg moved from his hand. He felt that nothing could move it from his hand unless he willed it, and the thought comforted him even more.

“Finally it has bonded completely. Welcome Squire Andrew, you have much to learn and we have desperate need of you.” The way Willow spoke made Andrew feel complete. Like he had passed an exam or test with flying colors.

“What has happened Willow?” Andrew stammered, “and who are you?” The last part of his statement was filled with wonder, his body still trembling with the power invested in him by the Egg. His next question was probably the most important of all the questions; “What is this egg?”