Stone Cold NV
J.A.X. MIKESELL
Dedication
We dedicate this book to our dear friend Amberlee. Thank you for being a huge inspiration to Araminta, and a great beginning to the World of Sin series. We love you.
Woman in the void
Soft amber light glowed all around a vast space of a motionless landscape. Tree branches drooped low, with brown, lifeless leaves. Pools of murky gray water held little to no reflections in their surfaces. The sky held wispy dark purple clouds, almost promising rain.
In a nest of trees, an old building of a once grand design sat in ruins, with dead grass and thorny bushes surrounding the exterior. Towers had crumbled and knocked down all but a small section of the ceiling, keeping the dreary elements out of one room.
In a shadowy corner sat a stone slab with a small cot and chair to the side. A large basin of crudely carved wood sat in the center of the slab with a wavering pool of silver liquid. Across the small room, a woman paced around a large potted plant. Running her hands through her short peppered black hair, mumbling to herself. The plant followed her every move, shifting its leaves around as if it could see her and was waiting for something to happen. It opened a section of the top bulbous portion to show sharp needles and flat surfaces leading to the base by the stem.
“I just don’t understand how this is not working. I have done this many times before I came to this wasteland.” She turned her pale blue eyes to the plant, “what are you grinning for? You’re about to become a salad for my dinner if you can’t give me what I need. You’re of no other use to me. I’ll just have to try again. If only you could talk, then maybe you could tell me why I keep getting meat eating plants instead of what I am actually trying for.”
Waving her hand over the other, a weasel appeared in her grip, dangling by its tail. The wriggling and squealing of the small creature made the plant straighten attentively, opening the leaves further to show even more needle-like teeth.
“Don’t be too happy with being fed. This morsel is only to help pollinate you.” She sneered and then turned to mutter to herself more, “I need to put more pollen on this thing before I give it to you, and make it easier to slide down.”
She walked over to the slab table and picked up a small curved knife. Holding the weasel out a window to the side, she slit its throat and let the blood drain. Turning the knife to her wrist, she opened a pink scar and let her own blood coat the body of the rodent before turning back to the table and picking up a small seed. She chanted while focusing on the seed until a cloud of purple mist with black veins formed around her hand, roiling against itself until it started to sink into the seed. Once the seed had absorbed all the mist, she inspected the dark purple sheen it gave off. Satisfied, she inserted it into the open slit on the weasels’ throat. Pricking her thumb, she ran more blood across the gaping wound, causing it to create a thick crimson seal over the opening. Pulling a box closer, she opened the lid and pinched out a small yellow powder, chanting again in a low murmur. Meanwhile, the plant kept its mouth turned towards her during the process, waiting to gorge on the carcass.
“Now you can eat it, my useless pet.” The woman turned and slowly walked to the plant, “let us see if the wording of the new spell will have the desired effect I seek.”
Stopping before the plant, she sneered in disgust before lifting the lifeless body to hang above the quivering open mouth, letting some of the dripping blood fall into the center of the opening. Once a few drops fell into place, the mouth opened a little more, showing the hollow tube running to the base of the plant.
“Here’s the deal. You will allow me to rub this rodent on your stamen, and then I will drop it so you can enjoy your meal. I need to make sure it collects enough of your pollen as well to transfer so my plan will work. You will not bite down until I have dropped it in, or I will pull out your teeth one by one. Do you understand?” the plant seemed to nod, “Good.”
She slowly rolled the body around the edges of the mouth and down towards the center before lifting it high above again and dropping it in. As soon as it passed the needle teeth, the mouth clamped shut.
“Yes, eat up you worthless waste of space. Once this meal of yours reaches your pistil, it will release the seed. And you will die to nourish the new creation. Thankfully, I still have enough powder to speed up the process so the new seed can take quickly. As if a house plant like you would care, even if you could understand anything I’m saying.”
She ran her hand across her slight stomach; broken, discolored nails catching on the threadbare material of her once beautiful and lavish looking royal gown.
“I should find something of my own to eat. When I return, you should be no more. And then we shall see just how well this new spell has worked.” She said to the plant as she passed it, gliding out of the ruins to hunt.
◆◆◆
Walking back into the room, the woman glanced at the plant and grinned. It had drooped completely to the soil, curling in on itself. The shoot of a new plant had already begun pushing through the middle and was slowly replacing its previous occupant.
“Soon we will see. Don’t grow too fast, my darling, I must prepare one final thing if you are to be the proper plant I need.” She went to the slab table and picked up a vial of black liquid and a syringe. Looking back at the plant, she could see the bud of a flower forming and smiled beatifically. Pure radiance emanating from her stony features, almost permeating the bleak amber lighting of the landscape.
“It finally worked. Now I can put my plan into effect at long last.”
Dragging the chair to the plant, the woman gazed longingly for a moment before sitting down and preparing the syringe. She glanced once more at the bud before sticking the needle in close to the petals and pushing the liquid in, then sat back to wait.
Slowly the violet petals curled out and away from the center to reveal a beautiful calypso orchid. Spreading and growing bigger than her head. She stood and carefully reached inside the lower petal and pulled something small out to cup it in her hands.
“You are exactly what I was trying for. And I must apologize, but we don’t have much time for you to stay before I must send you through. I’ll be able to communicate with you through the portal though, so don’t be too afraid. I will give you the information you need once you’ve arrived. Be safe and stay hidden as much as possible.”
She carried it to the bowl and gently placed it into the rippling silver liquid.
Asril
An early morning breeze drifted through the window of a messy room, wafting in the fresh scent of an overnight rainstorm.
I slowly pushed the blankets aside and sat up, rubbing my eyes. With a yawn, I looked at the clock on the nightstand and groaned as I ran a hand through tousled hair and flopped back against my pillow. My eyes were barely fluttering closed when there was a knock on the door and a shrill voice shouting at me to get up.
“Come on, Az, mom and dad are waiting in the kitchen. I want to know where we’re going. Hurry up!”
I could hear her stomping down the stairs in hopes that she had woken me and making sure to make enough noise to keep me awake.
Ugh, why does Cory always have to be so chipper in the mornings? I swear she was adopted, I thought as I slowly got out of bed. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, raising goose bumps.
Walking to the window, I took a deep breath of the crisp air. At least it will be stormy again today. I took another few minutes at the window to fully wake up before I went into my closet and got dressed. Opening my door, I almost ran into Cory as she was about to start pounding on my door again. She jumped back in surprise.
“Finally. Geeze
Az, you’re like a slug in the mornings. Wait, no… You are a slug, any time of the day. Move it, mom and dad are waiting. You know they don’t like it when we’re slow.” She turned crisply on her heel and glided to the stairs. “I can’t wait to find out where we’re going. Hopefully not another weird marsh like last year.”
“At least the bogs the year before had some useful plants.” I said as we started down.
“Well, the marsh was just horrible.”
I just listened to her babble on and on about how she wanted a sunny place with various flowers. I couldn’t understand her obsession with sunbathing and flowers. I mean sure, ever since my lessons with grandma the year before she disappeared were pretty helpful in learning some different uses for moss, roots, and even a couple of flowers like roses. I had grown to respect how magical they could be. But the best magic was elemental. Being able to find new uses for and combinations of elements was certainly more useful than knowing how to use a blueberry to help with antioxidants. Of course, I wasn’t paying full attention to that particular lesson, it was just a pebble sized berry after all. Although, it does help sometimes when I'm helping mom and dad in the shop with the customers.
Cory was still talking as we were entering the kitchen, not paying attention to the scene we walked in on as usual. Mom and dad were engrossed in a heavy-looking book bound in leather and jumped when we walked in. A thin veil of yellow mist engulfed the book and flattened it onto the table, looking as if it pushed the book inside of it. Only after the mist dissipated did Cory look up and smile at them.
“I finally got him up. I swear the boy is a troll, I doubt he really even heard me pounding on his door with all his snoring bouts.” Cory crossed her arms and glared at me for a second.
“At least I don’t sleep eat. Better be careful, miss lawn gnome, you’ll get fat.” I glared back at her.
“Corsanna, Asril, quiet down. And stop insulting each other. Work as a team for once.” Mom leaned back and took a sip of her coffee before smoothing her already wrinkle free silk robe.
I shot another dagger filled glare at Cory before I grabbed my fruity pebbles cereal and a bowl, going over to the table. I hurried and poured milk over it and started eating, eagerly waiting for them to start talking about our vacation while I ate. They leaned together to discuss something, so I looked at the middle of the table, trying to see the book that had disappeared. Not able to see it, I focused on my parents. Mom, as usual, looked as if she walked right out of a magazine; except the slight bags under her eyes were new. Dad was always unkempt, but his hair looked a little more disheveled, and his pale skin looked closer to a warmed-up death pallor.
Cory sat at my side and picked at her bran muffin and fidgeted so much that I was about ready to scratch my own skin off. I couldn’t take it anymore.
“So, mom, dad… Are you guys excited for the vacation? Cory looks about ready to molt into a hopefully decent species if she doesn’t hear something soon.” I grinned over at Cory and waited for her snarky reply.
“Stop it, both of you. I cannot deal with your bickering right now.” Dad said, slamming his hand on the table. I slumped in my chair and glanced at Cory.
“I was only kidding with her. No need to be so angry.”
Dad stood up and started pacing behind his chair. He ran his hand through his hair and visibly got a grip on his temper.
“Asril, Corsanna, I’m sorry. Your mother and I weren’t able to get enough sleep for the last couple nights and are on edge. I shouldn’t have let my exhaustion get me riled up.” Taking a deep breath, he sat back down and waved his hand over the table in front of him, where a deep green cloud with streaks of silver briefly rolled over the table and dropped a few different brochures in front of me and Cory. “Now, about the vacation. Your mother and I have some things we need to deal with for the business and aren’t able to go right now. However, we do think that this is the perfect time for you two to go to a training camp. But we can only send you both to one, so you’ll have to work together and decide which one will be good for you to go to.”
I leaned forward and picked up one of the brochures, “A training camp? Aren’t those for kids that want to be warriors, knights, or stewards? Well, I guess some Madgie that don’t get the proper training at home go right? But we get training here. So what would we do at camp?”
Cory was looking through another brochure, “We don’t need to go to one of those. Aren’t we taking over the family business? Spell work for hire, right?” She kept glancing back and forth between mom and dad.
Mom leaned forward and cupped her mug between her hands. Her short auburn hair cut at a steep angle by her jaw, making her look older and fiercer than normal.
“Training camp is actually a great place for Madgie children to go, even Madgie children that have been taught by their parents or guardians. Your father and I met in one when we were around your age. Of course, there will be warrior children, and knights to be, but that’s not all. There are Shifter pups, southern born, even merfolk. It will only be a month that you’ll be there, and then you can come home and show us what you learned and are able to get registered as.”
Dad walked over to the herb cupboard and rummaged around for a moment before pulling out a couple small goblets and some sprigs of dried sage. Setting them down, he looked at us both, “It took a lot of convincing for your mother and me to show you this. So you better not abuse it. I will punish accordingly, understand?”
I looked at Cory and grinned before looking back.
“Yes.” We both replied excitedly.
Dad moved the goblets to the middle of the table and sat down again.
“Cory, you’re first. Put your hand over the goblet and think of filling it with your favorite drink.” He said while pointing toward the goblet closest to her.
“It’s that easy? Is that really what we would be learning there? Simple little kitchen tricks?” Cory looked disappointed, “I don’t see how this is going to be helpful when we do take over the business.”
“Corsanna, everything that we have taught you has been useful, right? Even the things your Pappy and Gran have taught you are useful. Although I still don’t know why you would need to know how to make a skeleton dance, that bit of magic will never be relevant to the family business. If you have a customer come in and ask for that, then I’ll roll in my grave. Anyway, just try it. You might be surprised at how tricky it is.”
Cory rolled her eyes at me before hovering her hand above the goblet. Her pale green Madgie mist formed under her palm and started slowly swirling around, roiling over itself. As her green started to darken, tiny drops of liquid formed and misted into the goblet, smelling sweetly of her favorite raspberry flavored green tea blend.
“See? I told you it would be easy. Now can we do something harder that’s actually worth the effort?” Cory started to sit back.
“Just a minute, Corsanna, you haven’t finished. First off, you only made enough for a thimble full. You need to fill it completely. Second, you need to drink it before you’ll know if it’s any good.” Dad’s dark green and silver mist produced a new coffee mug in front of him, and stopped about an inch above the rim before it rained a heavy stream of his favorite dark roast coffee, peppermint cream, and a bit of sugar. Before it could spill over, the rain stopped and a miniature tornado dipped in to mix it all together before dissipating. He picked the mug up and sipped the steaming drink, sighing contentedly.
“Try it again, Cory,” he said.
Cory let out her own sigh and leaned forward again, placing her hand over the goblet in the middle of the table. Her pale green mist formed again and roiled around before producing a couple thin streams of the tea. After filling the cup a quarter of the way her mist dissipated.
“Ok, maybe it really is harder than I thought. But why is making bones dance easier than making a drink?” Cory slumped.
Mom leaned forward and put her hand over Cory’s, “Honey, I know it’s hard. That’s why I agreed to let your
father show you. You won’t encounter easy spells at the camp, and you need to see that it is possible. But for how you like your drink, it will be even harder. You like them with freshly crushed berries and tea leaves. The materials we use aren’t just created out of nothing. If they aren’t close by then the magic is going to be harder.” She leaned back again, “Try it one more time and make sure to think of exactly how you make it, not only what you want.”
Cory took a deep breath and put her hand out again, creating her Madgie mist. The roiling cloud moved a lot slower than before, a few drops fell before the color changed from her pale jade green to a sickly green. Cory leaned forward and stared intently at the mist, concentrating.
The mist bulged and abruptly shot whole berries and tea leaves everywhere, water poured out in a torrential flood into the cup before overflowing and rushing in all directions. Cory screamed and jumped away, landing on the floor.
Mom sat calmly sipping her coffee while berries and leaves bounced off her pale yellow Madgie mist created wall in front of her. Dad had made a hazard suit appear and sat calmly letting the berries and leaves hit him wherever they landed, holding his hand over his coffee to keep it from having any added ingredients.
“Blast it Cory, turn it off! I’m soaked and these bloody berries are gonna give me bruises.” I yelled, covering my face.
Cory stood back up and turned her head away while reaching out to the little storm. Once her hand touched the surface of the cloud it reversed its charge and pulled all the berries, water and leaves back in. After everything disappeared it changed back to her usual pale jade color and rolled itself in and out before letting out a stream of steady liquid into the goblet, cutting off before it overflowed. As Cory relaxed her arm and plopped back down into her chair, her mist faded out.
Mom and dads’ protection against the onslaught disappeared with a puff of their own colored mist.
Stone Cold NV: World of Sin, Book 1 Page 1
