The Dark Forest

by Sarah Noffke

  Ever unzipped his backpack, withdrawing a shiny red apple from it.

  “Oh, is it snack time? I was under the impression we were here to practice human magic.” Azure laughed, pointing at the fruit.

  “It isn’t snack time, but if you haven’t eaten yet, then you should be all right.” Ever pulled several labeled linen bags from his pack. “You mentioned that the humans of Terran use sugar as the base for their food.”

  “Yes, because they don’t see the benefit of eating vegetables when they can draw power from them.”

  “That’s a good point, although they’re undoubtedly nutrient-deficient,” Ever said, smirking at her.

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “Humans usually need a source to pull from and material to shift.”

  “So they can’t do enchantments, like when you sealed the backstage area in Terran?” Azure asked.

  “Not unless they’re pairing their magic with something else.”

  “Like when the Duke drew from my mother’s soul stone,” Azure said bitterly.

  “The humans of Terran all have magic, which is atypical for the species. Some humans on Oriceran don’t have magic. It’s a genetic anomaly. To create something sweet or starchy, they need sugar.” Ever held up the first bag. “But other humans with magic know they can use salt, spices, or other ingredients to make different foods.” In his other hand he clutched three more bags.

  “How much of the material do you have to use?”

  “It depends on how much energy you leech from a source, and how powerful you are with your magic.”

  Azure nodded. “So, the apple. Is that my source for our purposes?”

  “Exactly,” Ever said, tossing it at her.

  She held the fruit up, focusing on it the same way she’d focused on the redwood tree she’d been forced to leech in Terran.

  The energy inherent in the apple flowed into Azure, filling her chest with a buzz that made her want to fidget.

  The apple dulled in color, its skin wrinkling slightly. Azure gasped and severed her magical tie to the piece of fruit. “Oh, no! I didn’t mean to do that.” She looked at the apple, which was still in good enough condition to eat, but was not as vibrant as it had been.

  “You appear to draw energy fairly quickly,” Ever said, raising an eyebrow and regarding her with awe.

  “What does that mean? Terrans draw energy until the object is depleted.”

  “Yes, and that takes many humans over the course of several attempts. A single apple shouldn’t have been depleted that easily.”

  “What does that mean?” Azure asked, handing the fruit back to him.

  “Let’s find out.” He gestured at the linen bags he’d laid on the grass. “Pick your material. Sugar, salt, spices, or other.”

  Azure knelt down and picked up the small bag of salt. She untied the drawstrings, peering into the dark bag. “How much do I use?”

  “It depends on what you want to manifest. Usually it takes at least a teaspoon to manifest a meal for one. A tablespoon might feed a family. You get the idea.”

  “There’s not much here,” Azure said, feeling around in the bag.

  “I’m afraid we lost some in transit. See what you can do with a pinch.”

  “Okay, fine.” Azure walked over to a tree stump and sprinkled the salt there, then focused a single intention on the salt, funneling the power from the apple into it. A stuffed roasted duck surrounded by potatoes, carrots, and a side of green beans manifested on the tree stump.

  “Oh, fuck,” Ever said, grabbing Azure’s forearm.

  “What?” She turned to him, worried she’d done something wrong. “What did I do?”

  He set the apple next to the steaming duck and vegetables and clapped his hand to his forehead. “You created a complete meal from a pinch of salt.”

  “I’m…sorry?” she said, her voice uncertain.

  “And you hardly aged a piece of fruit to do it.”

  “I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?”

  “No, my dear Queen, you did something completely right. You’ve far outperformed anything I’ve ever witnessed using human magic.”

  “Oh, well. It must be a mistake.”

  “That’s what I usually think when people like you show off,” Ever winked at her. “I think we should test the hypothesis that this was a mistake, so let’s try another experiment. This time I want you to draw more power from the apple. Draw as little or as much as you want. Then I want you manifest something from nothing.”

  “Wait, you said that humans can’t do that!”

  “They can’t, but witches can, and if I’m correct, your witchcraft is assisting you. It’s impossible for you to turn it off, am I right?”

  “Well, it’s about like you trying to not hear.”

  “Exactly, so you might as well embrace it. You need to manifest something you wouldn’t be able to do with witchcraft or human magic alone. It needs to be something so major that you have to attribute it to being a combination of both of your magics, not just one or the other.”

  “But I don’t have my wand,” Azure complained.

  “Yes, and that’s going to further prove this point. A human needs a source for magic, and a witch needs an instrument. Humans need a base material for manifestation, and although witches don’t, they are limited in what they can produce. However, I think you can draw from both sides and avoid the shortcomings of each.”

  Azure nodded, although she wasn’t sure she agreed or understood. That didn’t make sense. Still, she aimed her hand at the apple sitting next to the roasted duck and drew the energy from the fruit without interruption. This time she took it all, turning the apple to a shriveled pieced of fruit.

  Closing her eyes, Azure pictured what she intended to create. It would look out of place on the top of this hill in Virgo, which was surrounded by farm land. However, she had to prove that human magic could be used for good, not just for selfish gain. Azure directed her hand at an empty patch of dirt several yards away. Her fingers trembled as energy surged through her arm, and a scream she hadn’t known lived within her shot out of her mouth just as the ground trembled under their feet. Azure stumbled backward as the dirt buckled and roots rose to the surface. The top of a tree shot from the ground to rise higher and higher. The trunk swelled outward, growing so wide it forced Azure and Ever to retreat several yards. He grabbed her arm, pulling her back another few feet. The cracking sounds didn’t stop until the giant redwood had risen to its full height, some three hundred feet in the air.

  Azure and Ever stared up at the huge tree, mouths gaping wide.

  “A family-sized meal from a pinch of salt and a giant redwood from nothing. Damn, you are a fucking show off,” Ever said, still regarding the tree.

  The branches of the tree swayed as a flock of birds dove into the leaves, instantly finding a home.

  “I did have to kill an apple to grow it,” Azure said, still not believing she’d manifested a tree.

  “Yes, and I do believe this specimen rivals the height of any tree on Oriceran or Earth. Please tell me you’re slightly winded.”

  “Actually I’m totally famished.” She reached over and pulled one of the legs off the roasted duck, sinking her teeth into the still-warm meat.

  “I had my suspicions, but now I know they’re true,” Ever said, picking up one of the small potatoes and popping it into his mouth.

  “What’s that?” Azure took another two bites from the duck leg.

  “You are like me: more powerful because you share the traits of two races.”

  “Oh, can you manifest a giant redwood?”

  Ever shook his head. “No, I said you were like me. I don’t know anyone else who can do what you’ve done.”

  Azure regarded the large tree that now cast a giant shadow on the crops at the bottom of the hill. “Well, unfortunately I’m going to have to saw this beauty down, or the farmers will be barking complaints about their crops.”

  “Oh,
the sensible human in you has come out,” he said, with a smile.

  Azure, not thinking twice, fired a fist into Ever’s arm. “Ouch. Come on. I’m half human too. I didn’t mean any offense.” He rubbed his shoulder as his expression softened. “Actually, I hope this demonstration proves how important both parts of you are. You can’t fix humans or save the witches and wizards.”

  Azure regarded the tree in front of her, thinking that over. “I need to help them to accept each other.”

  “Azure, you asked before why Gillian and I were helping you. Maybe now you can see. If anyone is going to fix the rift between the people of Terran and the witches and wizards of Virgo, it is you. However, your destiny isn’t set. You hold an incredible power. It can protect your homeland and heal the Dark Forest, or it could destroy Oriceran.”

  EPILOGUE

  Duke Phillip crumpled the parchment in his hand, the wax seal scratching his palm as he did.

  “How dare they? Those heathens and their abhorrent use of language,” he snarled, throwing the missive from Monet Torrance into the fire.

  He heard a small laugh behind him. Frederick covered his mouth when Phillip whipped around to face him.

  “You think this is funny? That was a complete show of disrespect. Even Queen Emeri had the decency to offer politeness to our people.”

  “He called me ‘Emperor Fuckface,’” Frederick said, shaking his head as he laughed.

  “Do not repeat such repugnant words.” Phillip sat back on the leather sofa, and Rover hopped up to join him at once. The large poodle nestled his head into the Duke’s lap, earning a nice scratch behind his ears, which the dog relished.

  “My sister appears to be a different leader than her mother.”

  “Don’t call her that,” Phillip snapped.

  “That’s what she is though, isn’t she?” Frederick asked.

  “Technically she’s your half-sister, but being related to a witch isn’t something you should ever boast about.”

  “I think the actual problem is that they have Father and won’t release him.”

  “If I know Richard, he doesn’t want to be turned over. He’s been itching to be released from our border.”

  Frederick nodded. It was no secret that his father longed to explore Oriceran. However, the feeling of abandonment still sat heavily in the young emperor’s chest.

  “If you knew they weren’t going to return Father, then you planned on retaliating all along.”

  “Not only have I been planning on retaliating, the plan has already been put into motion.”

  “What are you going to do?” Frederick asked, his face drawn with fear.

  “It’s better if you don’t know, Emperor,” Phillip said, a sadistic smile on his face. “Why don’t you go and rehearse your speech for tomorrow’s festivities.”

  “I don’t understand how you think a press conference to declare Virgo an unfriendly territory is a festivity.”

  “It’s been a long time coming, that’s all.” Phillip stroked Rover’s head.

  “Fine, but I want to know what you have planned,” Frederick said, striding toward the exit. He gave the regent one last look before closing the door behind him.

  “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough what I have planned, Emperor Frederick.”

  Not a full minute had passed before something pecked at the window. Phillip ushered the large dog off his lap, looking at the bat-like grayish-black bird perched on the sill.

  Phillip pulled the window open, careful to keep some distance between him and the pterosaur, which was a member of the dinosaur family with its sharp teeth and claws. The harpies had delivered on their end of the bargain. Yes, the Orcs guarded the borders of Virgo, shooting arrows at any harpies who flew overhead. However, harpies were large-winged creatures that were easy to spot. Pterosaurs were strong but small, and could fly higher than harpies.

  Reaching into his desk drawer, Phillip withdrew a small box. He pulled the top off, peering at the black oblong tablet inside. It was more concentrated than the virus he had infected the queen and her cabinet members with when they visited. This single tablet would be enough to infect everyone in Virgo with the virus, which would rob all the witches and wizards of their magic.

  Extending the hand holding the box to the pterosaur, Phillip ordered, “Drop this in the stream that feeds the wells of Virgo. Got it?”

  The black-eyed bird squawked. Its skin was stretched tightly over its wings, and its beak looked sharp enough to puncture a man’s lungs. It reached its beak into the box, pulling out the pill, then flapped its wings, sending wind into the office as it rose a few feet off the windowsill before turning and flying in the opposite direction. Phillip watched from the window until the pterosaur disappeared. The poison would soon render those people in Virgo powerless. Then they’d no longer be a problem for him, and he could lead as he’d always intended.

  FINIS

  Author Notes - Sarah Noffke

  Written 09/18/17

  Guess how long it took me to write this book?

  You know what?

  I freaking loathe guessing games too.

  Like I don’t read minds! Why not just tell me?

  Two weeks.

  It took me fourteen days from prologue to epilogue. Actually, book one, two and three of this series were all written in a two week span. Before you assume that’s because I have no social life, I’d ask you to consider that I was so taken with these characters and really wanted to write their story. I’m also a workaholic and tend to get a nervous tick if not writing. I did travel to see my best friend’s house, Leen, for the weekend after finishing the book, so I’m not a total recluse.

  Let’s talk about names.

  I disclosed some important information on naming in the author notes in book one. I’m here to continue that disclosure. More books, more names, more secrets. That’s how this author game works.

  You know those strange conversations where you learn something that has little to do with you and it stays with you for no reason at all? Yes, my mind is a vault.

  I have no idea why.

  Anyway, a dozen or billion years ago, can’t remember which, my other bestie, Heidi, told me that she had a friend who named her kid Ever. End of convo. Except that my mind held on to that tidbit and fifty… or ten years later, I named a Light Elf this. It’s a cool name, no? And while we’re on the subject, yes, I put Heidi in book one as the friendly human in Terran who helps Azure. Ten points to readers who connected those dots. I often put my friends into the books. Farrah, the cannibal/helpful mermaid, is Heidi’s daughter. And in this book, the other mermaid is Heidi’s other daughter, Tabby.

  So please feel free to befriend me, buy me a drink, and tell me a story because it will likely end up in a book.

  Okay, let’s get serious for a moment. My most favorite part of this series was in book two. The coronation. It was unexpected for me. And yes, I realize I’m the author and should have seen it all coming, but I didn’t. For some reason, it was sweeter than I imagined. It had emotion. And when Azure became Queen, I felt her power grow.

  This is when I should admit that everything that happened after the coronation I didn’t have in the outline. It surprised me when she asked Gillian, Ever and Monet to be on her cabinet. Really, I was questioning her judgements. However, I loved who Azure became in this book.

  Because for me, I love to write characters who evolve. I don’t want them to start and end the same way, but rather change from book to book.

  I want my main character to surprise me because despite the outline she became something I hadn’t envisioned. And in this book, Azure did.

  She became a Queen who I’d be proud to kneel to.

  Acknowledgements

  Sarah Noffke

  Thank you to Michael Anderle for giving me this chance. I’m still waiting for the roller coaster you threw me on to slow down.

  Thank you to Martha Carr for your amazing support. I love sharing the ideas that have come out
of our collaborations. You are a creative soul.

  Thank you to the awesome authors who pushed me to do this. Jeff and Sarah I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for you.

  Thank you to Lynne, Steve, Andrew and Jeff for all the work on the books, covers and championing so much of the publishing.

  Thank you to my beta team Colleen and Heidi. You two keep me sane… or maybe it’s the other way around.

  Thank you to my amazing readers. I asked myself a question the other day and it had a strange answer. I asked if I would still write if trapped on a desert island and no one would ever read the books. The answer was yes, but the feeling connected to it was different. It wouldn’t be as much fun to write if there wasn’t awesome readers to share it with.

  Thank you.

  Thank you to my friends and family for all the support and love.

  Author Notes - Martha Carr

  Written 09/19/17

  The Oriceran Universe is off to a great start – blooming in fact – and Sarah Noffke is part of that great success! It’s been fun watching her interact with readers, share picture of her cat and drawings of the characters. It’s been heartening to also see how many readers are already so engaged.

  When Magic Mike and I first conceived of this big idea back in January this is exactly what we hoped to see. More authors and fans connecting with some great characters in some magical settings. Dreams coming true all around us and folks finding a way to escape for a while into another place and time where the characters do what’s right, no matter what, learn to rely on each other and there’s a few laughs along the way. That is a really good description of what it’s like to be a part of the Oriceran family.

  I have a sister who’s ten years older than I am – Diana – who I call D. She’s been a big sci-fi and super powers fan for as long as I can remember. When I was really small, my sister commandeered the one black and white TV we had in order to watch Star Trek. No talking allowed while it was on! And she bought DC comics by the armload and let her younger siblings read them without complaining about our sticky fingers or how much we bent the pages. She even forgot about them in later years – packing boxes worth (except for the ones that the chronically overflowing washing machine turned into pulp). Family lore is my younger brother sold them and made a small killing. I’ve never bothered to check and good for him if he did.