by Eden Redd
The ink witch shook her head. “I am merely here in a consultant capacity. But do not think I will not guide and protect you with every ounce of my being.”
Professor Hart smiled. “Ms. Azure has worked with the college many times before. She is trusted and we welcome her knowledge and experience.”
“As far as we know, what can we expect when we reach the ruins?” Sunara asked the professor.
“Ms. Azure and Trystan have spoken at length about the ruins by Stukarr. Much like his familiar Bella, we believe there will be a powerful slime at each location.”
Trystan’s eyebrows went up. “Slimes?”
Gwen leaned against the desk next to professor Hart. “I wasn’t sure about the information until recently. We are still sort of in the dark which is why we must investigate to be sure.”
Gwen snapped her fingers and a large jar appeared out of thin air. Trystan’s eyes went wide as he immediately grew a hard on. Mentally cursing himself, he was glad he was sitting at a desk instead of standing.
“Professor Hart and I will be carrying these special jars to capture a slime if there is one at the ruins.”
“Let’s be honest here, we are taking precautions but this is an exploratory trial. It all counts toward your grades but we don’t want any student taking unnecessary risks.” Professor Hart added.
“Professor Hart and I will fill you in on some of the finer details when we are on route to the locations. We ask you to keep this secret.”
“How are we getting there?” Aznara asked.
Professor Hart smiled. “My team is leaving tonight by train. Ms. Azure’s team will leave tomorrow night. Once the trains arrive at their perspective cities, the teams will hike to their destinations.”
All four students couldn’t contain their shock.
Professor Hart continued. “I know it is a bit of a surprise but time is of the essence. Nia and Sunara, you will be leaving classes early today to prepare. Ms. Azure’s team has the night to prepare for tomorrow.”
The room grew silent as the students mentally mulled over the information.
“If you don’t think you want to be a part of this trial, it will not count against you if you decide to back out.”
The students remained silent but their eyes showed their willingness and resolve.
Professor Hart smirked. “Good. Let’s work on some of the finer details shall we.”
Seven
An uncommon fog rolled in. The city street lights glowed in the eerie mist as a lone figure walked the cobbled path. Memories washed against mental sandy shores. Trystan felt his heart wince as he thought about Nia. They talked for an hour before Nia’s train set off. Holding hands, the two made promises to be careful. Sunara had met them at the station but respectably kept to herself. Trystan was thankful but he would see the succubus eye Nia every few moments. The mage knew he had nothing to worry about but it didn’t stop him from wondering what would transpire between the fire mage and the demoness now that they were travelling together.
Trystan smiled as he remembered their long kiss. When they parted he mentioned something about the heart growing fonder and Nia gazed at him like his words were magic. After seeing her off, he slowly made his way home. Knowing that Nia was not in the room next to his caused a small spike in worry and anxiety. Bella could feel her master’s depression and was happy to sleep by his side. Trystan snuggled close but his thoughts wandered to his beautiful friend.
Hoisting the back pack of holding over his shoulder, the mage looked down the street to the glowing lights of the train station. Memories floated to the back of his mind as mild excitement rolled through him. He had never taken the train before. He often dreamed about it, wondering about all the exotic locations and people along the rails. It brought a sense of adventure and he was ready for his first trip. The closer he walked, the more his heart beat.
Reaching the station, he fished out his ticket and looked around. Steam poured from the front engine adding to the gloomy evening. The mage eyed the cars. Large runes ran along each train car. He knew they were protection and stealth spells engraved on each car to hide and protect against gremlin attacks. Trystan researched everything he could on trains and felt pretty confident about his first ride.
Mist parted and a pointed hat with wide brim appeared. Trystan turned to see Gwen emerge from the gloomy mist with a smile. The ink witch wore her trademark black leather pants and boots. A black travelling jacket covered her top and a back pack of holding was over her shoulder. The mage smiled back while drinking in the rhythm of hips as she walked toward him.
“Greetings mage.” Gwen smiled and leaned in for a hug.
Trystan felt an awkward straightening of his spine as he hugged her back. Mentally the mage wondered why he was so damn stiff and weird around the ink witch. It was like this since he first met her and time has done nothing to dampen it.
Pulling away, Gwen looked around. “Where’s our little succubus?”
“I’m here.” Aznara said while emerging from the mist.
Trystan noticed the succubus was dressed in travelling pants and jacket with a back pack over her shoulder. She wasn’t wearing any of her usual provocative clothes and she carried a look of determination in her brow, horns glistening against the light and mist.
Gwen gave the demon a quick hug. “Good. The train ride will only be for the night. Mid-morning, we should be at Karath and meet our guide. Do you both have everything you need?”
The two mages nodded their heads.
“Let’s board.” The ink witch said with a touch of excitement in her voice.
All three boarded the train with Trystan taking one last look at the station and Stukarr buildings beyond. Inside they moved through as other passengers boarded. Trystan looked around to comfy seats facing forward. The air carried scents of different locations and he took a deep breath. Heart pounding, he was nearly jittery as they passed through from car to car. Reaching the sleeping cars, Trystan pulled a sliding door to a small thin room. Inside was a bed folded out, window and small closet for his back pack and clothes. The mage thought it was fantastic as he threw the back pack down and looked out the window. The train hadn’t started moving and the mage looked around his room like it was a palace.
Trystan moved to the open door. Gwen stepped into her room on the left and Aznara disappeared into the room to the right. The mage stepped out and over to Aznara’s room. The succubus was putting her back pack in the closet when she turned to the blue mage.
“Anything you need?” Aznara said with an indifference in her eyes and words.
“Have you ever ridden in a train before?” Trystan asked while being upbeat.
Aznara nodded. “When I first came to Stukarr City.”
Trystan could feel the distance between them. “We can talk later if you want to settle down?”
Aznara looked to the mage and let out a small sigh. “I’m sorry if I’m acting strange. This will be the longest my sister and I will be apart. She drives me crazy but we have always been there for each other…….” Aznara looked down. “…..most of the time.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Trystan said with concern. He didn’t realize how difficult this trip would be for the red headed succubus.
“No, thank you. I just need some time by myself.” The demoness said with a sad smile.
“If you want to talk, I’m right next door.” The mage said with a heartfelt smile.
Turning away, the mage stepped over to Gwen’s room. Her door was open and she was sitting on the edge of the bed. Trystan watched as she pulled off her jacket and looked to him. Excitement and warmth filled his eyes as he stared at the ink witch with a wide grin.
“You seem pretty full of energy. First train ride?”
“You can tell can’t you.”
Gwen smiled back. “It is pretty obvious.”
“Since I was a kid I wanted to ride on the train. It’s like a dream come true.”
“Well we shouldn’t waste the expe
rience. Meet me in an hour in the dining car. We should celebrate.”
“Should we ask Aznara if she wants to join us?”
Gwen shook her head slightly. “I think she may want to be by herself and I’d rather have dinner with you alone.”
Trystan nodded but a rush of heat filled his cheeks. The mage was having a difficult time hiding his enthusiasm and looked down the small hallway as if something caught his eye.
“Wear something nice.” Gwen said with a wink.
A short time later the train lurched to life. Trystan spent thirty minutes trying on different shirts in his room. The gentle rocking motion of the train made the mage weave to the unfamiliar motion. Letting the experience flow over him, he quickly adjusted to it. A mirror was attached to the closet door and the mage turned to his side with judging eyes.
Mist rolled off his right arm. Sylk appeared on the bed, sitting on the edge in the already cramped room. Her face was inches from his hip.
“Wear the white billowy shirt.” The siren said not amused.
Trystan turned in the mirror again. “I tried it on before. I don’t think it’s formal enough.”
Sylk huffed. “It looks good on you. It shows your collar and a hint of your chest. The billowy sleeves suit you. I’m sure she will like it.”
Trystan turned an eye to the pouting siren. “Talk to me.”
The siren stood up and helped her master take off his current shirt. “You know how I feel when you show your attention to other women.”
Trystan threw the shirt on the bed and picked up the white one Sylk mentioned. “We are sitting down for dinner. That is hardly me showering her in attention.”
“Master, it is obvious you have an attraction to Gwen.” The siren smoothed the shirt down as it went over Trystan’s head.
“I have no intentions other than dinner and completing this Trial.” Trystan tucked the shirt into his pants.
“You may think you have no intentions but I know if she tries anything you will quickly be under her spell.”
Trystan looked down at his naked siren. Wide knowing eyes stared up to him. The mage tilted his head and kissed her on her blue lips. Holding each other, master and familiar enjoyed their warm embrace.
“You don’t have to be jealous. You know I love you with all my heart.” Trystan smiled.
Sylk held onto her master and looked away. “Our lives are getting crowded with friends and lovers. I don’t want to be an afterthought. You are my master but you are my lover as well.”
Trystan pressed her head to his chest. “It may be like this for a long while. I don’t know where college is going to take us but I look forward to a long life together. Your heart is secure with mine.”
“I know that master. I just want you to be happy.” The siren sighed into his chest.
Trystan pulled away and put his arms out. “We are happy. Now tell me how do I look?”
The blue siren sat on the bed and stared at her master. “Good enough to fuck.”
Smiling, Trystan went back to posing in front of the mirror. When the hour mark struck, Sylk was back on her master’s arm and Trystan was leaving his room. A conductor came through asking for tickets. The mage fished his ticket out of his pocket and handed it to the man in the blue uniform. With that done, Trystan inquired where the dining car was and the conductor pointed down the hall.
Walking through two train cars, the mage spotted the wood and glass door. Opening it, he stepped through to a car with dim lighting. Plush booths ran down the right and left sides of the train car. Men and women in white coats moved with trays of food and expert balance to tables. The mage wondered how anything on the tables wouldn’t go flying but he quickly saw that the tables were bolted to the floor and the train moved pretty smoothly. Glancing out the windows, dark trees blurred passed against a dark purple sky.
A hand reached up and Trystan quickly saw it was Gwen. He almost didn’t recognize her without her witch’s hat. The mage dashed to her booth and slid in across from her. Trystan was about to talk but he couldn’t help notice how beautiful she was. The ink witch wore a white dress with a plunging neckline. Blue earrings dangled from ears and red lipstick painted her lips. Eyeliner made her blue eyes even more sensual and they sparkled like sapphires.
“You are beautiful.” Trystan said with genuine praise.
“And may I say you look dapper tonight.” Gwen’s own eyes shined a little brighter upon seeing the young mage.
A waiter appeared next them and placed a menu in their hands. Trystan immediately looked to the menu. If he didn’t then he would have continued to stare at the ink witch. Sylk’s words echoed through his mind as he found it difficult to concentrate on the words in front of him. Part of the mage wondered if Gwen simply enjoyed toying with him. But another part wanted to be toyed with by her. He couldn’t explain it but there was something there between them and the mage was honestly afraid to explore it.
Gwen turned to the waiter. “A bottle of wine to start with. We are celebrating.”
The waiter nodded and dashed away. A short time later the waiter returned with two wine glasses and a bottle of red. Pouring into glasses, Trystan and Gwen took them by the stem and clinked them together. The mage and witch ordered their meals and quickly fell into casual conversation.
Trystan found the wine delicious and the food fantastic. Gwen had ordered a fish expertly prepared with greens on the side. Trystan had ordered a small steak with mashed potatoes and broccoli. By the end of the meal, both leaned back and washed it down with a second bottle of wine. The waiter quickly cleared the table and placed dessert menus on it.
“Feeling a dessert?” Gwen asked with a decadent gleam in her eye.
“As long as the wine keeps flowing.” Trystan smiled with rosy cheeks.
They ordered two slices of chocolate cake and the waiter was off like a shot. The train rocked and swayed and Trystan found it comforting. The conversation slowed to a lull and the mage found himself staring at the witch in white.
“I see the wine has relaxed you.” Gwen said, holding her glass in her hand.
Trystan looked away. “I’m sorry if I’m being rude. I think the excitement of being here is making me too relaxed.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m enjoying the company.” Gwen took a sip.
“Me too.” The mage said and tried to not look at Gwen’s chest for the hundredth time.
Gwen eyed the mage and swished the wine in her glass. “Do you mind if we have an intimate conversation?”
Trystan didn’t know where this was going but nodded his head and took a long sip of wine.
Gwen put her glass down. “It’s about Bella.”
Trystan’s attention caused him to sit up straighter. “Bella?”
“I know I haven’t really been forthcoming about Bella’s history. I feel I need to come clean about it.”
“I figured it was something private. Something you weren’t ready to talk about.”
Gwen gave a slight nod. “It’s true, I have been hesitant to discuss. I’m sorry for not telling you everything but I feel I wasn’t ready.”
“Gwen, I understand. There will be no judgements here and we can keep it between us.”
“Thank you Trystan.” Gwen hesitated before continuing. “Bella isn’t the Bella I asked you to rescue.”
Trystan was silent.
“The slime familiar you have is Bella or at least a part of her. When you showed her to me, it struck me odd that she was blue. Her original color was purple. When I saw her and she had no memory of me, I used my knowledge to try and piece together what happened.”
The mage listened intently as Gwen continued.
“I began searching with clairvoyance spells to try and find out what had happened to Bella. I was hitting dead ends until parts of her began touching my dreams.”
“What do you mean parts of her?”
“There are two more exact copies of Bella, a green one and a red one.”
Trystan tried to keep the shock from his eyes. Images flooded his mind of the strange dreams he had about the Libro Nocte. A chill ran down his spine as he recalled the green and red slimes standing by the dark tome in his dreams. How they leered and spoke of destiny. The mage thought it was just his nightmares playing out but now he wasn’t so sure.
“Does this have anything to do with her former master? Did he split her into three pieces?”
The corners of Gwen’s eyes took on a dark edge. For the first time, Trystan could see the witch was uncomfortable. Gwen reached for her wine glass and took a long sip before putting it down.
“I never thought I would ever have to speak of him again.” The witch’s eyes glistened.
“Gwen, if you do not want to talk……”
“I do want to talk about it. This Trial can be dangerous and you should have all the information. Bella’s former master is my ex-husband.”
Trystan was silent as Gwen seemed to pick her words before she spoke again.
“His name is Damon Wick. When I knew him he was a bright spirit, ready to learn everything the world had to offer. When he walked into my shop, it was love at first sight. I inked his first familiar, Bella, and he adored her. We were a loving family filled with hopes and dreams for the future.”
“What happened to him?”
Gwen looked down. “One night he changed. His bright spirit began to fade. He left Stukarr college. He would go on long trips without telling me. When he came back, he had me ink more familiars into his skin. I did it while trying to help him but some darkness had taken hold. He blocked my ability to scry him. The secrets and lies were too much and when I refused to ink anymore familiars into his skin, he laughed and left. That was the last time I saw him.”
“Did you ever discover what changed him?” Trystan wanted to reach across the table and take her hand to comfort her.
“No. He disappeared. For years I heard an odd rumor about him here and there but soon even those rumors faded. Before you walked into my shop is when Bella appeared in my dreams. She was so confused and hurting. I was her only lifeline to save her.”
Trystan stared into Gwen’s eyes. “You knew I would save her. You knew it the moment I walked in.”
