by Taki Drake
“That makes sense to me. What do you want me to do?”
“Watch and observe to the best your ability. Although both Tolya and I are decent Witches, you’re in a whole different category. Any information you can gather as we observe will be helpful in forming a strategy.”
The low thrum of an approaching vehicle rumbled the ground and cut off any further conversation. Dropping even further into concealment, the three scouts were covered by brush, leaves, and the dimming light. It was not too long before a large car came past their location.
It was just as well that the vehicle noise would’ve prevented the four men in it from hearing Zhanna’s quick gasp. She recognized each of them. The last she had seen these mercenaries they had been dressed in casual clothing and clustered around Maxim.
Remembering the greasy-looking purple and gray threads that attached each man to the predatory Witch, Zhanna did a peculiar twist of her senses and began to see threads of Magic in the air.
The same animated fingers of bondage that had been present before were visible again to her altered sight. However, this time they did not run directly from the four men to the Witch. Instead, each of the many connection channels that came out of these men went into some concealed object in the engine compartment of the vehicle. A braided and massive conduit emerged from that object and sped off into the distance, back in the direction of Brasilov.
The car and its occupants were visible only for a short period of time. Zhanna had no more time to observe them than two quick breaths before they were gone, rapidly disappearing into the distance.
The scouting party waited in silence, lost in their own thoughts, and trying to organize their observations into something reportable. After a few minutes, Pavel said, “We will stay here for a while. Be sensitive to any sounds, so that we can become silent and more concealed if necessary. From the presence of all four of the men in the one vehicle, I don’t think that there will be a trail car, but this is too important to ignore that possibility.”
Tolya asked, “How long should we stay here?”
“At least until full dark. It is not much more than an hour until that, and the next village is only about ten minutes down the road. If they move out in a search pattern from that village, it will take them another 10 or 15 minutes to realize that there is no other pathway for us to have gone.”
“What happens if they can’t find us in any of the other villages?” asked Zhanna.
“Then they will either search along the roadway for us or decide that they have missed us and backtrack to a possible change in direction.”
Relaxing as much as she could, Zhanna slipped into a semi-conscious state. Worrying about their pursuers and the weapons they possibly might possess, the young Witch found her mind floating in a sea of imagination. She saw herself drifting in a cloud of liquid with images that swam into view and then dissolved into a spray of bubbles or faded away without a trace. Some beautiful enough to bring tears to her eyes, others horrific in their terror and pain.
For a while, Zhanna just rested and watched, a passive observer in a place that was strange and incomprehensible. She could feel her muscles relax, and her emotions slowly became clearer and more stable. The frantic tension of the day slowly slipped away, leaving her more refreshed, although no less weary.
How long the young woman rested, suspended in thought and recharging her energies in the light of the rising moon, only her Familiar knew. To the mercenaries, she exhibited an admirable ability to wait patiently. It was Dascha that could feel where her Witch traveled and watched carefully for signs of danger or distress.
The moon was high in the nighttime sky when the rumble of an approaching vehicle snarled its way into the hearing of the waiting scouts. Dascha slid her head under Zhanna’s hand and head-butted her Witch into returning. Startled out of her reverie, the young Witch focused her eyes on the road once more.
<< Dascha, what is going on? >>
<< I think the car of hunters is coming back this way. Hunker down and check your camouflage. Look sharp because they seem to be moving pretty quickly. >>
The roadway gathered the light of the full moon like a focused lens. Hidden in the shadows of the brush along the road edge, the scouts could clearly see the occupants of the vehicle that drove past them. The four men were still in the car, although they had changed positions. The previous driver now rode in the passenger seat, a bandaged right wrist propped on the doorframe.
<< I bet that’s a story! Somebody got his pinky slapped, and it couldn’t happen to a better person. >>
<< Now, Dascha, be nice. >>
<< Why? I meant every word. >>
Zhanna had no answer for that and ignored the comment entirely. She noted that the tendrils of Magical connection were still as strong as they had been on the outgoing trip, but all the men appeared unhappy and angry. There was only time for a brief examination since the car, and its passengers continued without stopping.
Straining her ears, Zhanna could hear the vehicle continuing for quite a while. It was not until even the head and tail lights of the car went out of sight that any of the scouts moved. Carefully sliding backward, Pavel moved a hundred feet or so back into the concealing forest. Tolya and the young Witch imitated him, before the three humans and one small black cat proceeded wordlessly back to their campsite.
“Well? Did you see them? What happened?” asked Stefan.
Pavel immediately responded, “We saw them heading out looking intent, and a few minutes ago they returned looking slightly damaged and very unhappy.”
Tolya added, “They continued on, back toward Brasilov but we won’t know how far they’ve actually gone. I think we should just sleep here for the night and start again in the morning.”
Stefan nodded his agreement and waved his hand to draw attention to the arrangements that had been made while the scouts had been out. The senior mercenary gave Zhanna a gentle push toward a small tent set up in a protected area. “Zhanna, that one is yours, and your bedroll is all laid out. Go lie down and get some sleep. You will not stand watch tonight. Some of us took naps while you were gone and can cover for you.”
So weary was the young Witch that she obediently stumbled back to the tent and crawled into her blankets. She vaguely remembered pulling the cover over her shoulder and Dascha’s warm form cuddling next to her body before sleep reached out to pull her down into a dreamless abyss.
Chapter 23 – Unexpected Consequences
It seemed like Zhanna had only been asleep for a few minutes when she felt the tug to open her eyes. The dim light within her tent was filtered through the fabric of her shelter and flickered with the visual echoes of the campfire flames. The young Witch could sense where the other members of her party were, like parts of her own body that were a little numb and distant.
Pavel and Mikhail were on watch while Stefan, Tolya, and Kasha slept. Surprisingly, Zhanna could also tell where the Hidden Folk moved and rested. Noma was sound asleep, curled up under a bush that grew against the Witch’s tent. She could feel the warmth of his personality and body radiating from the location outside, level with the small of her back.
Tisha was sitting high in an old oak tree, crouched comfortably next to the smallest of the Hidden Folk. The tiny, adorable, and deadly Frasch stood confidently on the branch next to the brown-furred female. In the peculiar vision that she was experiencing, Zhanna could see the deadly claws that had emerged from Tisha’s small paws and the strange mushroom weapon that Frasch held as if it were an extension of her own body.
<< Those claws must be doubly sharp considering how deeply they are sunk into the branch, Dascha! >>
<< Zhanna! I thought you were asleep! >>
<< I woke up for some reason. >>
There was a long pause and silence from her Familiar. When Dascha spoke once again, her mental voice was hesitant, << I am looking at you right now, Zhanna. You appear to be asleep, breathing deeply and slowly. I can see the exhaustion in your face and you
are not moving your eyes or mouth like you do when you are talking. >>
<< But I am talking! How can I be speaking with you if I’m asleep? This just doesn’t make any sense. >>
<< I think you might be spirit walking, my Witch. Remember, you read about that and we talked of it a little bit. We agreed that the text wasn’t clear on how spirit walking was done, and you were planning on asking some of your mentors at Blagogarsk the next time we were there. >>
Zhanna’s confusion was disorienting. She could feel Dascha’s purr against the back of her neck. The young woman could hear her Familiar at the usual volume and sounding the same as the black cat normally did. Her senses fought with the thought that she wasn’t really awake, bouncing around inside of her head like a lively ball. Every time that mental sphere hit resistance another thought would erupt into her mind, be considered, and disappear before the next bounce. Was this all a dream? Had she finally snapped? Could she really be spirit walking? How was this all possible?
Buffeted from every side by the circular winds of a truth spiral, the young Witch felt overwhelmed. A crushing pressure clamped onto her chest, making it hard to breathe. In distress, Zhanna yanked her body upright into a sitting position, but her bones and muscles refuse to respond to her desires.
The pressure was gone immediately. The young woman felt the body alignment and sensory input that indicated she was sitting but her eyes told her that she wasn’t. Zhanna could see her shape lying there as if she were above it, watching from the outside of her physical body. The shock shook her to the core.
<< Zhanna!? What is happening? You disappeared for a moment, and now you’re back. This is something I can help with if you let me. Please be careful and talk to me! >>
<< I am sorry, Dascha. I just sat up. When I did, it felt like I popped out of my body. >>
The Familiar seem to settle down before saying, << Okay. I guess that we have stumbled into spirit walking. I am trying to remember what was said at the Familiar Trials about this. I think that your skills are growing more than either one of us realized. We are going to be careful, more than usual because I don’t want to have to hunt you down on the spirit plane like a spectral mouse. Since most Familiars cannot spirit walk, don’t put me in an embarrassing situation. After all, I’m the one that is supposed to embarrass you! >>
Zhanna laughed, the shared amusement releasing some of the tension that both she and her cat felt. << I will try not to do anything totally stupid, Dascha. At least on purpose. So, let me tell you what’s going on. I’m sitting, and when I looked down, I see my body sleeping. You are sitting upright behind my neck. I can see where everybody is around the campsite. There are both mercenaries and Hidden Folk sentries out, but nothing big is anywhere around us. There are no threats that I can detect, either. >>
<< That makes sense because vision and other senses are limited by desire on the spirit plane, not pesky natural laws. What else do you see? Any clouds or threads or other Magical imprints? >>
<< I see a funny green cord, not very thick, that goes from my chest down below me. Ow!>>
<< What happened?! >>
<< I just touched that green line with my hand. As soon as I did, I could feel my heart beat, but it also felt like somebody had punched me in the chest. >>
<< Right. So, the green cord is what ties you to your body. You have also learned that it would be smart not to mess around with it because it’s going to hurt. >>
<< There’s another cord that is much thicker. It’s actually really pretty, with sparkles of light that run up and down it, and different colors all mixed inside of it. Oooo… >>
<< Stop making caveman sounds and tell me what you see! >>
<< I think it is what connects you and me. When you are sending cranky sounds, the light inside of it looks sort of “orangish.” >>
<< Is that even a word? >>
<< I also can see that it’s thicker, but it splits off where it goes into my body. That is the reason I thought it might connect the two of us. One piece goes into my heart, with another part that I think goes into my brain. A tiny little thread seems to go into my eyes. Since we just learned how to see through each other’s eyes, all of a sudden that made sense to me. >>
Again, Zhanna waited patiently for her Familiar to finish her thoughts. Instead of answering the Witch, Zhanna felt the presence of Dascha slipping in close to her and the peculiar feeling of the cat sharing her sight.
<< Rosvodiz Zirnitra’s hairy whiskers! You ARE spirit walking! And I can still look through your eyes. >>
Both Witch and Familiar were silent for a few moments as the ramifications of this new skill were considered. Zhanna didn’t know what to think. This was an unexpected advancement in her Magic skill level and she had no idea what had caused the breakthrough.
The Familiar considered different implications than her Witch, like how the new ability might be applied and what the associated dangers might be. The black cat could feel her pride for Zhanna underneath her thoughts but refused to give that feeling sway over her rational side right now. She needed to keep her Witch safe, and if occupied with telling her beloved kitten how wonderful she was, might get all mushy and not watch for danger like the hunter and protector she was supposed to be.
Zhanna was the first to restart the conversation, << I’m sure that the skill is here for a reason. It might be the next step in my training or some other ability or strength that has developed after our encounters of the last day. I will make sure to discuss this with my mentors when we go back to Blagogarsk. However, in the meantime, there has to be a reason I woke up like this and we probably should figure that out. >>
<< You are right. Is there anything that you see around this area that bothers you? Don’t think about it, tell me what you feel. >>
<< Can’t you see through my eyes and determine that? >>
<< I am borrowing your eyes, just not all of you, silly girl. Now answer the question! >>
Abashed, Zhanna responded, << There is nothing that is causing me unease. However, I seem to be drawn to the small fire in the middle of our camp. >>
<< What do you see around or in it? >>
<< I see Saroc, sitting by the fire and feeding it small sticks. He seems to be having a conversation with… OH MY! The deti plemenii! I forgot the Flamechild! How could I have done that? I remember holding Iskar’s candle but then I don’t remember what happened to it. >>
<< Calm down now! Obviously, you can see her. Is she in the campfire? >>
<< Yes. She and Saroc are talking. >>
<< What are we going to do about her? Is that why you woke up? >>
<< I think we must send her someplace safe. She is too fragile to go into this battle with us. If my exhaustion had not been so deep, I would’ve told her to leave. Although, I’m not too sure where she should go to be safe. >>
<< Perhaps you can ask her what she wants to do. I know she looks fragile, but everyone has a right to make their own decisions, whether they’re strong or not. I don’t want to have a Witch that becomes twisted to the point that she makes decisions for people. Only those tainted with evil think that they know better than others and remove the freedom to choose. >>
Chapter 24 – Learning Hurts
Zhanna sorted mentally through her options, picking the one that she thought was the least risky. Her Familiar could tell that she had come to a decision, but the young Witch hadn’t shared her thoughts. Dascha knew that stealing into her companion’s mind was a bridge that she should never cross, so she waited patiently.
<< Dascha, I am going to see if I can get up and walk over to talk to Saroc and Iskar. >>
Mind and senses alert, Zhanna carefully sat up the rest of the way. With a jerk of movement, the young woman got to her feet. Pausing momentarily to make sure that everything was stable, she started to walk, only to stumble as her legs and feet didn’t obey her as they normally would. Putting her hand out to catch herself on the wall of the tent, Zhanna was amazed when her hands simply passed
through what she saw as an impenetrable border.
The fight between body memory and the realities of the spirit plane sent the young Witch on a careening course that bounced off and into objects around her. Breathing deeply, Zhanna held herself still and took stock of her surroundings and the position of her misty-seeming body. The ache of developing bruises and the nausea that accompanies sharp pain felt real, and the young Witch suspected that her physical body would reflect that when she woke.
Nothing horrible happened, and Zhanna relished that feeling for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and looked over to where the amphibian and Flamechild had been talking. To her surprise, they were both staring at her. Iskar had stepped half out of the campfire and was standing with her mouth open in astonishment.
In the back of her mind, Zhanna realized that Iskar looked larger in this plane. In fact, the fire woman was as tall as the Witch here. The young woman could see the immense beauty of the other and feel the leashed power. The two women stared at each other, both with a considering look on their faces, and minds behind those glances moving rapidly.
Neither one of them broke the silence. Instead, it was Saroc that interjected a question in amazement, “Zhanna? Since when can you spirit walk?”
“Since about ten minutes ago, apparently.”
Iskar’s voice was a soprano melody of sound in a background rustle of flames. She said, “That is amazing. I have never heard of such a young human being able to do that. You must be a very powerful Witch.”
“I hope to be someday, but I don’t think I am right now. Worrying about you made me try to wake up. Apparently, my body is so exhausted that it refused to come to consciousness, so I pulled out of my body to talk to you.”
A strange little humming sound emanated from Saroc. When Zhanna looked over at the amphibian, she saw that his middle limbs were holding the end of his tail as it wrapped in a spiral, tying one mid-hand to the other like a living set of handcuffs. Watching him for a few seconds, the young woman realized that he was thinking deeply about something and that both the sound and body mannerism were indicative of some special event going on.
