Protector of the Enchanted

The waves are strong, but my will is stronger. By which I mean, I’ve managed to annoy Cylen so thoroughly that he has no thoughts to spare for the ocean underneath. In turn giving him no space for his fears, more specifically giving in to them.

I really had meant to save the madness conversation for later, but the moment his face started to contort with fear, I decided it couldn’t wait. Usually the others would butt in, but they’re smart enough to see what I’m trying to do. The fact that it’s working is likely the only thing keeping my dear cousin from commenting.

Her irritated looks say enough. Although I can see the amusement shining beneath it, along with the fondness, so I pay it no mind. I know she missed me. I’d seen what my death had done to her. No amount of crazy is going to truly make her more irritated than fond.

Something that can also be said about the man who’s currently glaring at me for saying none of this would have worked without a little madness. Which is true, but I’m constantly repeating it just to annoy him. If he’s annoyed, he’s not afraid.

“Alright. I suppose you’re not going to join the mad side.” I say in a faux solemn tone. We’re safely on the other side and inside castle walls. He can’t see the ocean now.

“Of course not.” He throws his arms up in exasperation. “You’re impossible sometimes.”

“Only sometimes?” Theo cuts in, to which I throw him a glare.

“You.” I point at him, “Have no room to talk.”

Mira snorts, “You really don’t.” It’s unfortunate but true.

Instead of deciding to take the bait, he clears his throat and turns back to look at the destroyed walls with interest. It makes me share a conspiring look with Gem, before Cylen acts as the voice of reason and directs us back to our quest. Although his lips are twitching, so I think he’s thinking similarly.

“We came here to get the rose right?”

Smiling, I simply walk up to the stone column in between the debris. When my hand touches the cool stone, it parts, revealing the glowing rose inside. I pluck it from its spot and twirl it around my hand as I turn back towards them with a smug grin. One that grows when I feel my magic returning to me. Just as it has with the previous ones, but I was too ignorant to notice.

“Oh.” He blinks, before his brows furrow. “I suppose that’s it then.” Ah ha. I knew he enjoyed the chaos.

My lips twitch. “Not quite. There’s something else we need to do.”

“What?”

Opening my mouth to answer, the words get stuck in my throat. My eyes caught by the sight of the crumbled rocks scattered over the terrace. Tilting my head to the side, I let the wander over to the drawbridge we’d just come from. Come to think of it, I never did manage to do that.

Flickering back to them, I shake my head. “It’s nothing.” I was going to say we still need to find the woman who’d stolen the rose, but that was before something more important occurred to me. Much more pressing than assuaging the guilt of a ghost who didn’t know the forces she was disturbing.

Although I believe that’s something we need to do as well. Legends have a way of fading if there’s no one around to tell them, it wasn’t as if she could have known. In the end she was doing what she thought was best for her people, something I can’t claim not to understand. Her only mistake was not putting it back when its purpose was fulfilled.

But even that was more out of ignorance than malicious intent. I feel my focus drifting as I recall what I’d seen. As soon as she’d heard the rose was seen in a kingdom not too far from her own, she’d gone to try and negotiate for it. She’d finally researched it once it’d gone missing and wanted to return it to its rightful place.

Unfortunately, its magic had already taken hold, distorted by fate’s cruel hands. They did not listen to her, trying to use the rose to bind her in its vines. But its magic was not intended for that, it was not meant to be contained by such evil intentions. With fate’s magic wrecking it apart, it had covered the throne room in thorns, killing all those that’d been standing there.

Including the girl who’d wanted to right her wrongs. I want to free her from it as well, it’s why I moved it back here in the first place. But I hadn’t noticed the other things then. Like how hollow it feels in between these castle walls.

“It’s not nothing.” Blue eyes narrow on me. “It never really is with you.”

Lips quirking in a half-smile, I meet his gaze. “I just remembered something.” I wave at them dismissively, “It’s really not that important right now.”

Then twirling the enchanted rose again, I raise it so I can see the layer of spells placed on it. “Would you know what these symbols mean. I don’t think I’ve encountered them before.” I have a vague idea of what they’re supposed to mean, but without the exact meanings, I won’t be able to reverse this spell.

Eyebrows furrowing, he steps forward to look at the symbols. He knows better than to take it from me, knowing if I’m not offering it, it’s because something is wrong. Behind him I can see the other two looking on curiously, expressions now wary. They know me that well as well.

The thought makes the half-smile shift to a soft one. Even as Theo glances over the symbols carefully, eyebrows lifting at whatever it is he finds. His lips part before they purse into a line, eyes narrowing as he glances to the next one. When he comes to the last one, his head cocks to the side in confusion, eyes flickering to mine and back down.

“Well?” My hand draws back as he straightens, “Tell me what they mean.”

Instead of doing as I ask, his eyes flicker between my own, and to the rose before coming to rest on mine. His lips thin. “You want to reverse the spell.” It’s not a question, but I answer anyway.

“Yes.” I can feel my face scrunching in familiar irritation. “Now tell me what they mean.” He has a bad habit of making me wait before he gives me the answer I want.

Seeing it, his lips twitch, head shaking. My eyes narrow at the muttered “typical” I swear I hear him say under his breath, they instantly soften when he finally answers my question with an exasperated smile.

“They’re ones for malice and distortion, coming from a dark magic tome most likely. There are also ones for mind alteration and preserving function to balance it out. It’s as if the caster wanted to make sure the person affected wouldn’t be able to recover, but…” His eyes bore into mine, “You already knew that.”

“I did.” I confirm, gaze travelling to the rose again. “We all know who cast it, now I just need to undo it.”

“But why?” Mira interjects, “I can see that it’s horrible, but I still don’t quite understand why this is relevant.”

“Because I made a promise.” I tell her, “And it’s time I fulfill it.” I don’t have to tell her how important keeping my word is to me. She already knows. They all do. I’m still trying to reconcile that fact, but it gets easier with every passing hour.

“Promise to who?” Cylen asks, worry colouring his voice.

Shooting him a comforting smile, my eyes flicker to the side once again. “I think it’s easier if I just show you.” Then I do.

I place a hand to the stone column once again. The other glowing around the rose as I will the spells on it to fade. If there’s anything that can undo dark magic, it’s light. It takes me a second to remember how to do it. The memories may be in my head, but it’s still been almost two decades.

At first nothing happens, but my eyes don’t stray from the column. It can take a while for it to work. Luckily, I’ve had centuries of practice with my magic to fall back on, even if it was involuntarily. Then, I feel the rose heating in my grasp. A grin starts to form as I hear the tell-tale snapping of spells, growing as I see the magic flow into the stone of the castle itself.

Even ruined as it is, it isn’t going to fall so easily. It’s a much better anchor than a flower. It’s taken me numerous tries to get this spell right. I’m just glad it was able to work. I’d been working on theoretical answers before since every other time I’ve tried, I wasn’t corporeal enough to touch an object to transfer its magic to another.

A part of me lights up at the surprise on their faces. The other part is indignant that they thought I wouldn’t be able to do it, but that’s mostly the petty part. I know they’re surprised only because it’s something I’ve never done before.

“I thought the light was only used as a cleanser of malicious influences and healing.” The words sound like a question. Mira’s eyes wide as she stares at me, mouth still slightly agape.

Theo’s gaze flickers to the stone column and then to the rose, before meeting my eyes. “How did you do that?”

“You’re not the only one who’s been evolving their magic.” Don’t think I don’t know about your shadow soldiers. Even without saying them aloud, he understands what I’ve left unsaid. He can read it from my eyes.

A sheepish smile flickers over his face, before he sighs. “I suppose not.”

“You did that as a ghost?” Cylen once again asks. I thought we’d been over this last night.

“Of course.” My lips quirk up. “I was bored and there was nothing else to do.” I shrug.

“Of course.” He scoffs, but its effect is dulled by the bewilderment still on his face.

Before they can ask any other questions, translucent beams of colour float into the space in front of us. They flicker fluidly before solidifying into transparent forms. Their features marked with their origin, pointed ears and leaves sitting upon heads as headbands.

Cylen immediately shuts his mouth, the question on his tongue fading. There’s a wariness in his eyes as they flicker to mine, with Mira and Theo following soon after. I give them a flat look that conveys exactly what I think of that. These spirits are not going to attack us.

Also, why the ever-burning hell are they assuming this has something to do with me? I can understand the wariness as all other spirits we’ve encountered have tried to kill us. Their heads turn as one back to our guests, likely seeing how unimpressed I am. I can see Gem’s ears reddening, even as she moves her hair forward to hide them.

Turning my head back to the spirits, I see them look hesitantly to my side before flickering back to me. I remember seeing them when I’d moved the rose. They’d been trapped in a frozen state without it working as it was supposed to. I’d felt pity for them.

“Thank you for freeing us.” They bow as one. “We are in your debt.”

Humming in acknowledgement, I wait to see what they’ll do next. To my bewilderment, they simply fade out of the castle walls as quickly as they came. I’m left blinking at the very anticlimactic outcome. Why…

Why does it look like they ran away? Evidently, Cylen seems to have similar thoughts. Except he has a possible reason for it as well. Which is a relief because my mind has blanked.

“Looks like your magic scared the away.” His eyes turn accusingly to Theo.

Mira doesn’t seem too convinced. “Why wouldn’t it have done that before?”

Oh. Of course. “He wasn’t at full power before.” The words are whispered, how could I have forgotten. Underworld magic was intimidating to surface spirits. And...My eyes flicker to his blue, it would be intimidating to most other people too. It’s only not that way for us because we’re used to his presence.

Thinking upon it, I can remember how rattled Gem was the first time they met. Cylen was too, but he hid it better. It didn’t last long when they’d gotten to know him better. His magic accepting us as a friend and not a threat. Although it never quite worked on me. Mira would say it’s because I attract danger.

“At least we didn’t get attacked this time.” Cylen notes, turning to give him a thumbs up. “Good job.” It earns him a flat look, which only makes him laugh.

“Fortunate, because that one’s still not entirely healed.”

“Oy! My shoulder has been better for a while now.” Any lingering effects were taken care of when my magic grew strong enough to act on its own.

“That might have healed,” Gem chimes in, “but you’ve still been using your magic non-stop.”

I don’t get a word in before Cylen adds his own input. “I’m surprised you haven’t exhausted your magic yet.”

“I’m fine.” I protest, “I’m nowhere near my limit.” And I’m not.

“I’ve never seen you use this much magic in such a short frame of time.” His eyes narrow, “Especially not after being injured.”

“Like I’ve said,” I release a frustrated breath as I meet all of their eyes before resting on blue. “My magic has evolved. I’ve had plenty of time to train it.” More than I would have ever wanted.

Even if it’s still rusty, using my magic is riding a bike. It’s not something I’ll ever forget how to do. I also know my limits. “I’ll be fine.” I stress the words even as they don’t look to convinced. “I’ll promise to tell you if I feel like I’m nearing my limit.” Worrywarts the whole lot of them.

“You better.” Mira tells me, lips thinning.

“I’ll never hear the end of it if do, will I?” My lips once again quirk in a smile when they all give a practiced look that tells me just that. Shaking my head, I tuck the rose into the space ring on my hand.

I suppose I’m lucky to have them. I sure wouldn’t want to be without them, I’d be lost. I have been lost. There’s so much that I simply don’t know, even with memories and magic. And even magic has its limits.

“Where to next?” Cylen says, looking to the sky.

It is getting a little cloudy. Funny how fast the weather changes. I think it may be because of the spirits, but I can never be quite sure. We can’t camp outside. Not when the darkening clouds in the horizon and faint sound of thunder tell me it’ll only end in showers.

“To take cover, I hope.” Gem mutters, “I don’t think we’ll be able to do much if we’re battling the rain.”

“But where?” Cylen asks, looking at Theo for suggestions, before they all turn to me. I don’t know why they assume I have all the answers, especially since I haven’t been here for almost two decades. If anything, I should be asking them.

Fortunately, however… “I might know of a place.” Then turning to Theo, “Can you get us there even without me telling you where it is?” We haven’t needed to test that in the past.

“Yes.” He answers immediately, “As long as you know exactly where to go.” I see…This skill is really useful. I smile and hold out my hands, which they take immediately. And the black shadows once again surround us.

When the disperse, it’s front of a large manor. Its white walls and turrets covered in winding green vines, roses blooming along it. It’s one of my favourite places. The house I chose to stay in when I had nowhere to go, protected from outside eyes by a shimmering shield.

“How did I forget about this?” My wide-eyed cousin voices what they’re all likely thinking. “We spent so much of our time in this manor when we were young.”

We had. It was during my breaks. Often, I had to sneak out to do it, and then we spent most of our holidays together after I no longer needed to train. There are a lot of memories in this house.

“That was by design.” I offer, then turn to glance at Theo. “I wanted to have somewhere to linger and I didn’t want Fate interfering with it.”

“Makes sense.” She nods, although I can see how disconcerting it is for her. I guess having missing holes in your memories filled is uncomfortable no matter how many times it has happened. I should know.

The wards on the door recognise them, not attacking when Cylen moves forward to open the door for me, Theo and Gem trailing behind. I suppose it’s a force of habit, but I still throw him a judging glance as I walk in. He grins, even as I see the pink entering his cheeks.

Theo pulls him in as he walks past, grabbing the scruff of his neck to push him ahead before reapplying wards to the door. My lips thin at that. I’d almost forgotten the paranoia, not having seen much of it on our little journey. We’re going to have to talk about that.

Tomorrow, I decide taking in the pale tint to his face. If I remember.

“I think she might be scheming.” Gem’s sprawled across the red settee. “What are we going to do when she comes back?” Worry enters her voice on the last sentence.

Cylen’s sitting beside her. “And I still don’t understand how exactly we’re going to break the curse if she’s responsible.”

It’s a valid question. One I’m not quite so sure on myself. I have a vague theory, but the technicalities could use some work. But telling them that would only make them more worried. There’s also another thing that’s been bugging me.

“There’s another aspect to consider as well.” The man lying in front of me adds, a hand under his face. “It’s become more complicated. There are past lives involved and the original was only intended for the present.” He would know.

Also, my thoughts exactly. I suppose neither of us thought this through, it’s admittedly a bad habit. I know I should be able to reverse it, I’d made sure I could, but I’m still unclear on how to do that.

“We’ll have to research it.” I decide. “Good thing we have an enormous library at our disposal.” This manor is where we keep all our books. It’s much more secure than a castle which is prone to assassins and dignitaries.

“I agree. It’s better not to take risks when it comes to things like this.” She pauses. “That still doesn’t answer my question though. What if she’s scheming to do something awful?”

“She has already done that.” Cylen points out but doesn’t seem any less concerned.

Similarly, blue eyes flicker to me in concern. We all know if she’s going to attack anyone it’s going to be me. Even her trying to sow discord in our interactions was to hurt me. For whatever reason, she seems convinced her plans will miraculously get back to whatever messed up state she has decided if I’m not in the picture.

None of them wants to voice it aloud. But they know. They know that although I’ve rattled her, she’ll be back. People that determined to getting what they want are annoyingly persistent.

And I know exactly what they’re worried about. That maybe the next action she takes will be even worse than the attack she launched before I awoke. People are a lot like creatures in that they can react violently when threatened. Even if she’s technically not a person per se, the same rules apply.

They’re afraid we won’t always be able to get away. Knowing just as well as I do, that attacks are stronger when they’re not expected. And she expects us now. I can see exactly why they’re worried, but…

“Don’t worry about it.” I wave a hand dismissively, “Everything will be just fine.”

For that at least, I have a plan. I just need her to think she’s succeeded to make sure it works. The best time to catch someone off guard is when they think they’ve won.