Neledh || ONC 2023

Prologue | Tiffany

The coven was celebrating as their newest member finished their mastery. It had been a long and tremendous journey, but the wolf pack had survived the epidemic and could be returned to the wild.

Elric and Morcant ran forward to embrace the new member, they had known Maude was more than capable, but being almost eight months pregnant wasn't something they could overlook.

"You were amazing! How you managed to calm them all down to examine them, and found a cure without losing a single one."

Maude was now officially part of the coven and a qualified witch, capable of stopping a small epidemic.

"Thank you, but you didn't need to be so worried, I had everything under control."

Morcant was hovering behind them in an obvious attempt to be present if Maude stumbled.

"The baby is fine, I'm fine, the wolves are fine, everything will be fine, so please stop hovering behind me. I enjoy seeing your face during a conversation, dear."

They walked to the teleportation array the artificers made for them, an investment later to be paid by the witches' coven. They had been called, as there were less and less wolves sighted and there was fear for an epidemic. The witches took this opportunity to let their newest member finish their mastery in lupine cures. 

"Careful now, transportation arrays can be dangerous."

The two artificers standing guard next to the array lifted their eyebrows, and the man opened his mouth to retort, but was stopped by an elbow against his ribs. His female partner whispered something in his ear while gesturing to the obvious pregnant person. Some people got a bit overprotective during those times. 

"No worries, I'll see you both in a moment."

Maude stepped in the array and disappeared, closely followed by first Morcant and then Elric.

Elric stepped out of the other side of the array and promptly collided with Morcant, who was staring at the other members of the coven.

Maude had disappeared and with her the calm that had surrounded the coven.

-

"Dead end, they didn't know anything either."

Elric and Morcant had left their coven months prior in an attempt to find Maude, but she had disappeared without a trace. They had asked anyone they knew and travelled all over England, but in the end they had to conclude she was no longer there.

Morcant had called in a favor with a group of fae in Normandië to get them to the continent where they had continued their search. 

The last person they had asked was a Melusine who also hadn't seen a witch with black hair and uneven skin color, possibly in the company of a baby.

"What if we never find her?"

Elric was leaning against Morcant as he uttered those softly spoken words of fear. 

What if they were too late?

What if Maude couldn't be found anymore?

"We can't give up. As long as there is still a chance, she's out there somewhere, we have to keep looking."

-

They travelled from place to place, going even as far as visiting the human towns, yet Maude was nowhere to be found. They had kept a course towards the north and were now walking through a dense magical forest.

Autumn had come and gone during their search, and now the world was covered in a layer of white, muffling the footsteps of anyone who dared to venture outside.

"Did you hear that? It sounded like someone's crying."

Elric and Morcant frantically looked around in a valiant attempt to assist someone in need, but were unable to identify the source of the sobbing sounds that were now getting louder.

They were now walking with their ears, going one way or another to hear where the sobs were the loudest. Till at once, Morcant stumbled and fell, after walking against a person kneeling in the snow.

Elric quickly moved forward and offered his arm to pull his partner upright. Then they both looked at the figure still kneeling on the cold forest floor.

A young woman with hair as white as snow, clothed in a white thin dress and a sickly pale skin. 

Obviously she had been outside for a very long time and had gotten lost in the woods. They needed to get her to a warm and safe place and fast. Otherwise, she might die of the cold.

"Hey, miss. Are you lost? Is there something we can do?"

The young woman lifted her head up, and tears swam in her pale blue eyes.

"I fell, my foot hurts, and I can't get up anymore. Could you please help me, kind lords?"

Without further ado, Morcant lifted her up and Elric helped him position her so she could be carried on his back.

"What way is your home, miss? We shouldn't stay outside longer than necessary, you're turning blue from the cold."

"Down this path, you'll know it when you see it."

-

 They had been walking for far more time than a 'down this path' warranted, and Morcant was getting increasingly anxious about the young woman's health. She hadn't spoken again after the initial conversation where she told them the way to her home.

"Camille! Camille, where are you? She woke up, and we are in urgent need of corporal assistance!"

The woman stirred and leaped from Morcant's back, wide awake and capable of walking.

"I'm here, Raine!"

"Where- Oh there you are, and who are these two misters?"

A nymph appeared and ran towards them, her long green hair flowing behind her.

"Victims of my ruse, unfortunately they were so nice they didn't notice a thing."

The nymph laughed as Morcant and Elric stared at them with their mouths hanging open.

"Can they come along?"

The young woman, who seemed to be not as human as previously thought, nodded her head and Morcant and Elric were pulled away from the path into the woods. Within seconds, they reached a clearing filled to the brim with nymphs surrounding a woman sitting upright on the forest floor, a child laying in her arms.

"Maude!"

Elric and Morcant shouted in unison and ran to their partner they had searched for months for. They had found her, them. They were alive and together once again.

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Witch [Elric, Morcant, Maude ]

A healer who uses magic, in this world you are born into it and it cannot be learned through studying. You have the magic or you don't

Artificer

Magical engineer, the same as witches you are born with the magic or you aren't. But within the magic using community you can switch groups according to your heart's call, though it is rarely heard of.

Mesuline

Native to France. A water spirit, usually appears from the waist down as a fish or serpent.

-

[edited]

February 3, 2023