Si'Dhuen of Trefrost Spire

6

Si'Dhuen and Lessandra spent the next several hours hunting down the supplies the old woman had asked them to collect. Their progress was slowed by having to consult the small book of pictures the woman had given them. By the time they had collected them all, the night sky was just beginning to lighten, and the pair was quite exhausted.
When they finally returned to the old woman's cottage, they discovered that she had set up a small work area in a garden that lay behind the house. They circled around to join her, handing the sack they had collected everything in to her. She examined the contents quickly, then stowed the sack under a table that was near the back wall of the cottage. From that table, she retrieved an ornate looking skull and an old looking wooden goblet. She returned to where the pair were standing.
"I don't understand," stated Si'Dhuen, with a look of confusion. "What were those plants and ingredients we collected for, if not for this lesson?"
"Your lesson is one in obedience," declared the old woman. "I require a faithful and compliant student, and anything less will incur my wrath. There will be many such tests under my tutelage, and you will see that my will is done, should you wish to survive."
The old woman's face was hard, and her voice was forcefully commanding. Both Si'Dhuen and Lessandra recoiled slightly at the declaration before bowing their heads in acknowledgment.
"Good, now for another lesson," she said, handing over the goblet to Si'Dhuen.
She then made a swift movement with her hand toward Lessandra. Lessandra seemed to freeze for a moment before coughing and reaching for her neck. She collapsed to her knees, coughing and gagging still. There was a large gash across her throat, and it was gushing sheets of blood down her front.
"What have you done!" shouted Si'Dhuen. "She is here to help! What has she done to deserve such violence!"
He had dropped the goblet and rushed over to Lessandra. He was dabbing at the wound, searching frantically for a way to help her.
"Collect her blood," commanded the old woman. "I need a goblet full. And do it quickly."
"This is madness!" cried Si'Dhuen. He had begun to shake in his frustration, still looking for a way to help Lessandra .
"You have made an oath to serve, elf," replied the old woman, now towering over the pair. "She was here as your servant, and student's of mine do not require such luxuries. Do as your master commands and you can avoid further punishment."
Still shaking, and with tears now streaming down his face, Si'Dhuen slowly collected the goblet. Barely looking as he did, he raised it to Lessandra's throat and allowed the warm, thick liquid to fill it. When it was full, he rose from the now lifeless body of his former servant and delivered the goblet to his master.
Smiling, she snatched the goblet greedily from his hands.
"Now, dear student," she sang, "I believe it's time for a demonstration of the knowledge that you seek. First things first, however."
The old woman now dipped a claw-like hand in the goblet and began to chant a repetitive phrase in a strange language Si'Dhuen did not understand. Taking the blood from the goblet, she smeared a thick sheet of it over her face and arms, continuing to chant her strange words. As she did, the lines on her face began to smooth, the curve in her back straightened, and the gray in her hair darkened significantly. She then lifted the goblet to her lips and inhaled the remnants, making a quick twirl as she did.
When she came to a stop, the old woman was changed in the most incredible way. Before Si'Dhuen now stood a young, healthy, powerful looking woman. She was still coated in Lessandra's blood, but the pleased look she wore didn't seem to betray any discomfort in it. Smiling widely now, she turned to Si'Dhuen, who was standing dumbfounded at what he just witnessed.
"There. Now this is the look of a proper master," the woman said, beaconing Si'Dhuen to approach. He hesitated for a moment, then hobbled over to join her.
"Now, a demonstration, as promised," declared the woman.
She handed Si'Dhuen the skull, which she had tucked under her arm, and continued.
"I'll have to do the majority of the work for this one," she began. "But, I'll guide you through the motions. You have a lot to memorize, and this will take some time to master, but since you're so fascinated with my pets, and have done a decent job of obeying me, I suppose we can take some time with this."
At that, she directed Si'Dhuen to place the skull in a large cauldron in the center of the garden and went about reciting an incantation. A complex flourish went along with the incantation, so he and the woman spent some time getting it just right.
When the woman was confident that her student could replicate it perfectly, she instructed him to take a seat on the ground and watch. She approached the cauldron, arms raised, and recited the incantation, flourishing her arms just as she had shown him.
Instantly, the cauldron seemed to fill with a green, glowing liquid-like smoke. The smoke even seemed to bubble and seeth as it filled the cauldron.
"Now," the woman said matter-of-factly, "this can be done without the cauldron, of course. But, I do enjoy the effect it creates in the process. I think it makes the summoning process more..."
She trailed off to observe.
At this moment the cauldron had filled to the brim. Its seething and bubbling seemed to come to a climax. Just when it looked like the smoke was about to spill over and drench the floor, a slender, gaunt hand reached out of the cauldron and gripped the edge. Soon, another hand followed, and a skeletal looking creature began to pull itself from the cauldron.
All fear and sadness was swept from Si'Dhuen at this sight. As the creature tumbled out of the cauldron and righted itself before the woman, his face twisted up to a wicked, greedy looking smile. He now knew that the path he followed was worth it.