Imaginary friends

14. Aisha and White Witches

I sit on the back porch of this strange house, the house has a small back garden where there is a hidden alcove in the mountain. Beautiful coloured butterflies, dragonflies, and small birds fly around the colourful garden; minding there own business. The garden was filled with many exotic plants much like the plants at the front of the house, there is a small pond to the side of the garden where pink and purple frogs play and small fish swim. It was peaceful, perfect for a place to think. Kilorn was still inside talking to Zedar about lost time, so I take the opportunity to think about the position i'm in.

"Here, you go." Aisha's voice stps my train of thought as she hands me an elegant tea cup filled with a mysterious purple drink.

I take the cup and mumble a quick thank you.

"it's nice out here isn't it." she says absentmindedly.

"yeah." I reply with a smile.

we sit in a comfortable silence on the steps of the porch. watching the gardens civilisation do its work.

 "Can I have your advice on something?" I ask politely.

"Sure." she replied sitting beside me.

"Why would my mum take all of this away from me?" I say gesturing to the mystical garden.

"Maybe she just never understood it." Aisha replys watching the pond in the distance.

"I know but it makes me so angry that she lied to me all this time." 

"Well one things for sure. Never let revange get the better of you. It destroys people, trust me I would know." she said her eyes narrowing.

"What do you mean?" I ask. She took a deep breath and sighed, calming herself.

"When I was ten my whole family was killed by a pack of werewolves, slaughtered to be precise. That's how I got this." she said pulling her dress down to show on her right shoulder four deep claw marks running down her shoulder blade.

"that makes two of us." I say moving my sleeve to the side to show her the bite mark. She smiled modestly. For a woman who was so hard she seemed to be so sweet and mothering.

"Soon after Zedar took me in, he tutored me and within a year I become his apprentice. When I turned sixteen I left him to hunt down the man who killed my family and tried to take him on myself, But it didn't work out." she said her eyes cold but in sorrow.

"oh." is all I could reply.

We sat in silence for another minute before it occurred to me.

"You are mortal, like me?" I asked curiosity getting the better of me. She smiled, mystery written on her face.

"Not exactly." she replied with a smirk. I eye her suspiciously, trying to read her expression but nothing come into view.

"Look. I don't know much about being a parent but I know if I were a mother I would do everything to protect my children even change their world." She said as I imagined her stalking around her children protecting them from everything that comes her way like a lioness protecting her cubs. Or a worrier  watching over her children. When I look at her now she seems older, mature and wise.

"Maybe she new something that you didn't and she wanted to protect you from it." Aisha concludes, turning to look at me she smiles and places a hand my shoulder. The gesture was sweet and mothering even though her features strong and cold, only a small glint of compassion sparks in her eye.

"I'm sure that everything will work out." She smiled.

"Jessie." Kilorns voice cut our moment short as he came into view. Aisha let's go and walks away from me while Kilorn advances my way, Zedar following closely behind with a unsettled look on his face.

"yeah." I say getting up and walking over to them.

"Here." He says grabbing my small wrist in his hands. I look up at him but his gaze was fixated on my wrist. I hear a small click and look down as he removes his hand from my wrist, showing me an elegant yet ancient bracelet. It was silver and the metal seemed to curl around my wrist like a vine curling around a tree, in the middle of the bracelet a pure white gem shone bright. 

I could feel the gem pulse on my arm sending an electrifying energy up my arm and setting in my chest. Captivated by its mystery and beauty I couldn't help but stare. 

"Well what do you know." Zedar said his face shifting from unsettled to amazed.

"I told you that it would work." Kilorn said turning to Zedar in a 'I know it' tone. Zedar advances towards me and looks me up and down astonished for a reason I don't know.

"What is it?" I ask

"That my dear is the Jaygar. An ancient bracelet worn by Aletheia the first Light witch when she battled the first creatures of the moon, protecting the balance. I came across it centuries ago, it is told only a descendant of her being  would be able to wear it and a reincarnation would be able to use it." 

"I'm a descendant of a witch." I chuckle jokingly. My laughter dies down when I see Kiorn, Zedar and even Aisha looking at me with serious expressions.

"No my dear. You're a reincarnation." He said examining the way the bracelet pulsed on my wrist.

"You can't be serious?" I ask, but get no answer.

"You must never lose this bracelet." Zedar warned.

I look down at the strange bracelet and examine it. Its pulse felt warm, welcoming and natural. It feel in sync with every beat of my heart. The gem seemed to glow with every pulse, I could feel it in every part of my body soon becoming one with it's power. I felt better, brighter and stronger with each pulse. 

"Come with me." Zedar said as he walked back into the house.

I followed him and Kilorn was close behind. We walked into a room with many ancient books and shelves filled with jars of potion ingredients. He walked over to the biggest bookshelf mumbling under his breath as he searched for a specific book. 

looking around I see a jar with human fingers and toes as well as one with floating teeth. I see a large glass cylinder with a dead monkey floating in yellow liquid. when lean closer to get a better view of the monkey it snaps its head and looks me up and down causing me to jump into Kilorn.

He quickly steadied me as Zedar opens up a large book. Dust flies everywhere as he drop the book on a table in the centre of the room.  

"That's Aletheia." he says pointing to a drawing of a young woman. 

The woman had long white hair that reaches her hips, brilliant blue eyes and skin as fair as mine. Her face a spitting image of my own. My body is more curvy and fragile were hers is strong and built for battle. Alethia wore a white dress with silver curling around it the same way the bracelet on her left wrist does, The one I wear now.

She stands with her head held high and her back strong like a warrior. A brilliant white and silver snow leopard stands beside her with its teeth bared.

"And that." Kilorn points to the snow leopard.

"Is her guardian." he says looking at me.

Besides Aletheia's pure white hair you would think that we were the same person. 

"Beautiful. Isn't she?" Zedar said in a way that sounded more like a statement. His eyes never leaving Aletheia's drawn ones.

"Where is she now. Maybe she can help us." I ask my eyes skimming over the writing on the page though it was in a language I couldn't read. 

"She sacrificed herself in order to keep the balance between the moon creatures and the ones of the sun." Zedar said with sorrow and sadness written on his face. After a moment he turns to me with determination.

"You must do the same as her. Protect the sun creature, keep the balance no matter the cost." He said his voice cracking in the end.

"As did she." turning to the book he looked at the young woman letting his determined expression change back to sorrow.

I couldn't help but wonder what she was to him.