The Enchantments: Book 3 - The Key of Sorcen

Epilogue: A Constant Reminder

The soft rustling of leaves brought forth by the warm breeze from the south filled the tepid air with the far away scents of ancient lands and meadow fields. A solitary figure stood silhouetted by the small fire that flickered inside the small heath that was adorned by small trinkets that to the casual eye meant nothing, but was cherished by the owner.

"Nana, I wanted to thank you for coming to our play, we're really glad you came." The small blond haired girl said as she rubbed her eyes.

The old woman at the window turned and smiled brightly at her grand daughter as the harsh lines of age and wisdom became more pronounced.

"Gina, I wouldn't have missed it for the world!" She said enthusiastically, "How many times do I get to see two angels both inside and outside the school auditorium?"

Gina giggled. She loved her grandmother more then anything in the world. She knew what her and her sister were thinking at all times and she usually reacted upon that. She had no idea how she did it but she took comfort in the fact that she could talk to her about anything, anything t all.

Gina waited for the smothering hug to stop before she moved away and jumped head first into the large plush sofa her 'Nana' called her favorite chair.

"Tell me another story before I have to go to bed Nana!" Gina squealed.

"I don't know it's way past your bedtime." She said coyly.

"AHHH come on, tell me something that no one else knows about Simeneon. What happened to her after Shawn was brought back to life? Did she feel happy that he was brought back or was she angry at her friends?"

Gina looked so eagerly pitifully at the same time that she couldn't resist those sparkling blue eyes. She sighed then walked over to the big puffy sofa and plopped her self in beside a now fidgety Gina.

"I don't know if you really want to hear about that part of Simeneon's life. I wasn't very nice; in fact it was downright horrible. It might give you nightmares." She said as she brought Gina's small body in beside her.

"Why, is it that bad?" Gina asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Well, Simeneon was shut away from everyone. It was a long time later that she finally learned about Shawn coming back and by that time the doctor and Fin had not heard or received a note from her at all. It was like she had fallen off the face of the earth. She had to face the uncertain future by her self and I'll tell you, with all that went on she could have used them. But as it was, she didn't. Those were the darkest days any child ever had to deal with. She had lost her parents, her friends and the ability to put a roof over her head."

"Wow, tell me more." Gina said excitedly.

"Well, Simeneon left the Gates of Malistof with no fanfare and no congratulations. In fact there was no one there at all. She left the confines of the ancient city with a very heavy heart indeed. And worst of all, she found out later, her money was gone as well. Things had just gone from bad to worse."

Gina gasped, "How bad did it get?"

"It got so bad that Simeneon had to resort to riding the rails in her search."

"Huh?" Gina said in confusion.

"She had to sneak onto trains. A very dangerous experience when you had no money."

"Tell me more!" Gina said as she jumped up and down on the sofa.

"I'm sorry but that's a story for another day, and there's no way I can finish it in the time it takes to plop you in bed."

"Oh Nana! I can stay up a little longer, I'm not tired at-" Gina was unable to get out the last word as she was struck with a chronic case of the yawns.

"I can see that, why don't we pick up the story again another day?" She asked soothingly. But Gina had not heard her for she had placed her head to the pillow and was gone before she knew it.

The old lady smiled and looked down lovingly at the precious young thing that was her pride and joy.

"You will never know the full story of how hellish that year was my dear. Never, could you truly understand." She whispered.

She gently reached down upon the small of Gina's back and whispered the words 'Levitate'. The child began to rise gently into the stillness of the warm air a mere foot in front of the caring hands of her grandmother.

It took no more then a couple of minutes to negotiate the furniture and the carpeted stairs before the child was slowly sinking into the bed which she called her own. Her sister, asleep in the other bed barely made a sound as she finally came to rest in the cool sheets.

"Sleep well my sweet." The old lady whispered then kissed her and walked gently out of the room as the last of the sheets magically covered her small frame. She turned and closed the door softly catching a last glimpse of the precious children who had become her life.

"Don't grow up too fast." She whispered then closed the door completely.

The quiet of the night embraced her like a warm blanket as she made her way back into the living room. The fire, which flickered gently in the evening air, was the only sound she could hear other then the soft caress of the wind in the trees. It was a magical sound that she had heard a thousand times to that day, and never tired of it.

Feeling the now breeze through the window she took in a deep breath as she stepped closer to the fireplace and with a metal rod began poking the fire into embers that danced gently across the metal gate and into the air. She continued tamping when a small ember landed on the exposed skin of her arm and she jumped back in surprise.

Dropping the rod back into its holder she pulled back the cloth of her shirt and exposed the rest of her arm.

"I can still feel the burning." She said causally as she looked deep into a large scar that traveled from her elbow to the small crook, which was her hand.

"I wish I had never heard of the Key of Mulastef." She said weakly then looked transfixed upon the scar again.

It was a long time before she moved from the window and the gentle sounds of the evening, but when she did, she knew it would be a long time before she could get the thoughts of that adventure from her troubled mind.

-A very long time.