The Enchantments: Book 4 - The Key of Mulastef

Chapter 5: Visitation

For the first time in ages, Simeneon felt warm. She had spent at least an hour moving shards of wood from the destroyed rail car to a section of the yard where the biting wind diminished greatly. It had taken only a few moments to get the dry wood lit, and when the warmth of the fire hit her weary bones, she felt a relief wash over her like she had never had before.

"Thank the Lord for small favors," she exclaimed.

The warmth enveloped her like the cloak she wore and filled her with a small sense of purpose. Although she knew the minions could come back at any moment she didn't care, times like this would come along few and far between. With that notion planted firmly in her head, she felt the first pangs of sleep starting to take hold. Thoughts of the minions coming back and getting her as she slept gave her a tiny shard of concern, but sleep took hold faster than she could react and before long the world began to waver before her eyes.

Simeneon had felt the presence of someone beside her before she had even opened her eyes. At first, she thought she was having trouble with her eyes when the image of a man was shimmering beside her but the longer she stared at the figure, the more she knew he was not changing. She scrambled away to the back of the demolished rail car and stared wildly ahead.

"Who are you?" Simeneon screamed.

The ghostly presence stood staring at her from a distance saying nothing. She watched in awe as the ghost jumped slowly from the barrel, looked casually down the long blue cloak and began smoothing out places ruffled while sitting. Shifted to the beard moving his fingers through the long white hairs, which she saw went down to his knees were now neat and trimmed from his constant brushing with his fingers. He prolonged the moment by slowly adjusting his large cone shaped hat that looked more like a winter hat than wizards.

"It's been a long time since I had to look presentable in front of anyone." The ghost said smartly.

"Who...are you?" She asked.

"Oh forgive me, child, my name is Mogat, second wizard of the great Emperors Magic Council. As the proverbial line goes, 'I mean you no harm.'"

"Who are ..." Simeneon stammered.

"...I believe we've already been over that." Mogat the wizard interrupted with amusement.

Simeneon shook her head trying to get another ridiculous question from surfacing. She stepped down from the plank she had jumped on after the wizard arrived and began a slow walk towards the glowing entity. Her eyes never left the man, and if by chance he whispered boo she would be out the door faster than he could say 'joking.'

"Why have you appeared to me?" She asked as she judged the distance between the two of them for a possible escape.

"Now my dear, that is the most sensible question you have asked me since I... well, appeared to you." He laughed.

Simeneon felt the nervousness slowly diminish giving her the ability to think straighter.

"I remember seeing you before," she said as she moved over to the fire to sit down. "During my time with the keys I've transported back to the days of the council. I've seen and felt everything that occurred during those turbulent times. I'm sorry that you had to live through all that." She said, her eyes showing the concern she had come to know for those days.

Mogat sighed, "my dear girl, it is you I feel sorry for, over these last few years you have been so traumatized by others that have meant you harm and you've come through it with bravery, and I fear that it will get worse before it gets better."

He began to saunter over to where Simeneon was sitting and with a large grunt finally sat his heavy set body down beside her.

"It could have been worse." Simeneon shrugged moving back to the warmth of the fire.