Inked Emissary

Chapter 20: The Heart Magic

  At first it was dark, so so dark. It was darker than anything or anywhere that Stiles had seen and he'd be lying if he didn't say he was scared. It seemed as though every drop of light had been squeezed out of... out of where ever he was. Because he didn't know where he was. And he didn't know where Ide was either...

  Ever since the she-wolf had formed as his familiar those years ago he could feel her presence like a comforting hand in the back of his mind, he always knew where she was, when she had gone hunting or if she was in the next room. Now he felt nothing. He had no idea.

  The Spark could feel the panic building in his chest and tried to breath, it had been so long since it had felt so tight. He slumped down, legs weak, and pulled his knees to his chest. The ground was leaves? No hard packed dirt? Tarmac? It seemed to be all of those things and nothing at once and Stiles was terrified. And where was Ide? 

  His breathing was coming in short sharp gasps, he had been pulled to the power of the tree, it had been irresistible. Now where was he? He couldn't see anything, it was impossible- there was no light!

  He felt it then, felt it before he heard anything. Hot, sickly breath on the back of his neck making his hair stand on end.

  "It's just you and me now Ssstiles," the gleeful voice whispered in his ears.

  Stiles jumped up with a shout of fear. It was as if the movement had triggered something because immediately the was light. The Nogitsune rose from where it had been crouched, standing before him, slightly hunched, arms out slightly from its sides and twisted, inhuman teeth on display in a victorious grin.

  All around them was green sparks, dancing and whirling. They looked like Stiles' magic but the movement was much more viscous and wild than the usual gentle swaying and drifting. He tried to look beyond the green glow but all he saw was the darkness- and definitely no Ide. It was just him and the Nogitsune.

  The light had seemed to have released some of the tension in Stiles, the panic had receded to a dull throb of fear as he looked at the malevolent fox spirit.

  "Where are we?" Stiles asked in a hoarse whisper. Perhaps more a whimper.

  "We are in the heart of magic. You touched it. The tree. But it's not a tree, you know that Ssstiles, clever boy that you are," the Nogitsune hissed joyfully.

  "The heart of magic," Stiles repeated to himself.

  He looked around again and saw a door. It hadn't been there before. Definitely not been there before, and yet there it was. It wasn't attached to a wall or anything, it just stood there alone. It looked like a hospital door, green light oozing through the gap between the door and the frame.

  "What are you waiting for Ssstiles? The door and possible escape, or me? 'Cause it doesn't want to let you go Stiles, it wantsss you. You and your magic. You power. So much, ssso scrumptious. Make it even more powerful," the dark fox whispered, standing close behind the Spark. So close that the slightest movement on Stiles' part would have him touching the creature.

  After the little speech, the warm breath on his neck and the hyper-awareness of the Nogitsune's proximity, Stiles knew he had no choice. The Nemeton was meant to be a protector of Beacon Hills anyway. It couldn't be too bad. Maybe he would out find why it was attracting so many creatures when it never had before.

  Stiles reached the door and pulled it open, quickly stepping through. The door shut behind him and he looked around him- no Nogitsune thank God. Then he realised where he was. He was in a room in the hospital in Beacon Hills, two people other than himself occupied the from himself. Two every familiar people.