The Spirits' Guide

Chapter 19

"No, no, no. You have it completely wrong. The spell isn't for drought, it's for rain. Try again and don't boil the fish!" Iris yelled at Luka from her perch in a tree.

He shot her a glare.

She raised a brow.

If the little boy wanted to throw a hissy fit, he could. She would just give him another task to complete.

"Why the hell are you here again? Where are my teachers?" Luka asked, deciding to take a break.

Iris sighed as she looked at the dried out lake, the fishes flopping about, gasping for water. With a snap of her fingers, water flowed out and off Luka's body and into the lake, refilling it once more.

It was strange that he held powers over the water when both his mother and younger brother had powers in flame. Although, as Iris thought about it, it may be because they are opposites.

One cannot be without the other.

Looking to the tired male, she saw more than she did before. His shaggy brown hair and silver eyes that glowed with a demonic light were very much like his late little brother's who had light gray. They showed more than it should have.

She could see how tired and frustrated he was with the rigorous training he had been putting up with for two years. She remembered how it felt and realized that she still felt it.

Staring into his eyes, she told him, "Apparently I'm a teacher. Honestly speaking, Josephine's worried that you're a spy or something like that. You're twenty-four but you already rival all the experienced and skilled staff, maybe even outshine them."

Luka turned away from her.

Iris stretched as she slid off the low-hanging branch, landing quietly on her feet onto the soft mud on the lake's bank. With a final stretch that made her spine pop, she glanced at Luka, who had his hand raised, glowing a slight gold.

Walking around the tree, she cocked her head. Tasting words on her lips, dangerous words since the two of them could easily destroy the entire school and all within it, she licked her lips.

Straightening, she said, "Making it rain isn't important. What's important is knowing how to fight. So, Luka, let's make a deal. You win, I will give you all the answers your little heart desires. I win... you get another deal. All you have to do is beat me in a fight. So, you game?"

Luka glanced at the lake, his face a mixture of worry and excitement. Looking back at her, Iris noticed a new light in his eyes.

"Whenever you're ready," she leveled him.

Luka didn't hesitate as he brought the water from the lake. Within the second, Iris was sloshed with water. She stared at the man as he whooped and cheered.

Iris chuckled, "You won't stop your enemies by getting them wet. This's how you fight like a witch."

Iris willed the water off her body and, as it swirled above her head, she made several dagger-like structures out of the water.

With a snap of her fingers, the water-daggers dived for Luka. He brought out a pathetic shield of water that the daggers slid cleanly through.

It took less than a minute.

Iris walked to where Luka was bound by the water she had used from his shield, the daggers aimed at his throat.

Shaking her head, she asked, "Have they not taught you anything?"

Luka glared at her. Leaning back on her heels, she observed him. They did teach him something.

"Don't control your magic through hate, it's too unreliable. The most powerful magic wielders use hope. It won't run out until you want death and by then you won't need your magic." Iris muttered as she released the water, letting it run back into the lake.

Luka scoffed before he turned his back on her and walked away. Iris let him.

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"How do you still not know what to do?" Iris shouted at Luka after he was thrown on his ass for the fourth time that day.

Luka glared at her and spat on her boots. Iris chuckled, barely containing herself from launching at him in rage as she watched him get up.

"Go to Hell. I have been doing nothing for three years. Fucking make me do something, bitch." Luka snarled.

Sitting cross-legged in the grass in front of him, she asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Luka kicked rocks out of the way, his head lowered.

Iris waited.

Luka began to walk away from her. They had a year or two before Josephine would give her another job. Iris did not have time for his childish behavior.

Snapping her fingers, a barrier of white fire came around the two of them. Luka whirled to Iris and snarled, "Let me out!"

Iris motioned for him to sit next to her. He glared back.

Shrugging, Iris leaned back onto the grass. They stayed like that for a while, the only sound between them was the crackling of the flames that surround them.

Breaking the silence, Luka asked, "How did you become immortal?"

She felt it, that flame of youth, lick its lips at the memory of her time with the Green Wizard. Iris remained silent as she weighed the half-witch with a stare. He stared back.

"Why?" Iris asked, barely moving her lips. Luka glanced at her, his eyes filled with an emotion Iris couldn't quite place.

"Why? Why did you become immortal?" Luka snapped back. She could tell he was losing steam. Iris licked her lips, the fire drying them out within a second.

"At first, it was vengeance against the humans for my family's murder. But then, my mom — mother — was killed by a demon. What I asked for was power and immortality to take my time finding him and torturing him." Iris told Luka.

Iris motioned once more for him to sit with her, he obliged. He stiffened as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Slowly, Iris leaned on him, her head resting on his shoulder.

She felt sick as she said, "Everything has a price, Luka. Everything. I had to give up so many things just for two."

She wanted to cry, to slam her fists on the ground and beg for what she asked for to be returned. She knew it would never be. She may be ancient but she was still only a little girl in a big girl's body. She wanted the life that was stolen from her to be returned but she knew it was long gone.

She hated how emotional she got when she thought about what she missed and lost.

Clearing his throat, Luka asked, "What was the price? What did you give up?"

"He asks for different prices. It would not matter to you." Iris murmured, letting the fires' crackles to consume her words.

Luka remained seated as he stroked his hand down her arm. Iris couldn't help thinking that she was some scared bird that needed to be stroked to be calmed.