Who am I?

The hermit

Zoe and I walked through the forest following the list of ingredients we were given. Half of the plants were ones I've never even heard of before. Another thing was that Jason's mom was asking for huge quantities of these ingredients. "Jeez, Is she planning to give us a lifetime supply?" I  asked, picking bunches of waxy leaves.

Zoe laughed. "I don't know, maybe small potions need a lot of stuff. We still need to go to that old hermit's home to get some of the more witchy ingredients." I shuddered. "Ugh I don't even want to think about it." We continued on searching for the wierd herbs until we made it to a path.

"I guess we're off to the hermit's now," Zoe said. "Jason's mom said the path would appear when she was ready for us." The path didn't look too bad, The trees towered creating a canopy of green over our heads. Birds chirped happily and the sun was shining. Honestly, how bad could this have been?

"I don't know about all this magic stuff though," I said. "It all seems too impossible." Zoe smiled a little bit. The sun streaked down illuminating her dark hair; she was really pretty and I'd never noticed it before. "Well," she started, "It's actually easier to believe when you understand it."

"You seem to have no problem believing my ability or Anthony's." I shrugged, I never really thought about it. "It's just that your gifts are so instinctive and such a part of you. All I've ever seen of Jason's was some odd potions here or there."

The path suddenly seemed less cheery. The birds stopped chirping and the trees were no longer a welcoming green canopy. These ones were gnarled and twisted into startling shapes; a cold wind blew rattling the branches like old bones. Zoe shuddered.

"Ugh, as I was saying a sorcerers gift is just as instinctive and a part of them as our talents are. If Jason is in a life or death situation, he's able to do incredible things without meaning to. Without the basic natural magic, sorcerers wouldn't be able to make potions or do incantations. Magic usually influences nature though and most sorcerers are claimed by an element."

I nodded watching some crows screech by. It was all a bit clearer now. "Has Jason been claimed by an element?" I asked. She shook her head. "No, not yet." It was getting dark now, the sun was going down and some clouds were rolling in.  "Can I ask one last thing? Sorry if I'm being annoying its just my damn memory."

She looked at me sympathetically. "Yeah sure." "Why was Jason so upset when we crashed? I mean it was his van but he was more distraught than I've ever seen him."  Zoe bit her lip and inhaled sharply.

"When Jason was a kid he got in a real bad car accident and almost died. That's how he lost his leg." She said it in a rush and paled. We fell silent after that. I knew something was bothering her and I didn't want to bother her even more.

We had only been walking for about 10 minutes when it got completely dark. There was no light to guide the way and it was getting harder to navigate. This was completely impossible! it was noon! This was definitely magic.

"Are we close?" I asked. "I can feel someone else" Zoe said closing her eyes. "It's faint but getting stronger." Then, stepping out of the woods was a beautiful wolf. It was transparent and shone like silver faintly illuminating the path. It paced calmly towards us.

"Woah" I breathed. "what? What is it?" Zoe asked squinting. "There's nothing there." She said. "It's a wolf." I whispered. Slowly, the wolf turned and started to walk away. I felt a compulsion to follow it, I didn't want to lose it. It was so beautiful. 

"C'mon." I said and we set off. The wolf walked at a brisk pace ahead of us occasionally looking behind to make sure we still there. Its eyes shone with intelligence. It suddenly stopped in front of a rundown looking home. The roof sunk in with rot and half of the porch had caved in. 

It looked up at me and nudged my hand with it's shimmering snout. As soon as it touched my hand, the wolf dissolved into a silvery cloud that traced up my arms and around my body. Then it disappeared. "Woah, What was that!" Zoe exclaimed wide eyed.

"The wolf." I said in bewilderment. And, with much hesitation, we walked up to the shack. The  door creaked open and revealed a normal looking home. We stood in a modern kitchen with all the furniture and appliances of an average home. It was actually nicer than our apartment.

"What?!" Zoe exclaimed in wonder. "Oh, you're here!" a cheery voice called out. A girl about 12 years old walked in. "Selena said you would be coming." We gaped in absolute confusion. What the hell was going on? "Uhm are you Ailis?" I asked.

She smiled cleverly, "Oh yes I am. Now come in and make yourselves comfortable. I'll be back in a moment with your ingredients." I stared at Zoe wide eyed. She glanced at me and then did a double take. 

"Caleb, I can see you perfectly! I don't even have to try!" she exclaimed. I stared at my hands and saw no difference. I always saw myself it was just the others who couldn't see me as well. I shrugged but a sort of hope started to well up inside me. Maybe because we were getting closer to the girl, I was getting more visible.

"What's your opinion on Ailis?" I asked. Zoe smiled feeling my hope, but snorted. "I doubt she's really Ailis. Ailis is probably her grandmother or something." Just then Ailis came in looking unamused. Zoe blushed deeply.

"Doubting that I'm the real deal huh?" She growled. "Do not judge others by their appearances young one, you of all people should know that from your friend here." She seemed to swell up in size with her anger. "Just because I choose to appear to you as a younger version of myself, does not make me less of myself. I can tell you now that I am far older than the two of you should ever hope to be."

Her face flickered and just for a moment we saw her true form. She was a very old woman with long white hair underneath her 12 year old façade. "Now," she said clapping her hands together. "Here are Selena's ingredients. Since you were so kind to come and get these for Selena, I will do a palm reading for each of you."