A Mess of a World: the Etched Stone

9.3) Alessida

Lorraine dropped her staff and it clattered across the floor as she made signs with her hands. Alessida strained to keep focused and realized that each gesture seemed to cost the girl energy- No, mana. She reminded herself- until finally Lorraine choked for breath.

But she had done what she'd aimed to do. Alessida watched with wide eyes rapidly filling with tears as the the of the steps repaired itself. It stopped once it looked fairly sturdy to walk on.

She crawled towards it and pulled herself up using the rail. The spell crippled her, but she managed to push through it.

It was apparent that Loraine could do the same, and the only thing that seemed to have done anything to her was her spell-casting.

Lorraine helped steady her and the two started up the stairs. "Jade... the two of us seem to be the only ones who can fight it. But- but I won't be able to cast the protection spell again."

Alessida nodded in understanding, and kept a firm grip on the railing. "If we can just... I don't know... scare the bir- Creature of Old- or do anything to avoid hurting it, but get it out of the city..."

"I agree, though I do doubt either of us are in any condition to damage it." Lorraine said. She was wheezing as if going up the steps was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do in her life.

The girls made it up moments later... before wanting to collapse on the splintered wooden ground. Alessida transferred from holding onto the bannister to the wall and listened again for the bird. This proved more difficult than before, due to the echoey sobbing from downstairs.

They were in a two-way hallway, but Alessida didn't want to waste the rest of her strength searching random empty rooms for the bird. She listened until she was certain which way to go, and nodded her head to Lorraine.

The two stalked the hallway, slowly but surely, while Alessida couldn't help but get after herself for leaving her friends behind. Thoughts like What if they die from sorrow, and I can't help them because I'm up here? and other ridiculous things unproductively coursed through her brain and distracted her.

Lorraine was starting to look troubled as well, however, she was able to steel herself enough not to cry. Anger replaced worry and she pushed on. Alessida followed her example and straightened, hoping a good posture would work against the powerful magic at work.

"This room." Lorraine said certainly. "I-I can sense it." Her fingers fumbled at the doorknob, and she had to take a second to steady her hand before opening it.

Inside the empty-of-furniture and coated-in-dust room, was the most hideous and pathetic creature that Alessida had or ever will behold. Her rudeness made herself sad. The poor bird couldn't help the way it looked.

The 'bird' in question was roughly the size of her hand and had a balding head, which revealed clumps of purple and light pink skin. It's eyes were ginormous and took up most of its face. They were blue, but lined with a dark red as if it had been crying. The rest of the feathers that covered it were grey and shaggy. They looked soft, but Alessida wasn't about to feel it and find out.

"Fascinating!" Lorraine gasped, her eyes wide in astonishment.

"That's, uh, one word for it."

"The magic... radiating is majestic. It's incredible how a single being could radiate so much power! Especially at its size! This is a huge discovery for modern day magic users!" Lorraine said excitedly. "Right..." Alessida mumbled, her attention as directed to why her body was incapable of moving. "I feel so... petrified right now."

The bird glanced up at her and let out what sounded like a heavy sigh.

"Its magic is oral! That's how it casts magic- which it just did- it's- it's coming from its mouth! That's ama- Jade? Are you alright?"

Alessida wanted to scream 'NO!', she couldn't move and a disgusting excuse of a bird was staring at her. If looks could kill... She thought, shuddering. "Can you cast like a counterspell or something?"

Lorraine laughed. "Oh no. Nothing powerful. This creature radiates magic, it's as easy as breathing for it." She added dryly, "Master Rembe would have killed to get this close to something like it."

"Can you shoot something? Scare it off at all?"

"I cannot move my hands... but we're talking just fine. It is... surprising. I wonder... if the spell is a more physical and mental spell than verbal. Interesting!"

Alessida was done with the praises of joy for the hostile magic. Now is not the time, Lorraine!

"Yes, yes, it's all super fascinating, but WE'RE STUCK HERE!" Alessida roared. The bird flew up with a jolt at her scream, and Alessida gaped at it, dumbfoundedly.

"I am sorry, Jade, this is all really just-"

"Shh! Did you see that?"

"See... what...?"

Alessida shook her head in confusion. "When I yelled, it jumped!"

Lorraine thought for a moment, before saying, "Maybe loud noises are effective against it? If so, we may be able to scare it away."

She pulled up her staff and pounded the schmitisckhphas out of it. The blunt noise made the bird flap up to the ceiling.

Alessida breathed in, and before she could tell herself what a bad idea it was, slammed herself face-first onto the ground. The contact made her body go limp and scream out in pain, her head especially since it had taken most of the damage.

Seeing the bird swoop to the doorway and squawk in confusion was worth it though. Lorraine ducked out of its way and it made for a window.

As soon as it was gone, the relief flooding through her was enough to block out the pain. She helped herself back onto her feet and rubbed her forehead. 

"Is it gone?"

Lorraine shrugged and ran over to the window the bird had flown out of. "It would appear so."

"Jade?" A wary voice from below called. 

"What happened?"

"Didya get it?!"

Alessida ran down the stairs to the others and as quickly as possible explained what had happened.

"Thank goodness, it's gone!" Sama exclaimed, before looking down at her and her clothes and gagging. "Oh gross! Spiderwebs on me!"

Zaki'a's face changed from shocked to relieved in a matter of seconds. "That's..." She seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Whoa, cheers to you for such creativeness, Jade. Zak, you know the king will want to hear about this." Damen said. He put a hand to his forehead. "I'll need some rest before then though, I'm barely hanging on as it is."

Zaki'a heartily agreed.

While the others were talking, Lorraine murmured to Alessida with wide eyes. "I can't believe we actually met a Creature of Old! Or that we were able to get so close. It was so close when it flew at me in the doorway."

Alessida shrugged. "Now that we're not in the same room with it anymore, I guess I can appreciate it... A little bit."

"I have to say, after everything is over, it was fun to work together..." Lorraine smiled, before turning and adding, "It was almost as if we were friends."

"You know... The four of us are heading on another journey. You could come with us."

"Will there be danger?"

"... Maybe."

Lorraine frowned. "I'll have to... consider my options first."