the Forest of Emmitaenu

Beckoned

[art by Matthew Roberts]

Zeftx went back to batting around ideas with Jade and Lara continued to allow herself to be distracted. Everywhere she looked there was something new and exciting to check out. Sunlight filtering through the tall trees danced on the path where they walked. All sorts of birds were chirping and singing in the canopy of trees up above. Colorful lizards, frogs, and spiders held still on high alert whenever Lara walked too near. She didn't want to touch them or anything, but she was delightfully amazed by the natural designs and variety of bold colors they came in.

A gentle breeze whipped by blowing moist jungle air in her face. They were starting to get deeper into the bigger and wilder part of the forest. Lara glanced before her and behind her, feeling as though she stood on the threshold between cultivated woodland and jungle mayhem. Still Jade and Zeftx walked on.

Lara saw something out of the corner of her eye and again her curiosity was piqued. Stepping off the path, she walked a few yards into the trees, chasing floating specks of glitter moving wherever the sun's rays moved. They weren't fairies. She had already seen those and these were nothing like those. I bet its magic, Lara thought giddily. She was already convinced she had it right and she wanted to get a better peek!

Jade stopped on the path with a puzzled look engraved on her face. Zeftx stopped and turned to look at her.

"Is this the spot, or are we lost?" He asked. Jade glanced around and hummed an uncertain tune to herself. She seemed nervous, and this made him nervous, tempting him to dematerialize and hide in the nearest tree just as he had done to come through the wall of their hut. Then he realized Jade's problem, Lara was no longer with them.

Lara was practically running, dancing, and singing with delight as the magic enveloped, cajoled, and directed where it wanted to go. She ducked under low branches, hopped over fallen trees, and tugged her cloak away from grabby thorns. She twirled her way past the last line of trees leading her into a wide open clearing. In this place there wasn't a tree or bush to block the sun as it sparkled and reached down to kiss her with its warm rays of light.

Lara didn't know where she had drifted off to and she assumed Jade and Zeftx didn't know either since neither one of them had followed her off the path. She knew that should worry her, but right now she was feeling so elated that nothing could bother her. Nothing could steal her enthusiasm. Besides, she had all day. As if compelled to, Lara threw her arms out and spun in circles with her eyes turned up toward the sky watching the golden flecks of magic swirling with her in the sunlight.

A stranger from the nearby village of Opal was collecting supplies from the forest. It wasn't his duty as coven guardian to collect the wild ingredients but it was his errand as son of the high priestess to do what she asked so he couldn't refuse. There was one benefit to being his mother's task monkey; always knowing what to expect at circles before anyone else.

His mother would be weaving a circle tonight. Last month they had the circle for Samhain-the witches new year- and still another month lay ahead before they would celebrate the Yule holiday and to wait that long between was unthinkable. Tonight would be the last waxing moon before the November full moon. His mother was preparing a prosperity ritual to go with it.

The village still suffered a diminished population from the war with the demons, and even after six years of peace they were still recovering from the losses. Eight of twelve witches; mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who had fought from their village had died, but each year the surviving elders became more and more hopeful for renewed growth and prosperity.

It wasn't an unreasonable hope. In the last three years they'd had three new members initiated compared to the four previous years that they'd had none. It had been him and his closest friend, Fartharc Succio, who broke that depressing streak three years ago by going through the initiation rites together. The year after that Tres Dohis, the daughter of the village tailors was initiated.

Soon, the year after next, Fartharc's younger sister Anastasia would take her turn. She was only twelve now but by when she turned fourteen she would be old enough to complete the rites. It was true the circle was growing, but they still had a long way to go.

Because it was such a nice day, not too humid and not too clammy for a tropical forest in mid winter, he searched at a leisurely pace. Hunting supplies for a prosperity ritual wasn't very exciting work. He would need fruits that are sweet and things that are green. He looked around, flashing a lopsided smile. He was in the middle of Emmitaenu...what wasn't green?

As much as he didn't mind the task, he was feeling underutilized and it frustrated him. He was the heir to the coven after all and it was his third year in practice. By the age of seventeen, surely he should be doing something more challenging, something to prove himself to the village elders. He swatted in frustration at a flimsy branch that hung close to the ground. He could feel it magically standing still with his hands to himself with every step he took or didn't take but the physical touch helped him vent.

Closing his eyes experimentally, he walked a few yards using only a magic map he had constructed in his mind, he didn't run into a single thing. Stopping in front of a flourishing honey suckle plant ready to check 'sweet' off his collection list, he was suddenly struck with a new sensation. There was a strange presence close by.

Quickly he masked himself with a spell by drawing runes in the air using his index fingers. Once he felt sufficiently hidden, he considered the presence he was feeling a little more closely. It felt strong, enchanted, and very uncommon. Maybe there is an immortal in the woods or an angel, he mused. No, that's not it.

Something felt strangely unique and he found himself drawn by it. It felt playful, vivid, magical, beckoning. It was summoning every living creature to it, himself included. There was joy and happiness, there was celebration and life. It was tempting him to come closer.

He'd never felt anything so strongly before. Anything this strong could be dangerous and it irritated him to realize he had so little control over his desire to go to it. Cautiously he moved forward. This was one thing he couldn't resist seeing with his own eyes.