Chapter 1
Only one mistake
If someone would have walked past that single apartment, on the Cinnamon street, next to a flourishing park that was blooming with different kinds of sweet-scented flowers, they could have heard a dull thud from the inside. The whole building was a simple one, with cream white walls and lovely, tall windows with small terraces that had black railings. The design of the whole structure is somewhat old-fashioned, but so are the rest of the colorful houses that stand next to it with dark or hay covered roofs. On some, the people living in the houses have placed bright flowers on the windowsill and they move gently with the breeze that blows across the whole length of the stone road that leads to the harbor of the small town. The whole place is pretty much covered with old-fashioned buildings, from houses to stores and small cafes. It is a fairly popular place for those that seek peaceful and quiet environments and wonderful sea views. This is mostly the reason that brings tourists to it in the first place.
To put it simply the town is too peaceful and a happy place for anyone to get depressed easily. At least, that was what Parsley has always thought, but currently she is at the bottom of abyss of depression, or still falling. As for the strange sound that came from that single, cream hued house, she repeats it by letting her forehead meet with the wood of her desk for the second time.
It's no use. Parsley presses her cheek against a piece of paper, the scent stinging her nostrils. The color of the paper is much like the house's – delicate and dark curves of the letters written on it form many words and sentences. They all could be read within ten minutes or less, but Parsley has gone through the whole letter several times already. And every time it brought a dark cloud over her head and weighted her shoulders down like a boulder. Another rejection.
Sphynx can't handle it anymore. His large golden eyes keep on glancing at the back that is covered with wavy lengths of hair that have not been brushed properly for a full day at least. The strands poke out to different directions and the blue sweater Parsley is wearing does not stop the electricity currents from running over every piece of hair on her head. It can't be helped, though. Sphynx's friend has not been able to relax on this particular day for only one reason that is making her frown deepen.
The cat jumps up to the desk and Parsley stays oblivious to his presence. Her hazel eyes are half-opened with many swirls of emotions mixing in their dull depths. She is totally absorbed in her own thoughts. Sphynx knows that leaving her like this would only make the pregnant silence in the room worse. So, he decides to rub his head against her arm and purr.
That does it and Parsley snapped back to reality. She doesn't smile but snuggles closer to her friend. Her next words come out like a whimper of a child's: "Sphynx, what do I do now?"
The cat doesn't say anything, simply keeps sharing his warmth. No words could make Parsley feel better right now.
She finally leans back against the chair and raises her head. Silently trying to force gathering tears back into her eyes. "Mama and papa are waiting for me to call them and tell the results. They are going to be so disappointed."
"They will worry about your wellbeing more than any of that," Sphynx says, his silky voice soothing, but not making Parsley feel any better. He sees it from the way her eyes fall again.
She had tried, truly tried this time. Went all the trouble and got those spell books from the libraries, practiced making potions as much as she could without blowing up the house and learned formulas. The preparations for the exams had taken months and Parsley swore she had never tried that hard in her life. Some part of her had even believed that she could get into the Golden-Light University, but now that she has seen the results every part of her being is crushed. No doubt her family would also feel the same way. Just before the day of the exam her parents had smiled encouragingly and made her favorite breakfast. Eggs, bacon and some salad with cucumbers and freshly baked bread – all of that goodness had been wasted.
The rejection letter is too cruel. The people that wrote it couldn't just stand up and tell the face slapping news to those that failed face-to-face. Though, maybe that is better. Nobody likes to see the look of pity in the eyes of a stranger.
Parsley looks down at her right hand and sees the index finger which has a bandage around it. It had come from a page of a book that she had read on the final studying day. Orick had joked and called it "a wound of victory", but now it was more like "a wound of defeat". He was another one who Parsley had to tell about the results. Seeing his reactions would be almost as hard as to her parents.
"I'm a failure." Forehead meets with the desk, again.
Sphynx's ears twitch. "Don't say that, when you are not."
"Yes, I am. I couldn't get to a university-"
"Yes, you did. The Daisy University, remember?" The cat flinches, when she let out a whimper. Things are not looking too good.
"That is where those without any other option go!" She covers her head with her hands. Her shoulders are shaking, and her next words are slightly muffled. "I don't get it! I studied, studied Sphynx! I tried so hard and - and even got Orick to tutor me. There were many that applied t-to Golden-Light, but I - I thought that there was even a little chance that I might get in... And now it is clear as a day that no matter what I do nothing is going to work! Everything is like during few summers ago, when we went to Uncle Kenny's boat and I thought that I could drive it and then it went out of control and father had to use metal magic to bend the engine. A new engine cost a lot and I couldn't bear to look at Uncle until few months ago, but now here comes another disappointment - oh, no! There is another incident that happened when I was in kindergarten-"
"Parsley! You're babbling," Sphynx's voice says as calmly as he can. The mood his owner is in affects him as well, because the ends of his fur are starting to stand up. He rubbs his head against Parsley's arm for the second time.
This time, though, Parsley strokes his blue hued fur back and reveals her puffy eyes. When the cat sees them, he licks a trail of water from her cheek and lets her hug him against her chest. The scent of books, wool and shampoo are strong on her and he inhales all of thosewith a pleased purr leaving from his throat. This is one of the only ways to cheer her up and though he doesn't enjoy physical contact that often, he does it now to make Parsley feel better. The entrance exams were truly a frightening thing.
Parsley does not want to look at the letter anymore. She simply presses her face against Sphynx's back and mulls her thoughts together inside her head. The paths the young woman has to choose lead to a brick wall, expect for one. And that is going to the university that had accepted her. The thought of going there makes her stomach drop, though. It isn't that it is in a bad place, the location is fine enough and the teachers are supposedly nice. It was simply that Parsley didn't want to be seen going to one of the universities where anyone could get in easily enough. Not to mention they don't have that great of a magical program.
What am I going to do? The question is like a silent prayer to a God. Parsley wishes for answers.
"I will quit magic."
"Eh?" From their closeness, Parsley can feel how Sphynx stiffens. "But isn't magic something you have wanted to become good at since you were little? Please, don't quit it just because of this stupid letter."
Parsley shakes her head, the waves of amber brown sliding down from her shoulders. The memories of her innocent dream blooming is making needles poke her heart. She remembers how those fantasies had first started, how she clung to them ever since and went ahead to try and achieve them. Parsley's father had showed to be quite proud of her dream and mother had supported their daughter as well from the beginning.
"It shows how good I am in it in the first place. Being a magician... is simply a childhood dream that I haven't been able to let go. The truth is that I am not good in magic. I am truly a... failure," The hazel eyed woman nearly forces that word out with great difficulty. "I will pursue another career."
Something snaps in the cat and this time he hisses and lets the blue fur stand up to its tips. The tail also lifts up dangerously and he jumps away from Parsley hold, golden eyes gleaming. "Now listen here! Fix up that attitude of yours and straighten up! It is troublesome!"
The woman stiffens and her back becomes straight as an arrow. The two black lines against the bright color look as piercing as arrows and send shivers down her spine. Sphynx seems almost feral.
"You read and practiced for the exams! I saw it with my own two eyes. You desperately wanted to get to the Gold-Light and this white thing is not a prove of how good you are and how good you can become. Neither can those blind, old kooks in that rotten university. So, we are going to do this," his tone is final, and he doesn't wait for Parsley's reaction, when he is already tearing the letter with his sharp claws.
The hazel eyes widen, and the flushed cheeks go deadly pale. All that Parsley can do is stare as pieces of paper spread across her desk like snowflakes in winter. The sight somehow sends a sensation of electricity shock through her body and the weights on her shoulders are lifted bit by bit. If the letter had been any other, Parsley might have gotten angry at Sphynx who is usually relaxed and prefers to keep his paws clean. But this, she guesses is his way of trying to make her feel better.
Still, couldn't he save it for later? What if I will need that in the future?
"Now that that is done, you shall practice your magic," the cat states easily and stretches his back.
Parsley's face stiffens, and she shakes her head, recovering from shock. "No. I already told you that I do not want to continue this, Sphynx."
"No, that is your self-consciousness speaking."
The golden eyed cat doesn't wait for her to speak another word, when he is already at the door. He slips away, the long graceful tail disappearing with him and the sound of his paws hitting the mattress on the hallway is nonexistent.
"No! I will quit!" Parsley's eyebrows are knitted together, and she whirls around on her chair to face away from the half-open door.
She fumes, arms crossed across her chest in a stubborn manner. Few pieces of the torn paper flow away from the breeze her movement makes, but she doesn't care so much to pick them up. This is not something she was planning on backing down from. Everything has already been set and she doesn't want to feel that crushing disappointment for the second time in her life. The tenseness that had lasted all morning has finally ended, even if the ending is not a happy one. It is still a huge relief that the silent and anxious wait is over.
When every child is young and starts practicing magic, it is all fun and games, but when the reality of their studies sets in all the joy will be gone. Well, not completely. The happy smiles on their parents faces make the studies feel worthwhile and so the work continues. The spells, formulas, diagrams etc. become harder with every year. Being a magician, will sometimes be dangerous, too, if you can't control the magic right or mess up a spell. According to some relatives of those unfortunate ones, the deaths they suffered were either gruesome or quick. That was why it was best to seek a career as a magic teacher, for example. It would have basic instructions of what kind of spells to use, so risks were pretty low. Though, Parsley didn't want to become a teacher, but work as a magical healer. But both with her personality and grates, that kind of job was and is quite far away for her to reach it easily.
I am an idiot. I am not even interested in herbs and healing. She starts combing her fingers through her hair. They get stuck on knots.
"Parsley, do you not care what becomes of this?" The question is sudden and taunting, when the cat returns to the door, but this time he is dragging a book along.
At first, Parsley frowns in confusion from not knowing why Sphynx is holding such a thing in the first place. However, when she sees the color and cover, ice entered into her veins. A shaky breath is released from her dry throat without much of a thought. Oh no, he isn't...
"Sphynx, give me that book, now."
"Why won't we just throw it away?" The golden irises clash with hazel, becoming an intense staring competition. "You don't care about magic anymore, so this a good opportunity to discard this old thing."
Parsley inhales quietly, glancing down at the claws that dance dangerously close to the leathered cover. She can't believe what Sphynx is trying to do.
"Please, don't. That book belonged to grandma and dad surely doesn't want it to be destroyed." She could already imagine his look filled with hurt, suppressed sadness and anger.
"He gave it to you. It is you who decides what will happen to it," Sphynx states with a gleam in his slit pupils. If he was able to smile, he would be doing it right now to taunt her.
"Sphynx," the hazel eyed woman says the name with a pressure on her tone. She raises her arms, trying to emphasize her feelings towards the cat. "I can't do this anymore. Let's just forget about magic and focus on things that are more important."
"That is why I am doing this. To make sure that you will focus on thingsthatare more important."
"Don't tempt me to pull your whiskers off," Parsley uses a low voice. But they both know that she is bluffing. "This is my decision; can't you respect it?"
"You're giving up-"
"Of course, I am giving up! What else did you honestly expected from me? Did you think that I want to try again next year? No way! And before you say anything else, this isn't about you, my parents or anyone, besides myself. I am doing this so that I don't have to get slapped across the face for a second time! Do you even understand what entrance exams are like?"
A heavy silence follows. Parsley has not realized that she has bolted up to stand during her short speech, but it makes her feel more powerful against the cat. Sphynx doesn't flinch or show much reaction from her words, nor when she raised her voice. His sharp ears twitch, though. It had been a while, since their last argument with each other.
"...At least perform one spell, Parsley. I'm asking you to do one spell and then you can decide what you will do," Sphynx draws his claws away from the book, never taking his eyes off from the long-haired woman.
Parsley weights those words in her mind. Her own gaze drift to the spell book on the floor and then her stomach starts twisting in discomfort. Right now, Sphynx is like a compromising mother, like both of her parents re. The bluish hued cat is a stubborn one, but his owner start to think that he has truly threatened her few seconds ago to get his own will through. That certainly is new, and it somehow makes her feel a little worried. Though, suspicions melt away from the sight of his eyes twinkling with pure innocence. Those are puppy eyes he is using – very affecting. Parlsey starts playing with her hair, twirling strands between her fingers, before gathering the whole mass of it and putting it over her right shoulder. Her fingers feel the rough surface of a knots and she finds it irritating
The silence continues, and the minutes tick by, but the hazel eyed woman can't form an answer just like that. The cat is waiting patiently next to the old book that has many different and old spells. The female is easily cracked, in his opinion at least. Or it could also mean that he knows her quite well and what to do to get her to his side. First, she would lick her lower lip, cross her arms, pace around the room and finally give in.
That all happens. Parsley tastes the lip balm on the tip of her tongue – vanilla – and it leaves a soft aftertaste. To create some sort of barrier, she crosses her arms and shifts her weight from one foot to another. Then, she can't stand still any longer and makes her way to the window, looks at the house on the opposite side of the road and then heads back to sit down on a chair. Her hazel eyes are clouded by thoughts, but they clear after a while. She lets out a sigh. Honestly.
Sphynx opens his mouth in a way that is like a perfect picture of a Cheshire cat grin. The ends of his sharp teeth make it more realistic.
"Fine," Parsley sigh again, but raises her index finger. "But only one. And not something that might cause an explosion, melting, a fire, a flood, turn something into something that it is not supposed to be and especially not a spell that could give me a one-way ticket to jail."
The cat's tail flickers to the left and right. "It happened only once, and you survived."
"Barely!"
"...yes, yes, mama. I hear you. Bye! Say hello to Orick and papa for me," Parsley cut the line and places the phone back into her pocket.
Sphynx watches her from on top of a short tree trunk. Curiously tilting his head, the long tail swings against the ground a few times. "What did she say?"
He sees how she flinches a bit, like she has forgotten his existence for a moment. And she had. Her heartbeat is quite fast, currently and it isn't surprise that he can hear it.
It wasn't that her mother had been upset or sounded disappointment... Well, at least that is what Parsley thinks. Her mind is already creating pictures of her most beloved mother's face turning into a frown that could make her daughter's inner organs twist in unease. Paige Longboard is not truly someone who would be angry or show any negative emotions towards her family member who hadn't passed some important exam. In fact, Orick, her eldest child and son had not passed on his first try either, so there had not been any reason for her youngest child to worry. All she had asked from her daughter was that if she was alright, needed comfort or an advice. Heartwarming, but not reassuring enough for her offspring.
The wavy-haired young woman tries even now to believe that her mother was genuinely worried for her. But, of course, she is and was doubting that with every second that had passed during their conversation. She can't believe how she was acting like a child showing her parents a bad number from a simple test. Not to mention the whole conversation had lasted for at least ten minutes and it had been like half an hour for her. Parsley desperately wants to get this all over with.
"She said...that she is worried. Also, I told her that I wanted to tell papa and Orick about this myself, so she will keep quiet about this whole call - can we just do this already?" The last sentence comes out a bit rushed. Parsley takes in a deep breath and lets it out, a white cloud hovers in front of her head.
The cat chooses wisely to get down to business. He jumps down to the ground and in front of a book, flips some pages and finally stops on a certain opening. "I think that this spell will work just fine. It is a simple transport spell that needs only a little amount of your magical energy. Plus, the command spell is not that difficult either."
"Great," the sarcasm on the woman's tone is not missed or acknowledged by Sphynx. "Soooo, what are the chances of me blowing up this place?"
"You will not blow anything up, Parsley."
"That is what mama said, before the roses were all turned to ashes," Parsley mutters under her breath, her fingers frozen numb from the cold wind that keeps on blowing against her equally numb face.
Now, it is not a cold season, but rather the air that flows around this area. She and Sphynx have walked up to the highest spot available for a normal person and where it is always quite chilly, especially during evening and night times. The story of such an unusual climax near the sea and in one of the warmest places in the magic world has something to do with, surprise, surprise, magic. Some wizards once upon a time tried to test weather magic and the result was the Windy Mountains that the two are staring at right now. Everyone thinks that there is no originality in the name at all, but it is one of the reasons why people come there – anything strange can attract anyone.
For the first time since the two of them left the house, Parsley looks down at the spell book and raises both of her eyebrows. The spell is truly an easy one and that is surprising considering how much her cat loves those difficult and complex ones. Or he likes to laugh, whenever she messes them up. No doubt he chose this one because it is written on a much younger looking, separated paper with a familiar handwriting. This spell is the first one that Parsley's father had taught her.
"You have your wand?" Sphynx jumps easily on her shoulder, he weights almost the same amount as her bag.
"Of course," Parsley says with an eye roll and pulls out a wooden stick with a green stone attached to the handle. "Can't I not use the wand on this one?"
Sphynx lets out a huff. "I can't have you collapsing in here."
"Jeez. Thank you for having such a faith in me."
It's your own funeral.
They stay silent after that. The cat glancing at Parsley from her shoulder. He sees anxiousness and worry clearly written on her eyes and expression. Despite the cold, he can feel how her body heat starts to rise from the way the blood keeps rushing inside her veins. The heartbeat is also becoming quicker and her scent becomes stronger as well. The wand in her shaking hand is raised towards the bag that is laying a several feet ahead.
She doesn't know what she is doing. Parsley does not understand why she has been so easily manipulated into this, by her cat, nonetheless. Many horrible memories keep pushing themselves into her mind, reminding her constantly of what has always occurred from her and spells together. That may also be a little extravagating, because she can do some basic things. Still, compared to others that have studied as long as Parsley has, she is on the very bottom of the skill list. And that is why she can't stop her hand from trembling or the fears and uneasiness from entering her brain.
I so hope that cats really have nine lives... And that I remembered to take the phone out of the bag.
The cold wind blow again, as the magician starts to read the spell out loud.
"O winds of north and south
Come forth without a doubt
Change the course of shape
To give or take."
The green stone seems to glow and soon the glowing gets brighter. Small lights floats around it and gathers to the tip of the wand like fireflies.
Parsley tries to concentrate on directing the magic from herself to the magical object in her hands. Sphynx shifts closer to her so that his side is pressed against her head, the brown strands mixing with blue fur.
"There is an object
None it shall reject
Through this force
Change the course."
Both of them must be so enchanted by the glowing and what is happening that neither the cat or magician see how the wind starts to turn the pages. It stops a little before Parsley looks down at it again.
She doesn't notice that it is not the page that she has to read.
"By the tears of Frigg
By the anger of Woden
Bend down the wills of Earth
Turn around the laws of the skies
Shed blood of a lamb
Thou' rip open the gates."
Suddenly, Parsley starts feeling strange. The hand holding the wand is shaking more badly than before, but now that the words are coming out of her mouth, she can't stop them from flowing out.
Sphynx is shouting something to her through the horrible wind, despite the fact that she can't hear him. Nor see how strange symbols start circling on the ground around her trembling legs.
"Wipe away the lines in-between
Show the nearest path."
The poor magician doesn't realize that something is truly wrong, before it is too late for that. Her voice continues echoing in the forest, even after the final light of the sun vanishes to the horizon. The only source of light comes from the pentagram beneath her.
"Rip away the poor souls
Pieces of this world
Set them straight
Hesitate not o great ones
For thy are the walls
Open yourselves
Accept this morsel of the land
Plant this seed
Let the rivers flow
O the forces of this land
Take away this flesh and blood."
Parsley feels it all. The way the fire consumes her bit by bit, but her body doesn't turn to ashes or fall off. It is like the flames are meant to continue burning on and on and torture her like a simple ragdoll. She can't struggle against the power that tears her up or even scream on top of her lungs. The gravity hits, piercing her flesh like a knife – her limbs a sensation like they are being pulled apart from the rest of her body.
The loud noises around her pound against the fragile ears that would probably start bleeding sooner or later. Parsley isn't a total crybaby who bawls from small wounds, but this is not anything close to that. The best way to describe it is sheer agony, the kind that is pure and raw. Breaking your bones, tearing the muscles and veins until nothing is left. And the worst part is that you can't tell when it all is going to stop.
The pain is making it impossible to think and Parsley's sight is blinded by it. White is the only color she can see, and it doesn't tell much. She could be surrounded by a very thick mist or crushed by a mass of heavy snow. The latter one possible option. The burning around her is far from the coldness of that white substance.
The torture becomes agonizingly fierce. The tearing, crushing and pulling doubles the amount of pain they already caused. Now, even if someone wants to scream from this, they couldn't. That is how terrible this is.
Parsley tastes something for the first time what feels like ages or maybe hours.
Metallic taste spreads across her burning tongue. The thick liquid is like a plug in the woman's throat. She can't breathe properly in the first place, but now she can't even draw in even smallest amount of air. She tastes the blood, smells it, chokes on it and manages to form a single thought.
It is a scream that would not leave from her lips.
MAKE IT STOP!
As if hearing her prayers, the torturing pains stop their work and she falls limp. But they have done their work and left the body numb and throbbing. Parsley is free to breathe again, but the blood makes her cough and sends waves of sharp pain. Her throat burns.
Instead of heat of the flames, the surface below her back feels cold. Not as cold as ice or snow, but chilly and wet like autumn evening after rain. The difference in sensation is somewhat making the brunette feel relieved that she is not in that horrible place anymore. The change is astounding.
Hot tears burn her eyes, though – she hadn't noticed them before. If she wasn't in so much pain right now, Parsley would curl into a ball and sob. Why is she in this kind of state in the first place?
She tries to move, but stops, when her bones feel like they start breaking. New amount of iron liquid spurts from the depths of her mouth and she coughs, strangled cry leaving from the bloodied lips and crimson drops fall on the skin of her cheeks. Head spinning, Parsley lays as still as a rock.
Through blurry vision, the magician catches a glimpse of mixed colors.
It hurts!
"Parsley!"
And that is how relaxing fails, because Sphynx clearly yelled into her ringing ears. The sharp pain that shoots through her skull releases a cry out of her and that causes another chain reaction for pain.
Through the blood in her mouth, Parsley tries speaking. "L...loud."
Her mouth and throat feel chapped, as soon as the sound leaves them.
The cat must have winced from the rough and loud coughing that comes out of his owner after that single word. However, the woman can't tell what his reaction is for certain. Her eyelids are both closed again, but there is a clear brightness shining through the eyelids and it makes her eyes hurt and face wrinkle. The pain she has in her head is close to a massive hangover and even moving her face muscles is more than a bit hard.
Someone is drumming inside her skull.
"Sorry," Sphynx thankfully whispers that one quietly. "Thank the whiskers you are awake. How do you feel? Oh, on the second thought, don't answer that. Don't try moving too much, though."
No need to tell me twice, Parsley nearly chuckles uncomfortably, but doesn't. Instead, her amusement is muffled by the question – and the pain still ripping through her – that she is trying to find an answer to. Where are they?
She wishes that the golden eyed cat could have given her that answer, but she isn't too keen in the idea of speaking and coughing again. The blood drips down her throat and her stomach turns around in disgust. The taste is terrible enough and knowing what it really is makes the experience even more revolting and chilly. The brunette relaxes, though, when she feels a familiar wet nose touch her cheek. Rough, but warm tongue licks the skin and makes every uneasiness fade away from her body. If the situation is fetal or dangerous, Sphynx would have sounded and done something else entirely to get her stand up. Instead, he is calm and sounds extremely relieved and so is Parsley.
They are both alive.
"You must stay down for the time being. You have lost too much magical energy."
Parsley nearly repeats those words as a question out loud. The gears in her head starting to move and turn around, as she recalls memories which fill her head one by one… That is right.
She desperately wants to hide somewhere. The way the wand had started absorbing her magic had been a little strange, but Parsley had not thought much of it.
I messed up.
It is the stress and confusion from the agony a while ago that causes tears slide down her cheeks. She really can't control her magic. Is the forest even still intact?
Her silent question gets an answer from the chirping of birds. Everything must still be intact, unlike her.
...
...
...
...
"Sphynx."
"Yes, Parsley?"
"Why am I covered with leaves?" Parsley has gained some of her strength and mobility back.
She looks down at her body by craning her sore neck a little. Green, dried and brown, different shaped leaves are on top of her from the beginning of her collar to the tips of her shoes. The sight is in some ways amusing.
"What do you suppose I had to do to keep you warm? I can't move you nor can you do that by yourself, yet, so this is the solution I came up with."
"Thank you-" Her breathing stopped for a moment. The metal taste is returning to her mouth.
The cat's golden eyes come immediately to her view. "Are you alright?"
"Y-yeah..." She forces a little smile, swallowing thickly with her dry throat stinging. Water could help, but she doesn't suppose there is anything like that near here, which brings up her next question. "Where are we?"
The trees are different, she doesn't feel almost any form of that chilly wind current or hear the sound of the faraway seashore. There is not a single trace of salty smell in the air. Instead, the scent is full of fresh grass and moss.
Sphynx would have gotten help even before she woke up. So, there could be one explanation why he hasn't…
"...not sure," the said cat says it with an uneasy tune. "The whole forest smells different from where we came from."
The hazel eyes narrow in worry, cold sweat dripping down her aching back. She may have messed up more badly than she thought. "Different?"
"There are no humans anywhere near," he looks up, "I can't smell any in the area."
Her eyes are bloodshot from tears that she has been crying, but they also have a fire in them, as she tries to stand up on her two feet. The leaves start to fall down from her form like during autumn from trees and she watches them float down to the ground softly.
When she makes it to her shaky feet, Parsley feels like slumping back down, as well. Her every joint, muscle and bone creak and complain under her weight. She is still very weak but has done enough by waiting to regain the lost energy.
She smells the ground, the dirt, her own sweat and urine and clenches her eyes shut in disgust.
Every night – she estimates laying for around two days – has been somewhat chilly, but every night rest has also brought some of the strength back. Sphynx has done his all by gathering nuts, berries and some herbs for his owner to eat as well, so he was also one reason why Parsley is even breathing.
Now, he is watching her struggle and it is clear how concerned he is, when she keeps panting heavily.
This is enough! Parsley grits her teeth together in frustration, when she falls down. She has to get back into proper shape and get the two of them out of here. Her family is definitely starting to suspect something, when she hasn't called for days. When they would find out what had happened, no doubt a big search party will start. Parsley can't afford that and have everyone knowing what had happened.
The brown-haired woman looks down at her clothes. They are covered in dirt and every possible thing emitting from human body is clinging to the fabrics. She feels like an animal, a disgusting one.
The only thing that Parsley doesn't mind, is the sun shining down on her. She was born in a place where the glowing piece of the sky was present around the year. But what is worrisome is that her normally tanned skin had turned into a sheet layer on top of her flesh. There have been some pictures that she saw few years ago about the loss of magical energy in several magicians, once she even witnessed a classmate collapsing from it.
A cold shiver travels down her spine. Those times start coming back to her, as she continues examining her skin and how the veins beneath it seem to pop out.
First symptoms: sudden paleness, dizziness, unfocused gaze and blue lips. The loss of magic is similar to the loss of blood. The patient must not use magic, depending on the amount that has been lost. Rest and lots of it, small amount of food so that the stomach won't reject it. The person can start trying to move after they can feel simple soreness instead of sharp pain…
She reaches out towards a tree and stumbles before hitting against it. Sphynx lets out a surprised meow from the way she collides loudly. Some branches shake slightly from the impact.
Despite only taking several steps, the magician pants and stares at the ground blankly. The pain she had been in the day she woke up must have been from the loss of magic. I used too much of it on the spell.
"Are you sure you are alright enough to move?" Sphynx asks and steps closer, like he could hold Parsley up, if she fell again.
"...I am not, but..." Parsley hesitantly takes in a deep breath and starts letting go of the sturdy trunk. "We must find our way...back home."
"Easier said than done," Sphynx says and doesn't bother muttering it.
The hazel eyes fix an irritated look towards him. Despite her throat hurting, she growls: "This is your fault... I told you that I couldn't do the spell right."
The cat's ears twitch and his fur puffs up. He also has been quite stressed for the past few days and thus they are both ready to snap at each other it seems. "Do not put a blame on me. You started reading a wrong spell."
"Well, I wouldn't have started doing a single one have you not been so annoyingly persistent."
"I had to be so that you wouldn't stop what you started like a spineless coward."
"You also knew that there was a very high possibility that it would all fail. Stupid cat."
"No, I believed in you. Like I did before the exams," Sphynx says, his eyes truthful, but the words he speaks make Parsley's heart clench. She is moved, though, not convinced and the cat doesn't wait a second, before he starts talking again. "Giving up is not an option. Haven't Paige and Robert said it hundreds of times?"
"Don't bring that up again. I did not give up. I simply lost every interest in magic. Giving up is when you lose every bit of confidence on something working and then quit. I did not lose any confidence, end of story. I repeat: you. Pestered. Me. Pushed me to do what you wanted by threatening to tear down granny's book."
"Trying to make you stand up on your own two feet, figuratively that is, is not called pestering, but supporting. And I also was not planning on destroying the book- It was you who finally gave in and gave up. And look, I have been taking care of you the whole time you were unable to move, and this is the 'thank you' I get?" The slit black lines thin further, and white fangs are bared up at the woman who returns it with a scowling look.
"There are no 'thank you's for stubborn cats who are the main reason for trouble," Parsley hisses through her teeth. They are both still speaking calmly, though. Neither of them have said something to cross the thin line, yet.
Sphynx's tail is up. "If only you were this thickskulled with your work effort, then maybe you wouldn't have any problems with achieving your goals."
"Don't you dare to start," Parsley clenches her fists weakly. Long nails digging into the tree. "How many times do I have to repeat it so that the words get through your skull, huh? Being a magician is not my goal anymore. It was a stupid, worthless childhood dream of a stupid child who didn't understand a thing!"
The amber brown-haired woman wants to add something more, but cringes from the way raising her voice has put a strain on her throat. She starts coughing and pecks of blood fall down to the visible roots of the tree.
The tension is forgotten between the two. And instead, Sphynx places his paw on Parsley's leg. She returns his concern with a tight smile and straightens up, though, it makes her entire body groan in protest. This is the most horrible state she has ever been in. And when she thought that death nearly touched her a cold chill and a hollow sensation in the heart makes her shudder.
Letting bitter taste linger on her tongue, she rasps out: "Is there any water nearby?"
"Wait just a minute," the golden eyed cat orders in a commanding tone and walks few feet ahead of them. His pink nose twitches visibly along with his whiskers, as he looks around.
Unlike normal cats, Sphynx is a special one. His ancestry consists of charmed cats that have all been familiars for magicians for many, many years. Anyone who knows about the existence of magic could get one as a friend and companion. However, they are not to be called pets or someone's property. In a way, they are equal to humans, but closer to the nature and its creatures. Also, their senses are more sensitive than normal animals.
After a minute or two he turns his head towards Parsley. "If we head forward, there should be a river roughly around two miles ahead."
"Two miles?!" Parsley exclaims, but then lets out another small cough. She desperately needs something to hydrate herself and soon. "A-alright, then. Let's start walking."
"Remember to rest, if it becomes too hard for you to walk."
Parsley nods and starts walking. Her legs still shake, but if she takes support from something it is somewhat easier. Though, this walk would not be like dancing through a flower field to get to a river. Sphynx has been right on some of his claims, but the hazel eyed woman has not felt more determined to get through this kind of a mess.
Until they finally reach the river, neither is sure how much time has passed.
Both the cat and woman are covered from head to toe in dirt and leaves. Parsley even has a small scratch on her cheek from a branch that hit her on the way. Not to mention how many bruises formed on the way from her constant falling. Still, out of the two of them, she is the one who is mostly covered in sweat that soaks through her clothes. The thin black jacket that she wears is tied around her waist, but the long-sleeved white shirt underneath is almost see-through. The blue jeans keep on clinging to her and it is like walking on hot water with dark boots on.
When Parsley had been on Windy Mountains, the clothing she wears had been perfect enough for its weather, but now it is like walking through a dessert. Wherever they are, the climate sure would stay warm for a while. The earth is very dusty and dry, so there must have not been any rainy days for a while at least. Let's hope that it stays that way, then.
The last thing she needs is to get sick, again.
The water keeps rushing down the stream and the sound makes the woman limp towards the liquid more quickly. Her cat iss also eager to finally drink something but stays by her side till she reaches the destination.
The first thing that Parsley does is to gather some of the finger numbing water into her hands and splash it across her sweaty face. Goosebumps spread across her body from how low its temperature is and the way it trails down her skin, but it is also refreshing.
After days without this heavenly liquid, the brown-haired woman feels renewed and takes another scoopful. She doesn't care to check, if the water is clean enough to drink – it looks good enough, and she takes large gulps. The earthly taste is something that the hazel eyed brunette has never tasted, and it almost makes her cry out tears of joy. The water slides down her dry, chapped throat and washes away the remaining blood.
From the corner of Parsley's eyes, she sees how Sphynx is also greedily drinking, the long tail swinging with pleasantly slow rhythm. They glance at each other once, before sharing small content looks. Well, at least the brown-haired woman is able to smile, but on Sphynx it is kind of creepy. The expression he wears brings a small snort from Parsley, though.
"Is something amusing?"
"No, no. Just forget it," Parsley says with a wave of her limp hand. "Anyway, are there still any people around the area? Because, if we ended up in a middle of nowhere, literally, then I-I don't know what to do."
Sphynx sniffs for a while and feels how the hazel eyes are being drilled into his small form. He crushes every piece of hope in both himself and Parsley, when he opens his mouth. The sharp pointed ears flatten against his head. "Yes, I am sure. Nothing but forest as far as I can smell- D-don't start crying!"
Nothing, but forest...
Too late. Parsley is already doing that and covers her face. The salty drops just continue pooling down from her eyes and some that slide against the scratches sting. The woman is shaking like the leaves that had served as her blanket for the last few days. Dread makes her skin turn even paler and she started pulling on the roots of her hair in what seemed like nervousness. "W-w-what are we supposed to do now? We have no food, s-shelter or- or chance to call for help... W-we- we are going to die in here and th-"
"Calm down!" Sphynx almost barks that one out in haste. If she continues speaking, it would allow the panic to grow and feast on her. "Go and take a swim in the river and cool your head down."
"B-but we have to-"
"Think clearly! I have managed to find food for both of us up till now, so that is no trouble for us. And as long as you have me, you don't have to worry about finding right directions to go to," the cats voice is calm, collected. "For now, we need to simply stay calm, look around and take care of our basic needs... Starting with your smell."
Despite still feeling ready to have a panic attack and clinging to her hair with dear life, Parsley gains some red color to her cheeks.
Her fingers are able to feel the greasiness and the sticks between strands, now. Looking down at herself, covered in sweat, dirt and her own...natural needs, Parsley feels like a hermit that has been lost to the world for many years. She feels disgusting, repulsed by her appearance once again. However, now that she takes a second look at herself, the clothes are only horrible reminders of how unfortunate the situation really is.
Without hesitation, she strips.
The stench clings to her skin and hits her nostrils with such a force that the hazel eyed woman nearly recoils back. Who cared about modesty and shyness in these kinds of conditions? The only ones who would see her like this are the animals after all.
Blush of shame still colors her cheeks, when Parsley descends down to the river, holding in a yelp from how icy cold the water is. The rocks under the transparent liquid were scrape the bottom of her feet, but she feels how the flow takes every piece of dirt off from. The young woman doesn't hesitate for a second time and quickly crouched down, holding back a scream from the numbing chill running all over her body. Goosebumps spread across her skin, the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and hazel eyes close themselves tightly shut. Cold, cold, cold, cold!
The forest is quiet, expect when the wind ruffles the leaves and birds chirp their songs. No other human truly is anywhere near the earshot or sight. No rooftops or tall structures of a building peek themselves over the tall trees, but what do are taller landscapes that look like mountains. But even they are all covered in green. The only things that differ from all of that is the blue sky with soft white clouds and the river that reflects their colors on its surface.
She is truly only seen by animals.
Amber brown hair floats around Parsley, and when she sees this, she decides to dip down her whole body. The facial expression on her face twitches, when she does. The cold is biting down on her every facial feature. And after few seconds, the brown-haired woman breaks through the surface and gasps for fresh air.
The warmth of the sunlight is welcoming.
"Sphynx, could you wash the clothes for me?"
The cat bristled from behind her. "Pardon?"
He looks miffed by the request, and this lifts some stony weight from her chest.
"Thank you," Parsley is clearly smiling from the chirpy tone of her voice. Even if Sphynx couldn't see anything else, but the back of her water dripping head. "Don't let them be washed away by the river."
She dives in again and snickers under the water from hearing the faint sound of her friend's yelling. No matter how cold and numb the river is making her feel, it does calm her down a bit. No matter how mother hen-like the cat would become, he is always right. His human companion needs this to be able to think more clearly. They are both very lucky after all, and couldn't start panicking no matter how much worse the circumstances could get.
After all, how are the two of us even alive? My magic skills should have blown us to pieces.
A small fish swims by, but because the hazel eyes are hiding behind the eyelids, they don't see it.
Parsley tries to recall, to remember what had happened during the spell casting. Her memories started by feeling Sphynx on her shoulder, the wand on her hand, the spell book in front of her on the ground and then there was that illuminating green glow from the stone. Things were normal at those points and proceeded as they should have.
Her face is numb again and the woman rises up. Water splashes all around her and she can hear everything clearly again. Sphynx sees her from the shore and starts yelling about something, but he is cut off, when Parsley goes under the water again.
The corners of her lips curve up from the sound of a faraway complaining and another chuckle brings bubbles out of her nose and mouth that rise up. She turns around to her back and floats there under the mercy of a gentle current. Her feet brush against the rock-bottom.
This is where the brown-haired woman wants to stay for forever. The aching in the muscle's substitutes and all the sweat and heat from her body diminishes. If she could have slept like this for five days, no doubt that the woman would have recovered more earlier.
The ends of her hair keep brushing against the sides of her face and chest like feathers. The water isn't so cold anymore and Parsley barely feels any more exhaustion. A magician must be close to nature to recover, quicker huh? I had always thought that those were just superstitious blabbering, but if they are true, then in what kind of state I would be currently inside a rock and glass house?
She throws her head back, the light of the sun shines right through the water and reaches her face. It is warm even in the cold. Parsley doesn't remember the last time that she has been swimming in a real lake or river and not in a simple pool. There was a sea next to her home, but she hadn't gone there for years. Usually, she stayed on the sandy beach with her friends and occasionally touched the water either with her hands or the tips of her toes. When Parsley had been younger though, she begged for a permission to go swimming. Those happy memories are nearly forgotten in the present, but now that the brown-haired woman is recalling them, she couldn't feel more nostalgic touch in her heart.
Even now that she is floating in the water, the magician relives those moments. And also, something else as well...
White, blue, red, black.
Without meaning to, hazel eyes snap wide open. The sweet water starts stinging them and the bright sunlight shining through the liquid is blinding. Everything is happening so fast in her mind that Parsley tilts her head to the side in confusion, she has done it like that before. She sees blurry shapes of rocks and a fish with shining scales, now.
Through the clear dark blue, blurry figures. As eyes are staring at her, Parsley's whole body is unable to move. She can't speak.
If it is even possible, Parsley's eyes widen even more, and her mouth opens halfway. Her heart is beating wildly inside the ribcage.
Sphynx, floating limply near, golden eyes closed.
The brown-haired woman inhales without meaning to and starts coughing violently.
Her whole body grows rigid from alarm and she presses her feet firmly on the ground, before standing up. The moment she breaks the surface, she coughs and tries to inhale as deeply as possible. The sun doesn't feel as warm as before and only a chill, colder than the river's water, passes through Parsley's body. It tears the layers of her beating heart's shell and strikes fear into it like a needle that prickles a finger and makes it bleed.
Parsley starts shaking violently and hugs herself while shivering. She can't really tell, if it is the water's coldness that is doing it anymore. The numbness is everywhere, even in her mind.
Everything is deadly silent, even Sphynx who was in the middle of trying to wash her shirt stops what he is doing while holding the fabric in his mouth. Both his tail and ears lift up from the sight of the woman dragging herself to the land and coughing the water out of her lungs in desperate need to get out of the river. He abandons the shirt to the ground and rushes to Parsley in a hurry.
"Did you get cold already?" It is his attempt to start scolding her for staying in the water for too long, but he stops, when she looks at him.
With amber brown hair clinging to her face, Parsley must have looked like a sea monster rising from the depths of an ocean. Hazel eyes that are narrowed in fright soften from just looking into the golden eyes of the dark furred cat. "Y-yeah, s-something like that."
"...is it your magic energy? Is it still too hard for you to move properly?"
"Y-yes," Parsley says through shaking teeth and then stands up with her arms around herself. Then, she opens her mouth again. "S-sphynx, y-you didn't get the exhaustion, when you woke up and took care of me, r-right? Y-you were c-completely fine, right?"
"Excuse me? I think you were the one who casted the spell on your own. I was only lucky to get caught up on it and share my own energy. Without me as a medium, you wouldn't have survived a minute longer," he says it with confidence and sticks his nose up proudly.
"Sphynx, I'm sorry."
The cat nods. "Yes, you sh- Pardon? What did you say?"
She rubs her bare arms, barely even taking a note how she is still naked and standing in a plain view.
"I-I said I am sorry. It wasn't your fault that things got like this. You were right, when you said that I was the one who gave in to your idea. Also, if I had noticed that the spell was different immediately, this all wouldn't have happened. You were also right, when you called me spineless, but you also wanted what was best for me, right?... I'm just so, so sorry for this. Y-you aren't a stupid cat nor the one to blame. I am."
Sphynx wants to show that he can also frown just like a human, but instead tilts his head in a curious manner. He takes in everything that he sees on Parsley's face. Her hazel eyes are gazing back at him with slight mist blocking what is really moving in that mind of hers. The lower lip is curled down, and she bites down on it once, before averting her attention to the side.
The brown-haired woman knows that her cat could easily see right through her but is still a little shaken from what happened under the water seconds ago. Those mirages had spooked her out completely and when she saw Sphynx in them the panic had taken the natural control over her body.
Parsley closes her eyes. That dark place had been blood freezing, those strange figures sent her gut twitching. If she and Sphynx were back in their apartment, waking up from their sleep and starting to think of their dreams as fantasies, she could have thought the same way about this one. What she had seen had happened, the woman is simply recalling it now through fuzzy memories.
Whatever that place had been, she doesn't want to go back.
"Sphynx, we need to figure out where we are," Parsley looks at him with clear unease on her features, "now."
"I swear, if you ever put me to do something like this again, I swear..." Sphynx leaves the silent threat hang in the air. He is glaring at the clothes that are hanging from a low tree branch with a pointed look. "And to think I had to do the cleaning."
"Don't be so grumpy. I am the one who hasn't fully recovered yet," Parsley says back easily and shivers from the wind. "Seriously, when will the clothes be dry?"
"Why can't you stay without them? I will never understand your human's strange behavior to cover your bodies with pieces of fabrics."
"Easy for you to say – you've got fur. Anyway, can you tell me what symbols you saw, when I casted the spell?"
Sphynx huffs but focuses on the task at hand. "I remember clearly seeing the symbols of the seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter."
Parsley uses a stick to write those down on the ground. The symbol of seasons are used to describe time, change or even the circle of life.
"Then, a symbol of death," Sphynx says the last one easily, but even Parsley can tell that it is an uncomfortable one to say. And her hand also stills with writing. "Those are all that I can remember."
"Wait. Are you certain that the symbol of death was in the formula as well? You don't think that I..." she trails off, fear stretched over her face like a full mask.
Seeing her distress, Sphynx comes closer and licks her hand in a comforting manner. He holds his head on top of her palm, so that the hazel irises would be focused solely on him and his words. "No, I do not. There was not anything to sacrifice in the mountains nor inside the pentagram. And if it had been a spell that could kill, the damage it could have caused to your body would have been far greater than this."
As if her body is responding to those facts, Parsley's skull is pierced by sharp pain. She nod in understanding. "But I remember learning that death spells can only bring death and not transport people. So, how is it possible that we are even alive?"
That is how a silence is brought between the two of them. This is the question that they need answers for. Parsley's life has already been in danger, when the magical energy was used too much on the casting. A magician can raise their magical energy through training that could take decades, depending on the person and their ready supply of it, of course.
However, she doesn't have the required amount to do any large spells and neither does Sphynx. And considering where they were at, at the time, the magic energy had been needed quite a lot for the spell.
It is all too puzzling. The result should have been horrible, yet it could be deemed almost successful. But the wavy-haired human is glad for that. There could have been no room for a failure.
Parsley gives a dry smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "Well, let's be glad that we are alive. What a luck."
Sphynx nods, agreeing with her completely. "Still, luck doesn't tell us where we are."
"You sure are optimistic."
"You must be rubbing on me."
"Shut up," the woman mutters. Then, she grows tense. "Wait a minute. What do you think happened to my bag or grandma's book? Oh my god! What about my wand!? I can't lose it!"
Sphynx rolls his eyes and starts grooming himself. "I fail to see any reason to worry about those things. They probably were left behind in Windy Mountains. On the bright side, though, now the people will have evidence of our disappearance."
Parsley winces. Images of a large search party pops into her head along with the faces and words of her family and friends. The thought of them possibly thinking of her death is kind of terrifying. Usually, she is the one who sees those posters that beg for others to search and report sightings on missing people, but what if she is the one whose picture ends up like that? How many eyes would see it and not care, but pity?
She shakes her head weakly. That is not important right now. Focus, Parsley.
"Can- can't we just try and call help? Maybe yell?" She suggests hopefully, even though it sounds desperate.
"Or," Sphynx starts with a drawling manner, "we can try and use your phone, even though there probably isn't any reception here."
"What!? My phone?!" The woman nearly shoots up but stays on the ground. Her eyes nearly bulge out of the skull, when the cat pulls out the familiar device from behind him. Parsley gapes at him and it for a second, before taking it and tapping the code on the screen. "You should have said something earlier!"
"I only found it, when I was washing your clothes. How could you forget that you had one with you anyway?" The words ware dull, but there is a teasing edge to them.
Parsley sends a glare towards the cat, but otherwise focuses on the phone. The screen is still alright; it works just fine, and she looks just in case, if everything else is still intact and working.
When she finds no damage, she nearly sighs in relief. However, all her hope and happiness is somewhat becoming shattered, when she looks at the reception sign on the left corner. Like Sphynx had said, there is most likely no reception at all and right now Parsley hates him for being right. The screen must be mocking her, as hazel eyes continue staring at it.
And that is how the plan to call for help stops right there, and the brown-haired woman places the phone down to the ground. Her shoulders slump down, and she let out a frustrated sigh. Sphynx knows what that means and stays silent, for the time being. He also, can't find anything to say.
Everything is not going alright for us. Parsley wraps her arms around herself like a shield. There aren't any cold winds, the sun is warming her skin and she closes her eyes in delight. The strands of the damp hair cling to the back of the naked woman like a fur. Small drops keep falling from the tips, but other than that she is mostly dry again. All the sweat, dirt and the scent of the earth have been washed away by the river and its freezing water.
The idea of being like this out in an open view of anything that might pass by is still more than uncomfortable, though. The thought makes her neck hair stand up.
Hazel eyes look up from the tips of the grass to the river few feet away. Every time she is close to shivering, Parsley is reminded of that horrible memory. It is so confusing, why she feels afraid of those things that she had seen. From their build, though still blurry, it is clear that they have been humans and not monsters. Just humans, in that dark, dark place, where she was helplessly defenseless. Where they could easily...
This time, it is an ominous wind that makes her shiver. She is really glad that they have been transported to this remote place – there is nothing that could harm them here.
"Your clothes should be dry by now," Sphynx points out after what feels like a very long time.
Parsley looks up at the branch and stands up slowly, legs shaking. She touches the fabric of her shirt and is happy to discover it really being dry enough for her to put it back on. The jeans are mostly dry as well and she takes them down, too.
Sphynx gives her the privacy to dress up, knowing how uncomfortable enough she has been, when sitting around naked almost the whole day. Though, he is the only one out of the two of them that did not find it embarrassing.
After she is decent, the cat turns to look at her with a new suggestion. "If we can't call for help, how about you fire a light spell up to the sky? If there are people anywhere around here, then they can see our location."
In response, the brown-haired woman raises a doubtful eyebrow. "Really? You still want me to use magic after all of this?" She gestures all around herself, proving her point. "Why won't you do it yourself? The chances of us getting blinded will be lower then."
He could deny that. He could start insisting on her using the magic and having more confidence in herself. That is what he always does, but now he simply lets out a tired sigh. The cat is clearly at the end of his rope by now and can't muster anymore stubbornness on this matter.
However, he does say: "Even though you know that this spell is something you can use successfully, you still want me to do it?"
"Hey, I'm the patient here~" she smiles coyly and sits back down. Her feet are still weak and standing as long as she has, has proved to be slightly difficult.
"Spoiled brat," Sphynx mutters, but earns a laugh for not being quiet enough.
Parsley watches with a slight smile, as a glowing red orb appeares in front of her friend's face. His eyes are closed, but when he opens them the light turns his golden eyes into a mix of orange and sparkling gold. Even though she doesn't enjoy using magic as much as she had during childhood, she loves seeing others using it.
The orb shoots up many feet away from the ground and the cat. It stays deadly still up in the air for a while, before sizzling like an oil on a hot pan and exploding. The air vibrated all over from its force and red particles start to spread all over the sky roof and fall down as sparkling lights. It is like watching a firework and both the woman and her cat pray someone else is catching the sight of its glow.