CHAPTER EIGHT: Poison
Fuu looked up behind Umi and Hikaru and saw an old woman walking towards her. The woman almost had no hair and the few wisps that remained were starch white. His skin, even from a distance, looked as if it were hanging off her bones. Not a single youthful feature was on the woman and Fuu surmised---as she had earlier that day when she first met her---that she was the oldest living person in the town of Vena.
Umi suddenly ran off to another direction with a group of women---way younger than the one approaching Fuu. Fuu heard Hikaru was about to say something when the old woman finally reached Fuu.
Old Woman Naidah whispered in a coarse voice, "Come with me and I will tell you the secret."
Fuu held on to Old Woman Naidah's bony arm as the elder led her across the room. Then, Fuu remembered Hikaru and she glanced back. Hikaru was gone.
"She is well-protected," Old Woman Naidah said as they continued walking out of the large hut and farther into the back of the town. Fuu felt strange. Old Woman Naidah could apparently read minds. They walked in silence until at last, with the lights and the sound of people talking far behind, Fuu and Old Woman Naidah reached the entrance of a small white brick house. It had a thatched roof and a thin wisp of black smoke was coming out of its apex.
Old Woman Naidah entered and Fuu followed. It looked almost the same as the house of the man named Adolphus yet the walls of the old woman's house was painted with strange symbols and pictures. There were no chairs save for one wooden seat and mats all over the floor. Fuu looked to the center of the hut and saw a black cauldron sitting on top of a fire. Fuu felt quite heady when the smell of whatever it was inside the cauldron reached her nostrils.
"Sit down," Old Woman Naidah seemed to command her and Fuu felt her body responding. She sat down on the floor. Old Woman Naidah took something out of her tattered brown robes and threw it into the cauldron. The cauldron hissed and sputtered for a while before calming down. Old Woman Naidah sat on the wooden chair facing Fuu.
"You are a healer," the old woman said to Fuu. Fuu nodded.
"How did you know?" Fuu did not recall healing anyone at all yet except for the little boy Don and his baby brother.
Old Woman Naidah smiled, showing broken, yellow teeth. This woman badly needs a dentist, she thought. Fuu suddenly remembered that Old Woman Naidah could read minds. Er, sorry...
The old woman did not answer Fuu's question. Instead, she took out a sharp pin-like object from her sleeve and threw it at Fuu. The pointed end struck Fuu's shoulder and she cried out in pain.
"Wha---" Fuu began to feel much more light-headed and her throat was drying up. Poison---
But Fuu was too surprised to feel any kind of anger or fear. The slow-moving old woman disappeared from the chair and in the blink of an eye, she was right beside Fuu. Old Woman Naidah plucked out the pin with one swift motion of her hand and pasted a thin, green rectangular piece of cloth on the wound. Fuu did not even get to see the wound bleed. Just as quickly, the old woman removed the cloth and the wound was healed.
"Huh? W-What did y-you do?" she asked. Fuu pinched her shoulder. No blood came out and it no longer felt painful.
"That was poison," Old Woman Naidah confessed, slowly returning back to her wooden chair. "A poison so potent it could have killed you if I had been a second too late."
"What do you really want to tell me?" Fuu asked. Before she met Old Woman Naidah, Fuu had been asking questions about the town's history. The people she talked to frowned when she mentioned the town's name of Vena. When Fuu asked why it was so, they said that they called the town Delphi and that Vena was probably from the "traitors" of the castle. And when she asked who was the town chief, the people answered only one name: Old Woman Naidah.
Fuu thought the town chief was the purple-haired man who battled with the forest monster. The people said he was only one of the town warriors but that he held no power over the town. Everything and nothing came from Old Woman Naidah. Fuu asked about her and the people's voices lowered down to reverent whispers as they told Fuu of Old Woman Naidah's great powers and skills.
If there was one negative thing to be said about Old Woman Naidah, it was that she associated herself with Adolphus. Adolphus kept to himself but he was the old woman's favorite. Many resented this but to antagonize Adolphus would mean trouble with the old woman. The people said not to trust Adolphus because against the laws of the town, he goes to the forest at night. He was so high in the favor of Old Woman Naidah that Adolphus always comes out of the forest alive and whole.
No one elaborated exactly what those powers and skills were because Old Woman Naidah appeared right in their midst. The crowd around Fuu dispersed, leaving her alone with the old woman. Fuu did not take a second to think and asked straightaway, "What are your powers and skills?"
Old Woman Naidah merely grinned up at her and said, "A secret."
Fuu blinked. She woke up from her reverie and saw again the black cauldron and the drawings on the inner walls of Old Woman Naidah's hut. On one wall was what looked like two men slaying monsters. Another picture was of scimitars. Fuu also saw people playing tag. And a pile of dead bodies.
"There is nothing more rewarding than to be able to extend another person's life," she told Fuu. Fuu had no idea why the old woman said so but she nodded anyway.
"Through a great effort and sacrifice on your part, many have been saved and will be saved," Old Woman Naidah continued. Fuu started to feel greatly uncomfortable. The old woman must probably know... There was no point in hiding when the old woman could practically see through Fuu's brain.
"The people of this town hate the castle and its policies," Fuu said. "Without strong alliances, Cephiro will go to ruin."
The old woman shook her head. "Without a strong Pillar, only then will Cephiro go to ruin."
Fuu was mildly surprised that the old woman was not averse to a new Pillar. "You do not disagree with that notion?"
"Notion? The Pillar of Cephiro is not a mere notion but the true and sole lifeblood of Cephiro!"
"Yes, I know, Old Woman Naidah. Yet becoming the Pillar entails a sacrifice much greater than death. It means losing one's freedom. Death is much sweeter."
"Ah! Freedom, yes," Old Woman Naidah whispered. She stood up from her seat and walked to the wall on Fuu's right where the scene of the game of tag was drawn. "Freedom is such a prized possession for the young. It matters not what happens around them. As long as they are free to run as the horses in the wild, the world is as it should be. Youth must be done away with quickly because an old and mature mind is what it takes to rule Cephiro." Old Woman Naidah fixed her eyes at Fuu.
"No one who lives in the universe would sacrifice their own freedom unless it be for the good of others," Fuu countered. "Does it not matter to you, Old Woman Naidah?"
"I am aged and have lived far longer than I should have lived," she said, walking back to her seat and sitting down. "All chance for valor and adventure has long been erased from my memory. It is a thing of my past. In my old age, only my will keeps me alive and keeps this town alive."
Fuu smiled slightly. "You must have wanted to become the Pillar in your youth." Fuu understood. In her world, many girls wished they were queens, or princesses, or big time Hollywood actresses.
Old Woman Naidah stared at her. Fuu asked, "And what would you do if you were the Pillar of Cephiro, Old Woman Naidah?"
"My will is not enough to make me the Pillar. If the people will it, then I shall become the Pillar but only upon the death of the last Pillar. That is how the system is made. However, I believe that the Pillar must offer more than protection. The Pillar must be able to heal. Emeraude, because of her youth, was laid astray by youthful fantasies and forfeited the power to heal for she refused it in the end."
Fuu stopped smiling. There was something wrong about how the old woman said that last statement. She stared at the old woman sharply. How did Old Woman Naidah morph from a kindly old lady to a hag?
"You make all the medicines in this town, don't you?" asked Fuu, slowly standing up. She could feel the hairs at her nape standing as well. Fuu thought the room was getting smaller.
"Yes. Only I have that knowledge." Fuu was starting to distrust the old woman but she had to shield her thoughts from her.
"Where do you get them?"
"From the forest."
"You go there yourself?"
"Yes, I do."
Fuu's heartbeat moved faster. "You must be very brave."
"I am older than all the people of this town. I know these lands very well. But most of the time I send someone else. Someone I can trust."
Fuu made the pretense of looking at the walls. "Did you draw these?" Fuu stood close to the wall nearest the doorway. When Fuu moved her face closer, she thought the drawing looked like as if they were drawn with blood.
"Yes. It's the history of the town," Old Woman Naidah answered. Fuu could feel the old woman's eyes at her. "History is a mere stepping stone to the future. I prefer to keep it close."
"Why is it forbidden to go to the forest at night?"
"The forest is no longer in the reach of my power," replied Old Woman Naidah, unaware that Fuu was asking these questions for a reason. "Beyond this town, all injury and disease exist."
Nodding, Fuu asked, "I've heard about a great warrior named Adolphus and one of my companions has met him."
Old Woman Naidah massaged the bridge of her crooked nose and snapped, "I wish it could be much quieter here! That farce of a feast is making my head ache!"
Fuu listened. She could hear nothing but her breathing and the fire crackling under the cauldron.
"If I were younger, I would have been like Adolphus, that's why I have chosen him. His will is as mine. We are one."
At that moment, a young woman came, bearing a small clay pot in her hands. She entered the house and handed the clay pot to Old Woman Naidah.
"Here is the medicine for pain, Old Woman Naidah," the young woman said. "I am sorry I was not able to return it to you much earlier. My son's tooth is aching until today but I thought you might want it back now."
Old Woman Naidah nodded, laid a hand on the woman's head, and let her out of the house. After watching the woman leave, a thought, which she kept hidden from Old Woman Naidah, entered Fuu's mind and it filled her with a dark sense of dread.
"I think maybe I should go," Fuu said, slowly ambling towards the doorway. "My companions must be looking for me."
"Oh, I doubt it."
Fuu bowed her head and made for the doorway. But she turned back and asked, "What was the secret you wished to tell me?"
The old woman only smiled and said nothing. Fuu went on out of the house, only to hear Old Woman Naidah say, "Don't go out yet, Magic Knight."
Fuu walked faster and faster until she was almost running. While she ran, Fuu recalled every bit of detail from the encounter with Old Woman Naidah.
The oldest.
The town chief.
The sole town healer.
The strange drawings. History... Fuu's heart was seized with fear. The drawings are of the present soon to become history!
The two men slaying monsters... The purple-haired warrior and his companion.
The scimitars... The people of the town.
The game of tag.... Hikaru, Don, Mokona, and Adolphus.
The pile of dead bodies... Yuner and his family--- wait! Fuu tried to recall what else was about that image that greatly disturbed her. The realization that hit Fuu as she ran down the road almost brought her to her knees. There were three bodies in that image, yes... A woman and... two other women...
"Heaven help us!" Fuu said to herself. More thoughts came into her head.
Goes to the forest by herself but so does Adolphus who is close to her and most like her as she referred to her and he as ONE... He goes back unscathed by the forest monsters... Wants one Pillar and no foreign alliances... Do away with youthful fantasies of freedom...
"No!" Fuu cried out loud as someone grabbed her arm. Fuu tried to fight back but saw that it was only Umi, who was looking at her as if she were going mad.
"Fuu! It's me, Umi!"
Fuu sighed with relief. "Oh! I-I thought y-you were---"
"I was what? And why are you running as if the hounds of hell are after you?"
"The old woman... she...."
Umi snorted. "Oh. That. Yeah, I've heard talk about that old woman Nida, Nita, or whatever. I think she's thought of here as a god or something. Anyway, what's weird is that I was talking to some girls when all voices stopped talking. It was as if they lost their voices. I mean, their mouths were moving but no sound was coming out! The sound only came back a few seconds after and none of the people even noticed it. What could be weirder than that?"
Fuu came to a final realization. "Hikaru!"
Umi snickered. "Yeah, her, too!"
"No! No! No!" Fuu snapped, pulling Umi to a group of trees. There she explained to Umi what was going on in the town.
Umi did not believe her. "Aw, c'mon, Fuu! You're getting too paranoid!"
Fuu shook her head. "I'm sure of it, Umi! Now, where's my map?"
"Huh? You need that right now? We can't leave at night with those monsters on the prowl!"
"Yes, I need the map now! Frankly, I don't even know if I should be more afraid of the monsters than her!" Fuu shouted. Umi held up her hands. "All right, all right! Fuu, let's not be too hasty. I mean, you've only just been with one crazy old woman for a night and you think she's the devil incarnate! Our stuff was delivered to the house of one of the girls. Now, calm down a little and we'll get your precious map!"
Umi and Fuu ran back to the house she was talking about. Fuu found her saddlebag and rummaged through it. She found the map and looked at it.
"How could I have been so stupid?!" she exclaimed. Umi, who was not very much into map reading asked, "Fuu, what's wrong?"
"The town of Vena is five hundred miles from the border of the castle lands!"
"So?" asked Umi, confused.
"This town is merely fifty miles from the border! There was supposed to be no patch of forest here and definitely no monsters whatsoever or they would not have sent us going this route!"
Umi frowned. "So you're telling me that we have been lured to this town that does not exist? This is not Vena?"
"Where's Hikaru?" asked Fuu, not answering Umi immediately. "No, this is not Vena. Did you see her at the hut?"
Umi was starting to get worried. "No, I didn't. But I think she went out some time ago."
"Who was she with?"
Umi shrugged. "I don't know. Let's ask the guards."
On they went to the guards and began asking them where and when they last saw the red-haired guest. One of them said, "She went out."
"What do you mean by that?" Umi asked.
The guard smacked his lips. "Out. As in "out of the town gates". She went with Adolphus."
"Wait, Fuu!" Umi shouted when Fuu dashed away from the hut towards the gates. Umi ran after her. The guards at the gate did not recognize them and opened the gates to let them out. But Fuu halted a step from the outside of the gates. Umi was not able to stop herself in time and went beyond the gates.
"Umi, go back! Go back!" Fuu screamed. Umi wondered why Fuu was making her turn back when she initiated the mad run. But as Umi made a turn, she felt something warm flowing down her face. Umi touched it and looked at it. Blood.
"Come back here! Umi!"
Umi quickly ran back inside the gates. "I don't understand---" The guards closed the gates again.
"The old woman controls everything in this place, Umi! When she said she wanted it quiet, the people at the hut lost their voices and when she had a headache, a woman came by to return a pot of medicine!" Fuu said. "If you go beyond the gates, all your wounds and injuries will go back!"
"Oh, dear! Hikaru!" Umi shrieked. "Fuu, you have to get to her! If that Adolphus person is who you say he is, Hikaru is in danger!"
"I can't," Fuu mumbled. Umi shook her hard. "Why not? Why not?!"
"I was poisoned."
"You were what? Fuu---"
Fuu looked up at Umi's face. Her own eyes were brimming with tears of frustration and regret. "She poisoned me. If I go beyond those gates, I will die in a second. You were luckier."
"Why is she doing this to us?" Umi asked angrily, unable to comprehend what was happening to them in this quaint little town. Umi was already expecting the people inside the hut to come out, acting like zombies, just like in the movies.
"She knows we have come from the castle to search for the true Pillar," replied Fuu, standing up. She helped Umi up and saw that the wound on her head was gone again.
"So?"
"She will do everything it takes to make herself Pillar."
Umi almost felt like laughing. "Her? Why would an old woman still want that? Isn't she supposed to be tired of living?"
An old and mature mind is what it takes to rule Cephiro....
"She will dispose of anyone who stands in her way, I'm sure of it," said Fuu strongly.
"Then, Hikaru really is in danger!" Umi exclaimed. "I mean, she used to be the Pillar and if this old hag is really crazy then---"
"No, I don't think she's after Hikaru because she's with the old woman's alter ego, someone who can protect her temporarily from the monsters and could slow down the return of Hikaru's injuries. She is still expendable, however because the old woman is---" Umi was not able to hear the last few words that came from Fuu's lips. Fuu was almost muttering to herself, staring at the town and the road.
"Then, who is she after?"
Fuu thought the town was suddenly too quiet. When she focused her eyes on the road, she saw the figure of Old Woman Naidah getting larger and larger. She was now leaning on a gnarled brown staff and heading towards Fuu and Umi, a knowing smile upon her equally gnarled face.
The Pillar must be able to heal...
"Me."