~March 25th, x800~
Vivid rows of vibrant orchids stretch out across the land, carefully divided by colors to create a rainbow. With no mountains or trees or clouds, the sky above is the biggest and bluest Razi has ever seen. His tail flickers back and forth while he stands on his seat so he can peek out of the window, and as the train speeds past, the orchid scent seems to permeate the whole compartment.
Razi sniffs the air and sneezes several times. He covers his nose as his ears twitch.
"Wow," he says. "That's a lot of flowers."
"Sit down before you fall and break your neck!" Silver snaps.
Razi plops down beside her with a pout, his ears flat against his head. He stares at Silver with wide, puppy dog eyes. She tries to glare back, but Razi knows her weakness.
"Ugh. Fine!" She groans, throwing up her hands. "Beast Summoning Magic: Aether."
A light grey magic circle lights up on the floor, and a white chimera dog comes into existence.
Razi cheers and drops into a play position on the floor. Aether looks back at Silver, wagging his tail when she nods in approval and pouncing on Razi with a bark.
"Pushover," Blue says from his reclined position in the air.
"Shut up! And get down from there! Why are you even levitating right now?"
"Because it's fun and annoys you."
Silver reaches up and yanks Blue's scarf. He chokes and loses his concentration, subsequently slamming down on the opposite seat. Lifting himself on one elbow, he glares.
"I'm getting you back for that. Just you wait."
"Oh. I'm so scared. There's nothing more terrifying than the walking embodiment of a blueberry." Silver sighs. "I can't believe the master stuck me with you."
"The feeling is mutual."
The train whistles as it slows and pulls into the platform. Aether and Razi race off the train and chase each other in circles while Silver pulls out the request form and Blue looks around; Orchid Village, named for the field of flowers, just a hop, skip, and a jump away, is small. Almost unfathomably so. There are only seven buildings that Blue can see, none of them over two stories tall, and most of them appear to be private homes. A dense forest surrounds the entire area in a crescent shape. The only person in sight is an old woman napping on a rocking chair. She loosely cradles a glass of tea.
"It says to meet our client at The Only Inn Here," Silver announces.
Sure enough, nearly straight ahead is a building larger than all the others with a big, hand-painted wooden sign reading, "The Only Inn Here." It's reminiscent of the guild, with its solid red brick construction and large bay windows, only much taller. A pair of pinto horses are tied up out front, and they whiny in warning when Razi and Aether get too close. The old woman startles awake, spilling her tea all over the front of her dress.
Blue snickers while Silver shepherds everyone into the building. Inside, they find a lobby with an unlit stone fireplace and mismatching pink sofas with faded upholstery. Aether works on sniffing every corner he can reach.
An empty front desk guards a wooden staircase with thin, steep steps. A large buck head is mounted at the top and watches over everything like a benevolent god. Razi shuffles back and forth on his feet.
"It's following me," he says, baring his teeth.
Blue saunters over and rings a bell on the desk rapid-fire, getting in as many dings as he can before Silver snatches it away from him.
"Why is your first instinct to be the most annoying person possible?"
Blue shrugs.
"I can't change who I am, Silver."
He ducks as Silver throws the bell at him. It breaks against the brick wall.
"So, which of you is going to pay for that?" A young man asks as he descends the stairs. He's pale, with pitch-black hair and dark brown eyes, and an oversized black sweatshirt hangs off his thin, wiry frame.
Silver and Blue point at each other.
"Right," says the young man. "Looks like you'll have to split the cost. Are you those people from Phoenix Refuge?"
"Yup!" Razi bounces on his heels. "That's us!"
"We'll just take it out of your reward, then. I'll let my dad know you're here. Have a seat. I'd offer you a drink, but you don't look old enough." He doesn't wait for a reply before leaving.
Razi takes a seat near one of the empty windows and sneezes. Even here, the scent of orchids is strong. Silver settles into an armchair. The cushions are too worn to provide any support, and she sinks into the seat. Aether lies at her feet. Blue drapes himself across a chaise, his feet hanging off the edge, and it, too, smells like orchids.
A pair of boots thunder down the stairs as a man barrels over to them. He's so tall his head nearly bumps the ceiling, and his muscles make him built like a tank. His dark, curly beard is braided and reaches his sternum. His head is bald, and his bright blue eyes shine with mirth.
"Members of Phoenix Refuge!" He greets. "Thank you so much for your swift response and swifter arrival! I am Eugene Arkwright! It's a pleasure to meet you!" He shakes Silver's hand, and she has to physically hold her shoulder in place to keep from losing her arm.
"Nice to meet you too," she says. "I'm Silver Aura. That's Razi Bharx." She points to the wolf boy, who is again staring down the deer. He turns away when he hears his name and beams.
"Hiya! You're probably the biggest person I've ever met in my life, and I've met some pretty big dudes."
"And that's Blue."
"Blue?"
"Just Blue," the three of them say simultaneously.
"I see. Well, welcome, just Blue."
"Thanks, Eugene."
"Here. Some non-alcoholic beverages for the underage mages," the young man says as he places a tray on a coffee table.
"Thank you, Raylin!" Eugene beams as he leaves once more. "That's my son, Raylin. He's here to help during his break from school. He's studying to be a doctor. Only nineteen and already near graduation. My boy is truly a genius, you see."
"Oh," says Silver.
"So..." Blue sits up. "You said you were having trouble with missing women?"
"Yes! Forgive my rambling. I called you here for a crucial reason after all."
"When did the disappearances happen?" Silver asks.
"I don't have the slightest clue," Eugene says cheerily.
The three mages exchange looks.
"You don't know?" Blue squints, skeptical.
"No, but I suspect it may have been years. Possibly even decades." Eugene notices the looks he's getting and clears his throat. "Let me explain: this is a popular place to stop, but not a popular place to stay. Mages come and go here all the time, and they often leave without so much as a word. None of the residents have ever disappeared, except for Mrs. Kaney's niece, but she returned a month ago with a daughter and a husband, so we know now that she just eloped. They're a lovely couple. They're looking into buying a plot of the Orchid Field and setting up a florist's shop. Just the other day-"
"I'm sorry, but what do they have to do with the mission?" Silver asks, arms crossed.
"Apologies. My mind wanders. I'll stay on topic." Eugene rubs the back of his head. "A year ago, Sorcerer Weekly did a special on the Orchid Field we named our village for. They claimed that on the night of a full moon, the orchids gain the ability to grant your heart's desire, and if you pick one with your lover as the sun rises, you'll stay together forever. As far as I can tell, it's completely made up, but we saw more couples and young ladies because of it."
"It was soon after that we noticed a few of the young women traveling alone left their luggage behind. We found it strange, but we still didn't know what was actually happening until a pair of siblings arrived last week. They stayed with us for two days, and on the morning of the third day, the young man came running into the inn screaming of a witch that had kidnapped his sister and turned her into a bird. Someone had apparently rendered him immobile, and he could do nothing until sunrise. We all went into the woods in search of her, but there was no trace. That's when I reached out to the various guilds closest to us. Phoenix Refuge was the first to respond. As to be expected from Ajax. He was always the first to jump on a case."
"You know Mr. Ajax?" Razi asks.
"Aye! He was my commanding officer in the Rune Knights! I sailed on his ship, and when he retired, so did I. I think almost our entire crew did, actually. But we're getting off-topic again. The young man who witnessed the kidnapping is still here if you'd like to talk to him."
Eugene leads them up the stairs to a young man thin as a rail pacing his bedroom. Blue and Silver share a look while Razi and Aether sniff around.
"Boron," Eugene says gently, "The mages from Phoenix Refuge are here."
Boron looks around, tears welling in his brown eyes as he slumps onto a chair.
"Thank the stars," he says as he weeps into his hands. "Someone can finally help Selenium."
"We need you to tell us exactly what happened," says Silver, and the young man does.
"It was dusk, and we'd just gone into the woods. We'd heard the Moon Magic was amazing out there, and Selenium wanted to soak it up. We got lost, and we couldn't find our way back, but we saw lights in the distance, and we followed them. We saw a castle, but we'd only gotten within a hundred yards of it when I couldn't move anymore. Selenium was going on without me, but I couldn't call out to tell her to wait. And that's when the witch appeared. She touched her nose, and Selenium turned into a swan, and the witch threw her into a cage. That's when she saw me. I thought she would kill me, but she just smiled and took Selenium to her castle, and I blacked out. When I woke up, I was at the edge of the woods, and I ran back to town as fast as I could."
"Could you give us a description of the 'witch'?" Blue asks.
"She… she looked like a witch… she…" Boron frowns and clutches his head. "But… I can't… I remember nothing specific…"
Blue squints but keeps silent.
"Would you be able to retrace your steps and show us where you got lost?" Silver asks.
Boron shakes his head as his skin drains of color.
"I can't go back there! She'll kill me if I do!" He sobs. "Oh, Selenium. I'm sorry!"
"It's alright." Eugene pats his shoulder. "You never have to go back there again. I'm sure your sister would understand. There, there."
The three mages leave Eugene to comfort him. Closing the door, they speak in hushed tones.
"What do you think?" Silver asks.
"I'm not sure I buy his story," Blue says. "There's something off about that guy. Did you find anything, Razi?"
The boy shakes his head.
"All his stuff just smells like flowers."
"It doesn't look like Aether found anything either," Silver says, patting the dog's head. "But I agree, his story is weird. I mean, what would the difference between a witch and a mage even be? How do you make that distinction?"
"'Witch' is a more archaic term," Raylin says, startling the three. "It's a holdover from when anti-mage sentiments were more common, back before magic became a part of everyday life. Typically reserved for women seen as either deceitful or evil, and the stereotypical image was an old woman with a hook nose and pointy hat. I believe Boron said he was from Joya, and the prejudice against mages is still strong there. It's why they came to Fiore. Terms like 'witch' likely get thrown around often."
"So when he says 'witch,' he's probably just talking about an old woman he thinks is evil?" Razi asks.
"Probably." Raylin shrugs. "Mage prejudice isn't a subject I'm too familiar with. If my mom was here, you could ask her, but she's visiting her family in Caelum."
"Alright. So we're looking for a castle and an old lady turning women into animals." Silver crosses her arms. "What's our game plan?"
"Whoever is taking women is only targeting them when they're on their own," Blue says.
I'm guessing our best bet is going to be setting a trap. Silver, you'll act as bait, and Razi and I will follow behind you at a distance. If a witch does come, we'll catch her."
The woods surrounding Orchid Village differ vastly from the one surrounding their guild: pale birch and sycamore in place of willow and oak, the smell of the orchids permeating the air even here. There are no well-worn paths to follow, and the underbrush is nearly impossible to navigate.
Silver walks by herself, feeling eyes watch her. Now and then, she catches a glance of Razi or Blue, purposely coming into her sight, so she knows they are still there. She hopes both of them are keeping track of their whereabouts because she doesn't think she'd be able to find her way back on her own. All the trees look the same. There aren't any prominent landmarks. If she didn't know better, she'd think she'd been walking in a circle for the better part of the day.
If those women weren't kidnapped, they probably got lost in here. She thinks.
Another difference about these woods is how quiet they are. She's used to the constant flow of birdsong, the occasional glimpse of creatures running past. She doesn't think she's seen a single animal since they started. Not even a fly.
She itches to summon Aether, but they all agreed it's best if she appears completely alone.
How long have they been at this? She looks up, trying to tell by the sun's position, but there isn't a break in the canopy wide enough to tell. That means it'll be near pitch dark once the sun sets. They'll have to head back before then.
"CAW!"
Silver startles, eyes snapping to the black crow in a nearby tree. It flaps its wings, hopping up and down on its branch. She assumes she must be near its nest and steers clear of the tree as she continues walking into the woods. A few minutes later, though, the crow flies to another tree near her. It yells, continuing to flap and hop.
"Caw! CAW!"
"Alright, I'm going!" Silver says, giving it a wider berth.
Again, the crow flies to follow her, this time landing even closer.
"CAW CAW CAW! CAW!" The crow's flaps seem desperate, and Silver stops to stare at it. It definitely feels like it's trying to tell her something.
Maybe its mate is hurt, she thinks.
"Are you trying to show me something?" She asks.
"Caw!" The crow flutters to another tree, jumping up and down. Silver follows it, and its feathers puff up in excitement. The crow flies to another tree, then another, always stopping and turning to check if Silver is still following it. She's intrigued now, wondering just what it is the bird finds so important. She's all but forgotten what she's in the forest for.
Finally, the crow reaches a giant, dead tree, and it flies in circles around it.
"Caw! Caw caw!"
Still gazing up, Silver doesn't notice the overgrown tree root in her path. It snags her ankle. With a small yelp, she tumbles forward, and she scrapes her hands, trying to catch herself. Wincing, she pushes herself up.
And comes face to face with a lynx not more than a foot in front of her.
The crow almost screams as it flies away.
It's a beautiful creature with thick, gray fur and bright yellow eyes that seem to penetrate Silver's soul. Its paws must be as big as her face, and as the lynx curls back its lips to hiss, it reveals massive, sharp teeth perfect for ripping into flesh.
Silver finds herself frozen in place, unable to act as the lynx poses to pounce.
Fortunately, Razi bounds in front of her, crouching low as he growls. The lynx draws back and yowls but stands its ground. It swats at Razi's face, and he barely dodges the inch-long claws.
Silver snaps of her shock.
"Beast Tamer Magic: Crystal Wolf!" The beast comes forth, crouching beside Razi.
With another yowl, the lynx swipes the Crystal Wolf's snout, making contact. Not a scratch is left to show for the lynx's efforts. The wolf gives a deep, guttural growl. Caterwauling, the lynx leaps away and clambers up a tree. It plants itself firmly on a thick branch, hissing and spitting at them.
Razi gives chase, only to yelp as Blue yanks him back by his hood.
"Down, boy," Blue says as Rai struggles against his grip. "What are you gonna do? Climb up after it?"
"No!" Razi slumps, then sits with his arms crossed. "Maybe."
"It has the high ground now." Silver stands and dusts herself off. "It'd be a piece of cake to knock you down. Then we'd have to explain to Master Ajax how you broke all your bones." Razi's bottom lip sticks out in a pout. Silver sighs. With a pat on Razi's head, she says, "thanks for jumping in, though. Those claws look like they hurt."
"We should head back," Blue yawns and stretches. "The witch knows you're not alone now. And this is boring."
"Sorry I couldn't be more entertaining for you." Silver snaps.
"It's alright. We'll work on your routine. You should try juggling."
Razi glares at the lynx as the two bicker and gives a final growl before Silver grabs his arm and starts yanking him away. Bright yellow eyes watch them go.
"I take it you guys found nothing, then?" Raylin asks as they enter the inn.
"Just an angry lynx," Blue says.
"I don't like it out there," Razi says, sneezing. "It feels weird! And back home, I would have smelled that cat a mile away, but it just jumped out in the middle of the path outta nowhere!"
"That would be the orchids' fault," Raylin says. "They mask all other scents until you get used to them."
Razi pouts and goes to sulk by the fire.
"Did Boron mention any landmarks he might have seen?" Silver asks.
"Not to me. You'll have to ask my dad."
"I'm afraid the boy wouldn't be able to tell you," Eugene says as he descends the stairs. "It was dark, and they were lost. Not to mention the forest is difficult for strangers to keep track of. We advise most tourists to steer clear of it."
"So we're just meant to keep searching for signs of… anything?" Blue asks.
"I'm afraid so," Eugene says.
The bell for the door chimes as a laughing young couple comes in.
"Hello! We're here for our reservation!" The young woman says. Raylin goes off to greet them.
With a frustrated sigh, Silver joins Razi by the fire. Blue reclaims the chaise.
Eugene smiles as he sits on the loveseat.
"So, Phoenix Refuge. How is Ajax treating you all? Well, I assume."
"He's a kind man." Silver shrugs. "I trust him to take care of all of us."
"He has the best treats in his office!" Razi beams, his tail wagging. "And he doesn't get mad if I take them!"
"He's placed me in charge of Phoenix Refuge's branding and marketing," Blue says.
"Don't lie to him!" Silver tries to swat Blue's arm, but he's too far.
"He seems happy then?" Eugene asks. "And the children?"
"They love each other a lot," Razi smiles. "They seem happy mostly, but sometimes they all smell really sad too."
"I imagine it'll always be that way." Eugene leans back with a sigh. "Lina was a special woman. They'll likely feel the ache of her memory forever."
They fall silent, and Eugene stands up with a hearty smile.
"I didn't mean to bring down the mood. Here's something that will cheer you all up." He pulls down a photo album from the fireplace's mantle, skipping past the first few pages and pointing to the picture of a young man with fiery red hair.
"Is that..." Silver grabs the book to get a better look.
"Ajax himself as the youngest captain of the Rune Knight Navy." Eugene puffs out his chest a little as if he were bragging about his own accomplishment.
"He looks so young…" Blue says, trying to match the image with the man he knows. "And serious."
"There was a lot of pressure on him back then. We all loosened him up, eventually." He points to another photo, this one of a rambunctious group of people laughing in a bar. Eugene has his arms thrown over Ajax and another man with yellow hair and steel-grey eyes.
"This here is Donnovin," Eugene names his old comrades. "That woman right there is Eliza, the man she's arm wrestling is Covan, and the woman laughing is Rechelle."
"Who are they?" Razi points to the twin teens playing cards with another young man. Eugene's face grows a little somber.
"That is Louis Glorierre, and these are the Achilles Twins: Sebastien and Simon." His voice cracks a little at the end, and he clears his throat before turning the page. He brightens, but a shadow remains, and the atmosphere is no longer as jovial.
"Now here's a good one. This is Ajax and Lina's wedding photo."
"Is…" Silver gapes. "Is her wedding dress black?"
"Why is Mr. Ajax all dirty?"
"What's with the cannons?"
"The wedding was... rushed," Eugene explains. "It's not really my story to tell. If you ask Ajax, I'm sure he'll be happy to tell you. It was a great day. I actually met my wife there." He skips ahead a few pages. "Now, I'm sure these are the actual photos you're looking for."
Ajax and Lina are smiling with a toddler Evander pulling on his Dad's hair and infant Ria, obviously bawling her head off. Another is Evander covered head to toe in mud, Ria just as dirty and crying beside him. All the photos show Ria crying and Evander causing mischief.
"Do you mind if I take some of these back with us?" Blue asks, eyes alight with possibilities.
"Of course not. I'm sure Ajax would be happy to see them again."
"It's hard to imagine Master Ajax had a life before the guild. It feels like he's been there forever," Silver says, watching Razi flip through the photo book beside her.
"There aren't any pictures of Miss Catie!" Razi frowns as he reaches the end of the book.
"Not very fond of photos, that one," Eugene scratches his chin. "I think there is one of her, though. Let me see."
He goes through the pages slowly until he plucks out a single, small one from the middle of the book. He sets it down so the three can see.
"This is from the completion of the guild."
Catie rests asleep against the tree that grows in the middle of the guild, face smudged with paint and hair in a messy bun. Evander and Ria curl into her sides, one tucked under each of her arms. Nearby, Ajax smiles down at his children with such pride and love, Silver has to look away.
She thinks of her sister, and her heart aches.
"It's a nice picture," Razi says quietly. His hand reaches for the amethyst necklace tucked into his shirt.
Silently, Blue returns to the chaise. His face is uncharacteristically blank.
Eugene returns the photo to the album and gently rests in on the mantle once more. He clears his throat and smiles.
"Come along, Phoenix Refuge. Raylin will have dinner ready soon, and the three of you still need rooms."
It's late at night, and with a belly full of the warm stew Raylin served for dinner, Razi tosses and turns on his borrowed bed. It's too soft. He gives up trying to get comfortable with a sigh and stands to open the window. A sneezing fit overtakes him, the smell of the orchids even stronger than they were during the day. Overhead, the quarter moon peeks through a curtain of clouds. It feels like it'll rain soon.
In the distance, he can see the silhouette of the forest, and the way the trees wobble in the wind makes them look like they're running towards him. Razi whines before shutting the window. He returns to the bed, hands once more reaching for his amethyst necklace. There's a quiet tick… tick... tick… The clock on his nightstand reads just after midnight.
Razi goes downstairs to the lobby and finds he wasn't the only one with that idea; Silver sits curled up on the chaise, Aether snoring at her feet. She hardly looks up as Razi enters and keeps silent as he lies down and cuddles into Aether. The dog snuffs but remains asleep. Before long, Razi finally gets to sleep himself.
Silver stares into the smoldering embers in the fireplace. Stuck in her thoughts. She had a dream. Her sister, Lily, was crying, calling for her. Begging her to stay. She turned her back on her.
"Why do you look like you murdered someone?" Blue asks, yawning as he comes into the lobby.
Silver glares at him.
"Be quieter. You're going to wake everyone. What are you even doing down here?"
Blue shrugs and grabs the photo album off the mantle. He plucks out some photos and tucks them into his pockets.
"Even my room smells like flowers. It was giving me a headache." He sits upside down on the armchair, his head dangling close to the ground as he flips through the album.
Silver rolls her eyes at him but keeps quiet. She's too tired to scold him, anyway. Her focus returns to the embers. Most of them have died. The wind howls as it beats against the walls of the inn, yet she finds it somewhat comforting.
It must be nice outside, she thinks, her eyes drifting close. If she weren't so sleepy, she would check it out. She wonders if the crow from earlier found shelter from the rain.
Blue stares, waiting until Silver's breathing becomes even and relaxed. He stands and sets the album on the mantel once more. He floats, not to make any noise, and silently creates an illusion of himself sleeping soundly, just in case anyone wakes up.
He sneaks outside and walks to the edge of the forest. It's too dark for normal people to see, and he could use the cover from any spying eyes. There's a quiet hum of far-off violins growing louder as he approaches the woods, but he ignores it. A pair of bright, yellow eyes glower at him from nearby branches, but he ignores those as well.
"Spatial Magic: Portal Creation," he says, and a small, black hole forms in the ground. He steps in and disappears.
Soon after, the lynx jumps from the tree branches and sniffs at the place he used to be. Any trace of him is gone, though.
Slowly, the lynx steps into a ray of moonlight. Its fur sheds away, revealing burnt human flesh, and its bones rearrange to stand and form the shape of a woman with pale white hair and bright yellow eyes.
"Interesting." She murmurs, picking up the fur and draping it over her shoulders like a cloak. "Very interesting."
Her feet are bare and caked in mud. Her hair is tangled and matted. Her cheeks are hollow, and her eyes wrinkled.
"We're nearly there," she whispers to the wind. "I'm almost finished, Master. Please. Come for me soon. See what I have made for you and bring me home."
Her prayer is carried off into the night, and as lightning strikes and the rain pours, she knows he has heard her. She tilts her face to the sky, letting his blessing or over her. It's been so long since he's acknowledged her. She weeps.
"Only two to go. I promise I won't disappoint you again."
The wind caresses her face, and she grins.
The lightning flashes again, illuminating a nearby tree. The crow, huddled amongst the branches, squawks as yellow eyes snap to it. It takes flight, but the wind is its enemy. The woman snatches it from the air and clucks her tongue.
"Naughty girl. How did you escape your cage?"
The crow pecks her gnarled hands, but the woman hardly feels it.
"Come. Let's get you back to your friends. I'm sure they miss you."
She hums, following the call of the violins as she steps into the woods, shrouded in darkness.