"Wanda, you've got a good head on your shoulders. With Dakota here, it's in the right spot and won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Still, you remind me of someone I met a long time ago." Eda said as Wanda and I sat down on the couch while Eda sat in the chair not far from us.
"Really? Who might that be?" Wanda asked, not really caring about her story, just a bit ticked off at the fact that she lost to Eda and Hooty.
"Natalya Maximoff." Eda said, where Wanda jerked her head towards her, her eyes were wide open and her interest was gained. Seeing her reaction to the name gained my attention as well because if Wanda knew this person she must of been important.
"My mother?" Wanda asked, shocked by the name. I looked at Wanda in shock, then back at Eda as that couldn't be a coincidence. "You met her?" Wanda asked, with Eda shrugging her shoulders.
"I can tell you that It was before you were born, darling." Eda said as he hand came off. We both looked at it as Eda picked it up and placed it back on. "We had an epic fight, the kind of witch's duel that folks would sing about in taverns if they knew it had happened." Eda added with a smile as she leaned back in her chair.
"You fought my mother?" Wanda asked as she leaned forward, drawn in with interest.
"I did." Eda said as she sat forward. "It was a time of great turmoil, and both of us were a little hotheaded." Eda informed as she made a fist up to the sky. "Natalya had a power that was almost frightening, much like yours." She said as she looked back at Wanda with a smile.
"What happened?" Wanda asked, wanting to know the outcome of the fight.
"Well, I lost." Eda said as she held her head high, shocking us as she was powerful in her own right. To proudly say that she lost was impressive.
"You... lost?" Wanda asked in disbelief.
"Hard to believe, I know! But your mother was a formidable witch. It was a complete smack down. After the fight, we found a mutual respect. We even became friends." Eda said with a laugh.
"So, was Natalya's magic similar to Wanda's?" I asked, where they both looked at me as I asked my question.
"It's not exactly the same, but there's a lineage there." Eda said as she looked Wanda over. "Human Magic tends to run in the family, after all." Eda informed, with Wanda looking down at her hands. "Natalya had a way of manipulating reality, but they would be coated with the same energy that Wanda's powers did. So, it is a possibility. But I'm sure each generation brings its own twist to the power they inherit. That's the beauty of magic." Eda said with a grin.
"I wish I had known more about her." Wanda said, with us looking at her. "I only remember short memories of her up until she died." She said, with me frowning at that.
"Even Natalya is dead?" Eda said, shocked. "Man, and here I thought she would never die." Eda said as she leaned forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "She was a remarkable woman, Wanda. And she'd be so proud to see what you become." Eda said, trying to cheer Wanda up.
"Thanks, Eda." Wanda said, her head still looking down at the ground.
"Don't mention it, kiddo. Now, how about we go practice some spells? Show me what the Maximoff magic can do!" Eda said as she stood up with a grin. "I may not be able to teach you your mother's abilities but I can teach you real magic! If I can help your mother with that then I can do the same with you!" Eda said, then looked over at me. "You on the other hand, we will need to talk." Eda said, where Wanda looked between us. "But until then, MAGIC!?" Eda said as she threw a bottle of brown sand at the ground, but nothing happened. "Shoot, I guess that was the wrong bottle." Eda said as she rubbed her chin in through.
Later
"Alright, Wanda. The first thing about forming a magic circle is to visualize it. It's not about what you do with your hands, it's what you do with your mind." Eda said as she stood across from Wanda, arms crossed.
"Visualization, huh? Sounds a lot like what I do with my powers." Wanda said as she rolled her eyes.
"Now focus, imagine the circle in your mind. Imagine it forming, the energy flowing and-" Wanda interrupted Eda by effortlessly forming a magic circle, a stunning display of scarlet energy manifesting before them. "Well... that was fast." Eda said with a smirk.
"It's not too different from my own abilities. It just... feels right." Wanda said as she crossed her own arms.
I was curious on if I could use magic as well. We were in a new world, so it was possible. "Let's see if I have the same knack for it." I said as they looked at me, where I tried making a magic circle. I concentrated, my brow furrowed and my hand shook, but nothing happened. I tried once more, still nothing. After a moment, I let out a sigh and shrugged. "Guess magic isn't quite my thing." I said as I shook my head while holding my hands up to my shoulders.
"Magic isn't for everyone, Dakota. Magic comes from the heart, a sack connected to a witches heart. That's how I use magic, but there are other ways of using magic, like Wanda's bloodline for example." Eda said as she pulled out a picture from her hair and showed it to us before putting it back. "But that doesn't mean your Touch of Death is any less significant."
"Gross." I said as I crossed my arms. "Witches and Magicians of our world, if we ever had any, and Wanda's mother is proof that Human Witches existed, had t have had a way of suing Magic. We just got to figure it out." I said, looking over at Wanda, who was thinking about it as well. "But it's cool watching Wanda do her thing." I said, with her smiling and rubbing her arm.
"Thank you, Dakota." Wanda said as she brought her arm up and played with her hair for a bit. "And don't feel bad. We all have our own paths, you just have to find yours!" Wanda said, with me knowing that she was trying to cheer me up, but the way she said it, it hurt.
"I appreciate that, Wanda." I said, not wanting her to get the wrong idea.
"Remember, everyone's magic is different. Wanda, yours is similar to mine, but it's unique to you. Eda said as she pointed at Wanda. Dakota, your power is unique to you. Embrace it. Understand it. Control it." Eda said, making a fist with a fire in her eyes.
"That's some solid advice, Eda." Wanda said, a bit impressed with the witch.
"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Eda." I said with little to no enthusiasm, looking down at my hands, with me seeing the blood was still there.
Later
They had been at it for hours, and Wanda was showing to be able to do anything Eda could do, but the stronger the spell the harder it was for her to control it. "Hey... girls, I think I'll explore the surroundings." I said, with Eda looking at me.
"No, I have a better idea! I have a friend who lives with me, he should be awake by now. King loves making new friends. He's quite the character and knows a lot about demons. Instead of watching us, go learn about Demons from him! Wondering around these woods without knowing anything about the boiling isles." She said, with me nodding and walking inside.
I made my way back inside, with me looking all over the place. Once I reached the living room, I saw a demon dog sleeping on the couch. It was young, had a small stature. He has slightly purplish dark gray fur, save for his stomach and the tip of his tail, which are mauve in color. He has short limbs, a round body and stomach, and a bushy, foxlike tail. Each of his hands possess two triangular, bone-like claws with flat inner sides, acting as his fingers, as well as short, pointed thumbs. His feet are somewhat stumpy and have mauve metatarsal pads, with two more claws on the front of either foot acting as his toes. He has slightly longer and shaggier fur around his cheeks, neck and nape. His upper head past his lower jaw and neck regions is a horned skull, his own being canine-esque, which is embedded over his eyes and eyelids, also actin as his upper jaw. His horns are tall and point backward, curving slightly inward, the left of which is broken off near the base in a notch shape. The muzzle of his skull has two large, outward-pointing canine teeth, and he has two molars on either side near the base of it. He has an upside-down triangle-shaped nasal cavity covered by a pointed upper nasal bone, giving the hole a pointed, heart-shaped appearance when viewed head on. The skull itself is entirely stationary, save for his brow ridges, which can change position with his expression like normal brows. "I didn't know Eda had a pet." I said as I got closer to it.
"Who are you calling a pet!?" The demon dog yelled as it jumped to its feet, pointing at me. "Who are you? What have you done with Eda?" He questioned, getting closer and closer to me.
"Names Dakota, Eda is outside training my friend Wanda, and Eda sent me inside to learn about Demons from King. Have you seen them?" I asked, backing away from the Demon pet. "Also, don't touch me, I'm cursed with the Touch of Death." I informed, with him shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm King, human! King of the demons!? King said as he took a seat. "Have a seat." King said as he pointed to the ground, with me sitting before him. "Curious about demons and our realm? What do you want to know?" He asked, with me scratching my head in thought as I didn't know what to ask about.
"Well, I've never been fascinated by different creatures and realms. Can you tell me more about this world? Are there different types of demons with unique abilities!" I asked as I looked down from the ground and up to him.
"Absolutely! The boiling isles is a vast and diverse place. We demons come in all shapes and sizes, each with our own unique abilities and traits. Some demons possess incredible strength, while others excel in illusions, fire manipulation, or even shape-shifting. It's a realm of endless possibilities." King informed, with me nodding as I figured that would be basic knowledge.
"That sounds basic. Are there any specific demons you'd recommend learning about?" I asked, as they would either be the most helpful or most dangerous.
"Ah, there are many fascinating creatures in our realm. Let's see... Have you heard of the Shadow Walkers? They are masters of stealth and can blend seamlessly into the darkness." King informed, with me shaking my head. They're excellent spies and gatherers of information. "And then there are the Inferno Lords, who wield the power of fire with unparalleled skill. They can conjure flames that can either be destructive or used for protection." King informed, with me thinking of giant fire beings with swords made of blue flames.
"Wow, that's impressive!" I said, excited to see a inferno lord. "I never realized how diverse and intricate the demon world could be. It's amazing to learn about all these different beings and their unique abilities." I said as I leaned back on my hands.
"Indeed, the boiling isles is full of wonders and surprises. It's a place where strength and cunning are highly valued. But remember, not all demons are evil or malicious. Just like humans, we have our own complexities and range from good to not-so-good." King informed, with me nodding as he was a demon and he was nice.
"That's a great reminder, King. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me." I said, where he stood up.
"You're welcome, Human! It's been a pleasure talking about my subjects! But we are not done, let me go grab my books!" King said as he jumped off the couch and ran done the hallway.
Later
Putting another book down, I watched as a beat up Wanda and Eda walked in. "Hey, you're back! I had an enlightening conversation with King, and he told me all about the different types of demons and their incredible abilities. It's a whole other world out there!" I said in excitement, where Wanda gave a weak smile.
"That sounds fascinating, Dakota! I'm glad you had the chance to learn more about this place." Wanda said as she fell face first into the couch. "It's incredible how much there is to discover beyond what we know." She said, though her voice was muffled.
"Knowledge is power, Dakota." Eda said as she leaned against the wall. "I'm glad you took the opportunity to delve deeper into the supernatural. It'll only broaden your perspective and make you even more resilient in the face of challenges." Eda informed, with me nodding as I went back to work on another book, reading about more demons.
"Absolutely. And hey, I may not have magic, but learning about the boiling isles and its inhabitants is like unlocking a whole new realm of possibilities. Who knows, maybe one day I'll find a way to remove my curse, so that I'll be able to touch again!" I said, where Wanda sat up.
"Dakota... You don't have a curse, it's just how you see it." Wanda said, with me looking up at her. "You are a mutant, like me." She said, with me putting the book aside. "Mutants are humans with a different strand of DNA, my father talked about it all the time, calling us Homo-superior. The X-Gene, is what gives us our powers." Wanda said, where I stood up.
"Dakota?" Eda asked, with me looking over at Wanda with a glair.
"Don't lie to me!?" I yelled, with her flinching. "I'm not some freak, I was cursed!? And who knows, maybe one day I'll uncover some hidden way to remove this curse!?"
"Dakota, it's not a curse. And you're not a freak, neither of us are!" Wanda said as she sat up.
"Dakota-"
"No!" I yelled, stopping Eda from speaking. "I'm not a mutant, I'm Human! I was cursed! I don't believe you!?" I yelled as I ran towards the front door and bolted outside, ignoring both Wanda and Eda as they called out to me.
I wasn't a Mutant, I was a Human, a Human who was cursed.