“Soap can take you to your house, he is on his way. Do come back by ten am. That is when they will be about ready to leave. Can I see your backpack? I can help lighten the load with a shrinking spell, anything you place in you pack will shrink inside hundreds of times its normal size and return to normal when you take it back out. Whatever you want, just summon it and it will come straight to you. You can bring anything you wish.” Shade nodded in awe, as she handed the pack to her. Ilarial whispered the spell softly and ran her hand over the pack, closing her eyes. When she was through, she returned it to Shade.
“There, see? It’s light as a feather.”
Shade held the pack and it felt really light, as if it was empty. She opened it and reached inside for one of her textbooks, it appeared in her hand immediately, though she couldn’t see anything inside the dark pack. “Wow! That’s amazing! I can stick whatever I want in it now, right? Does it have a weight limit? That is just way cool!” Shade felt her excitement fluttering through her now, her fatigue evaporated.
Ilarial laughed, “Yes, dear Shade, anything you can think of, a most useful spell don’t you think? You could move your whole house in one trip.”
She smiled warmly, that same smile that felt like cozy hot chocolate melting the cold of winter away. She motioned for her to follow her into another bedroom. This one belonged to Ilarial. Her bed was in the centered in the middle of the room. It was layered with thick, clean, but colorful blankets; and there were also a number of pillows. To the far side of the room was a rack, filled with weapons, silvery knives and sharp stone arrows, and wooden tipped ones that filled the corner. There were also hatchets, axes, throwing stars and daggers that overflowed the rack.
“Please, choose some weapons. I find that if a weapon calls to you, it’s meant to be yours solely. Feel them sing to you Shade, touch the metal and the wood, tell me what you feel. Please, take the ones that you like.” She motioned to the weapons, as Shade gaped at them from the doorway. She stepped closer and reached out to touch them, her fingers landed on an ornamental dagger. There were gems on the hilt and they were glistening in the candlelight, along with the blade of the dagger. The blue and blood red jewels brightened as Shade’s fingers brushed the handle.
Shade stepped back with excitement in her eyes. “Wow, they feel like they are buzzing under my skin! Is it magic?” She reached out and touched some of the throwing stars, which hummed equally as loud as the dagger. They were glowing with an eerie blue and green hue around the steel. She could feel the power radiating through the dagger, it made her heart race and her fingers tingle.
“Go ahead Shade, take some and place them in your pack, you may need them sooner than you think. Your aim will be true; your strength will increase hundredfold with them. Just use them wisely and never in haste.”
Shade frowned at the ominous statement; she didn’t want to need to use any kind of weapons! Who would? She placed several stars, daggers and a sword in her pack, all small enough for her thin hands but big enough to do some kind of damage, if only she knew how to use them. She looked at Ilarial, pausing with slight fear rising to her throat.
“What if I don’t come back? What exactly are we going to go through, that I would need such an entourage and magical weapons? It’s kinda freaking me out a bit. I’m just a regular girl; I really am not an outdoorsy type of gal. Why do I have to do it, Ilarial? I don’t see why it has to be me.” Shade felt a tightening in her throat as panic set in and it became hard to breathe. Pressing her lips tight into a flat line, she took a moment to gather her thoughts before she frowned and continued. “You need a half blood, I know. Why me though, I can’t be the only one on earth? Why me? Please don’t be offended but I really don’t want to go!” Tears welled in her eyes and she did her best to keep them from spilling onto her cheeks.
“Shade, I am truly sorry that you feel this way. I know it’s very overwhelming and confusing. I have foreseen that you, and only you, can do this and come back alive. I have not told you this but there have been others brought to me before, but they were not suited for this.” She paused, sighing deeply and stroking Shade’s hair back. “Don’t underestimate yourself, you are strong and carry powers you have barely begun to explore. The warriors will help you; teach you how to use your magic and strength. Let them in, heed what they say and show you. You are in the best hands now. I know you will come to know that this is not a curse but a blessing.”
Someone cleared their throat and both of them turned around. Soap bowed his head as he entered; ready to take Shade into the unknown. “Soap at your service, Shade. Hello, Ilarial. It is time to for us to leave.” He straightened and waited quietly.
Shade swallowed her tears and sighed. There was no turning back now. She nodded at the warrior and swung her pack over her shoulder. Running her fingers through her rat’s nest of hair, she wished that she had had her brush with her, especially since she was in the presence of such a cute guy. She straightened up and followed Soap out the door.
Ilarial waved a farewell and turned away.
The walk down the corridor seemed endless. Neither of them spoke but they moved briskly on the stone floors. They soon passed the great hall, now abandoned and silent. Soap was in the lead as they continued on to the roots of the tree, where the entrance laid just beyond. Soap paused and called out the same words Jack had spoken to open the stairway. “
Endora, philis montie!”
He exclaimed
.
The roots shook and dirt sprayed around from them. The great stone staircase emerged from the dirt walls and came together in a massive spiral. The dawn’s light streamed in through the opening and stone steps sparkled in the sunlight.
“Wow,” Shade stepped forward in awe. These steps were unlike anything she had ever seen before.
Soap grinned at her comment. “It is said, that the steps were made out of crushed diamonds and stone more than a millennium ago. Nothing else can compare to such a brilliant entrance. Our queen boasts, that this is the most amazing underground palace this side of the country.” He took the steps two at a time. He looked as if he was floating like a feather for he moved so swiftly, it appeared as if he was evaporating through the ceiling as he climbed the stairs. Shade struggled to keep up but finally she cleared the opening. The morning air was thick with mist; all the leaves and flowers were brilliant with dew, glistening like rainbows. The air was fresh and clean out here in the deep forest. She watched the gravel and rock swallow the staircase until nothing was shown on the forest floor but dirt and plants.
Must be closed by magic…
She turned and saw Soap waiting patiently.
He picked a brilliant purple flower from a bush and smiled. “Here is a true beauty, so rare to find in the mornings, these mostly bloom at night.” He handed the flower to her and bowed. “A beauty, for a beauty.” His long brown hair swept forward and swayed in the breeze, gold highlights shone in the sun and made his hair a brilliant honey brown. It was lush and loose today.
Shade smiled, blushing pink, taking the flower and sniffing its wild aroma. “It smells amazing! I’ve never smelled anything like it.” She looked up at the young man, with her eyes wide open. She felt different, like a calm ocean had swept her away, and she was now floating gently. Her vision swayed for a moment as she shook it off, thinking it was just fatigue. These feelings were new to her and she didn’t know what to do with them.
“Night-wind tiger lily, it has a calming, sleepy effect but only when you smell it. It goes away almost immediately, but it helps calm the nerves. Good to have on hand if you suffer from insomnia, stuffing a few these petals in your pillow keeps you almost sedated. Not an effect you want to have right now, but it will relax you.” He winked and turned, his long hair swaying in the breeze. He walked through the shrubs; he moved gingery and skillfully as only a trained soldier could. Shade followed him almost as if she were in a trance. This world was absolutely amazing so far. She hoped that whatever was out there would be just as thrilling and not terrifying.
They walked swiftly, dodging bushes and ducking under branches. The woods were brimming with life, with birds chirping, squirrels racing by. The Deer glanced at them as they walked past. Insects buzzed by, they seemed intent on some unknown errands. Shade felt the life around her and it was like warm sunshine, spilling on her like never before. She wondered about that, why did the world seem so different this morning? She didn’t think anything had changed all that much. Maybe this was how the land of Faerie was all the time. She wondered why she hadn’t stumbled upon it before in her life.
Maybe it’s because I avoid the outdoors like a plague.
She observed Soap. He was graceful, dodging things easily and maneuvering around like he was dancing. His body seemed to float around obstacles and trees like a flowing stream of air, rustling by. She wondered again if he was wearing glamour at all. “Soap?”
“Yes, my lady,” he said as he paused, and looked over his shoulder at her, while winking one of his gleaming green eyes.
“I was just wondering, why you didn’t remove any glamour before? Like most everyone else, do you wear any? Like Jack? Ilarial said you were part Teleen like him. Wouldn’t you have to wear glamour, like, to not electrocute things?” She pushed a branch back and let it snap back with a crack, while she fired her questions at him.
Soap slowed and came to a stop, turning slowly towards her and stared intently. “Shade, I am part of what Jack is, I am also a shape shifter, I don’t need glamour to look human. This is me. The way I am. I can shift and look full Teleen like Jack if I wish, or I could change into a bird, lion, wolf, another person or fairy, anything, even...” He paused; he had been moving closer to her while he spoke and now stood very close as he faced her. He bent down slightly, so that if either one of them stepped forward, they would bump faces. “I could even change myself to look like other people, other men or women. Anyone you could think of or want me to be.” She could feel his warmth radiating across the air and over her skin. It was warm and rippling. Her breath was caught in her throat with him so near. He smiled. “Do you want to see?” His eyes widened with a sense of mischief dancing around in them.
She nodded, hoping she wouldn’t regret that decision. In a flash, the lines around him blurred like a steamy window. Now before her stood a pale young man with jet-black spiky hair, and fair skin. Gleaming blue eyes stared back at her. He was built just like Soap but slightly shorter, and thinner, yet still taller than her. Their eyes were almost level and he stepped even closer, one hand reaching up and stroking her face. Shade felt her heart thud in her chest.
“I could look like anyone you can dream of. Anyone you could ever want to see.” His lips were mere centimeters from hers. She stepped back, feeling enthralled and woozy. What was going on here?
Soap lowered his hand, still not changing back. He glowed. “I can use enchantments on anyone, so they will forget who they are or even what they’re doing. You stepped away, why is that? I don’t seem to have absolute power over you, Shade. That’s, very strange.” He continued to look at her, frowning but studying her intensely. Curiosity gleamed in his changed blue eyes.
“Could you change back Soap, you’re scaring me.” She tilted her head staring at him. “What did you do to me exactly?” she asked with her eyes widening.
Soap smiled and just as quickly, he blurred right back into himself. His long brown hair and green-gemmed eyes glinted at her. “Pardon, my lady, I meant no harm. I will not do that again, but you can see that my magic could be quite useful. Most fey and human alike cannot resist my charm. You on the other hand…” He tilted his head, confused. “It barely touched you; it’s as if you’re immune to it or something, amazing. Oh well, can’t have everything right?” He smiled again and turned back, he continued on his way like nothing had happened. Shade took a deep breath and followed, she was slightly enraged by his admittance of using magic on her.
The forest seemed to stretch out for miles; twigs and leaves crunched under their feet, snapping and crackling as they walked. The noise seemed louder in the vastness of the woods and in the quiet of the morning. She kept her eyes on the forest floor, but she glanced up every so often to watch Soap’s long brown hair swinging in the cool breeze. He had tied it back with a leather string, matching the color of his hair. She wondered who he was, and why he was coming on this journey with her. She supposed it might be for her protection. Her mind continued to race with questions. Why was he alone as a child in this desolate forest?
He could have been killed, eaten alive by an animal.
She looked at the thick shrubbery around her, and shivered at the thought.
Finally they reached the forest’s edge and could hear traffic in the distance. For a brief moment Shade had almost forgotten about the reality of her world. She had been so mesmerized by Soap’s magic, charms and Faerie itself. The road was not far from the woods, and soon they were walking in the direction of her house. She wondered if her mother had already left, and she secretly wished that she might run into her anyway, just to say hello, and maybe she could get a warm hug and kiss goodbye. The little things she would miss overwhelmed her. What if she didn’t come back? When they both reached her house, they paused.
Shade stared at the worn down exterior, made of bricks and old siding that happened to be partially dry rotted. The house was old but comfy; the rust red exterior bricks were rough with age. Weeds clung to the base of the house, and toys and balls were carelessly tossed across the yard. She smiled, her little brothers and sister were loved dearly, but they were also spoiled rotten.
Shade knew how hard their mother worked, now that she was a single mom. Somehow, there was never a lack of love going around. Sometimes she did get a little absent minded, with so much going on between all of them, forgetfulness was forgivable. She was pretty sure her mother was gone. The minivan was not parked in driveway and there were no crazy little kid screams filling the house, like usual. The place seemed quite silent. It was almost eerie. Shade shook away her disappointment and started for the door. Soap followed closely.