perspiration scattered across his forehead. His body shifted as the peaceful dream he was having, slipped into darkness, replaced by the image of a middle-aged woman with short, spiraling red hair. Her golden eyes met his as she smiled warmly. The mysterious woman stepped forward in her plain and unflattering lavender dress that hung to just below her knees. She oddly wore a different shoe upon each foot, one black and the other red. Both looked old and worn. The woman then lifted her arm, gently tracing her fingers along a black scarf wrapped snugly around her neck. He could make out a small, golden bracelet which hung loosely around her wrist. Dangling from the chain was a jade pendant in the shape of a pointed tooth.
“Kale,” her voice sounded distant, although she stood mere feet in front of him. “There is still hope, young one. I am aware you are traveling to the town of Braxle. Please know I will do what I can to help guide you along your journey.”
“Guide me to what? Who are you?” Kale took a step boldly toward the woman. As he did, the floor beneath his bare feet felt soft, much like freshly kneaded dough, causing him to sink. He staggered to stand, attempting to regain balance as he fought the wobbly sensation of each movement.
The woman glanced at him, watching as he struggled. Her eyes seemed to be filled with pain as if she wanted to reach out and touch him. Despite this reaction, she turned to leave, slowly walking away into the nothingness that surrounded them.
“Wait!” Kale called out, extending his arm toward the woman. He could not understand why, but he felt an unexplainable desire to continue their conversation. He sensed she had more to tell him. He continued to sink deeper into the ground until suddenly; an unknown force lifted him upward, pulling him free. Everything went black.
The next sight to greet him was the warm rays of sunlight that broke through the leaves above. Kale soon realized he had awoken from a dream. He blinked numerous times before looking around to find Neelan and Thomas sitting nearby.
“’Morning, lazy; it’s time to go.” Neelan purposely tossed Kale’s shirt upon his head.
He moaned, wrinkling his forehead as he forced himself to sit upright. That must have been another hallucination from the monsloth bite. But, it felt so real... Kale thought. As he reached up to pull his shirt on, something fell from a fold in the fabric. He tossed the shirt to the side, examining what had fallen into his lap.
“What have you got there, Kale?” Thomas inquired; his eyes curiously intrigued.
As Kale lifted the small, golden chain onto his fingertips, his bright eyes widened in astonishment—it was the same bracelet the woman had been wearing. Kale knew now that what he had seen was certainly no dream.
Chapter 7: Bittersweet
“W hat in Pan’s name...?” Kale held the bracelet before his face to better examine the piece.
Thomas approached Kale, kneeling to inspect the object. A look of surprise crossed his face as he pulled back in astonishment. “Jumping balt toads, Kale—unless my eyes deceive me, I do believe that belongs to a witch who goes by the name of Zasha. Though she has always kept her distance from me, I have no doubt the bracelet you hold belongs to her. I recall on a previous sighting of her, that very object hung from her wrist. There was an oddly intriguing glow which emitted off the pendant.” Thomas narrowed his eyes. “What business do you have with her? I’ll warn you now to be cautious—she is quite the meddlesome one.”
Kale yawned, shaking in an animalistic manner to remove the debris from his body before dressing. “You’re going to think this sounds insane, but I met her—at least I think I met her, while I slept.”
“I don’t doubt you, Kale.” Thomas rubbed his beard. “What a clever woman. I’d like to know just what it is she’s up to.”
Neelan finger-combed her hair before tossing the brown hat up into the air and
“Kale,” her voice sounded distant, although she stood mere feet in front of him. “There is still hope, young one. I am aware you are traveling to the town of Braxle. Please know I will do what I can to help guide you along your journey.”
“Guide me to what? Who are you?” Kale took a step boldly toward the woman. As he did, the floor beneath his bare feet felt soft, much like freshly kneaded dough, causing him to sink. He staggered to stand, attempting to regain balance as he fought the wobbly sensation of each movement.
The woman glanced at him, watching as he struggled. Her eyes seemed to be filled with pain as if she wanted to reach out and touch him. Despite this reaction, she turned to leave, slowly walking away into the nothingness that surrounded them.
“Wait!” Kale called out, extending his arm toward the woman. He could not understand why, but he felt an unexplainable desire to continue their conversation. He sensed she had more to tell him. He continued to sink deeper into the ground until suddenly; an unknown force lifted him upward, pulling him free. Everything went black.
The next sight to greet him was the warm rays of sunlight that broke through the leaves above. Kale soon realized he had awoken from a dream. He blinked numerous times before looking around to find Neelan and Thomas sitting nearby.
“’Morning, lazy; it’s time to go.” Neelan purposely tossed Kale’s shirt upon his head.
He moaned, wrinkling his forehead as he forced himself to sit upright. That must have been another hallucination from the monsloth bite. But, it felt so real... Kale thought. As he reached up to pull his shirt on, something fell from a fold in the fabric. He tossed the shirt to the side, examining what had fallen into his lap.
“What have you got there, Kale?” Thomas inquired; his eyes curiously intrigued.
As Kale lifted the small, golden chain onto his fingertips, his bright eyes widened in astonishment—it was the same bracelet the woman had been wearing. Kale knew now that what he had seen was certainly no dream.
Chapter 7: Bittersweet
“W hat in Pan’s name...?” Kale held the bracelet before his face to better examine the piece.
Thomas approached Kale, kneeling to inspect the object. A look of surprise crossed his face as he pulled back in astonishment. “Jumping balt toads, Kale—unless my eyes deceive me, I do believe that belongs to a witch who goes by the name of Zasha. Though she has always kept her distance from me, I have no doubt the bracelet you hold belongs to her. I recall on a previous sighting of her, that very object hung from her wrist. There was an oddly intriguing glow which emitted off the pendant.” Thomas narrowed his eyes. “What business do you have with her? I’ll warn you now to be cautious—she is quite the meddlesome one.”
Kale yawned, shaking in an animalistic manner to remove the debris from his body before dressing. “You’re going to think this sounds insane, but I met her—at least I think I met her, while I slept.”
“I don’t doubt you, Kale.” Thomas rubbed his beard. “What a clever woman. I’d like to know just what it is she’s up to.”
Neelan finger-combed her hair before tossing the brown hat up into the air and
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