Witches Moon - Kerry
Return
Stonehenge 2017
“Set her down gently and take a seat.” I direct Andrei in the infirmary.
“Why? I’m fine. WHy isn’t she waking up?” He panics.
“Because you’ve got blood on your face and I wouldn’t know why!” I shout. “You just jumped back from god know what time and expect me to be omniscient of these things?” I glare at him as he sets Raven’s sleeping form on the bed.
Finn jumps up on the side table next to her, watching curiously. I move to check her vitals. “Well she’s breathing and has a pulse, but it’s weak. Can you fill me in on what happened?” I ask him while connecting her up a pulse check device.
“Well we got stuck in the past and the only way back was through Stonehenge, but it was locked and there was a light, and wind, and this old man, and...” He speaks to quickly and isn’t making any sense.
“How did she get like this!” I say in a firm tone.
“I kept dying so she kept healing me. She takes the wounds as her own and regenerates.” He explains in panic.
“What?” What in the world could that mean? I turn to Finn. “What does this mean? Do you know anything about this?”
“Not in particular but I do know a bit about her strange abilities.”
“Don’t be withholding information on me Finn.” I growl.
“Why don’t you just give her ambrosia!” Andrei stands, clawing the edge of the bed. “She needs to heal, she's exhausted. She needs the ambrosia!” He shouts.
I reach for the cabinet with the ambrosia vials and Finn hisses at me. “No. You cannot administer it.” I stop.
“Why not.”
“HURRY!” Andrei moves to go around me.
“STOPP!” I didn't know Finn could shout, being a cat and all. But I stare at him, hair raised and fang bared. I turn to Andrei.
“Get out now and I’ll call you when you can come back.” I say calmly.
“I want to help! Please let me help you!” He begs, I search his eyes and I see much more than a panic for a comrade. What happened to him in the past?
“Not now. I need to assess this for myself. Please Andrei, step out.”
He reluctantly steps to the door, a frown on his face and brows creased. He leaves without a word and I hear his footsteps recede down the hallway.
I turn on Finn. “What the hell is wrong with you? Why can’t I give her ambrosia?”
“She is not human. It will kill her.”
“Then what the hell is she?” I ask, confused.
“She’s a Succubus. She is Lilith's first to be precise.” I stare at him in disbelief.
“How do you know this and why didn’t you tell me this earlier? Why is there a demon in my branch and I don’t know about it?” I freak on him.
He sits there so calmly, eyes watching me. I wish cats blinked. It makes me uncomfortable.
“I asked her and I know not the reasons, but I know the ambrosia will kill her.”
I look at her sleeping form. “We could wait then. She has regenerative abilities, she should be ok in a day or so right?”
“If what Andrei says is accurate, she’s drained her life energy to revive him multiple times. She needs energy.” He looks at me like I know something about it and I shrug my arms.
Then it hits me. “Ohhh, Life energy. I have an idea. How long do you suppose she’ll last? How much time do we have?”
“Based on what I know of her physiology, I’d say she will slowly starve to death as she is currently trying to regenerate her wounds. Essentially she is in a coma.”
“Just answer the questions Finn.” I growl.
“About a week, give or take a few days.” He complies.
“Ok. That should be plenty then. And, any life energy will do?” I confirm. He nods. “Then I just need to find a large source of plant life nearby! Give me 3 days ok?” I clean Raven up, laying a blanket atop her still body and dim the lights. Just in case Andrei gets any funny ideas I leave Finn with instructions and lock the cabinet with the ambrosia in it. Then I pack my potions kit and head for the forest outside Stonehenge.
~~~
The forest tucked away between Amesbury Bypass and Stonehenge road is just the place where I can find a significant source of life energy for my spell. I have to be careful with this sort of spell. I can’t have any random people wandering into the spell.
My time in Nunavut was not without gain. I learned a wonderful alchemical spell to block outsiders from entering the forest. This way I could safely conduct the spell without interruption or accident.
I plod through the forest, climbing over roots and leaves till I gage where the centre is. Then I lay down the paper with the alchemical circle drawn onto it. I’ve calculated a radius of 250 meters, which should cover enough of the forest and not interfere with the nearby cottages.
I pull down my hood, the morning mist swirls about me like milk poured into a tea. I cross my arms over the paper, standing alone in the forest. I feel the energies of the earth, the ley lines and the tectonic plates. I call on the dragons pulse and snap my arms wide. A white light flashes, expanding quickly from the centre of the paper, outwards through the forest. A large dome shape forms overhead and soon I am encased at the centre of a transparent dome. Nothing goes in or out unless I let it.
With that in place I set down my potions bag and pull out some vials and other dried and preserved ingredients.
I place the ingredients, dried Algae and a small purple mushroom into the tall necked beaker and pour a little moon bathed water on top. These plants will soak up the energy of the forest, acting as a cell source or container. The moon water activates the ingredients.
I place the beaker on top of the alchemic circle. Then I sprinkle a star made of sea salt around the beaker and sit cross legged before it, facing north.
I place my hands, palm upwards, on my knees and close my eyes. I connect my spirit to the Etheria around me and inside the dome. I feel is swirl and mix wit the morning mist. I take hold of the green particles and direct them into the plants, the trees and the earth. I tie each thread to the beaker.
I feel the pulse of the forest as the thread intertwine and fuse. The forest hums around me. I take a deep breath and exhale slowly, drawing on each string, one by one, pulling the energy of the plants and drawing it along the string and into the beaker where it collects in the Algae and mushroom.
This could take a while.
