The Grand Luminary
Her red eyes drifted to the window down the hall; the home’s rear. Irritation stirred her gut as she saw a familiar pair of purple eyes peeking over the window sill. In order to quietly voice her displeasure, the witch narrowed her eyes. Alice gave her a look that tore her gut, but thankfully it was short lived. The knight swooped her up and they left the window.
She sighed.
“Alana?”
She jumped and looked back to her guest. Wearing that smirk she hated, he cocked his head at her. He leaned further back in her chair. To an average person, the man would appear normal, much like them. Nothing about him stood out. He was not particularly handsome, nor ugly, not muscular, or fat.
But he was something completely different.
His black eyes held a corrupt illumination that was as pale as his skin. His fingers fiddled with his suit’s tie. “How is your apprentice, War Witch?”
Alana leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. “She’s doing well. Can be impatient like any other child, but the promise you saw is there.”
He smiled and Alana smirked as she asked her next question. “So, Grand Luminary, why are you in my house?”
He had indeed caught her off guard, mostly. The War Witch had her own experiences, and she knew when something was wrong. She had seen the cobweb by her home’s entrance disturbed. She had expected an ignorant intruder, not her master. Most likely, he did it deliberately.
The knight entered her mind. He healed quickly, much to her discomfort. None of it was natural. She was anxious leaving Alice to him. What if the dumb brute entered now? They needed to leave yesterday, yet here she was.
“Looks like the two of you already started packing. I won’t be long; I merely wanted to wish you a safe trip. I assume you’ll be there within a matter of days?”
“About a week.”
He raised his eyebrow. “A week?”
“I want to take Alice on some side tours, have her meet some of my acquaintances.”
“I imagine they will be eager to see what your apprentice can do. Tell me, how far along is she?”
Alana’s coolness was shaken. “S-She’s working on visualization.”
He leaned back in the chair, quiet.
Alana swallowed.
After an eternity, he finally spoke. “I understand you want to take your time and build a solid foundation. Especially after something so horrific happened to you, but don’t operate in fear, Alana. You’re better than that. I raised you better than that.”
She nodded her head.
He continued. “You know about Alice’s mother. I don’t think the girl will suffer the same experience.”
With a breath, Alana buried her emotions. "I understand.”
He rose and approached her with a smile. “There’s the look I love!” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t baby her too much. You know what awaits her, and that attitude will only harm her.”
Leaving the door ajar, he stopped and gave Alana one final look. “Oglal is dead. I imagine that information makes you happy. To be honest, I’m happy myself. But be careful. It seems we potentially have a powerful enemy.”
Leaving the door open, he walked into the woods. Alana watched until the trees completely swallowed him. She stood at the entrance, emotions flooding her.
...
"That man is creepy, Max!” She said hugging Herself.
Maxwell peeked through the window, watching the man exit. Cautiously, he slid along the wall and peeked around its corner. His last sight of the figure was short. The large pine trees quickly engulfed him, leaving nothing but the wilderness ahead. Despite the simple clothing and body language, something was off about that man. Maxwell’s gut twisted from a mysterious unease that hung over him. He waited, watching the path of trees.
Seconds turned to minutes.
“Um… Max-, Mr. Knight, could you put me down?”
Blinking, Maxwell looked down. Pressed between his waist and forearm was Alice. Her arms and legs helpless dangled as she turned her head up to him.
“Oh… Yeah.”
He knelt down and Alice wiggled herself free and stretched. Her face suddenly shifted to apprehension. “Do… Do you think master is mad at me?”
“Nah, I think we’re okay.” Maxwell sheepishly said.
With a warm smile, She chuckled and rubbed Alice’s back. The sight warmed Maxwell’s heart and he rubbed his neck as he looked back to the forest. But his view was soon blocked by an annoyed set of red eyes. “Alice! What did I tell you!?”
“I-I-I’m sorry, master! I just-” The girl tripped over her words and her eyes grew wet. Maxwell’s eyes bounced between the two of them. Each time his gaze returned to the witch, her face contorted and grew redder.
Finally, she rubbed her hair and gave in. “W-W-Well as long as you understand!” Then her eyes jumped to the knight. “You’re looking chipper.”
“I am?”
She crossed her arms and closed an eye. “Are you doubting my healing ability, knight?”
He remained silent, staring at her. “I… I don’t think so? I guess you do have my thanks, witch.”
Again, her face grew red and she grit her teeth. “Witch, this! Witch, that! Look, I told you my name on the way here! Alana! A-L-A-N-A! I remember your name, Maxwell!”
The knight remained silent and looked to his side, as if something was there. The motion confused Alana. His gaze then turned back to her. “Okay.”
Alana’s mouth hung open as her eyebrows arched. “Okay?”
Sitting between them on the grass, Alice giggled as she watched Alana exhaust herself over the conversation.
Alana narrowed her eyes at him. “Say it.”
“Alana.”
“Don’t forget it.”
“I’ll try.”
“Don’t.”
“Okay.”
With a huff she marched to Maxwell and grabbed his hands. “Here! Write the name three times on your palm and you won’t forget! I used to-”
The witch halted and stepped away quietly from him. Confused, Maxwell decided to follow through and he spelled her name on his palm three times. He looked up and she met his eyes with a confused face.
“What?” He looked to Alice, who herself was mimicking it. She mouthed the knight’s name as she drew it into her palm. He looked back to Alana.
She grit her teeth and crossed her arms. “Its like I’m interacting with some Alchemist’s machine!”
Alice chirped in. “He’s like Tommy Thump!”
Alana giggled to herself. “He kind of is.”
The knight’s eyes bounced between them. “Tommy Thump?”
Alice jumped from the ground with new found energy. “You don’t know what a Tommy Thump is?! Master, we have to show him!”
Alana gave Alice a smile Maxwell didn’t know she was capable of. “Maybe. We’’ll be going to a lot of places.”
Her red eyes then grew wide. “Alice! We need to get everything together!”
The two rushed along the house’s side, but Alana quickly slid to a halt and turned to Maxwell. She pointed at him. “Wait out here, okay?”
He stood still and she remained silent for a moment, finger hanging in the air. Then she groaned. “Not at the back of the house! You can come to the front!”
“This girl is odd, Max” She said as the knight followed Alana the the entrance. “But, it seems she is leading us somewhere. Perhaps if we remain with her that man will appear again.”
Alana entered the home, leaving the knight and Her alone.
Maxwell whispered. “He seemed odd, had a presence similar to Oglal.”
“I imagine that man is related in someway. Perhaps the next time he appears we should kill him.”
Maxwell remained silent for a moment, then asked the question that had been lingering in his mind. “What happened with Oglal?”
She remained silent for a moment, then responded with a definitive answer. “I protected you.”
He looked to Her and She let Herself lean onto his chest and pulled him into an embrace. “It was scary, Max. But we pulled through.” Keeping Herself pressed against him, She met his eyes. “Did you like my kiss?”
He felt his cheeks redden and She gave him a toothy smile.
“You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed.”
...
The girls did not take long. Within a handful of minutes they were marching through the dense forest. As the house left their sight Alana gave it one final look and continued leading them forward, Alice in the center, and the knight at the end. Alice eagerly navigated the dirt path, bag bouncing happily along with her steps. In contrast, Alana’s simple messenger bag swayed with her smooth motions.
“Oh!” Alice cheered as she found some berries. She eagerly filled the wooden basket with them. “Will we see your friend on our journey, Maxwell? I need to give this back.”
He smiled. “I doubt it, but I’ll get it back to her one way or another.”
“Her?” Alana peeked over her shoulder at him.
“I met a very kind woman and her brother. I killed a demon that was terrorizing them and they payed me back.”
“A demon?” Alana pressed.
“A DreamWalker.”
Confusion filled the witch’s eyes for a moment, but they soon calmed. “Oh, that’s what you call them. I see.”
“What’s that?” Alice asked.
Maxwell looked to her colorful face and rubbed his neck. “Its kinda scary…”
She giggled.
“Oh, I don’t like scary things.”
He smiled as Alice rose and they continued walking. But the feeling of warmth was met with confusion. Why was a witch’s apprentice so ignorant to these things? How was she so innocent still?
He was happy that it seemed true, but something was off.
“Not everything is as it seems.” She said. “Lets just take it one step at a time.”
...
Alice’s feet had begun to hurt, and she quickly grew tired.
Alana moved to hold her, but Maxwell offered. The girl’s eyes brightened. “You’re much taller than Alana! I could see the tree tops!”
Maxwell chuckled as Alana’s face grew red in irritation. He held her in a piggyback and they continued their march. The knight began walking next to the witch rather than away from her.
Silence hung over the two as they marched up and down hills and rounded corner after corner. Alice laid her head on Maxwell’s shoulder, and to his surprise, she managed to fall asleep.
She walked between Maxwell and Alana, eyes bouncing between the two occasionally. She smiled at the sleeping Alice. “We can talk with the witch now.”
But to his surprise Alana asked the first question. “Tell me, how did you kill Oglal?”
“I don’t know.”
“Huh? What do you mean you don’t know?”
Maxwell remained silent, trying to organize his thoughts. “I took a lethal blow and blacked out. When I came to he was dead.”
He looked to Alana. Her eyes watched him with suspicion. She was in front of Alana, walking backwards. Her blue eyes examining the witch.
“I’ve only ever taught Alice healing magic, and very simple things at that. She couldn’t have healed much. There was a lot of blood, Maxwell. You should have been dead long before Alice got there.”
Maxwell remained silent, unsure what to say.
“This other woman you met. Was she part of his cult?”
“No.”
“Good. I imagine they’re all in despair right now. Those degenerates deserve it.”
“You did not get along with them?”
Alana’s face contorted into disgust. “I hated them, all of them. Especially Oglal. To take ancient teachings and convert them to lust and desire. It’s profane. That bastard would visit me, asking various favors. Kill these people, make me this potion. What am I?! Some alchemist?! I always told him no. The way that freak looked at me.” Her eyes sharpened. “The way he looked at Alice. I would have killed him if I could.”
“Why didn’t he kill you for denying him?”
A smirk formed on Alana’s lips and she looked to the knight. “I have connections, so I was useful. Now, knight, how about we exchange information. You tell me how you killed that swine, and I’ll tell you all about the people I know.”
Confused, Maxwell open his mouth to respond.
“Alana…”
But he was stopped by Alice.
He peeked over his shoulder to the girl. Tears streamed down her face. The witch rushed to her side. “It’s okay. It’s okay I’m right here. What’s wrong?!”
“I had a really scary dream.”
Maxwell saw surprise in Alana’s eyes as he lowered Alice into her arms. She stroked the girl’s ashen hair as she cried on her shoulder. “It’s okay. It was just a dream. I’m right here. I’ll always be here.”
“I-I-.” Alice struggled through tears. “A monster got you and I was alone. All these people were trying to get me!”
Maxwell stood beside the two of them, watching the sun descend behind the trees. Much like the light leaving the sky, a brightness left Alana’s eyes, leaving them a dreadful red.
